Jacob in Haran for 40 years - Part 2 of 2-Comment left on EBF Biblical Evidence for the end in 2033 video:
"Overall, Genesis 33 portrays Jacob traveling with a young family — yeladim (young children), described as raqim (tender), moving slowly, and grouped with their mothers. This fits naturally if Jacob’s sons were still minors, but seems difficult to reconcile with a 40-year stay in Haran, which would place Reuben and his brothers well into adulthood by the time of the Esau meeting.
How would you explain this apparent tension with the reliability of Mr. Camping’s chronological framework?"
EBF reply:
Secondly, the historical situation of Jacob meeting his brother Esau again after fleeing from him 40 years earlier helps us to understand the language used in the chapter:
Genesis 27:41 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.
Desiring to save their son – Jacob's parents sent him to Haran at age 60. And after 40 years there he was encountering his brother Esau again when they both are 100 years old.
The account reveals that Esau came with 400 men (an army) so of course Jacob was afraid for his family and his own life. Also, keep in mind the emphasis here is on testing. Completing a test really. As 40 years have now past. And Esau arrives with 400 men (10 x 40). So naturally, Jacob plays up the fact that there are some young children with him (Joseph was 9 years old at this point). And by the way, since we know that Jacob was 130 upon entering into Egypt (Genesis 47:8,9) and we also know that at that time Joseph was 39 (age 30 when he came out of prison, 7 years of plenty have passed, and 2 years of famine have occurred therefore 30 + 7 + 2 = 39), which means we know absolutely that Joseph was born to Jacob when Jacob was age 91.
Moreover, we know that Jacob would not have left the delivery room and told Laban he wanted to depart. But he would have first waited until Joseph was weaned and ready to travel before letting him know that. But still, after Joseph was born, a last contract was made between Laban and Jacob. A work contract for the cattle that would last for 6 years (Genesis 31:41).
We can know, therefore, that when Jacob was age 91, Joseph was born. Joseph was weaned 3 years (2 or 3 is possible but the Bible's emphasis on exactness in numbers leads us to understand a full 40 years in Haran and a full 100 years for Jacob's age), followed by working 6 years for cattle, makes Jacob 100 years old at time of departure.
Getting back to Esau's insistence that he leave some of his 400 men with Jacob to help him along, we find Jacob's response regarding the young children and tenderness of them is geared to avoiding this help at all costs:
Genesis 33:12 And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.
13 And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.
14 Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.
15 And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord.
16 So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.
I do not think this approach to try and disannul the Biblical calendar of history – which the Lord graciously opened up to the understanding of Mr. Camping – has any validity to it at all.