Timeline

Exodus in Genesis

Several narratives in Genesis are deliberately shaped and edited so that they anticipate Israel’s later departure from Egypt. Abraham goes down to Egypt during a famine, Pharaoh is struck with plagues, and the patriarch leaves enriched with silver and gold, following the same sequence the nation will trace in the Exodus. The covenant in Genesis 15 predicts four hundred years of slavery and a departure with great wealth, and the Joseph story carries the family down to Egypt and swears to bring Joseph’s bones back out. This repetition presents the founding deliverance as a pattern already visible in the ancestors’ lives, so that the family’s story prefigures the nation’s.

Timeline

Genesis 11:3 / Exodus 5:7
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Genesis 11:3
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  1 The whole earth had a common language and a common vocabulary. 2 When the people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there.3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick instead of stone and tar instead of mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves. Otherwise we will be scattered across the face of the entire earth.”5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the people had started building.
2. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 5:7
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  5 Pharaoh was thinking, “The people of the land are now many, and you are giving them rest from their labor.”6 That same day Pharaoh commanded the slave masters and foremen who were over the people: 7 “You must no longer give straw to the people for making bricks as before. Let them go and collect straw for themselves. 8 But you must require of them the same quota of bricks that they were making before. Do not reduce it, for they are slackers. That is why they are crying, ‘Let us go sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Make the work harder for the men so they will keep at it and pay no attention to lying words!”
Genesis 11:3 / Exodus 1:14
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Genesis 11:3
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  1 The whole earth had a common language and a common vocabulary. 2 When the people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there.3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick instead of stone and tar instead of mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves. Otherwise we will be scattered across the face of the entire earth.”
2. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 1:14
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  12 But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread. As a result the Egyptians loathed the Israelites, 13 and they made the Israelites serve rigorously. 14 They made their lives bitter by hard service with mortar and bricks and by all kinds of service in the fields. Every kind of service the Israelites were required to give was rigorous.15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah,
Genesis 11:8 / Exodus 5:12
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Genesis 11:8
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  6 And the Lord said, “If as one people all sharing a common language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be beyond them. 7 Come, let’s go down and confuse their language so they won’t be able to understand each other.”8 So the Lord scattered them from there across the face of the entire earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why its name was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the entire world, and from there the Lord scattered them across the face of the entire earth.10 This is the account of Shem. Shem was 100 years old when he became the father of Arphaxad, two years after the flood.
2. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 5:12
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  10 So the slave masters of the people and their foremen went to the Israelites and said, “Thus says Pharaoh: ‘I am not giving you straw. 11 You go get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, because there will be no reduction at all in your workload.’” 12 So the people spread out through all the land of Egypt to collect stubble for straw. 13 The slave masters were pressuring them, saying, “Complete your work for each day, just like when there was straw!” 14 The Israelite foremen whom Pharaoh’s slave masters had set over them were beaten and were asked, “Why did you not complete your requirement for brickmaking as in the past—both yesterday and today?”
Genesis 12:17 / Exodus 11:1
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Genesis 12:17
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  15 When Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. So Abram’s wife was taken into the household of Pharaoh, 16 and he did treat Abram well on account of her. Abram received sheep and cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.17 But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife?
2. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 11:1
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  1 The Lord said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt; after that he will release you from this place. When he releases you, he will drive you out completely from this place. 2 Instruct the people that each man and each woman is to request from his or her neighbor items of silver and gold.” 3 Now the Lord granted the people favor with the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, respected by Pharaoh’s servants and by the Egyptian people.
Genesis 12:20 / Exodus 12:32
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Genesis 12:20
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  17 But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now, here is your wife. Take her and go!” 20 Pharaoh gave his men orders about Abram, and so they expelled him, along with his wife and all his possessions.
2. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 12:32
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  31 Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron in the night and said, “Get up, get out from among my people, both you and the Israelites! Go, serve the Lord as you have requested! 32 Also, take your flocks and your herds, just as you have requested, and leave. But bless me also.”33 The Egyptians were urging the people on, in order to send them out of the land quickly, for they were saying, “We are all dead!”
Genesis 13:2 / Exodus 12:35
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Genesis 13:2
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  1 So Abram went up from Egypt into the Negev. He took his wife and all his possessions with him, as well as Lot. 2 Now Abram was very wealthy in livestock, silver, and gold. 3 And he journeyed from place to place from the Negev as far as Bethel. He returned to the place where he had pitched his tent at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai.
2. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 12:35
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  34 So the people took their dough before the yeast was added, with their kneading troughs bound up in their clothing on their shoulders. 35 Now the Israelites had done as Moses told them—they had requested from the Egyptians silver and gold items and clothing. 36 The Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and they gave them whatever they wanted, and so they plundered Egypt.37 The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about 600,000 men on foot, plus their dependents.
Genesis 15:13 / Exodus 2:22
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Genesis 15:13
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  11 When birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.12 When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, and great terror overwhelmed him. 13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign country. They will be enslaved and oppressed for 400 years. 14 But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve. Afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15 But as for you, you will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age.
2. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 2:22
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  20 He said to his daughters, “So where is he? Why in the world did you leave the man? Call him, so that he may eat a meal with us.”21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. 22 When she bore a son, Moses named him Gershom, for he said, “I have become a resident foreigner in a foreign land.”23 During that long period of time the king of Egypt died, and the Israelites groaned because of the slave labor. They cried out, and their desperate cry because of their slave labor went up to God. 24 God heard their groaning; God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
