What night did the Israelites leave Egypt? Some say they left the night of the 15^th of Abib (Nisan). Others say that was impossible because that night they kept the first ‘Pass Over’ and that night they were to remain in their houses all night. (Ex. 12:21-22)

Those who claim they left Egypt the night of the 15^th of Abib refer to Deuteronomy 16:1, coupled with Numbers 33:3, as their proof. Deuteronomy 16:1 reads:

Here it plainly says they came out of Egypt in the time of one night, and that it happened during the month of Abib, but which night was that? In Numbers 33:3 it says this:

Here it plainly says they departed from Rameses "on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the Passover. . ."

If we analyze these two verses closely, do we see absolute proof that the Israelites left Egypt on the night of the 15^th of Abib? How so? Here in Numbers 33:3 it only says they "departed from Rameses". It does not say it was the night of the 15^th. Rather it says they left on the "morrow after the Passover." Furthermore it says they went out "in the sight of all of the Egyptians." Can this really be a night time event?

For years the Worldwide Church of God taught that the departure from Rameses was the same as coming out of Egypt. But was it? The church was taught to observe the night of the 14^th of Abib for the Passover and the next night... the night of the 15^th... for the night they actually departed from Egypt. It was designated as the ‘night to be much remembered’.

In a Pastor General’s Report dated March 21, 1980, Herbert Armstrong writes to the ministry to counter claims that some ministers were beginning to believe the Passover occurred the night of the 15^th instead of the previous night of the 14^th. On page 3 of that report Herbert Armstrong writes:

Here in this Pastor General’s report, Mr. Armstrong makes the assumption that the departure from Rameses was a night time event. But when we consider closely what Numbers 33:3 really says, it hardly can be thought of as occurring at night.

Look again closely and consider the wording. It says they departed Rameses "on the morrow after the Passover... in the sight of all the Egyptians." Does this sound like something that was happening at night?

Could it be possible then that the "by night" event, referred to in Deuteronomy 16:1, relates to a different time other than the 15^th of Abib? Some ministers at that time thought so. However, Mr. Armstrong felt strongly that they were ‘twist(ing) God’s sacred word’ and that no other explanation was possible.

But were these studies of certain ministers trying to twist God’s word or were they sincere in their attempts to answer some questions. Questions they may have had about some things that didn’t add up; questions they may have had to answer from some of their congregations as well. To this writer, it appears these queries at that time were sincere. These questions yet remain, which go contrary to what the Worldwide Church of God taught and observed back then. Yet most church of God groups continue to follow the traditional teaching. Who is right? Can we know for certain?

The purpose of this article is not to criticize or demean Herbert Armstrong’s attempts to make plain Biblical truths and it certainly is not trying to twist God’s word. If Herbert Armstrong were alive today, and if he would be true to his own words, he would honor attempts to get at the truth of things. That is if he were humble enough to look at them. That is if we, ourselves, are humble enough to change when we are also proved wrong on some points.

Herbert Armstrong often advocated that we ought to let the Bible interpret itself and that we ought to remain unbiased in our approach to seeking understanding. So it is with that frame of mind this study paper is undertaken.

So what night did Israel actually leave Egypt? Clearly, the one description given in the Bible where Israel exits the land of Egypt is when they were taken through the depths of the sea on dry ground, while Pharaoh and his army perished in it’s depths. This event is one of the most awesome displays of God’s power in all of the Bible. It clearly shows the Israelites walking between two walls of water at night with the light of the fiery pillar to guide them. Ex. 13:19-27

Again these few verses clearly show the Israelites crossing a formidable body of water, doing it at night, while the Egyptian army is completely annihilated to the last man. This is a clear description of Deuteronomy 16:1 where it says, "The Lord thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night."

It’s important to understand that up to that time, until the Israelites had crossed this body of water, they were still in Egypt. (Figure 2) They may have started their journey on the 15^th of Abib, but not until days later did they actually cross Egypt’s border. Notice Numbers 33:5-7.

Here it indicates they camped twice before they finally arrived at the place where they were to cross this insurmountable body of water. If they camped each of the nights after leaving Rameses, that would make it three day’s journey. However, it says they traveled by day and by night (Ex. 13:21-22), so it’s quite reasonable, considering the urgency, that they may have traveled more than three days? Therefore, wherever this body of water was in relationship to Rameses, it was a considerable distance.

Figure 1 shows what the Worldwide Church of God taught regarding the route they were assumed to take. It is a copy of the sheet taken from the Ambassador Correspondence Course - Lesson 34. This route assumes two things (1) that Mt Sinai is located where tradition says it is - in the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula and (2) that the body of water the Israelites crossed was on the western edge of the Sinai Peninsula. (Gulf of Suez - Figure 3)

Recently, within a year or so ago, a school teacher from the Chicago area stated that there is absolutely no evidence to prove that the Biblical Exodus ever occurred. His reasoning was that no evidence had ever been discovered to prove the Biblical account. When we investigate the traditional sites, such as the Sinai Peninsula for Mount Sinai, and the Gulf of Suez, that statement is absolutely true. There is virtually no evidence in these places to prove these things happened. But does it prove the Biblical account to be fictitious, or does it only prove that those, searching for the answers, have been looking in all the wrong places?

