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NASB | Genesis 15:16 "Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Genesis 15:16 "Then in the fourth generation your descendants shall return here [to Canaan, the land of promise], for the wickedness and guilt of the Amorites is not yet complete (finished)." [Josh 24:15] |
Subject: How long is a Biblical Generation ? |
Bible Note: Hi biblicalman, I have reviewed scripture to determine if it would be possible for Sheerah to have been in the exodus and entered Canaan with her 5th Great Grandnephew Joshua. To give a complete answer I will show the genealogy for first Moses and then Joshua. This will be in two parts since it exceeds the total amount of words allowed for one post. Part One – Moses You wrote, “So Ephraim's granddaughter married a rich Canaanite and returned to Canaan say 200 years before the exodus, rebuilding 3 cities? As Ephraim's family would also be rich this is not surprising. But you are surely not suggesting that she returned with Moses and with her great great great great great grandson Joshua? That would be stretching credulity too far.” It is important not to wildly speculate and give interpretation for which there is no biblical support as you have done above. However, that said, the question at hand is this: Is it possible that the fourth-generation Hebrew, Sheebah, could have been in the exodus from Egypt and entered into Canaan at the same time as Joshua, her 5th great grand-nephew? There are several factors that must be considered to understand the solution to this question. All scripture must be in harmony. First we look at the genealogy of Moses. 1. I have already shown that the 400 years mentioned in Genesis 15:13 included time in Canaan and then Egypt. 2. In Genesis 15:16 God promises Abraham that the Israelites will return to Canaan “in the fourth generation. It does not mean a set number of years, i.e. a generation means 100 years. If that were true, then “in the fourth generation” would be anywhere between 301-400 years, not just 400 years. 3. Exodus 12:40-41 indicates that the sons of Israel were in Egypt for EXACTLY 430 years. The original text also indicates this was both Canaan and Egypt. Note that 430 years is different from 400 years. 4. Paul explains the 430 years in Gal. 3:16-17. This time began with God’s covenant concerning Abraham’s seed, Jesus Christ, which was made at the time Abraham offered up his son Isaac. This was a foreshadow of the Passover to come. The time ended on Passover as the exodus from Egypt began, shortly after which the law, the Ten Commandments, were given. 5. Isaac was thirty years old when he was offered. We can determine this from the fact that his son Jacob was born 30 years later when Isaac was 60 years old (Genesis 25:26). From the birth of Jacob to the Exodus was 400 years. 6. When Jacob arrived in Egypt he was 130 years old (Genesis 47:9). Therefore, the time of the Israelites in Egypt was 270 years. 7. Levi was of the first generation in Egypt and he lived to be 137 years old (Genesis 6: 16). It is likely that he was about 70 years old when he arrived. 8. His son Kohath was also first generation in Egypt, 2nd generation from Levi, and he lived to be 133 years old (Genesis 46:11, Exodus 6:18). 9. Kohath’s son, Amram, was born in Egypt, a third generation. He lived to be 137 years old (Genesis 6:20). 10. Amram was the father of Moses, fourth generation. Moses was eighty years old when he led the exodus (Exodus 7:7). He was born when the Israelites had been in Egypt for 190 years (270-80 is 190 years). It is possible that Kohath was an infant in Egypt and that he was about 95 years old when Amram was born and that Amram was about 95 years old when Moses was born. This timeframe is within the limits of Kohath’s age upon arrival in Egypt, the birth of Amram and the birth of Moses. It does not fit with the 400-year timeframe. Holmes |