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Guide to Exodus

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The Book of Exodus

/ Guide to Exodus

Statistics

Statistics

2nd book in the Bible
40 chapters
1,213 verses
25,957 words

 

Bible Statistics

Genre

Sacred History/Pentateuch

Sacred History retells events in primeval and mythic history.
The Pentateuch is the collection of five books that comprise the Law of Moses.

Biblical Genres

Author

Moses*

*Moses is the assumed author in the narrative. However, authorship for most Biblical books is inconclusive.

 

Biblical Authorship

Time Covered

1800 B.C.—1445 B.C.*

*All Dates Are Approximate, according to the narrative of the Bible. These dates may reflect literary significance as opposed to the precise dates of history.

Biblical Chronology

Summary

Exodus (from a Greek word, meaning “going out” or “exit”) begins with the Israelites in Egypt and culminates with the Lord’s revelation and covenant at Sinai. In between the two in the event that serves as the book’s namesake: Israel’s “exodus” (or exit) from Egypt as enabled by a series of dramatic miracles. The Exodus acts as the archetypal event of divine redemption throughout not only the Old Testament, but also the New Testament, and the entire scriptural canon. While there are several important theological themes in the book, the central message seems to be the renewal of the Lord’s plan of redemption, originally initiated in his promises to Abraham. The book is commonly divided into two parts: (1) Exodus 1–18, which tells of Israel’s enslavement in Egypt (Exodus 1–2), its miraculous redemption by the Lord though his servant, Moses (Exodus 3–15), and Israel’s journey to Mount Sinai (Exodus 16–18). (2) Exodus 19–40, which relates the Lord’s giving of the law (Exodus 19–24) and the instructions for building the Tabernacle (Exodus 25–40).

Book Outline

Moses the Deliverer (Exodus 1–11)

Exodus 1

  • The King of Egypt Oppresses the Israelites (Exodus 1:1–14)
  • Pharaoh Commands Male, Israelite Babies to Be Killed (Exodus 1:15–22)

Exodus 2

  • The Birth and Early Life of Moses (Exodus 2:1–10)
  • Moses Kills an Egyptian and Flees to Midian (Exodus 2:11–25)

Exodus 3

  • The Lord Appears to Moses in a Burning Bush (Exodus 3:1–12)
  • The Lord Reveals His Name (Exodus 3:13–22)

Exodus 4

  • The Lord Demonstrates His Power for Moses (Exodus 4:1–17)
  • Moses Returns to Egypt with His Family (Exodus 4:18–31)

Exodus 5

  • Pharaoh Rejects the Lord and Increases the Israelite Workload (Exodus 5:1–14)
  • The Israelites Complain to Pharaoh and Moses (Exodus 5:15–23)

Exodus 6

  • The Lord Promises to Fulfill His Covenant (Exodus 6:1–13)
  • The Generations of Moses and Aaron (Exodus 6:14–27)
  • The Lord Reviews His Plan for the Israelite Deliverance (Exodus 6:28–7:7)

Exodus 7

  • Aaron’s Staff Becomes a Snake (Exodus 7:8–13)
  • The First Plague: Water Turned to Blood (Exodus 7:14–25)

Exodus 8

  • The Second Plague: Frogs (Exodus 8:1–15)
  • The Third Plague: Lice (Exodus 8:16–19)
  • The Fourth Plague: Flies (Exodus 8:20–32)

Exodus 9

  • The Fifth Plague: Death of Livestock (Exodus 9:1–7)
  • The Sixth Plague: Boils (Exodus 9:8–12)
  • The Seventh Plague: Hail (Exodus 9:13–35)

Exodus 10

  • The Eighth Plague: Locusts (Exodus 10:1–20)
  • The Ninth Plague: Darkness (Exodus 10:21–29)

Exodus 11

  • Warning of the Tenth Plague (Exodus 11:1–10)

The Deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 12–15)

Exodus 12

  • The Lord Institutes the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:1–28)
  • The Tenth Plague: The Death of the Firstborn (Exodus 12:29–30)
  • The Exodus (Exodus 12:31–42)
  • Directions for the Passover (Exodus 12:43–51)

