Exodus - Synopsis

The new king in Egypt was concerned about the growing population of Israelites and feared they would side with Egypt's enemies in a potential war. To control them, the Egyptians imposed forced labor on the Israelites, making them build the storage towns of Pithom and Rameses. Despite the brutal treatment and hard labor, the Israelite population continued to increase.

Pharaoh then commanded the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to kill all newborn Hebrew boys, but they defied the order out of reverence for God and let the boys live. When questioned, they told Pharaoh that Hebrew women give birth too quickly for them to intervene. God blessed the midwives, and the Israelite population grew even more. Pharaoh then issued a decree to all Egyptians to throw every newborn Hebrew boy into the Nile River.

The Birth and Early Life of Moses

During this time, a Levite man and woman had a son. The mother hid him for three months, and when she could no longer hide him, she placed him in a waterproof papyrus basket among the reeds of the Nile. The baby's sister watched from a distance. Pharaoh's daughter found the crying baby while bathing and felt sorry for him, realizing he was a Hebrew child. The baby's sister then arranged for their own mother to be hired to nurse him. When the boy was older, he was brought to Pharaoh's daughter, who adopted him and named him Moses.

As an adult, Moses saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew and, after ensuring no one was watching, killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand. The next day, he discovered that his actions were known when a Hebrew he tried to defend mentioned the killing. Fearing for his life, Moses fled to Midian after Pharaoh sought to kill him. There, he rescued the seven daughters of Reuel (also known as Jethro), the priest of Midian, from shepherds at a well. In gratitude, Reuel invited Moses to stay, and Moses married his daughter Zipporah, with whom he had a son named Gershom.

The Call of Moses

Years later, after the king of Egypt died, the Israelites' suffering under slavery intensified, and their cries for help reached God. God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and looked upon the Israelites with concern.

While shepherding for his father-in-law, Jethro, Moses led his flock to Mount Horeb, the mountain of God. There, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a burning bush that was not consumed by the flames. When Moses approached, God called to him from the bush, instructing him to remove his sandals because he was on holy ground. God identified Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Moses hid his face in fear.

God declared that He had seen the misery of His people in Egypt and was sending Moses to Pharaoh to lead them out to a land flowing with milk and honey. Moses protested, feeling inadequate, but God promised to be with him, giving the sign that they would worship God on that very mountain after leaving Egypt.

When Moses asked what name he should use for God, God replied, "I Am who I am," and instructed Moses to tell the Israelites that "I Am" and "The Lord (Yahweh), the God of your fathers," had sent him. God promised that the Israelite elders would listen and that Moses should go with them to ask Pharaoh to let them travel three days into the desert to sacrifice. God also forewarned that Pharaoh would refuse until compelled by God's power and that the Israelites would not leave empty-handed, as they would take the wealth of the Egyptians with them.

To address Moses's fear that the people would not believe him, God gave him three miraculous signs: his walking stick would turn into a snake and back again; his hand would become diseased and then be restored; and water from the Nile would turn to blood when poured on the ground. Moses still hesitated, claiming to be a poor speaker, but God rebuked him and appointed his well-spoken brother, Aaron, to be his mouthpiece.

Moses Returns to Egypt

Moses returned to Egypt with his wife and sons, as all those who had sought his life were now dead. God instructed him to perform the miracles before Pharaoh but warned that He would make Pharaoh stubborn, leading to the death of Egypt's firstborn sons because Pharaoh would refuse to let Israel, God's firstborn son, go.

On the way to Egypt, an incident occurred where the Lord sought to kill Moses, but his wife Zipporah circumcised their son with a flint knife, averting the threat. Aaron met Moses at the mountain of God, and together they went to the Israelite elders. Aaron relayed God's message, and Moses performed the signs, convincing the people, who then bowed down and worshipped.

Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and delivered God's command: "Let my people go." Pharaoh defiantly refused, claiming not to know the Lord. In response to their request for a three-day journey to make sacrifices, Pharaoh accused them of making the people lazy and increased their workload. He ordered that the Israelites no longer be given straw for their brick quotas but must gather it themselves while still producing the same number of bricks.

