Who came first, Joseph or Moses?

To turn to the first. Joseph was dead, who had been lord over the land of Egypt, and a new king had arisen which knew him not (Ex. 1:8). The royal favour under which Israel settled in Goshen was no longer extended to them. Persecution, with a view to the extinction of their race, was now their lot. Cruel bondage was not enough. The attempt, too, to enlist the two Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, in the king's service had signally failed, so an edict had gone forth addressed to all the Egyptians, authorising any one to cast into the river every male child that should be born of the Hebrew race. Now, why was this? Political reasons instigated Pharaoh and his princes (Ex. 1:9-10). But a deeper reason there was than that; for surely the enemy of souls was in all this, working behind the scenes to ruin for ever, if he could, the whole race of man. For had all the male children of Israel been destroyed, Christ could not have been born of the house and lineage of David. Hence the conflict, ostensibly between Egyptian interests and those of Israel, was really between God and the devil. God desired to bless men; the devil sought to ruin them. At this juncture, Jochebed gave birth to her second son, who was subsequently called Moses. We say at this juncture; that is, after the decree had been issued authorising any Egyptian to drown Hebrew infants; because in the case of Aaron, who was three years older than Moses, we have no hint of his mother's difficulty in preserving him alive.

Man proposes, God disposes. It appears from the facts stated, that, just after Pharaoh's edict for exterminating the sons of Israel, God ordered the birth of their deliverer. For Aaron was born three years before Moses, and was untouched, Miriam being several years his senior, as the history even here implies.

Exodus 1 opens with the sons of Israel after Joseph's death waxing many and mighty but, under a king that knew not Joseph, bitterly oppressed. The then king of Egypt sought even to destroy the males. This was counteracted at first; but in Ex. 2 the murderous aim was pressed so far that Moses could not be longer hid. Him when exposed Pharaoh's daughter found and brought up as her son; who, when not only grown up but going out to see his afflicted brethren, slew an Egyptian evildoer, but finding no right feeling in the objects of his care, had to flee the king's resentment. The time was not yet some; and Moses in Midian protects the daughters of its priest-king, one of whom he marries; and his son "Gershom" witnesses that he was no settler there but a sojourner, who remembered his brethren: so God did His covenant with their fathers as He heard their groans.

Sad, very sad, was the condition of the children of Israel when Moses was born. They were living in Egypt, a strange country, far away from the land which God had given to their fathers. Joseph was dead, and the Egyptians had begun to treat them very cruelly. They set cruel task-masters over them, who “made their lives bitter with hard bondage.”

"But as the time of the promise drew near which God assured to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, until there arose a different king over Egypt who knew not Joseph. He dealt subtly with our race, and evil-entreated our fathers, to make their babes outcast that they might not live. At which season Moses was born and was fair exceedingly [unto God]; and he was nourished three months in his father's house. And when he was cast out, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up and nourished him for her own son. And Moses was instructed in every wisdom of Egyptians; and he was mighty in his words and works. And when a space of forty years was being filled to him, it came up on his heart to visit his brethren the sons of Israel. And seeing one wronged, he defended and avenged him that was oppressed, smiting the Egyptian. And he thought that his brethren would understand that God by his hand was giving them deliverance; but they understood not. And the next day he appeared to them when contending, and urged them unto peace, saying, Ye are brethren: why do ye wrong one another? But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who established thee ruler and judge over us? Dost thou wish to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday?" (vers. 17-28).

God had sworn to Abraham that his seed would be afflicted four hundred years by an oppressive nation, but that He would bring them out with great substance (Gen.15:13-14). As the end of this time drew near a new Pharaoh arose who greatly increased the oppression, commanding the drowning of every boy born to the Israelites. Yet God intervened in this very thing, Moses being born at this time (v.20), a child "lovely in the sight of God" (N.A.S.B.), hidden and nourished by his parents for three months, then adopted by Pharaoh's daughter. Certainly neither she nor Satan had any idea that this child was ordained of God to be Israel's deliverer, though the Egyptians unwittingly helped this matter along by training Moses in all their wisdom, he becoming mighty in deeds and words.

The book of Exodus opens with a recapitulation of the sons of Jacob, and with the fact that not only Joseph died but all his brethren and all that generation. But in spite of this their descendents multiplied exceedingly. God was with them and they grew to be a powerful people in the land of Goshen.

"And these are the names of the sons of Israel who came into Egypt: with Jacob came they, the man and his household, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; Dan and Naphthali; Gad and Asher. And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls; and Joseph was in Egypt [already]. And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. And the children of Israel were fruitful and swarmed and multiplied and became exceeding strong; and the land was filled with them" (vers. 1-7).

The first mention of Egypt in scripture is when Abraham went to sojourn there because of the famine. It was turning to the world for help, and it entangled the patriarch in conduct for which he was rebuked by Pharaoh, the prince of the world. Gen. 12:10-20. This would have been about the time of the twelfth dynasty. About B.C. 1728 Joseph was carried into Egypt and sold to Potiphar: his exaltation followed; the famine commenced, and eventually Jacob and all his family went into Egypt. See JOSEPH. At length a king arose who knew not Joseph, doubtless at the commencement of a new dynasty, and the children of Israel were reduced to slavery. Moses was sent of God to deliver Israel, and the plagues followed. See PLAGUES OF EGYPT. On the death of the firstborn of the Egyptians, Israel left Egypt. See ISRAEL IN EGYPT and the EXODUS.

Very interesting questions arise — which of the kings of Egypt was it who promoted Joseph? which king was it that did not know Joseph? and which king reigned at the time of the Plagues and the Exodus? The result more generally arrived at is that the Pharaoh who promoted Joseph was one of the Hyksos (who being of Semitic origin, were more favourable to strangers than were the native Egyptians), and was probably APEPA or APEPI II, the last of those kings. It was to the Egyptians that shepherds were an abomination, as scripture says, which may not have applied to the Hyksos (which signifies 'shepherds' and agrees with their being called shepherd-kings), and this may account, under the control of God, for 'the best of the land' being given to the Israelites.

The creation of Adam 4004 The birth of Seth 3874 Enos born 3769 Cainan born 3679 Mahaleel born 3609 Jared born 3544 Enoch born 3382 Methuselah born 3317 Lamech born 3130 Adam's death 3074 Enoch's translation 3017 Noah's birth 2948 The Flood 2348 Peleg born 2247 Nahor born 2155 Terah's birth 2126 Noah's death 1998 Abraham's birth 1996 Abraham's call in Ur 1945 Terah's death 1921 Second call to Abraham 1921 Abraham in Egypt 1920 His return 1912 Abraham takes Hagar 1911 The birth of Ishmael 1910 The Covenant sign given 1897 Birth of Isaac 1896 Sarah's death 1859 Isaac's marriage 1856 Jacob born 1836 Abraham's death 1821 Marriage of Esau 1796 Death of Ishmael 1773 Jacob's flight 1759 His marriages 1752 Jacob's flight 1739 Meets his brother 1738 Jacob at Bethel 1731 Death of Rachel 1728 Joseph sold 1727 Joseph in Egypt 1717 Death of Isaac 1716 Joseph interprets dreams 1715 Egyptian famine 1707-01 Jacob's death 1689 Joseph's death 1635