How many years was Israel in bondage?

Answer 1

According to my research, Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem in 586 BCE and took the Israelites into captivity in Babylon. In 539 BCE, Cyrus leading an army of Persians and Medians conquered Babylon and released the Israelites. About fifty years.

Answer 2

If the question is referring to Israel's total time of enslavement in Egypt:

"...He [the LORD] said unto Abram, KNOW OF A SURETY that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and SHALL SERVE THEM; and they shall afflict them FOUR HUNDRED YEARS..." (Gen.15:13 KJV).

"Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY YEARS. And it came to pass AT THE END OF THE FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY YEARS, even THE SELFSAME DAY it came to pass, that all the host of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt." (Ex.12:40-41 KJV)

It's evident from Scripture, then, that the first thirty years of Israel's "sojourn" in Egypt was not spent in bondage, but in much more favorable conditions... in the days when Joseph lived and was blessed with a measure of co-rulership in the land beside Pharaoh.

"...'I hereby appoint you to direct this project. You will manage my household and organize all my people. Only I will have a rank higher than yours. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, ' I HEREBY PUT YOU IN CHARGE OF THE ENTIRE LAND OF EGYPT.'" (Gen.41:40-41 NLT)

But: "...Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them. Now there rose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said to his people, 'Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: Come on, let us deal wisely with them ['...'we must find a way to put an end to this...' - NLT New Living Translation]; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land ['...they will escape from the land...' NLT]. Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens..." (Ex.1:6-11 KJV).

So, according to the Scriptures, Israel was in bondage in Egypt FOUR-HUNDRED of the four-hundred and thirty years that they "sojourned" [lived] there.

Answer 3

Children of Israel were slaves in Egypt for roughly 400 years.

Exodus 12:40 "Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years."

The captivity of North Kingdom by Assyrians is approx 200 years. Began in approximately 740 BC. (II Kings 15:29) and though there was no official return to Israel, members of various northern tribes were in the restored nation in 536 BC.

The captivity under Babylonians (Jeremiah 39-43) started in 597 BCE and the forced exile ended in 538 BCE after the fall of Babylon to the Persian king Cyrus the Great.