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Exodus

Exodus

Summary of the Book of Exodus

By H. A. (Buster) Dobbs
  1. The Hebrews in Egypt (1:1-12:36)
    1. Progressive mistreatment of the Hebrew slaves (1:1-22)
      1. The tribes of Israel identified (1:1-7)
      2. Pharoah (King of Egypt) who knew not Joseph (1:8)
      3. Growth of Hebrew population (1:9-10)
      4. Harsh treatment of Hebrew slaves in Egypt (1:11-14)
      5. Plan to destroy the Hebrews (1:15-22)
    2. Preparation for deliverance of Hebrew slaves (2:1-4:31)
      1. Moses born and saved from destruction (2:1-10)
      2. Moses kills an Egyptian and forsakes Egypt (2:11-14)
      3. Moses in the land of Midian (2:15-22)
      4. God takes knowledge of Israel’s sad plight (2:23-25)
      5. God calls Moses at a burning bush (3:1-4:17)
      6. Moses agrees to go back to Egypt (4:18-26)
      7. The Hebrews believe Moses and accept his leadership (4:27-31)
    3. The Israelites delivered from Egyptian bondage (5:1-15:21)
      1. Moses demands the release of the Israelites (5:1-4)
      2. Hebrews denied straw with which to make bricks (5:5-23)
      3. Moses demand certified by miracle (5:24-7:12)
      4. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened (7:13-14)
      5. First plague: Blood (7:14-25)
      6. Second plague: Frogs (8:1-15)
      7. Third plague: Lice (8:16-19)
      8. Fourth plague: Flies (8:20-32)
      9. Fifth plague: Disease on Livestock (9:1-7)
      10. Sixth plague: Boils (9:8-12)
      11. Seventh plague: Hail (9:13-35
      12. Eighth plague: Locusts (10:1-20)
      13. Ninth plague: Darkness (10:21-29)
      14. Death announced (11:1-10)
    4. Israel redeemed by the blood of a lamb -- Passover. (12:1-13:16)
      1. Beginning of the year is changed (12:1-2)
      2. Passover instituted (12:3-20)
      3. Procedure for Passover ceremony (12:21-30)
      4. Unleavened bread (12:31-39)
      5. Death of the firstborn (12:40-42)
      6. Passover to be observed annually (12:43-50)
      7. Israelites driven out of the land of Egypt (12:51)
      8. Firstborn sanctified to God (13:1-2)
      9. Deliverance to be remembered (13:3-10)
      10. Firstling of animals (13:11-13)
      11. A sign to future generations (13:14-16)
    5. Israel crosses Red Sea; is saved from the Egyptian army (13:17-15:22)
      1. Led to the banks of the Red Sea (13:17-18)
      2. Bones of Joseph carried with them (13:19)
      3. Pillar of cloud and fire (13:20-22)
      4. Egyptian army destroyed in the Red Sea (14:1-31)
      5. Song of deliverance (15:1-22)
  2. The Hebrews in the Wilderness (15:23-18:27)
    1. Bitter water made sweet (15:23-27)
    2. Manna from heaven (16:1-36
    3. Water miraculously supplied at Rephidim (17:1-7)
    4. War with Amalek (17:18-16)
    5. Israel organized according to the advice of Jethro (18:1-27)
  3. The Hebrews at Sinai (19:1-40:38)
    1. Revelation of the covenant between God and Israel (19:1-25)
      1. People come to Sinai (19:1-2)
      2. Demonstration of God’s power (19:3-25)
    2. Commandments (20:1-26)
      1. Ten commandments (20:1-17)
      2. Idolatry forbidden (20:18-23)
      3. Instructions about building an altar (20:24-26)
    3. Various laws (21:1-23:33)
      1. Menservants (21:1-6)
      2. Womenservants (21:7-11)
      3. Murder and manslaughter (21:12-15)
      4. Menstealers (21:16)
      5. Treatment of parents (21:17)
      6. Social regulations (21:18-22:15)
      7. Moral regulations (22:16-23:9)
      8. Sabbath rules (23:10-13)
      9. Feasts and sacrifice (23:14-19)
      10. Angel (leader) promised for conquest (23:20-33)
    4. Renewal of the covenant (24:1-11)
    5. The Tabernacle (24:12-27:21)
      1. Revelation given on Mount Sinai (24:12-18)
      2. Offering for the Tabernacle (25:1-7)
      3. Revelation of the Tabernacle (25:8-27:21)
    6. The Priests (28:1-29:46)
      1. Priestly dress (28:1-43)
      2. Consecration of the Priests (29:1-37)
      3. Offerings of the Priests (29:38-46)
    7. Instructions (30:1-31:18)
    1. Instructions of use of the Tabernacle (30:1-38)
    2. Instructions for building the Tabernacle (31:1-11)
    3. Tables of stone (31:18)
  4. Israel’s Fall and Restoration (32:1-40:38)
    1. The golden calf (32:1-6)
    2. Moses intercedes for the people (32:7-33:23)
    3. Restoration of covenant (34:1-35)
    4. Israel obeys the covenant (35:1-40:33)
      1. The Sabbath (35:1-3)
      2. Offering for Tabernacle (35:4-19)
      3. Skilled workers appointed to do the work (35:20-35)
      4. Offering given to the skilled workers (36:1-7)
      5. Tabernacle constructed (36:8-38)
      6. Ark, mercy seat, table and vessels, candlesticks, altar of incense, anointing oil and sweet incense (37:1-29)
      7. Altar of burnt offerings; brazen laver; the court (38:1-20)
      8. The sum of the people’s offerings (38:21-31)
      9. Cloths of service, holy garments, breastplate, coats and mitre, all approved by Moses (39:1-43)
    5. God accepts it all and fills the Tabernacle with his glory (40:1-38)

