Exodus Route Restored: Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Exodus

“With 25 chapters, 600 full colour 8 ½ x11 inch pages, half million words, 350 graphics and 250 tables, Steven Rudd presents hard evidence that can be examined, repeated, and even intellectually challenged. His work will withstand scrutiny. This is rare for many works in circulation where hype and sensationalism seem to be the rule. Despite the many sensational claims of discovery of the Red Sea crossing and Mt. Sinai, little tangible or repeatable evidence has been presented by these so-called investigators. In place of real scholarship is conjecture and hypothesis without substance. Steven Rudd breaks this trend by unflinchingly adhering to scripture and analyzing primary sources. He does not take the word of someone else's idea without challenge. In many cases, he finds that the original sources, both modern and ancient, were misconstrued, misunderstood, or even worse, misrepresented. Rudd adheres to the principle of Ockham's Razor; sometimes the first and simplest answer is most likely the correct idea or solution.” Greg Gulbrandsen PhD, editor “Exodus Route Restored is the product of over 17 years of research. Meticulously footnoted from over 600 sources, Rudd examines the route with its 50 stops, the Egyptian royal family involved, the detailed chronology and the various nations with whom the Israelites interacted in their trek to freedom. Any student of the exodus, either biblical or historical, will find this volume a rich wealth of research, incredibly useful in many areas of study.” Karen Boswell MS, editor The Exodus story is surprising, shocking, dramatic, and orchestrated by the providence of God. In 1526 BC Amenhotep I killed the Hebrew children when his 15-year-old granddaughter, Hatshepsut adopted Moses from the Nile. Moses grew up as the rightful heir to the throne and Hatshepsut was never able to produce a male heir for her husband Thutmoses II (cf. Josephus Ant. 2.232). When Moses about the age of 37, Thutmoses II had taken a second wife named Iset, who bore him a full-blooded heir to the throne named Thutmoses III who was the Pharaoh of the exodus. At age 40 (1486 BC) Moses killed an Egyptian, triggering death threats from his adoptive mother Hatshepsut and her husband Thutmoses II. In 1446 BC, 80-year-old Moses demanded his 40-year-old stepbrother, Pharaoh Thutmoses III, “let my people go”. Thutmoses III had two sons by two different wives. Firstborn Amenemhat died in the 10th plague and second born Amenhotep II succeeded his father 15 years later in 1431 BC and died the year Joshua crossed the Jordan in 1406 BC. In 1446 BC, the 700 km trip from Goshen (Tel Dab’a) to Mt. Sinai took a total of took 47 days. After travelling 500 KM from Goshen, Israel made the 19 km crossing of the Red Sea at the Straits of Tiran on day 25 then took 22 days to travel 200 km from the Red Sea Crossing to Mt. Sinai. Travel was easy for the 2-3 million Hebrews because there was a 20 km wide, flat coastal plain that hugged the eastern shore of the Gulf of Suez, which the author calls, “The Exodus Highway”. On day 47 Moses strikes and splits the rock at Mt. Horeb for a massive water supply. On day 50 (Thursday, Sivan 4), God tells Israel to prepare for three days (Friday – Sunday) at the end of which God will descend upon Mt. Sinai. (Ex 19:10-11). On Pentecost Sunday (Sivan 7), day 53 from leaving Egypt, Mt. Sinai explodes (Heb 12:18) when God gives the law to Moses over a period of 40 days. Israel spends 38 years camped at Kadesh Barnea located at modern Petra. In 1406 BC Israel crossed the Jordan on the 10th day of the 1st month of the 41st year (spring, 1406 BC), four days before the 41st Passover, which was exactly 40 years from when they left Goshen. After 6 years of conquest war, on the first Sabbatical year of 1399 BC, Israel moved the tabernacle from Gilgal to Shiloh which served as Israel’s first capital city for 305 years until the Philistines burn the city in 1094 BC.