INTRODUCTION

Like Genesis, Exodus is a powerful and dramatic book of beginnings as it depicts the
descendants of Abraham becoming a well-organized nation. Exodus is a book of salvation
and deliverance, relating how the Israelites gain their freedom from Egypt under the mighty
hand of God. The firstborn of Egypt die as the Passover angel spares the precious sons of
Israel for whom the blood of the lamb was shed. At Mount Sinai God reveals Himself to
Israel and enters into a covenant with them, a covenant summarized in the Ten
Commandments. There in the Sinai Desert God gives to Israel the tabernacle, a sanctuary
where the people can worship the Lord who now dwells in their very midst.
PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The book of Exodus was written to describe the difficulties of the Israelites in Egypt
and the faithfulness of the God who rescued them from their bondage. Not only did the Lord
deliver them from Egypt, He entered into a formal covenant with the nation at Mount Sinai
and taught them how to live and how to worship. Through the giving of the Ten
Commandments, God showed the Israelites how to maintain a proper relationship with Him
and with one another. The instructions about the tabernacle enabled the people to approach
the Lord and to be conscious of His presence among them.
Among the promises to Abraham was the assurance that his descendants would be
fruitful and multiply (Gen. 35:11–12), and in the early verses of Exodus we learn that this did
indeed happen in Egypt (1:7). When the covenant was instituted, however, Abraham was also
told that his descendants would “be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years” in a foreign
land (Gen. 15:13). That grim prediction was fulfilled in Egypt as the Israelites suffered
greatly, at least during the latter part of four hundred years. But God didn’t forget his
covenant with Abraham and, through the mediation of Moses, delivered His people from the
house of slavery.
For the Israelites, the great themes of salvation and redemption were inextricably
linked with the Exodus from Egypt. God was a God who above all else rescued Israel from
their horrible situation and won their freedom with His mighty hand. While accomplishing
His purposes God revealed His character to the Israelites and the Egyptians when He made
known to them His name “Yahweh.” Appearing to Moses in the burning bush, God disclosed
that He was the great “I AM” and that He would be with His people in their distress (Ex.
3:12, 14). Through the plagues and the miracle of crossing the Red Sea the Israelites came to
know more fully who Yahweh really was (Ex. 6:3), and through these acts of judgment the
Egyptians learned the hard way that Israel’s God was “the Lord” (Ex. 7:5). He was the Lord
of history, “majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders” (Ex. 15:11).
When God spared the Firstborn sons of the Israelites, He instituted the Feast of the
Passover, which became a calendar-changing event (12:2). The blood of a lamb had to be
placed on the door frame of each house on the fourteenth day of the month, and the angel of
the Lord “passed over” each house where the blood was visible (cf. v. 13). The death of a
lamb in place of the death of the eldest son served as a dramatic illustration of substitutionary
atonement (Gen. 22:13) and is used in the New Testament with reference to Christ when He
is called “our Passover lamb” (1 Cor. 5:7; John 1:29). Throughout the Old Testament the
Passover was the most important of the religious festivals and served as a reminder of God’s
mercy and deliverance. The Last Supper observed by Jesus and His disciples was a
celebration of the Passover meal.
Before completing the relatively short journey to Canaan the Israelites spent a year at
Mount Sinai, receiving instructions from the Lord and preparing to fight the Canaanites. This
strategic interlude was designed to turn a disorganized band of slaves into a cohesive nation,
one that was deeply committed to the God of their fathers. At Mount Sinai God revealed
Himself to the people and entered into a covenant with them. Called the Sinai, or Mosaic,
covenant, this agreement is also known as the old covenant and has given its name to the Old
Testament. Here at Mount Sinai Israel was given the key principles to godly living summed
up in the Ten Commandments, and these were followed by specific guidelines for how to
apply the Ten Commandments (chaps. 21–23). When Israel agreed to obey God and keep His
covenants, God promised that they would be His special nation, “a kingdom of priests and a
holy nation” (19:5–6). To help them achieve this lofty goal, the Lord designed a tabernacle
and appointed priests to serve there. God Himself would “dwell among them” (25:8), and
when the sanctuary was completed “the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (40:35).
