2300 Rise of the Egyptian Civilization 2200 Menes was the Pharaoh 2100 King Khufu built the Great pyramids of Giza

1718 Joseph is sold to the Egyptians by his brothers 1716 Joseph becomes prime minister of in Egypt 1706 Jacob and family move to Goshen

1500 Slavery of Israel by Pharoah 1492 Plaques of Israel 1491 The exodus

 -surrounded by water and deserts which secured its borders from attackers  -the fertile Nile Valley was good for growing food during times of famine  -cataracts on the Nile also made it impossible for others to attack  - the area where they settled was up by the Nile Delta which was good for sheep to graze and families to multiply

 The Egyptians worshipped nature and had very different beliefs than the Israelites, thus the Jews united under one belief, one God and one nation  Because God helped Joseph interpret Pharaohs dreams, Joseph was promoted to Vizier, the Pharaoh's chief assistant.  Joseph had great influence over state decisions and he had the grain stored up during the time of famine across the land. During this time Jacob moved his family of 76 to Goshen.

 The political situation allowed for the Jews to multiply in numbers. In fact they grew so large that the Pharaoh, Thutmose I, became overly concerned about them and the Hykos joining forces and taking over the Egyptian empire The numbers had gone from 76 to 2 million within a few decades.  In response the Pharaoh commanded Egypt's midwives to kill newborn Hebrew boys. When this failed, he directed all Egyptians to seize the male children that were born to the Hebrew lands and drown them.  This forced the Israelite people to cry out to God for deliverance which would come in the form of Moses.

 The Egyptians also despised the Jews because they were shepherds, thus they would never intermarry.  Gen. 43:32  Than they would remain one nation as God had commanded. In Canaan the Hittites were already marrying the Israelite women

 Gen. 15:1 Then the Lord said to him, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred year.... In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”

-When Israel left Egypt, the northern and southern world powers were weak -It would help them as they plan to take Canaan back from there enemies.