Exodus

By Mary Jane Chaignot

The word "Exodus" comes from the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Bible, referred to as the LXX, meaning seventy), which titled this book, "the going out of Egypt," or "the departure from Egypt." This was abbreviated to Exodus. Technically, however, only the first part of the book refers to the "exodus"; the second half describes the covenant initiated by God with Israel. The book of Exodus doesn't really have a name in Hebrew. It is referred to as shemot, which is the Hebrew word for the first word -- Names. So, this is the book of names. Exodus is the second of five books comprising the "Pentateuch," the "Torah" (Law), or the five books of Moses. It continues the story begun in Genesis. Historically, Moses was thought to be the author because he is the prime character, but scholars now believe that, like Genesis, there were many authors and sagas compiled through the ages.

One of the most common questions asked about Exodus is whether the events can be substantiated. In other words, is this a true story? Did these things really happen? Historically, there isn't any extrabiblical evidence that corroborates these events. Having said that, however, there are several ancient facts that could lend credence to such happenings. Documents confirm that the first two Pharaohs of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt constructed extensive building projects. Records from Egypt and the Ancient Near East refer to a migrant people as habiru during the second millennium. Ancient Near East law codes are similar to the covenantal and legal matters described in Exodus. Archeological evidence reveals the fall of several Canaanite cities during the latter part of the thirteenth century -- about the time Israel was purportedly settling in Canaan. Ancient Near East literature describes a strong Edomite presence during this time, which is described in Numbers. Admittedly, however, none of this is hard evidence.

Most modern scholars have moved away from the historical questions in order to focus on the theological and religious issues described in Exodus. In fact, this is the beginning of salvation history, the beginning of God's covenant with His people. God not only claims a people, but He is able to save them -- moving them from servitude to freedom. God binds Himself to them in a covenant and abides with them -- forever! This He does despite Israel's backsliding and grumbling time and time again. God proves Himself to be loyal, loving, and generous, meeting their every need. Throughout this remarkable journey the Israelites lacked nothing -- and appreciated nothing! Nevertheless, the power and loving nature of God displayed in Exodus remains available to all those who call upon His name.

There are three main divisions in the book. Chapters 1-13:16 tell the story of Israel in Egypt; chapters 13:17-18:27 talk about Israel in the Wilderness; chapters 19:1-40:38 relate the events at Sinai.

In Egypt: 1:1-13:16

1:1-7

The names Continuation of Genesis is presumed
God's promise to Abraham has been fulfilled, but causes problems in Egypt