The people scattered to gather stubble, and the Egyptian slave drivers beat the Israelite supervisors for failing to meet their quotas. When the supervisors appealed to Pharaoh, he called them lazy and sent them away. The supervisors then blamed Moses and Aaron for making their situation worse.

Moses complained to the Lord, who responded by reaffirming His identity as Yahweh and His covenant promise. He declared that He would rescue the Israelites from slavery with great power and bring them into the promised land. However, when Moses relayed this message, the people were too discouraged to listen.

A genealogy of the heads of the Israelite families is provided, focusing on the lineage of Reuben, Simeon, and especially Levi, from whom Moses and Aaron descended. The account then returns to God commissioning Moses and Aaron to speak to Pharaoh.

The Ten Plagues

1. Water Turned to Blood: Moses and Aaron confronted Pharaoh again. As a sign, Aaron threw down his walking stick, which became a snake. Pharaoh's magicians replicated the feat, but Aaron's snake swallowed theirs. Still, Pharaoh remained stubborn. Following God's command, Aaron struck the Nile with his staff, turning all the water in Egypt to blood, killing the fish, and making the river smell foul. The Egyptian magicians also did this, and Pharaoh's heart remained hard. The Egyptians had to dig for drinking water for seven days.

2. Frogs: God sent Moses to warn Pharaoh of a plague of frogs. When Pharaoh refused, Aaron stretched his staff over the waters, and frogs swarmed over the land, entering houses and bedrooms. The magicians also brought up frogs. Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron, promising to let the people go if they prayed for the frogs to be removed. Moses prayed, and the frogs died, leaving the land with a terrible smell. But once there was relief, Pharaoh became stubborn again.

3. Gnats: Aaron struck the dust with his staff, and it became gnats that swarmed over people and animals throughout Egypt. The magicians could not replicate this and told Pharaoh, "This is an act of God." But Pharaoh would not listen.

4. Flies: God threatened a plague of flies that would fill every Egyptian house but would spare the land of Goshen where the Israelites lived, as a sign of His power. Huge swarms of flies devastated Egypt. Pharaoh offered to let the people sacrifice within Egypt, but Moses refused, saying it would be offensive to the Egyptians. Pharaoh then agreed they could go into the wilderness, but not far, and asked Moses to pray for him. The flies were removed, but Pharaoh once again hardened his heart.

5. Livestock Die: God sent a plague upon the livestock of the Egyptians—horses, donkeys, camels, and cattle—all of which died. However, none of the animals belonging to the Israelites were harmed. Despite confirming this, Pharaoh remained stubborn.

6. Boils: Moses threw furnace soot into the air before Pharaoh, and it caused festering boils to break out on all the people and animals in Egypt. The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils. The Lord gave Pharaoh a stubborn attitude, and he refused to listen.

7. Hail: God warned of the worst hailstorm in Egypt's history, which would kill any person or animal left in the fields. Those officials who feared the Lord brought their servants and livestock inside, while those who did not left them out. Moses stretched out his staff, and a devastating storm of hail, thunder, and lightning struck all of Egypt, destroying crops and trees. The land of Goshen was spared. Pharaoh confessed his sin and begged Moses to pray for an end to the storm, promising to let the people go. Moses agreed but knew Pharaoh was not sincere. Once the storm stopped, Pharaoh sinned again and would not let the Israelites leave.

8. Locusts: God sent Moses and Aaron to warn of a plague of locusts that would devour every remaining plant. Pharaoh's officials urged him to relent, and he offered to let only the men go, but Moses refused. An east wind brought an unprecedented swarm of locusts that covered the ground and ate everything green. Pharaoh again confessed his sin and begged for relief. A strong west wind blew the locusts into the Red Sea, but the Lord made Pharaoh stubborn, and he would not let the people go.

