How long did the exodus from Egypt take?
Question:
How long did it take Israel to travel out of Egypt? I know that they wandered for 40 years in the wilderness of Sinai, but how long did it take them to walk the journey from Egypt to the crossing of the Red Sea?
Answer:
The Exodus started on the fourteenth day of the first month in the city of Rameses (Exodus 12:2, 6). They then traveled to Succoth (Exodus 12:37) and that night was the day they left Egypt (Exodus 12:40-42; Deuteronomy 16:6). It is possible that they had not physically left Egypt, but starting that day they left in purpose.
From Succoth, through the Wilderness of Red Sea, to Etham was the next stage of the journey (Exodus 13:18-20). They camped by Pi Hahiroth (Exodus 14:2). After crossing the Red Sea, they took a three-day journey to Marah (Exodus 15:22-23). The next stop was Elim (Exodus 15:27). They then reached the Wilderness of Sin. The total time so far was 30 days (Exodus 15:1).
The next stop was Rephidim and then Sinai. This took another 30 days, or more (Exodus 19:1-2). They spent almost two years here (Numbers 10:11).
From Sinai, it was a three days journey to Taberah (Numbers 10:33). The next stop was Hazeroth (Numbers 11:35). From there they went to Kadesh-Barnea in the Wilderness of Paran. It was here they were sentenced to wander 40 years in the Wilderness.
So the number of years from the Exodus to the entrance in Canaan was about 42 years.
Another way to mark the time is to know that Moses was 80 when he came before Pharaoh (Exodus 7:7) and he died a bit before Israel went into Canaan at the age of 120 (Deuteronomy 34:7).