Under Moses’ supervision the tabernacle was constructed and Moses’ brother Aaron became
the high priest. As beautiful as it was simple, the tabernacle enabled the Israelites to worship
God and to keep Him at the center of their lives.
While Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments and the design
for the tabernacle, the rest of the nation was at the foot of the mountain getting involved in
the worship of the golden calf. Aaron lost control of the people and allowed them to talk him
into fashioning an idol for them (Ex. 32:14). This was a flagrant violation of the second
commandment, and Moses sharply condemned Aaron for his action. Aaron was supposed to
make atonement for the people rather than lead them into sin. How could the nation fall into
apostasy so soon after agreeing to the terms of the covenant in chapter 24? In light of Israel’s
refusal to be a holy nation, the Lord vowed to destroy them and start all over again with
Moses, making him into “a great nation” (32:10; Gen. 12:2). But Moses pled with God on the
basis of His promises to Abraham and the patriarchs (32:13), and total judgment was averted.
Moses broke the two tablets containing the Ten Commandments as a sign that the people had
broken the covenant (32:19), but the Lord gave him two new tablets when he climbed Mount
Sinai again (34:1, 27–28). In spite of the judgment that befell part of the nation, God used this
occasion to reveal to Moses His goodness, compassion, and mercy (33:19; 34:6).
LITERARY STRUCTURE
Like Genesis, Exodus is a mix of literary genres, including narrative, poetry, legal,
and cultic materials. The book begins with a rapid survey of the experience of the Israelites in
Egypt after the death of Joseph. Most of chapters 1–12 describe the suffering of the people
and the role of Moses in gaining their freedom. This beautifully interconnected narrative tells
about the birth of Moses, his expulsion from Egypt, and his return forty years later to
challenge Pharaoh. When Pharaoh refused to release the Israelites, God sent the plagues to
judge Egypt and demonstrate His power. The plagues seem to be arranged in three groups of
three followed by the dramatic tenth plague. Many of the plagues were directed at specific
deities to show their inherent weakness.
After the death of the firstborn, we are given a narrative account of the Exodus, the
crossing of the Red Sea, and the journey to Mount Sinai (12:31–18:27). With the arrival of
the nation in the Desert of Sinai, we come to the main legal section of the book, which is
sometimes called “the Book of the covenant” (24:7). Chapters 19–24 contain a list of the
covenant stipulations—the Ten Commandments—and a whole series of specific laws spelling
out some of the implications of the Ten Commandments.
The final sixteen chapters of the book deal with the tabernacle, except for the golden
calf episode found in chapters 32–34. In chapters 25–31 God gives Moses the instructions
about the building of the tabernacle and the craftsmen who would do the work. Then in
chapters 35– 40 Bezalel and his associates construct the tabernacle and its furnishings. Each
of these sections has a paragraph about keeping the Sabbath, first at the end of the instruction
materials (31:12–17) and second at the beginning of the construction process (35:1–3). Since
the Sabbath was the sign of the Mosaic covenant (31:13), the Lord was careful to remind the
people not to work on the Sabbath, not even when they were making the tabernacle.
Part 1 Slavery in Egypt and liberation
1:1–22: Slavery and genocide
2:1–22: Moses’ birth and upbringing
2:23—4:31: Moses’ mission
5:1—7:13: Negotiating with Pharaoh
7:14—11:10: The plagues
12:1—15:21: Exodus from Egypt
15:22—18:27: Journey to Sinai
Part 2 The law-giving
19:1—20:21: Revelation at Mount Sinai
20:22—23:33: Laws and rules
24:1–18: Making of the Covenant
Part 3 The tabernacle
25:1—31:18: Directions for constructing the tabernacle
32:1—34:35: Making the golden calf
35:1—40:38: Construction of the tabernacle
LIBERATION THEOLOGY
The book of Exodus has also been utilized by other groups seeking relief from
oppression, most notably American blacks involved in the civil rights movement. Moses’
request to Pharaoh, “Let my people go” (5:1), has become a watchword of Americans who
feel that they have been discriminated against. Though such a slogan would have applied
more precisely during the time of slavery, it still serves as a denunciation of all kinds of
oppression. One of the contributions of liberation theology is its emphasis on social justice,
and this is certainly an important theme of Exodus, as well as of the later prophets (cf. Isa.