9. Darkness: Moses stretched his hand toward the sky, and a thick darkness that could be felt covered Egypt for three days. No one could see anyone else, yet the Israelites had light in their homes. Pharaoh then offered to let the people go with their children, but demanded they leave their flocks and herds behind. Moses insisted they needed their livestock for sacrifices. The Lord made Pharaoh stubborn, and he refused, threatening Moses with death if he ever saw his face again.

10. Death of the Firstborn: The Lord announced one final plague: at midnight, every firstborn son in Egypt, from Pharaoh's heir to the son of the lowest servant, as well as the firstborn of the livestock, would die. This would cause unprecedented mourning in Egypt, but among the Israelites, not even a dog would bark, demonstrating the Lord's distinction between the two peoples. God also caused the Egyptians to look favorably upon the Israelites, who were to ask them for articles of silver and gold. Moses, highly respected in Egypt, delivered this final warning and left Pharaoh's presence in anger.

The Passover and the Exodus

The Lord established the Passover as a perpetual ordinance. On the tenth day of the first month, each Israelite household was to select a year-old male lamb or goat without defect. On the fourteenth day, they were to slaughter it at twilight, put some of its blood on the doorframes of their houses, and roast the meat. They were to eat it quickly with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, dressed and ready to travel. The blood on the doorposts would be a sign for the Lord to "pass over" those houses and spare their firstborn when He struck down the Egyptians. The seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread was also instituted to commemorate the day they left Egypt.

The Israelites did as commanded. At midnight, the Lord killed every firstborn in Egypt, from Pharaoh's son to the captive's son, and the firstborn of all livestock. A great cry of agony arose throughout Egypt, as there was not a house without someone dead. During the night, Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and ordered them to leave immediately with all the Israelites, their children, and their livestock. The Egyptians, fearing for their own lives, urged the Israelites to leave quickly and gave them the silver, gold, and clothing they asked for, thus plundering Egypt's wealth.

About 600,000 Israelite men, plus women, children, and a mixed group of other people, left Rameses for Succoth with large herds and flocks. They had lived in Egypt for 430 years.

The Lord then gave instructions regarding who could eat the Passover (only the circumcised, including slaves and resident foreigners who are circumcised). He also commanded that every firstborn male, both human and animal, be dedicated to Him to commemorate the sparing of Israel's firstborn when He killed Egypt's.

Crossing the Red Sea

God led the Israelites not by the direct route through Philistine country, but by the longer desert road toward the Red Sea, so they would not face war and be tempted to return to Egypt. The Lord went ahead of them, guiding them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

God instructed Moses to have the people camp by the sea, knowing that Pharaoh would think they were trapped and pursue them. When the Egyptians realized their slave workforce was gone, Pharaoh and his officials had a change of heart. He assembled his army, including 600 of his best chariots, and chased after the Israelites, catching up to them by the sea.

Seeing the approaching army, the Israelites were terrified and complained to Moses, saying it would have been better to remain slaves in Egypt than to die in the desert. Moses told them not to be afraid, for the Lord would fight for them. The angel of God and the pillar of cloud moved to the rear of the Israelites, separating the two camps with darkness for the Egyptians and light for the Israelites.

Moses stretched his hand over the sea, and a strong east wind drove the sea back all night, turning it into dry land with a wall of water on either side. The Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. The Egyptian army pursued them into the sea, but the Lord threw them into a panic and clogged their chariot wheels. At dawn, Moses stretched out his hand again, and the sea returned to its normal state, drowning the entire Egyptian army. The Israelites saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore, and seeing the Lord's great power, they put their trust in Him and in His servant Moses.

Journey in the Wilderness

Moses and the Israelites sang a song of praise to the Lord, celebrating His triumph over the Egyptians. Miriam, Aaron's sister, led the women in dancing and singing.

They then traveled for three days into the Desert of Shur without finding water. At a place called Marah, the water was bitter. The people grumbled against Moses, who cried out to the Lord. God showed him a piece of wood, which, when thrown into the water, made it sweet. There, God tested them and promised that if they obeyed His commands, He would not bring on them the diseases He brought on the Egyptians. They then came to an oasis at Elim with twelve springs and seventy palm trees.

