THE FATE OF THE PHARAOH WHO CONTENDED WITH GOD BEFORE THE BIRTH OF MOSES . WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW…
Published 2024-05-18
Traditionally, the Pharaoh of the Exodus is identified as the 19th dynasty Pharaoh Ramesses II because the Hebrew slaves were forced to build the Egyptian store-city named in the Bible as Raamses or Ramesses and associated therefore with the great Egyptian city builder, Ramesses II (see Exodus 1:11). This traditional identification, however, does not take into account more recent archaeological evidence uncovered since the 1970s which shows clearly that it was the earlier city of Avaris, built on the same site as the later city of Ramesses that was constructed by the Hebrew slaves in the Bible.
The reign of Ramesses II, using the nineteenth century dating system, is traditionally dated as 1279 – 1213BC, and events once thought to be within his reign, including the Exodus, are therefore traditionally dated during this period. This, however, does not correspond to the dates suggested in the Old Testament where Solomon’s Temple (reliably known to have been built between 967/968BC and 961/960BC), is said to have been started 480 years after the Exodus from Egypt (see 1 Kings 6:1). This would place the Exodus in 1447 BC, 168 years before the ‘traditional’ start of Ramesses’s reign. Similarly, Jephthah (who ‘judged’ Israel from 1108 – 1102BC) told the King of the Amorites that it was 300 years since the Israelites occupied Moab (see Judges 11:26). Taking into account the additional forty years that the Israelites spent in the desert after leaving Egypt, this dates the Exodus to between 1448 and 1442BC. If the Bible text is accurate here, Ramesses II could not possibly be the Pharaoh of the Exodus – it must have been a much earlier pharaoh.
Anyway, for the purpose of this video, We will use the Book of Jasher; also known as the “Book of the Upright One” in the Greek Septuagint and the “Book of the Just Ones” in the Latin Vulgate, the Book of Jasher was probably a collection or compilation of ancient Hebrew songs and poems praising the heroes of Israel and their exploits in battle. The Book of Jasher is mentioned in Joshua 10:12-13 when the Lord stopped the sun in the middle of the day during the battle of Beth Horon. It is also mentioned in 2 Samuel 1:18-27 as containing the Song or Lament of the Bow, that mournful funeral song which David composed at the time of the death of Saul and Jonathan. Okay, let’s dive in right away! We will address Jasher Chapter 76 and 77 in this video…