10:1–2). Because of the suffering of the Israelites in Egypt, God urged them to show
particular kindness to poor people and aliens (Ex. 23:6, 9). The cruelty of Egypt’s taskmasters
was long remembered (Ex. 5:16), so proper treatment of servants and employees was
important to the Jews. Wherever the causes of poverty can be removed, governmental leaders
should be actively involved.
In their use of Exodus, liberation theologians are sometimes guilty of reading their
ideas into the text. Those who suggest that the Israelites revolted against Pharaoh are
overlooking the main elements of the story. Moses asked for permission to lead the people
into the desert to worship God, not to install a new form of government over Egypt. When
deliverance finally came, it was accomplished through the sovereign power of God rather
than the stubborn resolve of the Israelites. Even after their release, some of the people felt
that things had been better in Egypt than out in the desert, and they longingly recalled the
food they enjoyed in Egypt (cf. 16:3). Such complaining sounds a warning for those who
advocate revolt in order to achieve freedom. What sort of “freedom” will the people enjoy
under a new regime? Those who point an accusing finger at the oppression of capitalist
governments often ignore the oppressive tactics of socialists or communist regimes.
1:1–22: Slavery and genocide
This chapter explains the background to Moses’ birth. It begins with a flashback to the
end of Genesis mentioning Jacob’s family arriving in Egypt (1:1–6; cf. Gen. 46:8–27; 50:22–
26) and the fulfilment of the promise of descendants (1:7, Gen. 17:2, 6). But whereas in
Joseph’s Day the Israelites were warmly welcomed and granted great privileges, a change of
dynasty means that now they are feared and persecuted. This change is usually identified with
the end of the Hyksos dynasty, Semitic kings who ruled Egypt from about 1648 to 1540 BC.
Whereas the Hyksos were foreigners like the Hebrews, the next ruling dynasties were
Egyptian and did not like the immigrants, and put them to work building the store cities of
Pithom (Tell el-Retabeh) and Rameses (Qantir) in the Goshen area.
As slavery does not stop the Israelite population growing, the Egyptians resort to
infanticide. The refusal of the midwives to implement this policy leads the Pharaoh to insist
that every Hebrew boy baby must be thrown in the river. This explains why Moses’ mother
has to hide him to keep him safe, and in the longer term why the death of the first-born of
Egypt in the last plague had a certain justice about it: the Egyptians are punished by being
made to suffer in the same way that they had made the Israelites suffer.
2:1–22: Moses’ birth and upbringing
Swiftly the story moves from Moses’ birth, his upbringing in the Egyptian court, to
his escape from Egypt, from his marriage to a Midianite to the birth of his first son. The
terminology of this chapter betrays its Egyptian background: many of the terms used seem to
be borrowed from Egyptian, e.g. basket, bulrushes, pitch, reeds, river and even Moses’ name.
‘Mose’ (child) is a familiar element in many royal names, e.g. Amenmose, Thutmose, so it is
not surprising an Egyptian princess gives him this name.
But as often in the Old Testament his name’s significance, not its etymology, is
explained. In Hebrew Mosheh (Moses) means ‘drawer’ and hints at his future role as the one
who will ‘draw’ his people out of Egypt. The same point is made in the meeting-by-the-well
scene (2:15–22). This has many similarities to the betrothal scenes of Isaac and Jacob, whose
brides were also met by a well (Gen. 24; 29). The distinctive feature in the description of
Moses’ first encounter with his future bride is that he saved her and her sisters from the
shepherds, who would otherwise have prevented them watering their flock. In so doing he
foreshadows his saving role in rescuing his people from Egypt (Exod. 2:17, 19; cf. 3:8;
18:10). His future role is anticipated even more clearly in the second episode (2:11–15),
where, having delivered one of his fellows- countrymen from Egyptian oppression, he then
faces criticism for being a prince and a judge: such grumbles against his authority are
common in the stories that follow (e.g. 5:21; 17:3; Num. 14:1–4; 16:1–11). Thus, these few
scenes from Moses’ early life already anticipate his future career as saviour of a reluctant and
ungrateful people of Israel.
