“Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.” (Exodus 1:8)
Exodus is the second book of the Bible. It is part history and a detailed journey of Israel in a relationship with God. Exodus is a story of politics, murder, and moral laws. The main characters are Moses and God.
Exodus begins 430 years after Jacob enters into Egypt. Time periods in history can be a difficult thing. However, the Bible doesn’t mess around with time periods.
“40Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.
41And 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 hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:40-41)
At this point we know that Israel lived in Egypt for 430 years, but were not slaves during that entire time. Joseph was the second in command of all Egypt. However, we know that as long as Joseph was in command Israel would remain free. The question becomes how long was Joseph in command?
This number is determined by knowing how long Israel would be in bondage. That is revealed in Genesis 15:13 “And he 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;”
God tells Abram that his seed (Abram–>Isaac–>Jacob) equals 400 years in bondage for Israel. Therefore, 430 years of living in Egypt, minus 400 years of bondage, equals 30 years that Joseph ruled in Egypt.
With the death of Joseph there would have been the death of his brothers, and the death of the Pharaoh that loved Joseph. A new Pharaoh a new set of laws.
“Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.” (Exodus 1:8)
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