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Exodus to Wilderness of Sin
1 month
Wilderness to Sinai
1 month
Sinai to Tabernacle
9½ months
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11½ months
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The next book, Leviticus, contains no dates, but we gather from the opening of
Numbers, that the giving of the Levitical laws occupied another month:
"And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai in the tabernacle of the
congregation, on the first day of the second month in the second year" (Numb. 1: 1).
Leviticus, therefore occupies one month. The book of Numbers is occupied mainly
with the wandering of Israel in the wilderness, and we go to the first chapter of
Deuteronomy and the third verse to get a fixed point from which to work back.
"In the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month" (Deut. 1: 3).
This is the date of the close of Numbers, and its locality is--
"in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho" (Numb. 36: 13).
From this first day of the eleventh month, we can go back a period of exactly
6 months to the death of Aaron which took place according to Numb. 33: 38, 39 on
the first day of the fifth month of the same year. The death of Miriam is recorded in
Numb. 20: 1, when the children of Israel arrived at Kadesh at the close of their
wanderings. This occurred in the first month, but we have no date given to tell us the
exact day.
The complete period of 40 years extends to Josh 5: 10-12 where the manna ceased,
and Israel for the first time ate the corn of the land. The duration of Israel's wanderings
coincide with the eating of the Manna, and so we are on certain ground here.
"The children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited:
they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan"
(Exod. 16: 35).
2433
Moses born (Exod. 2: 2).
80
Add 80 years when Moses began to lead the People.
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2513
The Exodus of Israel from Egypt.
2513
The Exodus of Israel from Egypt.
40
Add 40 years from the Exodus to Gilgal (Josh. 5: 10).
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2553
The entry of Canaan under Joshua.