In the Desert of Sin, the whole community complained again, wishing they had died in Egypt where they had plenty of food. The Lord promised to rain down bread from heaven (manna) each morning and provide meat (quail) in the evening. He instructed them to gather only enough manna for one day, except on the sixth day, when they should gather a double portion for the Sabbath. That evening, quail covered the camp, and in the morning, a thin, flaky substance like frost appeared on the ground. This was manna, which tasted like wafers made with honey. Some disobeyed and kept it overnight, but it became foul with maggots. On the Sabbath, there was no manna, and what had been kept from the previous day remained fresh. The Lord commanded that an omer of manna be kept in a jar for future generations as a reminder of His provision. The Israelites ate manna for forty years.

At Rephidim, there was no water, and the people quarreled with Moses, accusing him of bringing them out of Egypt to die of thirst. Moses cried out to the Lord, who instructed him to strike a rock at Horeb with his staff. Water gushed out for the people to drink. While there, the Amalekites attacked. Moses instructed Joshua to lead the fight while he, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of a hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but when his arms grew tired and he lowered them, the Amalekites gained the upper hand. So Aaron and Hur supported his hands until sunset, and Joshua defeated the Amalekite army.

Moses's father-in-law, Jethro, heard of all that God had done and came to the Israelite camp with Moses's wife, Zipporah, and their two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. After hearing Moses's account, Jethro praised God and acknowledged Him as greater than all other gods. The next day, Jethro observed Moses judging the people's disputes from morning till evening and advised him that the task was too heavy for one person. He suggested appointing trustworthy, God-fearing men as officials over groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens to judge minor cases, bringing only the difficult ones to Moses. Moses followed his advice, and Jethro returned home.

The Law at Mount Sinai

Two months after leaving Egypt, the Israelites arrived at the Sinai desert and camped before the mountain. God called Moses up the mountain and declared that if the people obeyed His covenant, they would be His treasured possession, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. The people unanimously agreed to do everything the Lord said.

God instructed Moses to consecrate the people for two days, after which He would descend on the mountain in a thick cloud. Boundaries were to be set around the mountain, and no person or animal was to touch it on penalty of death. On the morning of the third day, there was thunder, lightning, a thick cloud, and a very loud trumpet blast that made the people tremble. The mountain was covered in smoke, as the Lord descended on it in fire, and it shook violently.

God then spoke the Ten Commandments:

1. You shall have no other gods before me.

2. You shall not make any idols or worship them.

3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.

4. Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy by resting from all work.

5. Honor your father and mother.

6. You shall not murder.

7. You shall not commit adultery.

8. You shall not steal.

9. You shall not give false testimony.

10. You shall not covet your neighbor's property.

The people were terrified by the thunder, lightning, and smoke, and they stood at a distance, begging Moses to speak to them instead of God, lest they die. Moses reassured them and approached the thick darkness where God was.

The Book of the Covenant

The Lord gave Moses additional laws for the Israelites, which included:

• Laws on Slavery: Regulations concerning the six-year service term and release of Hebrew male slaves, and the rights of female slaves.

• Laws on Violence: Capital punishment for murder, striking parents, and kidnapping. Laws regarding personal injury, including compensation for lost time and the "eye for an eye" principle for serious harm. Rules concerning injury to slaves and pregnant women.

• Laws on Property and Restitution: Liability for death or injury caused by an ox, compensation for open pits, and rules for animal theft, grazing damage, and fire. Regulations for property held in trust and for borrowed animals.

• Social and Religious Laws: The requirement for a man who seduces a virgin to marry her, and the execution of witches, those who have sex with animals, and those who sacrifice to other gods. Commands to treat foreigners, widows, and orphans with justice and compassion. Prohibition of charging interest on loans to the poor. Laws requiring respect for God and rulers, and the offering of firstfruits and firstborn.