1:8-22
- New king and new policies
- Beginning of slavery and genocide
- Intervention of midwives
- Decree to kill all boy babies
2:1-10
- Birth of Moses
- Moses was placed in ark; found by
- Pharaoh's daughter Returned to his mom for three years.
2:11-22
- Moses fights and flees
- Moses intervenes in fight with Egyptian, kills him; word gets out
- Moses flees to Midian; meets Jethro
2:23-25
- Oppression continues back in Egypt; God hears the cry of his people
3:1-22
- Moses' call and conversation with God
- Burning bush that was not consumed
- God reveals his Name "I AM"
- Moses is told to return to Egypt to get God's people out of bondage
4:1-17
- Moses' doubts about his fitness for the task
- Moses is given three signs: rod, serpent, and leprosy
- Aaron will be Moses' mouthpiece
4:18-20
- Moses leaves Median
- Gets his father-in-law's permission
4:21-23
- Job will be difficult: Pharaoh's heart will be hardened
4:24-26
- In order to lead, Moses must uphold demands of covenant
- Son is circumcised
4:27-31
- Moses and Aaron meet with elders of Israel -- good results
5:1-11:10
- Interaction with Pharaoh
5:1-5
- Moses and Aaron meet with Pharaoh
- Pharaoh refuses to let Israelites go
5:6-18
- Pharaoh increases oppression
- Make bricks without straw
- Israelites go to Pharaoh, find out tasks were increased because of Moses
5:19-21
- Israelites very angry with Moses and Aaron
5:22-23
- Moses is totally discouraged
6:1-13
- God affirms his plan, encourages Moses
- Moses relates this to Israelites but they don't listen
- Aaron and Moses are to return again to Pharaoh
- Moses complains, but complies
6:14-27
- Genealogy of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi
- Reaffirms authority and credentials of Moses and Aaron
6:28-7:13
- Return to Pharaoh, the first sign
- Rod becomes a snake, eats "snakes" of court magicians
- Pharaoh hardens his heart
7:14-25
- Plague #1: Water changed to blood
- Water everywhere turned to blood
- Court Magicians duplicate the "plague"!
- No water anywhere
- Lasted for seven days
- Pharaoh's heart was hardened
8:1-15
- Plague #2: Frogs
- Frogs covered the land
- Court magicians duplicate the plague!
- Pharaoh offers to let the people go "tomorrow" if frogs disappear
- Frogs disappear, but Pharaoh hardens his heart
8:16-19
- Plague #3: Gnats
- All the dust of Egypt became gnats
- Magicians could not reproduce
- Pharaoh's heart was hardened
8:20-32
- Plague #4: Flies
- Flies over all Egypt, but not on Israelites
- Pharaoh gave approval to worship in Egypt
- Moses refuses, plans to go for three-day journey
- Pharaoh agrees, Moses prays to God re: the flies
- Flies leave; Pharaoh hardens his heart
9:1-7
- Plague #5: Pestilence on livestock
- Pharaoh warned in advance, given time to change his mind
- Plague did not touch Israelites' cattle
- Livestock is destroyed, but none of Israelites' cattle were harmed
- Pharaoh's heart was hardened
9:8-12
- Plague #6: Boils
- Festering boils appeared on all
- Magicians can no longer work because of conditions
- Pharaoh's heart is hardened
9:13-35
- Plague #7: Hail
- Warned to find shelter for man and beast
- Israelites again spared
- Pharaoh asks Moses and Aaron to "pray" for him, then hardens his heart
10:1-20
- Plague #8: Locusts
- God tells Moses Pharaoh's heart has been hardened for the glorification of God
- Pharaoh's officials try to talk him into letting Israelites go
- Calls Moses and Aaron back, tells them the men can go
- Plague comes, Pharaoh's heart was hardened
10:21-29
- Plague #9: Darkness
- Three days -- a darkness that "could be felt"
- Pharaoh says all people can go, but flocks and herds have to remain
- Throws Moses out
11:1-10
- Announcement of 10th Plague
- Israelites borrow silver and gold from neighbors
- Moses tells Pharaoh about death of firstborn
12:1-28
- Institution of the Passover
- Details re: when and how to celebrate
- Put blood over door frames
12:29-42
- Plague #10: Death of the firstborn
- Pharaoh calls Moses, tells him Israelites can leave
- 600,000 men, plus women and children leave Egypt
12:43-51
- More Passover instructions
13:1-16
- Consecration of the firstborn

In the Wilderness: 13:17-18:27

13:17-14:31
- Crossing of the Red (Reed) Sea
- Israelites wandered around
- Pharaoh changed his mind, pursued them
- Trapped at the sea, the people cried out to Moses who cried out to God
- Sea parted; people walked through on dry land
- Egyptians tried to follow; waters returned and they all perished
- People saw the Lord's power, trusted him
15:1-21
- Song of Moses (Miriam)
- Song of relief, praise, celebration, thanksgiving
15:22-27
- Time to move on -- Marah and Elim
- Lack of water; God tells Moses to toss wood into water and the water became sweet
16:1-36
- Manna and Quail
- After 45 days in the desert, food supplies ran out
- People complained to Moses; God provided manna and quail
- Instructions on how to use it
17:1-7
- Back into the desert: Massah and Meribah
- Lack of water leads to grumbling
- God tells Moses to strike a rock; water gushes out
17:8-16
- Battle with Amalekites
- Israelites victorious; Amalekites disappear from history
18:1-12
- Jethro visits the camp
- First non-Israelite to hear about God's saving acts
- Jethro praises God, offers sacrifice to God
18:13-27
- Jethro gives Moses wise counsel
- Moses is overworked; justice is delayed; tribal members have no opportunity to lead
- Moses listened to Jethro, established leaders within the camp
- People agreed

