Exodus

Exodus 1
The Israelites multiplied greatly in Egypt. A new Pharaoh came to power who did not know about Joseph. He feared the Israelites were becoming too numerous, so he made them slaves and oppressed them harshly. He ordered the Hebrew midwives to kill any baby boys that were born, but they refused. So Pharaoh decreed that all Hebrew baby boys must be thrown into the Nile River.

Exodus 2
A Levite woman gave birth to a son. She hid him for three months, then put him in a basket in the reeds by the river bank. Pharaoh’s daughter found the baby and adopted him, naming him Moses. When Moses was grown, he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave. Moses killed the Egyptian and fled to Midian. There he married Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro the priest.

Exodus 3
While tending Jethro’s flocks, Moses saw a burning bush that was not consumed. God spoke to him from the bush, telling him that He had seen the Israelites’ suffering and would deliver them from Egypt. God said He was sending Moses to Pharaoh to bring the Israelites out of Egypt into a good land. Moses protested that he was unqualified, but God promised to be with him.

Exodus 4
God gave Moses three miraculous signs to convince the Israelites that God had appeared to him: his staff would turn into a snake, his hand would become leprous then be healed, and water from the Nile would turn to blood. Moses continued to object that he was not eloquent, so God appointed his brother Aaron to be his spokesman. Moses returned to Egypt, where God said Pharaoh would not let the people go unless compelled by a mighty hand.

Exodus 5
Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.” But Pharaoh refused and increased the Israelites’ workload. The Israelite overseers complained to Moses that he had made their situation worse. Discouraged, Moses asked God why He had sent him.

Exodus 6
God reassured Moses, promising again to deliver the Israelites from slavery and to bring them into the promised land. The Israelites were too discouraged to believe. God told Moses to go back to Pharaoh. Moses protested that he was not eloquent enough. This chapter also lists the heads of the Israelite clans.

Exodus 7
God said that Moses would be like God to Pharaoh, with Aaron as his prophet. He told Moses and Aaron to ask Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. God said that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he would refuse, giving God the opportunity to multiply His signs and wonders in Egypt. This would show the Egyptians that He is the LORD when He delivered the Israelites from among them. Moses and Aaron did as God commanded. God turned Moses’ staff into a snake, but Pharaoh’s magicians did the same. God turned the Nile to blood, but again the magicians copied the sign. Pharaoh would not listen.

Exodus 8
God sent a plague of frogs, but Pharaoh’s magicians did the same. Pharaoh asked Moses and Aaron to pray that God would take the frogs away, promising to let the people go sacrifice in the wilderness. But when the frogs died, Pharaoh hardened his heart and refused. Then God sent a plague of gnats. The magicians could not copy this sign and said, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh would not listen. Next God sent a plague of flies, but not in Goshen where the Israelites lived. Pharaoh said the people could go sacrifice in the land, but Moses said they must go three days into the wilderness. Pharaoh agreed, but again changed his mind when the plague stopped.

Exodus 9
God sent a plague on the Egyptians’ livestock, but not on the Israelites’. Still Pharaoh refused to let the people go. Then God sent a plague of festering boils on people and animals. Next He sent a terrible hail storm, but warned the Egyptians to bring their slaves and cattle in from the fields. Those who ignored the warning had their slaves and livestock killed by the hail. Pharaoh admitted he had sinned and asked Moses to pray that the hail would stop. But when it did, he again hardened his heart.

Exodus 10
God sent a plague of locusts that devoured everything left after the hail. Pharaoh’s officials begged him to let the Israelite men go. Pharaoh said the men could go, but not the women and children. Moses insisted that they all must go together. Pharaoh refused. After the locusts, God sent darkness over Egypt for three days, but the Israelites had light. Pharaoh said the people could go, but must leave their livestock. Moses said they needed their animals for offerings. Pharaoh refused to let them take their livestock and drove Moses out.

Exodus 11
God said He would send one more plague, then Pharaoh would let the people go. At midnight, God would kill the firstborn son of every person and animal. There would be loud wailing throughout Egypt, but among the Israelites, not even a dog would bark. Then Pharaoh’s officials would bow down to Moses and beg the Israelites to leave. Moses warned Pharaoh, but he would not listen.