Since Herbert Armstrong died in 1986, other discoveries, such as those of Ronald E. Wyatt, have brought to light a good deal of evidence proving the locations where all these events happened. This archaeological evidence points to the Gulf of Aqaba on the eastern shores of the Sinai instead of that on the West. (Figure 3) The real Mt. Sinai is located in Arabia (present day Saudi Arabia) as indicated in Galatians 4:25. The mountain is known today as ‘Jabal Al Lawz (Figure 3).

So if Deuteronomy 16:1 is describing when the Israelites actually crossed the border of Egypt, what night is it talking about in Exodus 12:42?

As we read these verses with the story flow, there doesn’t appear to be a break between verses 42 and 43, but that verse 43 goes on to describe what should be observed as happening on the night of the 15^th . It was not the crossing of the Red Sea but rather the observance of the Passover. Yes, we should remember the night when God parted the sea and brought Israel through it on dry land. But the night. . .the night we are to observe by statute is the night of the Passover (v. 43)

Again, the Church under the leadership of Herbert Armstrong concluded that the night Israel exited Egypt and the night to be observed on the 15^th of Abib are one and the same. But as we can see there are two nights; (1) when they were given their freedom - Passover night and (2) when they actually crossed Egypt’s border.

When the death angel went through the land of Egypt on the night of the 15^th of Abib killing all the first born Egyptians, sparing the Israelites, this is what gave them their freedom. The Passover is an event that also happened at night and it signaled the beginning of the Exodus, even though they were to remain in their houses all that night, the night of the 15^th of Abib. (Ex 12:21-22)

The Passover was what finally broke the bonds of slavery and freed them. The Egyptians could see by this mighty supernatural act that God’s hand... the true God’s hand was in it. The Egyptians were not about to argue any longer with this power. Notice Exodus 12:33

Israel was prepared to go on the night of the Passover. They were fully dressed and ready. The only thing they were waiting on was the announcement that they were free. This came on that same night of the 15^th of Abib, the night the death angel ‘passed-over’ their houses. (Ex 12:29-31) It was the night they were to remember because of what it finally took for them to hear that good news that they were free and could finally be on their way. (Ex 12:26-27)

Through the previous nine plagues, God sent upon the Egyptians, they had their hopes built up where they would finally be free, only to see Pharaoh renege on his promise. But this time... this time it was different. This time they were told, "Be ready. Be dressed. Have your shoes on because as morning comes you're leaving..." They were not about to hang around all day and leave the next night. For it says, "on the morrow after the Passover" they departed from Rameses. (Num. 33:3)

It shows the route that the Worldwide Church of God proposed as that taken by the Israelites when they left Egypt.

The route showing the Red Sea crossing has since proven unsubstantiated by any historical or archaeological data.

At the time of the Exodus, Egypt’s eastern border was the Gulf of Aqaba which included all of the Sinai Peninsula. No evidence has been discovered to indicate the real Mt. Sinai was on the Sinai Peninsula. (Figure 2) Rather substantial amounts of data show Mt Sinai, the mountain Moses received the Ten Commandments on, is located in Arabia. (not shown on this map)

From the archaeological evidence presented by Lennart Mouller, the actual ‘Red Sea’ crossing that the Israelites took is shown on Figure 3. This Channel is now known as the Gulf of Aqaba. The Red Sea shown on the map above is now known as the Gulf of Suez.

Figure 2 -- This map is copied by permission from the Bible maps published by Zondervan. Note that the territory shown as Egyptian territory included all the Sinai Peninsula. The eastern border was the Gulf of Aquaba. (Figure 3)

The western finger of the Red Sea (Gulf of Suez) is the traditional location thought to be the Red Sea crossing. The eastern one (Gulf of Aqaba) is where the underwater debris from Pharaoh’s army has been found.

At the time of the Patriarchs Egypt controlled all the Sinai Peninsula up to the Gulf of Aquaba. The Israelites were not out of Egypt until they had crossed this Gulf. This was the Eastern Border. (See Figure 2)

The country bordering the eastern shores of this Gulf was called Arabia. (present day Saudi Arabia -Fig. 2) This is where a great amount of archaeological evidence has been found revealing the real mount Sinai. The mountain is known today by the name ‘Jabal Al Lawz’.

The picture at the right shows the Nuweiba Peninsula where the Israelites were held up with no way of escape from the pursuing Egyptians. Except for the Wadi Watir the coast was lined with high mountains. It’s from this point then that God commanded Moses and the people to go forward.