A common argument against the accuracy of the Bible and its characters is “Science has disproven the Bible.” However there is a science that has continually confirmed Biblical history over and over again.
The field of Archeology which seeks to uncover the mysteries of the past and confirm the known record continues to unearth evidence of people, cultures and events from the Bible. In this lesson Michael walks through the discovery of the Ipuwer Papyrus and its striking similarity to the events of the book of Exodus.
The Ipuwer Papyrus seems to be an eye witness account from an Egyptian poet of several catastrophes that struck Egypt which mirror the widely known ten plagues of Egypt from the Bible. Using clues from scripture (1st Kings 6:1) we can approximate the date of the Exodus around 1440 BC which matches the approximate date of the papyrus (a large number of scholars place it around 1440 BC while others approximate it in ranges from 1290 to 1550 BC).
This is another case of the science of archeology confirming the Biblical record of history.
Ipuwer and the Bible compared
Rivers turn to blood
“There’s blood everywhere…Lo the River is blood.” (2:5-6, 2:10)
Exodus 7:20 And Moses and Aaron did so, just as the LORD commanded. So he lifted up the rod and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants. And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.
Thirst
“One thirsts for water.” (2:10)
Exodus 7:24 (ESV) And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the Nile.
Trees are gone
“Lo, trees are felled, branches stripped.” (4:14, 6:16)
Exodus 9:24 (ESV) The hail struck down everything that was in the field in all the land of Egypt, both man and beast. And the hail struck down every plant of the field and broke every tree of the field.
“Birds find neither fruits nor herbs.” (6:1)
Exodus 10:15 (ESV) The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled on the whole country of Egypt, such a dense swarm of locusts as had never been before, nor ever will be again. They covered the face of the whole land, so that the land was darkened, and they ate all the plants in the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Not a green thing remained, neither tree nor plant of the field, through all the land of Egypt.
Food is gone
Ipuwer 6:3; 3:3; 7:13-Gone is the barley of abundance . . . . Food supplies are running short. The nobles hunger and suffer . . . . Those who had shelter are in the dark of the storm .”
Exodus 9:6, 23, 31-So the LORD did this thing on the next day, and all the livestock of Egypt died; but of the livestock of the children of Israel, not one died….And Moses stretched out his rod toward heaven; and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire darted to the ground. And the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt….Now the flax and the barley were struck, for the barley was in the head and the flax was in bud.
All is destroyed
Ipuwer 3:13-“What shall we do about it? All is ruin! ”
Exodus 10:7 Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?”
Many people are dead
Ipuwer 2:5, 6, 13; 4:3-“Behold, plague sweeps the land, blood is everywhere, with no shortage of the dead . . . . He who buries his brother in the ground is everywhere . . . . Woe is me for the grief of this time.”
Exodus 12:29-And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock.
Weeping throughout the land
Ipuwer 3:14-Wailing is throughout the land, mingled with lamentations.”
Exodus 12:30-So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
No light
Ipuwer 9:11 “The land is without light.”
Exodus 10:22-23 (ESV) So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the people of Israel had light where they lived.
Slaves become rich
Indeed, gold and lapis lazuli, silver and turquoise, carnelian and amethyst, Ibhet-stone and [. . .] are strung on the necks of female slaves.
Exodus 12:35 – The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. 36 The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians.
