What happened to the Israelites when they were in Egypt?

Answer 1

Answer 1

The Egyptians, who kept really good records, have no record of such a thing.

• Answer 2

According to the Biblical narrative, the People of Israel immigrated to Egypt under the aegis of the Pharaoh whom Joseph served. After that Pharaoh passed, a new Pharaoh arose and he declared that all of the People Israel would be enslaved.

• Answer 3

The Israelites migrated to Egypt because of famine (Genesis ch.46). Later, the Pharaoh claimed that the high Israelite birth-rate could pose a potential threat (Exodus ch.1). On a spiritual level, the Egyptian slavery was brought about by God (see Genesis ch.15). It taught us the importance of loving the stranger (Deuteronomy 10:19), it showed us the power of God when He redeemed us (Exodus 10:2) as well as His personal concern for us (Exodus 2:24); and it served as the "iron furnace" (Deuteronomy 4:20) which smelted us (the Israelites) into a nation and separated the dross.

Is there evidence of the Exodus?

The Ipuwer papyrus describes Egypt's experiencing the Plagues: "Pestilence is throughout the land....the river is blood, death is not scarce...there is no food...neither fruit nor herbs can be found...barley has perished...all is ruin...the statues are burned" (Professor John van Seters, Journal of Egyptian Archaeology no. 50).

The plagues were also described by ancient historians, including Herodotus and Diodorus. The Exodus is mentioned by Strabo, Berosus, Artapanus, Numenius, Justin, and Tacitus.

But in any case, few nations are content to record embarrassing setbacks honestly. Even today, British and American textbooks describe the American Revolution in very different ways.

Answer 2

The Children of Israel certainly didn't "end up" in Egypt. At a time when Canaan

was gripped by severe famine, Jacob's son Joseph had risen to a position of power

and respect in Egypt. He invited his father to move there with the family temporarily,

and to allow Joseph the opportunity to provide for them until the famine in their homeland

had passed. Jacob moved the family, which was then the equivalent of a bedouin tribe,

for the purpose of what The Bible calls a "sojourn" in Egypt, meaning a temporary stay.

Although it eventually stretched to a matter of a few hundred years, it was never

intended to be a permanent move, and indeed it ended with the Exodus event.

Except that what went in was a bedouin clan, and what came out was a nation ...

probably the only time in history when a family became a nation while outside of

its homeland.

Answer 3

The descendants of Jacob lived for more than 200 years in a part of Egypt called Goshen. Pharaoh had invited the Israelites to live in Egypt because he knew Joseph and respected him. For about 100 years they were at peace with the Egyptians. The Israelites lived in small towns and raised animals. After a while, the Egyptians made the Israelites their slaves. The Bible says: "In time there arose over Egypt a new king, one who did not know Joseph." The Israelites were treated cruelly.

Answer 4

The Israelites migrated to Egypt because of famine (Genesis ch.46). Later, the Pharaoh claimed that the high Israelite birth-rate could pose a potential threat (Exodus ch.1).

On a spiritual level, the Egyptian slavery was brought about by God (see Genesis ch.15). It taught us the importance of loving the stranger (Deuteronomy 10:19), it showed us the power of God when He redeemed us (Exodus 10:2) as well as His personal concern for us (Exodus 2:24); and it served as the "iron furnace" (Deuteronomy 4:20) which smelted us (the Israelites) into a nation and separated the dross.

Is there evidence of the Exodus?

The Ipuwer papyrus describes Egypt's experiencing the Plagues: "Pestilence is throughout the land....the river is blood, death is not scarce...there is no food...neither fruit nor herbs can be found...barley has perished...all is ruin...the statues are burned" (Professor John van Seters, Journal of Egyptian Archaeology no. 50).

• Link: More on the topic
  

The plagues were also described by ancient historians, including Herodotus and Diodorus. The Exodus is mentioned by Strabo, Berosus, Artapanus, Numenius, Justin, and Tacitus.

• Link: Evidence of the Exodus
  

But in any case, few nations are content to record embarrassing setbacks honestly. Even today, British and American textbooks describe the American Revolution in very different ways.