He Gave Them Judges About the Space of 450 Years

Acts 13:20 And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

This Scripture has puzzled theologians and God's people over the centuries. How can we harmonize the "about" 450 years with the period of the judges?

The solution to the problem comes once we realize that Moses was a judge while Israel was still in the land of Egypt:

Acts 7:23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.

24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:

25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.

26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?

27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?

As we read the above passage, we discover that when Moses was forty years old he avenged him that was oppressed. This statement is typical of those who would be called of God to judge Israel. An enemy (Egypt) would oppress (Israel) and a the Lord would send a judge (Moses) to avenge them.

We also see by the statement of one of the Israelites in Acts 7 that there was realization that Moses was acting as a judge, "who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?"

Since we know that Moses was born in the year 1527 BC, we also know that he turned forty years old in 1487 BC. This is the year that he attempted to deliver Israel. But it was not yet God's time table for deliverance. Moses fled into the wilderness only to return again forty years later in 1447 BC.

Alright, so we know Moses was attempting to deliver the oppressed Israelites in 1487 BC. And we also know that Samuel judged until Saul became king in 1047 BC. Let's see how long a time period that is:

1487 BC – 1047 BC = 440 years.

And 440 years is "about" 450 years. So we now understand the reference of about 450 years in Acts 13:20.