• Laws of Justice and Mercy: Prohibitions against spreading false reports, following the crowd in doing wrong, and showing favoritism in legal cases. The duty to help an enemy's lost or overburdened animal.

• Sabbath and Festivals: The command for a sabbatical year every seventh year, when the land is to lie fallow for the benefit of the poor. The observance of three annual festivals: the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Harvest (Weeks), and the Festival of Gathering-In (Shelters), during which all Israelite men must appear before the Lord.

God promised to send an angel ahead of the Israelites to guide them into the promised land and to drive out its inhabitants. He commanded them not to make treaties with these nations or their gods, but to demolish their altars and idols.

Moses relayed all these laws to the people, and they again agreed to obey. He then wrote everything down, built an altar, and ratified the covenant by sprinkling the blood of sacrificed bulls on both the altar and the people, calling it "the blood of the agreement that the Lord has made with you." Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders went up the mountain, where they saw the God of Israel and ate and drank in His presence without being harmed.

The Lord then called Moses further up the mountain to receive the stone tablets containing the law. Moses ascended with his attendant Joshua, leaving Aaron and Hur in charge. A cloud covered the mountain for six days, and on the seventh day, God called to Moses from within the cloud. Moses entered the cloud and remained on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.

Instructions for the Tabernacle

The Lord commanded the Israelites to bring contributions of gold, silver, bronze, fine fabrics, and other materials to build a sanctuary so that He could live among them. God showed Moses the exact design for the Tabernacle and all its furnishings.

This included detailed instructions for:

• The Ark of the Testimony: A gold-covered acacia wood chest to hold the Testimony (the stone tablets), with a pure gold "atonement cover" on top, flanked by two golden cherubim.

• The Table and the Lampstand: A gold-covered table for the "Bread of the Presence" and a lampstand of pure, hammered gold with seven lamps.

• The Tabernacle Structure: A framework of gold-covered acacia wood, held together by crossbars, and covered by ten curtains of fine linen embroidered with cherubim, a tent of goat hair, and outer coverings of tanned ram skins and fine leather. A veil was to separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.

• The Altar of Burnt Offering and the Courtyard: A large, bronze-covered altar of acacia wood, and an outer courtyard enclosed by linen curtains.

• The Priestly Garments: Holy garments for Aaron and his sons, including the ephod with two onyx stones engraved with the names of the tribes, a breastpiece set with twelve precious stones (each representing a tribe), the Urim and Thummim for making decisions, a blue robe with bells and pomegranates on its hem, and a golden plate on the turban engraved with "Holy to the Lord."

Consecration of the Priests

God provided a seven-day ceremony for the ordination of Aaron and his sons. It involved washing, dressing them in the holy garments, anointing them with oil, and offering a series of sacrifices, including a bull for a sin offering and two rams. Blood from the ordination ram was to be applied to their right earlobes, thumbs, and big toes.

Further Instructions

The Lord gave instructions for a gold-covered altar of incense, to be placed before the veil, on which Aaron was to burn fragrant incense daily. He also commanded a census tax of a half-shekel for every man twenty years or older, to be used for the service of the Tent of Meeting. A bronze basin was to be made for the priests to wash their hands and feet before ministering. God provided specific recipes for the holy anointing oil and the sacred incense, forbidding their use for any common purpose.

God designated Bezalel of the tribe of Judah and Oholiab of the tribe of Dan, filling them with the Spirit of God and giving them the skill and creativity needed to construct the sanctuary and its furnishings. He strictly commanded the Israelites to observe the Sabbath as a sign of the everlasting covenant, on penalty of death.

Finally, the Lord finished speaking with Moses and gave him the two stone tablets of the Testimony, inscribed by the finger of God.

The Golden Calf

When the people saw that Moses was delayed on the mountain, they grew impatient and demanded that Aaron make them gods to lead them. Aaron collected their gold earrings, fashioned them into a golden calf, and built an altar before it. The next day, the people offered sacrifices and celebrated with feasting and revelry.

