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  • From: "Harold R. Holmyard III" <hholmyard AT ont.com>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Exodus & Hyksos
  • Date: Wed, 26 May 2004 06:36:14 -0500

Dear David,

A key element overlooked in trying to tie biblical
chronology to the archeological record is that fact that
after the expulsion of the Hyksos from Egypt, the Hyksos
fled across the Sinai to Canaan, to a fortified city
Sharuhen (Tell Ajjul, not far from Gaza). Ahmose pursued
the Hyksos across the Sinai and destroyed their fortress. He then conquered all of Canaan and large parts of what is
now Lebanon and Syria. Egypt control this region lasted
for hundreds of years after. The Merneptah Stele (1210 BC)
mentions that Egyptian forces under the command of
Merneptah in Canaan defeated ?Israel?. Specifically it
states "Israel is laid waste, its seed is not." (Ashkelon
and Gezer are also mentioned). The determinative is for a
people, rather than a state. As late as 1210 Egypt held
sway over Canaan.

The point here is for hundreds of years after the expulsion
of the Hyksos, there is no way for the Israelites to flee
Egypt, wander about for 40 years, and then enter Canaan.
Canaan was under Egyptian rule.

HH: Dr. Eugene H. Merrill, in his book Kingdom of Priests, dates the Exodus to 1440 B.C. and says this:

It might seem strange that Egyptian history knows nothing of the exodus and conquest, but given the Egyptian penchant for recording only victories and not defeats, one should not be surprised at the omission. Amenhotep II (1450-1425), the pharaoh of the exodus, had either little interest or little stomach for Palestinian conquest following his fifth year. the year of the exodus. His son Thutmose IV (1425-1417) apparently undertook only one northern campaign-to Aram Naharaim. This would have occurred while Israel was in the Sinai wilderness and so would have had no effect on the conquest. Amenhotep III (1417-1379) was ruling during Israel's invasion and occupation of Canaan, but his attention was directed not towards defending his interests in Canaan, but toward hunting and the arts. Whatever military activities he did undertake were against Nubia in the south. This obviously was providential for Israel, for, as has been seen, the Mitannians, Hittites, and (later) the Assyrians were for the most part at loggerheads, unable to fill the vacuum that Egypt's disinterest in Canaan had produced. Only the Canaanites, themselves totally disorganized, stood in the way.

Yours,
Harold Holmyard




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