Exodus

Moses, Hebrew prophet and lawgiver, founder of the Jewish people. The story of his life is set forth principally in the Old Testament books of Exodus and Deuteronomy. According to this account, Moses was born in ancient Egypt, where the Hebrews lived at the time. When the pharaoh, the Egyptian ruler, ordered the death of all Hebrew male infants, Moses's mother set him afloat on the Nile River in a basket. He was rescued by the pharaoh's daughter, who brought the infant up as her own child. As an adult, Moses killed an Egyptian and fled from Egypt, living as a shepherd until he was 80 years of age. At this time Yahweh, the god of the Hebrews, commanded Moses to lead his people out of bondage in Egypt. After convincing the pharaoh to release the Hebrews, Moses led them toward Canaan. A miracle allowed the Hebrews to cross the Red Sea and destroyed an Egyptian army that came upon them. When the Hebrews reached Mount Sinai, Moses ascended the mountain, where Yahweh gave him the Ten Commandments. After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, the Hebrews came at last to Canaan, but Moses died without entering the promised land. Moses was reputedly the author of the Pentateuch (first five books of the Old Testament) as well as other parts of the Old Testament.
Exodus, book of the Old Testament, the second book of the Bible. It was named Exodus because it relates the departure of the Israelites from Egypt and their wanderings through the desert up to Mount Sinai. Traditionally ascribed to Moses, Exodus is believed by most modern scholars to have been compiled in its present form by members of the priesthood around 550 BC.

Exodus records the events between the death of Joseph in Egypt and the erection by the Israelites of the Tabernacle at Sinai. The first 15 chapters describe the oppression of the Israelites by the Egyptians, God's selection of Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, and God's deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt. Events that occur while the Jews are camped at Sinai (chapters 16-18) include the making of a covenant between God and the Israelites (19:3-24:18). The deliverance from slavery in Egypt and the covenant between God and the Israelites have been of central significance to Judaism and the Jewish people.

1 Kings places the date of the Exodus at 1446 B.C., so Moses would have been able to record the events starting at that point in time. Moses most likely documented the events of the Exodus and later compiled them into the Book of Exodus.