Exodus 13

  • The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 13:1–10)
  • The Consecration of the Firstborn (Exodus 13:11–16)
  • The Lord Leads the Israelites from Succoth to Etham (Exodus 13:17–22)

Exodus 14

  • The Egyptians Pursue the Israelites (Exodus 14:1–14)
  • The Israelites Cross the Red Sea (Exodus 14:15–25)
  • The Egyptians Are Drowned in the Red Sea (Exodus 14:26–31)

Exodus 15

  • The Song of Moses (Exodus 15:1–19)
  • The Song of Miriam (Exodus 15:20–21)
  • The Lord Provides the Israelites with Water at Marah (Exodus 15:22–27)

The Journey to Sinai (Exodus 16–18)

Exodus 16

  • The Lord Provides Manna and Quail for the Israelites (Exodus 16:1–36)

Exodus 17

  • Moses Smites a Rock and Provides Water (Exodus 17:1–7)
  • The Israelites Defeat the Amalekites (Exodus 17:8–16)

Exodus 18

  • Jethro Visits Moses (Exodus 18:1–12)
  • Moses Appoints Judges Over the People (Exodus 18:13–27)

The Giving of the Law (Exodus 19–24)

Exodus 19

  • The Lord Has the Israelites Sanctify Themselves at Sinai (Exodus 19:1–15)
  • Moses Meets with the Lord on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16–25)

Exodus 20

  • The Lord Reveals the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1–17)
  • The Lord Instructs the Israelites Concerning Altars (Exodus 20:18–26)

Exodus 21

  • Laws Concerning Servants (Exodus 21:1–11)
  • Laws Concerning Violence (Exodus 21:12–27)
  • Laws Concerning Property (Exodus 21:28–36)

Exodus 22

  • Laws Concerning Restitution of Property (Exodus 22:1–15)
  • Laws Concerning Social Responsibility (Exodus 22:16–31)

Exodus 23

  • Laws Concerning Justice (Exodus 23:1–9)
  • Laws Concerning the Sabbath (Exodus 23:10–13)
  • The Three Annual Feasts (Exodus 23:14–19)
  • The Lord Promises the Conquest of Canaan (Exodus 23:20–33)

Exodus 24

  • The Israelites Confirm the Lord’s Covenant (Exodus 24:1–8)
  • Moses Spends Forty Days on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:9–18)

The Tabernacle (Exodus 25–40)

Exodus 25

  • The Lord Commands the Israelites to Build a Tabernacle (Exodus 25:1–9)
  • The Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:10–22)
  • The Table of Shewbread (Exodus 25:23–30)
  • The Menorah (Exodus 25:31–40)

Exodus 26

  • The Tabernacle Curtains (Exodus 26:1–14)
  • The Tabernacle Framework (Exodus 26:15–30)
  • The Veil (Exodus 26:31–37)

Exodus 27

  • The Altar of Burnt Offering (Exodus 27:1–8)
  • The Courtyard (Exodus 27:9–19)
  • The Oil for the Menorah (Exodus 27:20–21)

Exodus 28

  • The Priestly Garments (Exodus 28:1–5)
  • The Ephod (Exodus 28:6–14)
  • The Breastplate (Exodus 28:15–30)
  • Other Priestly Garments (Exodus 28:31–43)

Exodus 29

  • The Consecration of Priests (Exodus 29:1–37)
  • Instructions for Daily Offerings (Exodus 29:38–46)

Exodus 30

  • The Altar of Incense (Exodus 30:1–10)
  • The Half Shekel Offering (Exodus 30:11–16)
  • The Brass Laver (Exodus 30:17–21)
  • The Anointing Oil (Exodus 30:22–33)
  • The Incense (Exodus 30:34–38)

Exodus 31

  • The Lord Calls Artisans (Exodus 31:1–11)
  • Laws Concerning the Sabbath (Exodus 31:12–17)
  • Moses Receives the Two Tablets of the Covenant (Exodus 31:18)

