Exodus 12:40

40 Forsooth the dwelling of the sons of Israel, by which they dwelled in Egypt, was of four hundred and thirty years; (And the Israelites had lived in Egypt for four hundred and thirty years;)

Exodus 12:40 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 12:40

Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in
Egypt
The Septuagint version adds, "and in the land of Canaan"; and the Samaritan version is,

``the sojourning of the children of Israel, and of their fathers, in the land of Canaan, and in the land of Egypt.''

Agreeably to which are both the Talmuds: in one ^F15 of them the words are,

``in Egypt and in all lands,''

and in the other ^F16,

``in Egypt, and in the rest of the lands;''

and in the same way Aben Ezra interprets the words. And certain it is, that Israel did not dwell in Egypt four hundred and thirty years, and even not much more than two hundred years; but then they and their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, dwelt so long in Mesopotamia, in Canaan, and in Egypt, in foreign countries, in a land not theirs, as the phrase is, ( Genesis 15:13 ) where the place of their sojourning, and the time of it, are given by way of prophecy. The Jews reckon from the vision of God to Abraham between the pieces to the birth of Isaac thirty years, so the Targum of Jonathan; but that cannot be, though from his coming out of his own native place, Ur of the Chaldeans, to the birth of Isaac, might be so many years, since he was seventy five years of age when he came out of Haran, ( Genesis 12:4 ) and if he stayed at Haran five years, as probably he did, then there were just thirty from his coming out of Ur of the Chaldees to Isaac's birth, since he was born when he was one hundred years old; and from the birth of Isaac to the birth of Jacob was sixty years, ( Genesis 25:26 ) and from thence to his going down to Egypt was one hundred and thirty, ( Genesis 47:9 ) and from thence to the coming of Israel out of Egypt were two hundred and ten years, as is generally computed, which make the exact sum of four hundred and thirty years; of these (See Gill on Acts 7:6), (See Gill on Galatians 3:17).

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 T. Hieros. Magillah, fol. 71. 4.
F16 T. Bab. Megillah, fol. 9. 1.

Exodus 12:40 In-Context

38 but also the common people of males and of females unnumberable went up with them; (and) sheep, and oxen, and full many beasts of diverse kind also.

39 And they baked meal, which sprinkled together a while ago they took from Egypt, and made therf loaves baken under ashes; for the loaves might not be dighted with sourdough, for [the] Egyptians compelled them to go out, and suffered not them to make any tarrying, neither it was leisure to make any stew. (And they baked the meal, which they had taken from Egypt, and made unleavened bread baked under ashes; for the loaves did not have any yeast, for the Egyptians compelled them to go out, and did not allow them to tarry, nor was there time to even make any stew.)

40 Forsooth the dwelling of the sons of Israel, by which they dwelled in Egypt, was of four hundred and thirty years; (And the Israelites had lived in Egypt for four hundred and thirty years;)

41 and when those years were fulfilled, all the host of the Lord went out of the land of Egypt in the same day. (and when those years were ended, all the Lord's army went out of the land of Egypt on the same day.)

42 This night is worthy to be kept in the worshipping of the Lord, when he led them out of the land of Egypt; all the sons of Israel ought to keep this night in their generations. (This night is worthy to be kept for worshipping the Lord, when he led them out of the land of Egypt; all the Israelites ought to keep watch on this night in all their generations.)