I posted this already in a similar thread. It's just an explanation of why I believe the Bible supports a date of 1491:


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I believe that the Bible supports a date of 1491 BC for the Exodus rather than one of 1446.

I have 4 arguments.

For the first two arguments, I must first establish a dating system backward from the conquest of Judah:
588 + 11 years for Zedekiah's reign = 599 BC
599 + 3 months for Jehoiachin's reign = 599 BC
599 + 11 years for Jehoiakim / Eliakim's reign = 610 BC
610 + 3 months for Jehoahaz's reign = 610 BC
610 + 31 years for Josiah's reign = 641 BC
641 + 2 years for Amon's reign = 643 BC
643 + 55 years for Manasseh's reign = 698 BC
698 + 30 years for Hezekiah's reign = 728 BC
728 + 14 years for Ahaz's reign = 742 BC
742 + 16 years for Jotham's reign = 758 BC
758 + 52 years for Uzziah's reign = 810 BC
810 + 28 years for Amaziah's reign = 838 BC
838 + 40 years for Joash = 878 BC
878 + 5 years for Athaliah's usurpation of the throne = 883 BC
883 + 1 year for Ahaziah's reign = 884 BC
Jehoram co-reigned with his father Jehoshaphat, but their combined reigns are exactly 30 years because Joram of Israel ascended in the 18th year of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram died in the 12th year of Joram.
884 + 30 years for Jehoshaphat and Jehoram's reigns = 914 BC
914 + 41 years for Asa's reign = 955 BC
955 + 3 years for Abijah's reign = 958 BC
958 + 17 years for Rehoboam's reign = 975 BC
975 + 40 years for Solomon's reign = 1015 BC

Argument #1 for the 1491 date:
The foundations of the temple, laid in Solomon's fourth year (1011 BC) were set down 480 years after the Exodus (I Kings 6:1). 1011 + 480 = 1491 BC

Argument #2 for the 1491 date:
If Solomon began his reign in 1015 BC, then David died in 1015 BC
If David died in 1015 BC, and he was king of all Israel for 40 years, then he united Israel in 1055 BC
Ish-bosheth son of Saul ruled most of the tribes for 2 years after Saul's death before his defeat at the hands of David, so Saul died in 1057 BC.
Saul reigned 40 years (Acts 7) so Saul was annointed king in 1097 BC.
The Ark had been at Kirjath-jearim for 20 years when Israel was given a king; the ark reached Kirjath-jearim in (1097 + 20) = 1117 BC
The Philistines were defeated after the ark reached Kirjath-jearim (I Samuel 7); they had been oppressing Israel 40 years (Judges 13:1) so they invaded in 1157 BC
The Philistines invaded as a punishment for Israel's sins; Judges 8:33 says that Israel didn't fall to sin until after Gideon had died; therefore the Philistines invaded sometime after this, at the earliest possible they invaded the year Gideon died, so the latest possible date for Gideon's death is 1157 BC
Gideon judged 40 years (after the Mideonites were defeated) so the Mideonites were defeated in 1197 BC or earlier (remember 1157 isn't a definite date for the death of Gideon, it's just a lower bound)
The next few dates are similarly the most recent possible for their events:
1197 + 7 years of Mideonite oppression = 1204 BC is the latest date possible for Mideonite invasion
1204 + 40 years' rest (Judges 5:31) = 1244 BC is the latest date possible for Deborah and Barak's defeat of the Canaanites
1244 + 20 years of Canaanite oppression = 1264 BC is the latest date possible for Canaanite invasion
1264 + 80 years' rest after Ehud defeats Moab = 1344 BC is the latest date possible for the defeat of Moab
1344 + 18 years of Moabite oppression = 1362 BC is the latest date possible for Moabite invasion
1362 + 40 years' rest after Othniel defeats Mesopotamia = 1402 is the latest date possible for the defeat of Mesopotamia
1402 + 8 years of Mesopotamian oppression = 1410 is the latest date possible for Mesopotamian oppression
The first oppression of Israel (by Mesopotamia) definitely occurred sometime after Joshua died. Joshua's time as leader is only given in the Book of Jasher, at 26 years. However, it also states that the Elders ruled Israel between Joshua and period of the Judges, for 17 years: 1410 + 17 + 26 = Joshua began to rule (at the latest) in 1453 BC. The veracity of the book may be questioned, but in any case this implies that Moses died around 1453 BC at the latest, and therefore began to lead Israel in about 1493 BC at the latest, which makes sense to be slightly before 1491 because it wasn't immediate that the Pharaoh actually let Israel go. In any case, a 1446 Exodus is clearly impossible, because even if the rulings of Joshua and the Elders are completely cut out, 1410 + 40 years' wanderings already makes 1450 BC.

Argument #3, working forward from a 4004 Creation:
Adding birthdates from 4004, we get the Flood at 2348 BC, etc, etc, and eventually Abram's birth in 1996 BC and Isaac's birth at 1896 BC when Abram was 100
According to Genesis 15:13 and Acts 7:6, Abraham's seed will be in a land other than their own for 400 years.
Abraham's seed starts with Isaac (Genesis 21:12), and Abraham was living among Canaanites right from Isaac's birth, so 1896 - 400 = 1496 BC. This could mean that the Exodus events started in 1496 BC, for example God promised Moses that he would lead Israel to the Promised Land via the burning bush in 1496 BC, or the 400 could be an approximation; either way it closely matches the 1491 date.

Argument #4, working forward from a 4004 Creation:
Exodus 12:40 says that at the Exodus, the Israelites had been sojourning 430 years, that is, they left their homeland 430 years ago. Abraham was born in 1996 BC based on the 4004 Creation going by birthdates, and he left his homeland when he was 75. 1996 - 75 = 1921. This started his sojourning; 1921 - 430 = 1491.