Exodus 32

  • Aaron Makes a Golden Calf (Exodus 32:1–14)
  • Moses Comes Down from the Mountain and Discovers the People’s Wickedness (Exodus 32:15–35)

Exodus 33

  • The Lord Commands the Israelites to Continue Their Journey (Exodus 33:1–6)
  • The Tent of Meeting (Exodus 33:7–11)
  • Moses Asks for the Lord’s Presence (Exodus 33:12–23)

Exodus 34

  • Moses Makes New Stone Tablets (Exodus 34:1–9)
  • The Lord Renews His Covenant (Exodus 34:10–28)
  • The Face of Moses Shines (Exodus 34:29–35)

Exodus 35

  • Sabbath Regulations (Exodus 35:1–3)
  • Moses Commands the Israelites to Make the Tabernacle (Exodus 35:4–29)
  • Moses Calls Bezaleel and Aholiab as Artisans (Exodus 35:30–36:7)

Exodus 36

  • The Israelites Build the Tabernacle (Exodus 36:8–38)

Exodus 37

  • Bazaleel Makes the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 37:1–9)
  • The Table of Shewbread (Exodus 37:10–16)
  • The Menorah (Exodus 37:17–24)
  • The Altar of Incense (Exodus 37:25–29)

Exodus 38

  • The Altar of Burnt Offering (Exodus 38:1–7)
  • The Brass Laver (Exodus 38:8)
  • The Courtyard (Exodus 38:9–20)
  • Materials Used for the Tabernacle (Exodus 38:21–31)

Exodus 39

  • The Priestly Garments (Exodus 39:1)
  • The Ephod (Exodus 39:2–7)
  • The Breastplate (Exodus 39:8–21)
  • Other Priestly Garments (Exodus 39:22–31)
  • The Tabernacle Is Completed (Exodus 39:32–43)

Exodus 40

  • The Lord Commands for the Tabernacle to Be Set Up and Furnished (Exodus 40:1–16)
  • Moses Sets Up and Furnishes the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:17–33)
  • The Presence of the Lord Fills the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:34–38)

Videos

Watch selected videos on this book of the Bible to enhance your study. Note: Not all videos included come from a Latter-day Saint perspective. Inclusion on this list should not imply endorsement for all content.

The Book of Exodus - Part 1

BibleProject

The Book of Exodus - Part 2

BibleProject

Overview: Exodus 1-18

BibleProject

Overview: Exodus 19-40

BibleProject

Historical Settings

Main People

Read bios of the people in this book.

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Jan van 't Hoff, "The Covenant Renewal," Gospel Images.

Moses

Place Holder

Pharaoh

Aaron

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Miriam

Place Holder

Zipporah

Place Holder

Jethro

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Reuel

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Gershom

Place Holder

Eliezar or Eliezer

Place Holder

Nadab

Place Holder

Abihu

Main Places

Read about places mentioned in this book.

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The pyramids of Egypt. Photo by TheDigitalArtist via Pixabay.

Egypt

Time

*All Dates Are Approximate, according to the narrative of the Bible. These dates may reflect literary significance as opposed to the precise dates of history.

See Biblical Chronology
  • 1800 B.C.—1445 B.C.*

Further Reading

S. Kent Brown, “Approaches to the Pentateuch,” in Studies in Scripture, vol. 3: Genesis to 2 Samuel, ed. Kent P. Jackson and Robert L. Millet (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book, 1989), 13–23.

Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, Dana M. Pike, and David Rolph Seely, Jehovah and the World of the Old Testament: An Illustrated Reference for Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book, 2009), 78–111.

George A. Horton Jr., “Insights into Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy,” in The Joseph Smith Translation: The Restoration of Plain and Precious Truths, ed. Monte S. Nyman and Robert L. Millet (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1985), 71–88.

Paul Y. Hoskisson, “The Plan of Salvation in the First Six Books of the Old Testament,” in The Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, The 38th Annual BYU Sidney B. Sperry Symposium (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2009), 48–66.

Kerry M. Muhlestein, “The Exodus,” in A Bible Reader’s History of the Ancient World, ed. Kent P. Jackson (Jerusalem: BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies, 2016), 116–128.

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