EXODUS
The Title
The Hebrew title transliterated is We’elleh Shemoth, which is the first phrase of the book “And these are the names”. The English title Exodus comes from the 3rd Century B.C. translation of The Old Testament into Greek called The Septuagint. The Greek word “exodus” means “departure or going out” and focuses on the major event of the book, the departure of Israel from Egypt.
The Authorship / Date
Author: Moses
There exists much support for the traditional view that Moses was the author. Parts of The Book of Exodus clearly indentify Moses as the human author. For example...
Exodus 17:8 – 14..."Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set. So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." (NASB)
Exodus 20:1 – 17..."Then God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before Me. "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. "You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain. "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. "Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; {in it} you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. "For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy. "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you. "You shall not murder. "You shall not commit adultery. "You shall not steal. "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor." (NASB)
Exodus 24:4..."Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Then he arose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel." (NASB)
Exodus 24:7..."Then he took the book of the covenant and read {it} in the hearing of the people; and they said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!" (NASB)
Exodus 24:12..."Now the LORD said to Moses, "Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction." (NASB)
Exodus 31:18..."When He had finished speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written by the finger of God." (NASB)
Exodus 34:27 – 28..."Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel." So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread or drink water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments." (NASB)
Other parts of The Old Testament that support the Mosaic authorship of the book are as follows...
Deuteronomy 31:9..."So Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel." (NASB)
Joshua 8:30 – 32..."Then Joshua built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, in Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of uncut stones on which no man had wielded an iron {tool;} and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings. He wrote there on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written, in the presence of the sons of Israel." (NASB)
1st Kings 2:3..."Keep the charge of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn..." (NASB)
Nehemiah 8:1..."And all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had given to Israel." (NASB)
Malachi 4:4..."Remember the law of Moses My servant, {even the} statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel." (NASB)
New Testament scripture evidence...
Mark 7:10..."For Moses said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER'; and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER, IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH'..." (NASB)
Luke 20:37..."But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the {passage about the burning} bush, where he calls the Lord THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB." (NASB)
John 5:45 – 47..."Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. "For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. "But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?" (NASB)
Date written: 15th Century B.C.
1st Kings 6:1 states that the 4th year of Solomon’s reign was the 480th year after The Exodus. Solomon’s 4th year is known to have been around 966 B.C.
"Now it came about in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD." (NASB)
Judges 11:26, which during the time of Jepthah (around 1100 B.C.), states that Israel had been in The Promise Land for 300 years.
"While Israel lived in Heshbon and its villages, and in Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities that are on the banks of the Arnon, three hundred years, why did you not recover them within that time?" (NASB)
There exists much support for the traditional view that Moses was the author. Parts of The Book of Exodus clearly indentify Moses as the human author. For example...
Exodus 17:8 – 14..."Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set. So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." (NASB)
Exodus 20:1 – 17..."Then God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before Me. "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. "You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain. "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. "Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; {in it} you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. "For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy. "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you. "You shall not murder. "You shall not commit adultery. "You shall not steal. "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor." (NASB)
Exodus 24:4..."Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Then he arose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel." (NASB)
Exodus 24:7..."Then he took the book of the covenant and read {it} in the hearing of the people; and they said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!" (NASB)
Exodus 24:12..."Now the LORD said to Moses, "Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction." (NASB)
Exodus 31:18..."When He had finished speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written by the finger of God." (NASB)
Exodus 34:27 – 28..."Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel." So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread or drink water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments." (NASB)
Other parts of The Old Testament that support the Mosaic authorship of the book are as follows...
Deuteronomy 31:9..."So Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel." (NASB)
Joshua 8:30 – 32..."Then Joshua built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, in Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of uncut stones on which no man had wielded an iron {tool;} and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings. He wrote there on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written, in the presence of the sons of Israel." (NASB)
1st Kings 2:3..."Keep the charge of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn..." (NASB)
Nehemiah 8:1..."And all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had given to Israel." (NASB)
Malachi 4:4..."Remember the law of Moses My servant, {even the} statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel." (NASB)
New Testament scripture evidence...
Mark 7:10..."For Moses said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER'; and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER, IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH'..." (NASB)
Luke 20:37..."But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the {passage about the burning} bush, where he calls the Lord THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB." (NASB)
John 5:45 – 47..."Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. "For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. "But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?" (NASB)
Date written: 15th Century B.C.
1st Kings 6:1 states that the 4th year of Solomon’s reign was the 480th year after The Exodus. Solomon’s 4th year is known to have been around 966 B.C.
"Now it came about in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD." (NASB)
Judges 11:26, which during the time of Jepthah (around 1100 B.C.), states that Israel had been in The Promise Land for 300 years.
