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No.26.
Step by Step, From Succoth to Sinai.
pp. 239 - 244
We are now to follow, as faithfully as possible, the route of the Exodus and the
journey of Israel to Mount Sinai. It is obvious that before we can attempt this, we must
arrive at some clear understanding as to the locality from which the Exodus started.
Egypt as we know was divided into Upper and Lower, the lower being to the north and
including the Delta. In Psalm 78: we read:
"Marvellous things did He in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field
of Zoan."
"How He had wrought His signs in Egypt, and His wonders in the field of Zoan"
(Psa. 78: 12, 43).
The ancient city of Egypt, known to-day as Tanis, was originally called Zoan.
"According to the geographical inscriptions, the Egyptians gave to this plain, of which
Tanis was the centre, the name of Sokhot Zoan, `the plain of Zoan', the origin of which
name is traced back as far as the age of Rameses II" (Brugsch).
Not only is there this "remarkable agreement", but Scripture provides further
information concerning the ancient city. In Numb. 13: 22 Moses refers to Hebron, a
Canaanite city founded by the Hyksos on their way through Palestine, and this leads him
to speak of another city closely associated with these Shepherd Kings and Israel, namely
"Zoan", saying:
"Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt" (Numb. 13: 22).
Reginald Stuart Poole says that Zoan had borne another name in times earlier than
Moses. It was called Ha-awar and was the celebrated Avaris, the stronghold of the
Shepherd dynasty in which they had a garrison of 240,000 men, with large stores of
provisions. The name Ha-awar is Semitic. The new King, who arose after the Shepherd
Kings were overthrown, swept away every possible trace of their hated presence. The
name of their city was changed to Zoan, and the past was so effectually blotted out that
Manetho, who lived B.C.300 did not know that Avaris was Tanis. Higher Criticism
teaches that the book of Numbers was written about a century earlier than this date by a
Babylonian, or Palestinian Jew. If Manetho after searching the records of the Egyptian
Temples was ignorant of the whereabouts of Zoan, how could this writer of the higher
critics have discovered it? Believing Numbers to have been written by Moses who knew
the close connexion of Israel with both Zoan and Hebron, all is clear.
Scripture however does more than reveal a knowledge of the past. The future is just
as certainly an open book to the Great Author. Ezek. 30: 14 reveals that Zoan would
become desolate, "I will set fire in Zoan". Sir Gardner Wilkinson says: