There are several problems in the historical accuracy of Stephen's speech in Acts 6, because they are got from a corrupted record that does not agree with Genesis, and Genesis does agree with the Book of the Upright/ Upright Record, -commonly called the Book of Jasher.
On a couple of other threads, a poster makes claims that the Book of Jasher is not correct, in that Stephen contradicts it, but that is not true, and Stephen contradicts Genesis.
Stephen's account and the Genesis account do not agree.
That does not make Stephen's martyrdom any less value, nor his faith any less than it is, and of specific note by Jesus, at his death. Stephen was welcomed into heaven by the LORD Himself, but Stephen's history does not agree with the Torah account in the same way that Peter believed a fable about not associating with the Gentiles from another faulty record which some Jews believed and which Jesus did not correct until he let the sheet down with the unclean animals, so as to teach Peter and set him free from a false belief.
Why is this important? Because the history book, the "Book of the Upright", or "Upright Record" does agree with the Genesis account and gives us many more details that Stephen was not privy to, in the record he did read.
We can check it for ourselves if we will, but a poster on the other threads was not willing to do so, even when they were laid out in front of him -he ran away from checking it out for himself.
This is to lay it out for interested parties so that they can see for themselves, and many errors can then be corrected.
To be clear, I do not believe the Book of Jasher is "inspired", but is true history. I also do not believe any of the histories are inspired.
Inspired is "Thus saith YHWH". Histories are histories; writings are writings; wisdom is wisdom; and prose is prose.
Was Israel oppressed four hundred years, according to Genesis? No!
They were oppressed after Joseph died, beginning little by little, until they were led out by Moses when he was 82 years old.
Now to begin, Moses' mother was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, born to him in Egypt. Jochebed was born at the gates of Egypt, the true history says -and many other of the Jewish histories do state the same.
Joseph was 17 when he entered Egypt, one year in Potipher's house, 12 years in prison, and 30 years old when he was set on the throne under Pharaoh.
Israel came into Egypt when Joseph was 39.
Seventy one years after Israel came into Egypt, Joseph died.
Joseph died at age 110 Genesis 50:26
Joseph ruled Egypt 80 years.
Jacob was 130 when he came into Egypt Genesis 47:9
Jacob died age 147, after 17 years in Egypt Genesis 47:28
Jochebed, Moses mother was the daughter of Levi, born in Egypt to Levi when Levi entered the gates of Egypt.
Num 26:59 And the name of Amram's wife [was] Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom [her mother] bare to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.
So Joseph died, and another Pharaoh arose who did not know Joseph. It took a bit of time, but by the birth of Miriam, 12 years before Moses, birth, the people were "embittered" which is why Miriam was named "embittered people" from the Hebrew for bitter/grieved, and people.
Now Moses was 82 when he led Israel out, and his mother had been born at the gates of Egypt [when Levi entered] making her 128 when Moses was born.
Israel was in Egypt 210 years. Jochebed was 128 when Moses born.
Moses was 82 when he led them out.
Israel had it good until Joseph died, then a creeping enslavement, beginning when Jochebed was in her 71st year [when Joseph died], until by the time she had Miriam, 45 years later, they were "bitter/grieved people" [Miriam means bitter people].
So all the years Israel was in Egypt add up to 210, in the Genesis record -and in the Record of the Upright/Jasher- and oppression began with a creep after the 71 years Joseph reigned, after they entered only after Joseph's death.
On a couple of other threads, a poster makes claims that the Book of Jasher is not correct, in that Stephen contradicts it, but that is not true, and Stephen contradicts Genesis.
Stephen's account and the Genesis account do not agree.
That does not make Stephen's martyrdom any less value, nor his faith any less than it is, and of specific note by Jesus, at his death. Stephen was welcomed into heaven by the LORD Himself, but Stephen's history does not agree with the Torah account in the same way that Peter believed a fable about not associating with the Gentiles from another faulty record which some Jews believed and which Jesus did not correct until he let the sheet down with the unclean animals, so as to teach Peter and set him free from a false belief.
Why is this important? Because the history book, the "Book of the Upright", or "Upright Record" does agree with the Genesis account and gives us many more details that Stephen was not privy to, in the record he did read.
We can check it for ourselves if we will, but a poster on the other threads was not willing to do so, even when they were laid out in front of him -he ran away from checking it out for himself.
This is to lay it out for interested parties so that they can see for themselves, and many errors can then be corrected.
To be clear, I do not believe the Book of Jasher is "inspired", but is true history. I also do not believe any of the histories are inspired.
Inspired is "Thus saith YHWH". Histories are histories; writings are writings; wisdom is wisdom; and prose is prose.
Was Israel oppressed four hundred years, according to Genesis? No!
They were oppressed after Joseph died, beginning little by little, until they were led out by Moses when he was 82 years old.
Now to begin, Moses' mother was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, born to him in Egypt. Jochebed was born at the gates of Egypt, the true history says -and many other of the Jewish histories do state the same.
Joseph was on the throne ruling Egypt when Israel entered, and they had it good all the days Joseph ruled, under the Pharaoh who turned it over to Joseph.
Joseph was 17 when he entered Egypt, one year in Potipher's house, 12 years in prison, and 30 years old when he was set on the throne under Pharaoh.
Israel came into Egypt when Joseph was 39.
Seventy one years after Israel came into Egypt, Joseph died.
Joseph died at age 110 Genesis 50:26
Joseph ruled Egypt 80 years.
Jacob was 130 when he came into Egypt Genesis 47:9
Jacob died age 147, after 17 years in Egypt Genesis 47:28
Jochebed, Moses mother was the daughter of Levi, born in Egypt to Levi when Levi entered the gates of Egypt.
Num 26:59 And the name of Amram's wife [was] Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom [her mother] bare to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.
So Joseph died, and another Pharaoh arose who did not know Joseph. It took a bit of time, but by the birth of Miriam, 12 years before Moses, birth, the people were "embittered" which is why Miriam was named "embittered people" from the Hebrew for bitter/grieved, and people.
Now Moses was 82 when he led Israel out, and his mother had been born at the gates of Egypt [when Levi entered] making her 128 when Moses was born.
Israel was in Egypt 210 years. Jochebed was 128 when Moses born.
Moses was 82 when he led them out.
Israel had it good until Joseph died, then a creeping enslavement, beginning when Jochebed was in her 71st year [when Joseph died], until by the time she had Miriam, 45 years later, they were "bitter/grieved people" [Miriam means bitter people].
So all the years Israel was in Egypt add up to 210, in the Genesis record -and in the Record of the Upright/Jasher- and oppression began with a creep after the 71 years Joseph reigned, after they entered only after Joseph's death.