"While Israel lived in Heshbon and its villages, and in Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities that are on the banks of the Arnon, three hundred years, why did you not recover them within that time?" (NASB)
The Historical Background (Bible Knowledge Commentary on The Old Testament - Walvoord, Zuck, Cook)
The History of Egypt before The Exodus...Ancient Egypt’s history is divided by scholars into 3 periods: predynastic (3500 – 3100 B.C.), protodynastic (3100 – 2686 B.C.), and dynastic (2686 – 332 B.C.).
The History of Egypt near the time of The Exodus...Amenhotep 1 ruled in the newly centralized government from 1546 – 1526 B.C. and was was succeeded by Thutmose (1526 – 1512 B.C.).
Moses was born in 1526 B.C.
The History of Egypt near the time of The Exodus...Amenhotep 1 ruled in the newly centralized government from 1546 – 1526 B.C. and was was succeeded by Thutmose (1526 – 1512 B.C.).
Moses was born in 1526 B.C.
The Time Covered
430 years (see 12:40 – 42) from 1876 – 1446 B.C. ¨The book begins with the arrival of Jacob’s family in Egypt and (time-wise) ends shortly after their departure in 1446 B.C. (Merrill Unger, Archaeology and The Old Testament).
The Key Themes
Redemption (God’s grace part 1) – Portrayed in The Passover event and The Exodus (chapters 12 – 24). Israel could not ultimately delivered from their bondage until a blood sacrifice had been offered and applied.
Relationship (God’s grace part 2) – Establishment of Israel as His chosen people to be “My own possession among all the peoples” (19:5) and “a kingdom of priests” (19:6).
References to Christ – No direct prophecies about Jesus is found in Exodus, but there are many “types” and/or veiled references to Him including Moses...
(a type of Christ)
Deuteronomy 18:15..."The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him." (NASB)
The Passover Lamb
John 1:29..."The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (NASB)
John 1:36..."...and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and *said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" (NASB)
1st Corinthians 5:7..."Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are {in fact} unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed." (NASB)
The Exodus through The Red Sea chapter 14 (which Paul related to baptism)
Romans 6:2 – 3..."May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?" (NASB)
1st Corinthians 10:1 – 2..."For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea..." (NASB)
The Rock 7:1 – 8
1st Corinthians 10:4..."...and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ." (NASB)
The Tabernacle chapters 25 – 31 and 35 – 40
John 1:14..."And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (NASB)
The High Priest chapters 28 – 29 and 39
Hebrews 4:14 – 16..."Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as {we are, yet} without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (NASB)
Hebrews 9:11 – 12..."But when Christ appeared {as} a high priest of the good things to come, {He entered} through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption." (NASB)
Hebrews 9:24 – 28..."For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a {mere} copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this {comes} judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without {reference to} sin, to those who eagerly await Him." (NASB)
Relationship (God’s grace part 2) – Establishment of Israel as His chosen people to be “My own possession among all the peoples” (19:5) and “a kingdom of priests” (19:6).
References to Christ – No direct prophecies about Jesus is found in Exodus, but there are many “types” and/or veiled references to Him including Moses...
(a type of Christ)
Deuteronomy 18:15..."The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him." (NASB)
The Passover Lamb
John 1:29..."The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (NASB)
John 1:36..."...and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and *said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" (NASB)
1st Corinthians 5:7..."Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are {in fact} unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed." (NASB)
The Exodus through The Red Sea chapter 14 (which Paul related to baptism)
Romans 6:2 – 3..."May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?" (NASB)
1st Corinthians 10:1 – 2..."For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea..." (NASB)
The Rock 7:1 – 8
1st Corinthians 10:4..."...and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ." (NASB)
The Tabernacle chapters 25 – 31 and 35 – 40
John 1:14..."And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (NASB)
The High Priest chapters 28 – 29 and 39
Hebrews 4:14 – 16..."Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as {we are, yet} without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (NASB)
Hebrews 9:11 – 12..."But when Christ appeared {as} a high priest of the good things to come, {He entered} through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption." (NASB)
Hebrews 9:24 – 28..."For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a {mere} copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this {comes} judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without {reference to} sin, to those who eagerly await Him." (NASB)
The Main Truths (Old Testament Survey Genesis - Dr. Bob Utley)
It continues the history begun in Genesis. It documents the development of the chosen family into a chosen nation. Though they are enslaved in Egypt, they will possess the Promised Land (Genesis 12:1 – 3 and 15:16).
It records the covenant laws at Mt. Sinai (Horeb)...
How should we live! (Decalogue and supplements)
How should we worship! (Tabernacle, priests, procedures, time, and rituals)
It is a “how to” manual for the Tabernacle (Leviticus)
It documents God’s great acts of love and mercy toward Israel which were prophesied to Abraham, Genesis 15:16.
