SHEMOT (names)

The Finding of Moses (1904 painting by Lawrence Alma-Tadema)

From the end of the Book of Genesis to the beginning of the Book of Exodus story when Moses is born, there is a span of hundreds of years. Jacob’s 12 sons and many of their descendants have all died in Egypt and the Children of Israel have become a multitude of approximately one million people in bondage (Exodus 1:14) to a new Pharaoh who does not remember Joseph (Exodus 1:8).

Exodus 1:1 Now these are the names of the Children of Israel, which came into Egypt with את Jacob; every man and his household came. 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already. 6 And Joseph died and all his brothers and all that generation. C-MATS

Question: How old were Jacob’s sons when they died? Zebulun died in the 72nd year of the going down of the Israelites to Egypt, and Zebulun died at 114 years old. Benjamin was 111 years old at this death. Simeon was 120 years old. Reuben was 125 years old when he died. Dan was 120 years at his death. Issachar was 122 years old at his death. Asher was 123 years old at his death. Gad was 125 years old at his death. Judah was 129 years old at his death, and they embalmed him and put him into a coffin, and he was given into the hands of his children. Naphtali was 132 years old. In the 93rd year in Egypt, Levi was 137 years old when he died. All the sons of Israel were put into a coffin at their deaths and given into the hands of their children. Jashar

Exodus 1:7 And the Children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly and multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled אתם with them. 8 Now there rose up a new King over Egypt, who did not know את־ Joseph. C-MATS

Question: Who was this new King over Egypt? Ramesses II (also known as Ramesses the Great and alternatively transcribed as Ramses and Rameses *Riʕmīsisu) was an Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty. He is often regarded as Egypt’s greatest and most powerful pharaoh, building more monuments, fathering more children, reigning longer than any other ruler of Egypt, and winning the most celebrated victory in Egyptian history, the Battle of Kadesh against the Hittites. After the battle, he negotiated a peace treaty, “a copy of which is now on the wall of the General Assembly building of the United Nations.” He was born 1302 B.C.E. At age fourteen, Ramesses was appointed Prince Regent by his father, Seti I. He is believed to have taken the throne in his early 20s and to have ruled Egypt from 1279 B.C.E. to 1213 B.C.E. for a total of 66 years and 2 months. He was once said to have lived to be 99 years old, but it is more likely that he died in his 90th or 92nd year. He also transported the Egyptian capital from Thebes to Ra’amses in the Delta. Towards the end of his life, he became obsessed with his claim to be divine and with ensuring that his reputation would survive his death. His victories had increased Egypt’s wealth but his building projects over stretched the treasury. Ancient History Encyclopedia