2:23—4:31: Moses’ mission defined
In 2:1–22 various aspects of Moses’ subsequent role and career are foreshadowed, but
from 2:23 on his mission is much more clearly defined. After an introductory comment about
the suffering and prayers of the Israelites and God’s recall of his covenant, the story moves
immediately to Horeb, the mountain of God. There in the area where the law will be given at
Sinai, God appears in fire at the burning bush. Moses is introduced to the idea of God’s
holiness, a concept of supreme importance in the laws, and he is forced to acknowledge it by
removing his sandals and hiding his face.
Then the LORD declares his plan to rescue his people from slavery and bring them to
the land promised to their forefathers, which flows with milk and honey. Moses’ task is to
persuade Pharaoh to let the Israelites go and bring them to worship God ‘on this mountain’
(3:12). Moses then raises a series of objections to his mission, which God overrules one by
one and at the same time clarifies his role. First, the Israelites may not believe God has really
revealed himself to Moses and test his credentials by asking what is God’s name. The
Pentateuchal narrator has often used in Genesis the standard name of God, The LORD or
Yahweh, but from this passage we learn that it was not known to the actors in the story before
God appeared in the burning bush. There Moses learns that the God who had revealed
himself to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is called Yahweh, which means ‘he will be’ or ‘he will
cause to be’, so he names himself ‘I will be’. The God of the fathers is therefore the God of
Moses, but more than that he is the self-subsistent one or the creator.
Whatever the exact meaning of the name, it indicates God’s total power and
guarantees his ability to compel the Egyptians to let Israel go (3:13–22). The second problem
that Moses anticipates is that the Egyptians will not believe him. To answer their doubts he is
given three signs to persuade them that God has spoken to him. His staff will turn into a
serpent when thrown on the ground. The skin of his hand will peel off like snow when he puts
it inside his cloak. Finally, when he pours water on the ground, it will turn to blood (4:1–9).
Apparently convinced by these signs, Moses raises yet a third objection: he is no good
at speaking. To deal with this, God appoints Aaron, Moses’ brother, to speak on his behalf.
Jethro, his father-in-law, encourages him to return to Egypt. The LORD again urges Moses to
return to Egypt, but warns him that Pharaoh will be very reluctant to let the Israelites leave
(4:10–23). It therefore comes as a great shock to read in 4:24 ‘At a lodging place on the way
the LORD met him and sought to put him to death.’ Why should God try to kill Moses, when
he is only obeying the divine instruction to go back to the Pharaoh?
 Similar questions arise in Genesis 32:24–30, when a ‘man’ wrestles with Jacob,
although he was returning at God’s behest to Canaan, and in Numbers 22:22–35, when the
angel of the LORD, sword in hand, opposes Balaam on his mission to bless Israel. On all
these occasions complete readiness to obey the will of God was essential, but Moses’ failure
to circumcise his son could have been a sign of his half- heartedness, for circumcision was a
prerequisite for participation in the Passover, which preceded the exodus (12:48). Moses’
mission was to lead his people out of Egypt in the exodus in fulfilment of the covenant
promises made to the patriarchs, yet his own son was uncircumcised, even though Abraham
had been warned that failure to circumcise would lead to the person dying suddenly (Gen.
17:14). Only the decisive action of Zipporah saves the family, and by implication the whole
mission.
5:1—7:13: Negotiating with the Pharaoh
After meeting with Aaron and the people, Moses goes in to the Pharaoh and asks that
the Israelites may go and hold a feast in the wilderness for three days. This was of course
much less than they wanted, but even this modest request is harshly rebuffed: indeed, they are
required to find their own straw to make bricks. This leads to bitter recrimination against
Moses and Aaron, who are told that they have only made things worse.
This prompts the LORD to reaffirm his promises of deliverance in the most categoric
terms. He is the LORD, whom the patriarchs knew as God Almighty. He will deliver them
from slavery and bring them to the promised land. So Aaron and Moses return to Pharaoh and
demonstrate their divine call by turning their staff into a serpent. But Pharaoh’s advisers do
the same with their staffs, and although Aaron’s serpent eats up all the other serpents,
Pharaoh refuses to give in and the exodus is no nearer to happening.