At Mount Sinai: 19:1-40:38

19:1-8
- The people finally reach Mt. Sinai
- Arrive 3 months to the day they left Egypt
- Moses is intermediary between God and people; God offers covenant, people accept
19:9-15
- Further instructions re: God's impending appearance before the people
- People were to consecrate themselves inside and out
19:16-25
- Coming of the Lord accompanied by thunder and lightning
- More instructions to Moses; even the mountain was consecrated
20:1-17
- The Ten Commandments
20:18-21
- People are terrified
- Moses continues to act as mediator
20:22-23:33
- The Book of the Covenant -- Digression in the story
20:22-26
- Issues relating to worship
- Avoid other gods, instructions re: sacrifice and what to use for the altar
21:1-11
- First, instructions how to behave re: God; now instructions re: Servants
- Conditions for setting free or retaining a servant, male or female
21:12-36
- Regulations concerning the life of a neighbor, of his property
22:1-17
- More laws re: neighbor's property
22:18-20
- Three mortal sins
22:21-27
- How to care for those in need -- aliens, widows, and orphans
22:28-31
- Additional laws re: God, the authorities, firstborn, and wounded animals
23:1-12
- Regulations re: their neighbor's rights
23:13-33
- More laws re: their relationship to God
24:1-18
- Ratification of the Covenant -- Story resumes
- Seventy elders, Moses, Aaron go up
- People agree to everything; Moses writes it down
- Sacrifices -- blood sprinkled on people; covenant now binding
- Moses goes up mountain to get stone tablets; stays 40 days and nights
25:1-31:7
- Various offerings that are acceptable
25:1-9
- Various offerings that are acceptable
25:10-22
- Instructions for the Ark of the Covenant
- Description of the chest that is to hold the Ten Commandments
25:23-30
- The table
25:31-40
- The lampstand
26:1-37
- The Tabernacle (Tent)
- Includes the frame and the curtains
27:1-8
- The altar for burnt offerings
27:9-19
- The courtyard to keep the Israelites from getting too close to the Lord
27:20-21
- Oil for the lamps
28:1-43
- Appropriate attire for Aaron and his sons (priests)
- Includes description of the breastplate for making decisions
- Urim and Thummin -- stones? Dice?
29:1-37
- How to consecrate the priests
- Sacrifice and ceremony
29:38-46
- Daily offerings, morning and evening
- Grain and drink offerings
- The Lord will dwell among the Israelites and be their God
30:1-10
- How to make and how to use the altar of incense
30:11-16
- Paying for the Tabernacle -- the first Temple tax
30:17-21
- Requirement of washing hands and feet before entering the Tabernacle
30:22-33
- How to make and how to use the sacred oil for anointing
30:34-38
- How to make and how to use incense; warning against private use
31:1-11
- Selection of the builders -- Bezalel and Oholiab
31:12-17
- Institution of the Sabbath
31: 18
- Moses receives the tablets of stone; the forty days have ended
- Story is resumed
32:1-33:11
- The Breaking of the Covenant
32:1-6
- The making of the Golden Calf
32:7-14
- Lord tells Moses what's happening below
32:1-20
- Moses goes down to the camp
- Breaks the Tablets
- Burns the calf, grinds it to a powder, makes them drink it
32:21-24
- Moses yells at Aaron
32:25-29
- Moses demands renewed commitment
- Levites respond first, are set aside and blessed
32:30-32
- Moses returns to God, tries to atone for Israelite's sin
32:33-35
- God's response: not total destruction; instead sent a plague
33:1-6
- God commands Moses to leave Sinai
- People mourn
33:7-11
- Moses speaks to God in the "tent of meeting"
33:12-23
- Moses intercedes on behalf of the people
- God responds by saying he is "pleased with Moses"
- Moses asks to see God's "glory"
34:1-35
- Covenant is renewed with new stone tablets
- Several legal provisions are restated
- Moses stayed another 40 days and nights
- Upon his return, Moses' face "shone," covered his face with a veil
35:1-36:7
- More instructions re: the Tabernacle
36:8-38:31
- Time to build
36:8-38
- How to build the Tabernacle
37:1-9
- Building the ark
37:10-16
- Constructing the table
37:17-24
- Making the Lampstand
37:25-29
- Building the altar of incense and the oil
38:1-7
- Constructing the altar of burnt offering and the basin
38:9-20
- The courtyard
38:21-31
- The cost of it all
39:1-31
- The priestly clothes
39:32-43
- Moses checks it all out
40:1-33
- The Lord tells Moses how to set up the tabernacle
40:34-38
- The glory of the Lord fills the tabernacle

The book ends on a high note with the Lord present among his people. God is now poised to lead his chosen people to the land promised to the patriarchs. The last word in the book is journey -- portents of what lies ahead, but the "exodus" is complete at this point.

Bibliography

Cole, R. Alan. Exodus. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, London: The Tyndale Press, 1973.

Farmer, William. The International Bible Commentary. Collegeville, MN, Liturgical Press, 1998.

Grispen, WH. Exodus. Bible Student's Commentary, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1982.

Ellison, HL. Exodus, The Daily Bible Study Series. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1982.

McGrath, Allister. NIV Bible Commentary. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1988.

Mills, Watson and Richard Wilson. Mercer Commentary on the Bible. Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 1995.

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