Genesis 15:13 / Exodus 12:40
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Genesis 15:13
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  11 When birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.12 When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, and great terror overwhelmed him. 13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign country. They will be enslaved and oppressed for 400 years. 14 But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve. Afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15 But as for you, you will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age.
2. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 12:40
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  38 A mixed multitude also went up with them, and flocks and herds—a very large number of cattle. 39 They baked cakes of bread without yeast using the dough they had brought from Egypt, for it was made without yeast. Because they were thrust out of Egypt and were not able to delay, they could not prepare food for themselves either.40 Now the length of time the Israelites lived in Egypt was 430 years. 41 At the end of the 430 years, on the very day, all the regiments of the Lord went out of the land of Egypt. 42 It was a night of vigil for the Lord to bring them out from the land of Egypt, and so on this night all Israel is to keep the vigil to the Lord for generations to come.
Genesis 15:13 / Exodus 1:11
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Genesis 15:13
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  11 When birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.12 When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, and great terror overwhelmed him. 13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign country. They will be enslaved and oppressed for 400 years. 14 But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve. Afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15 But as for you, you will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age.
2. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 1:11
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  8 Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power over Egypt. 9 He said to his people, “Look at the Israelite people, more numerous and stronger than we are! 10 Come, let’s deal wisely with them. Otherwise they will continue to multiply, and if a war breaks out, they will ally themselves with our enemies and fight against us and leave the country.”11 So they put foremen over the Israelites to oppress them with hard labor. As a result they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread. As a result the Egyptians loathed the Israelites, 13 and they made the Israelites serve rigorously.
Genesis 15:13 / Exodus 1:11 / Exodus 2:22 / Exodus 12:40
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Genesis 15:13
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  12 When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, and great terror overwhelmed him. 13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign country. They will be enslaved and oppressed for 400 years. 14 But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve. Afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15 But as for you, you will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit.”17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking firepot with a flaming torch passed between the animal parts.
2. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 1:11
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  10 Come, let’s deal wisely with them. Otherwise they will continue to multiply, and if a war breaks out, they will ally themselves with our enemies and fight against us and leave the country.”11 So they put foremen over the Israelites to oppress them with hard labor. As a result they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread. As a result the Egyptians loathed the Israelites,
3. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 2:22
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. 22 When she bore a son, Moses named him Gershom, for he said, “I have become a resident foreigner in a foreign land.”23 During that long period of time the king of Egypt died, and the Israelites groaned because of the slave labor. They cried out, and their desperate cry because of their slave labor went up to God.
4. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 12:40
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  39 They baked cakes of bread without yeast using the dough they had brought from Egypt, for it was made without yeast. Because they were thrust out of Egypt and were not able to delay, they could not prepare food for themselves either.40 Now the length of time the Israelites lived in Egypt was 430 years. 41 At the end of the 430 years, on the very day, all the regiments of the Lord went out of the land of Egypt.
Genesis 46:2 / Exodus 3:4
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Genesis 46:2
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  1 So Israel began his journey, taking with him all that he had. When he came to Beer Sheba he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 God spoke to Israel in a vision during the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” He replied, “Here I am!” 3 He said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. 4 I will go down with you to Egypt and I myself will certainly bring you back from there. Joseph will close your eyes.”
2. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 3:4
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  2 The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from within a bush. He looked, and the bush was ablaze with fire, but it was not being consumed! 3 So Moses thought, “I will turn aside to see this amazing sight. Why does the bush not burn up?”4 When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him from within the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”5 God said, “Do not approach any closer! Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He added, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
Genesis 47:11 / Exodus 1:11
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Genesis 47:11
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  9 Jacob said to Pharaoh, “All the years of my travels are 130. All the years of my life have been few and painful; the years of my travels are not as long as those of my ancestors.” 10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers. He gave them territory in the land of Egypt, in the best region of the land, the land of Rameses, just as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 Joseph also provided food for his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household, according to the number of their little children.13 But there was no food in all the land because the famine was very severe; the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan wasted away because of the famine.
2. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 1:11
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  8 Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power over Egypt. 9 He said to his people, “Look at the Israelite people, more numerous and stronger than we are! 10 Come, let’s deal wisely with them. Otherwise they will continue to multiply, and if a war breaks out, they will ally themselves with our enemies and fight against us and leave the country.”11 So they put foremen over the Israelites to oppress them with hard labor. As a result they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread. As a result the Egyptians loathed the Israelites, 13 and they made the Israelites serve rigorously.
Genesis 50:25 / Exodus 13:19
1. 750–400 BCE
  
  Genesis 50:25
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to you and lead you up from this land to the land he swore on oath to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” 25 Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath. He said, “God will surely come to you. Then you must carry my bones up from this place.” 26 So Joseph died at the age of 110. After they embalmed him, his body was placed in a coffin in Egypt.
2. 750–400 BCE
  
  Exodus 13:19
  
  Hebrew Bible
  
  18 So God brought the people around by the way of the wilderness to the Red Sea, and the Israelites went up from the land of Egypt prepared for battle. 19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the Israelites solemnly swear, “God will surely attend to you, and you will carry my bones up from this place with you.”20 They journeyed from Sukkoth and camped in Etham, on the edge of the desert.