The Lord informed Moses of the people's corruption and, in His anger, threatened to destroy them and make a great nation from Moses instead. Moses pleaded with the Lord, reminding Him of His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the Lord relented.

As Moses and Joshua descended the mountain, they heard the sounds of partying. When Moses saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned, and he threw the two stone tablets to the ground, smashing them at the foot of the mountain. He burned the calf, ground it to powder, scattered it on the water, and made the Israelites drink it. He confronted Aaron, who made excuses for the people's wickedness.

Seeing the people running wild, Moses stood at the camp entrance and called for those loyal to the Lord to join him. The Levites rallied to his side, and he commanded them to go through the camp and kill their brothers, friends, and neighbors who had sinned. About 3,000 people were killed that day, and Moses declared that the Levites had dedicated themselves to the Lord.

The next day, Moses went back up to the Lord to try and make atonement for the people's sin, even offering to have his own name blotted out of God's book. The Lord refused, stating that only those who had sinned would be blotted out, and sent a plague upon the people.

The Covenant Renewed

The Lord commanded Moses and the people to leave Sinai but declared that He would not go with them personally because they were a rebellious people, lest He destroy them. Upon hearing this, the people mourned and removed their ornaments. Moses would pitch the Tent of Meeting outside the camp, where the Lord would speak with him "face to face, as you would talk to a friend," visible to the people as a pillar of cloud at the entrance.

Moses pleaded with the Lord to accompany them, arguing that His presence was what distinguished them from all other peoples. The Lord agreed and, at Moses's request to see His glory, promised to make all His goodness pass before him. He stated that Moses could not see His face and live, but that He would shield him in a cleft of a rock and allow him to see His back.

The Lord commanded Moses to cut two new stone tablets. On the mountain, the Lord passed before him, proclaiming His name and character: "Yahweh! Yahweh! I am the God of grace and mercy! I am slow to become angry, full of trustworthy love and always faithful." Moses bowed in worship and pleaded for God to accompany them and forgive their sin. The Lord renewed the covenant, promising to do incredible miracles and drive out the inhabitants of Canaan. He reiterated the laws concerning idolatry, intermarriage with pagan nations, the three annual festivals, the Sabbath, and the offering of firstfruits.

Moses remained with the Lord for forty days and forty nights without food or water, and he wrote the Ten Commandments on the new tablets. When he came down, his face was shining so brightly from speaking with the Lord that the people, including Aaron, were afraid to approach him. He called them over, gave them God's commands, and then put a veil over his face, which he would remove only when he went in to speak with the Lord.

Construction and Assembly of the Tabernacle

Moses gathered the Israelites and relayed the Lord's commands for building the Tabernacle, beginning with the reminder to keep the Sabbath. The people responded with willing hearts, bringing so many freewill offerings of gold, silver, bronze, fine fabrics, and precious stones that Moses had to command them to stop.

Under the direction of the skilled craftsmen Bezalel and Oholiab, the people made all the components of the Tabernacle exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses. This included the curtains and framework of the Tabernacle, the Ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars of incense and burnt offering, the priestly garments, the basin, and the courtyard enclosures. An inventory of the precious metals used was recorded.

When all the work was completed, the Israelites presented the finished Tabernacle and all its furnishings to Moses, who inspected the work and blessed them.

On the first day of the first month of the second year after the Exodus, Moses erected the Tabernacle as the Lord had instructed. He set up its frame, spread its coverings, and placed the Ark, the table, the lampstand, and the altars in their proper positions. He anointed and dedicated the Tabernacle and all its furniture, as well as Aaron and his sons, consecrating them for service.

When Moses finished the work, the cloud of the Lord's glory covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle, so that Moses could not enter. From then on, the cloud would guide the Israelites on their journeys: when it lifted, they would set out, and when it remained, they would stay. By day it was a cloud, and by night it was a fire, visible to all of Israel throughout their travels.