God’s dealing with Pharaoh shows the balance between God’s sovereignty and man’s free will.
God hardened Pharaoh's heart...7:3, 13; 9:12; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:4, 8
Pharaoh hardened his own heart...8:15, 32; 9:34
It records the covenant laws at Mt. Sinai (Horeb)...
How should we live! (Decalogue and supplements)
How should we worship! (Tabernacle, priests, procedures, time, and rituals)
It is a “how to” manual for the Tabernacle (Leviticus)
It documents God’s great acts of love and mercy toward Israel which were prophesied to Abraham, Genesis 15:16.
God’s dealing with Pharaoh shows the balance between God’s sovereignty and man’s free will.
God hardened Pharaoh's heart...7:3, 13; 9:12; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:4, 8
Pharaoh hardened his own heart...8:15, 32; 9:34
The Redemption
Redemption (Exodus 15:13)
(agorazo) – Buy or purchase with a price from the market place (agora) of sin.
(ekagorazo) – Buy or purchase OUT OF slave market of sin (never to return)
(lutroo) – To set free by ransom
(agorazo) – Buy or purchase with a price from the market place (agora) of sin.
(ekagorazo) – Buy or purchase OUT OF slave market of sin (never to return)
(lutroo) – To set free by ransom
10 Plagues of Exodus 5-11
1. The Nile River into blood – An attack on the Nile River god, Hapi – 7:14 – 25
2. Frogs – An attack on the goddess Hekt (or Heqt) – 8:1 – 15
3. Lice (or gnats or possibly mosquitoes) – An attack on Seb, the earth god – 8:16 – 19
4. Flies (or sacred beetle) – An attack on the sacred scarab – 8:20 – 32
5. Pestilence on the livestock (horses, donkeys, camels, herds and flocks) – 9:1 – 7
6. Boils – An attack on Typhon, the evil genius – 9:8 – 12
7. Hail and Fire – An attack on Nut, sky goddess or Isis, goddess of life or Seth, protector of the crops – 9:13 – 35
8. Locusts – An attack on Serapia, protector from locusts or Isis, goddess of life or Seth, the protector of crops – 10:1 – 20
9. Darkness – An attack on Ra, sun god (others mention Aten, Atum Horus, all sun gods of sorts) – 10:21 – 29
10. Death of firstborn – An attack on the deity of Pharaoh and Osiris, the giver of life
2. Frogs – An attack on the goddess Hekt (or Heqt) – 8:1 – 15
3. Lice (or gnats or possibly mosquitoes) – An attack on Seb, the earth god – 8:16 – 19
4. Flies (or sacred beetle) – An attack on the sacred scarab – 8:20 – 32
5. Pestilence on the livestock (horses, donkeys, camels, herds and flocks) – 9:1 – 7
6. Boils – An attack on Typhon, the evil genius – 9:8 – 12
7. Hail and Fire – An attack on Nut, sky goddess or Isis, goddess of life or Seth, protector of the crops – 9:13 – 35
8. Locusts – An attack on Serapia, protector from locusts or Isis, goddess of life or Seth, the protector of crops – 10:1 – 20
9. Darkness – An attack on Ra, sun god (others mention Aten, Atum Horus, all sun gods of sorts) – 10:21 – 29
10. Death of firstborn – An attack on the deity of Pharaoh and Osiris, the giver of life
The Outline (Bible Knowledge Commentary on The Old Testament - Walvoord, Zuck, Cook)
Pt 1: The Redemption of God’s People from Egypt (Ex. 1 – 18)
A) The Oppression of Israel in Egypt (1)
B) The Deliverer of Israel from Egypt (2 – 4)
C) The Struggle of Moses with Pharaoh in Egypt (5 – 12:36)
D) The Deliverance of Israel from Egypt (12:37 – 18:37)
Pt 2: The Revelation to God’s People at Sinai (Ex. 19 – 40)
A) The Covenant of God with His People (19 – 31)
B) The Failure and Restoration of God’s People (32 – 34)
C) The Construction of The Tabernacle (35 – 40)
A) The Oppression of Israel in Egypt (1)
B) The Deliverer of Israel from Egypt (2 – 4)
C) The Struggle of Moses with Pharaoh in Egypt (5 – 12:36)
D) The Deliverance of Israel from Egypt (12:37 – 18:37)
Pt 2: The Revelation to God’s People at Sinai (Ex. 19 – 40)
A) The Covenant of God with His People (19 – 31)
B) The Failure and Restoration of God’s People (32 – 34)
C) The Construction of The Tabernacle (35 – 40)