Two Exoduses?

I’ve been reading this great commentary on the book of Joshua. While doing so this weekend I was reminded of a theory that I heard in seminary pertaining to the following verse:

“All Israel with their elders and officers and their judges were standing on both sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, the stranger as well as the native.” (Joshua 8:33)

The theory is that this verse indicates that there were already Israelites living in the Palestine when Joshua entered with those from the Mosaic Exodus from Egypt. While there was an historic exodus led by Moses, there was also a gradual exodus that proceeded it for several generations. Therefore, when we “all Israel” comes together in verse 33, it includes those who were new to Palestine (“strangers”, ger) and those who had already been in the land for some time (“native”, ezrach).

Such a scenario might explain some of the apparent historical inconsistencies we find in the Bible (the Exodus occurring either in c.1446 BCE and/or 1250–1200 BCE; the 2 million people that supposedly left Egypt with Moses). This would also correspond with Josephus’ debates about the possibility of two Exoduses mentioned by the Egyptian historian Manetho (Against Apion). While the foreign Semitic Hyksos ruled Egypt during the years of Joseph’s time there, they were finally expelled and non-Semitic pharaohs began to rule Egypt (Exodus 1:8). It is possible that many Israelites were expelled or began to immigrate out of Egypt at this time. The exodus of Moses would then have occurred a few centuries later.

Often the “historical” books of the Old Testament will conflate history in order to demonstrate a theological truth that covers various historical events. This is mostly seen in the apocalyptic books (Daniel, Revelation, etc.) but also in books such as Joshua and Judges.