7985. It is said that “the dwelling of the sons of Israel which they dwelt in Egypt was thirty years and four hundred years,” and further that “at the end of the thirty years and four hundred years, in this same day, all the armies of Jehovah went out from the land of Egypt,” when yet the dwelling of the sons of Israel, from the going down of Jacob into Egypt, to the going out of his descendants at this time, was not more than half the time, namely, two hundred and fifteen years, as is very manifest from the chronology of the Holy Scripture. For Moses was born of Amram, Amram of Kohath, and Kohath of Levi; and Kohath together with his father Leviticus came into Egypt (Genesis 46:11). The age of the life of Kohath was 133 years (Exodus 6:18), and the age of the life of Amram, from whom were Aaron and Moses, was 137 years (Exodus 6:20), and Moses was a man of 80 years when he stood before Pharaoh (Exodus 7:7). It is not mentioned in what year of the age of Kohath Amram was born, nor in what year of the age of Amram Moses was born; but it can be seen that there were not 430 years, for even the years of their ages do not amount to 430, but only to 350, as appears from adding the years of the age of Kohath, 133, to the years of the age of Amram, 137, and these to the 80 years of Moses when he stood before Pharaoh; still less if the years from their births be added together. That they were 215 years can be seen from the chronology. But from the going down of Abraham into Egypt to the going out of the sons of Israel, there were 430 years, as can also be seen from the chronology. From this then it is evident that by “four hundred and thirty years” is here meant the entire period of time from Abraham, and not from Jacob. That these years were designated, and were called “the years of the dwelling of the sons of Israel in Egypt,” is on account of the internal sense, in which by these years is signified a full state, and the duration of the vastation of those who had been of the spiritual church, and were detained in the lower earth until the coming of the Lord, and were then liberated (n. 6854, 6914, 7035, 7091, 7828, 7932 a).