Exodus 12
God told Moses and Aaron to have each Israelite family take a year-old male lamb or goat on the 10th day of the month. On the evening of the 14th day, they were to slaughter it and put some of its blood on the sides and tops of their doorframes. That night they must roast the animal and eat it with bitter herbs and bread without yeast. God would pass through Egypt and kill every firstborn male of people and animals. The blood would be a sign for God to pass over that house. The Israelites must celebrate this Passover festival as a lasting ordinance. When the Egyptians’ firstborn sons died, Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and told the Israelites to leave. The Egyptians urged them to hurry and gave them silver, gold, and clothing. The Israelites, about 600,000 men plus women and children, left Egypt after 430 years there. God gave instructions for future Passover celebrations.

Exodus 13
God said the Israelites must consecrate every firstborn male, whether human or animal, because He struck down all the firstborn in Egypt. In future years, when their children asked the meaning of this ritual, they must explain that God brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand. When God led the people out of Egypt, He did not take them by the shortest route through Philistine country, though that was closer. Instead He led the people around by the desert toward the Red Sea. As they left Egypt, Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, as Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear to do. God led the people with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

Exodus 14
God told Moses to have the Israelites camp by the sea so that Pharaoh would think they were wandering aimlessly and pursue them. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that he and his army chased the Israelites to the sea. The Israelites were terrified and cried out to God. They said to Moses, “What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?” But Moses told the people not to be afraid and to watch God deliver them. God told Moses to stretch out his hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites could go through on dry ground. That night the pillar of cloud moved behind the Israelites, separating them from the Egyptian army. Then God drove the sea back with a strong east wind, turning it into dry land with a wall of water on each side. The Egyptians pursued them into the sea. In the morning, God threw the Egyptian army into confusion. He jammed their chariot wheels and made them realize that He was fighting for the Israelites. When the Israelites had all reached the other side, God told Moses to stretch out his hand over the sea again, and the water flowed back, covering the Egyptian army. Not one of them survived. The Israelites saw the great power of God and put their trust in Him and in Moses.

Exodus 15
Moses and the Israelites sang a song of praise to God for defeating Pharaoh’s army and throwing the horse and rider into the sea. Miriam led all the women with tambourines and dancing. Then Moses led the people from the Red Sea into the desert. For three days they found no water. When they came to water at Marah, it was too bitter to drink. The people grumbled, so Moses cried out to God. God showed him a piece of wood to throw into the water to make it sweet. God tested the people there, saying if they listened carefully to Him, He would not bring on them any diseases as He did on the Egyptians, for He is the God who heals them.

Exodus 16
In the desert the Israelites grumbled that Moses had brought them out to starve. They said they wished they had died in Egypt where they had plenty of food. God said He would rain down bread from heaven for them each day, but on the sixth day they must gather twice as much because the seventh day would be a Sabbath. In the evening God sent quail for meat. In the morning there was a flaky substance on the ground like frost. They called it manna and made it into thin cakes. Moses told them to gather only as much as they needed for one day. But some people kept part of it until morning and it was full of maggots and began to smell. On the sixth day they gathered twice as much, as Moses commanded. The extra did not rot overnight, but lasted for the Sabbath. Some people went out to gather manna on the seventh day and found none. God was angry that they disobeyed His command not to go out on the Sabbath. The people ate manna for 40 years until they came to the border of Canaan. Moses told Aaron to keep a jar of manna as a remembrance.

Exodus 17
The people traveled from place to place as God commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water to drink. They quarreled with Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us die of thirst?” Moses asked God what to do because the people were almost ready to stone him. God told Moses to walk ahead of the people and take some elders with him. He was to take his staff and strike the rock at Mount Sinai. When he did, water gushed out for the people to drink. At Rephidim, the Amalekites attacked Israel. Moses told Joshua to choose men to fight while he stood on top of the hill with the staff of God. As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel was winning, but when he lowered them, the Amalekites started winning. Aaron and Hur held up Moses’ hands until sunset, and Joshua defeated the Amalekites.

Exodus 18
Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything God had done for Israel. He brought Moses’ wife and two sons to him in the desert. Moses told him how God had delivered them from Pharaoh and provided food and water in the desert. The next day Jethro saw Moses judging disputes among the people from morning until night. He said, “You will certainly wear yourself out, for the task is too heavy for you to do alone.” Jethro advised Moses to teach the people God’s decrees and laws, but to appoint capable men as officials over groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens to judge the simple cases and bring only the difficult ones to Moses. Moses listened to Jethro’s advice and did everything he said.

Exodus 19
Three months after the Israelites left Egypt, they came to the Sinai desert and camped in front of the mountain. God told Moses to remind the people how He carried them on eagles’ wings out of Egypt. If they obey Him and keep His covenant, they will be His kingdom of priests and a holy nation. The people agreed to do everything God said. God said He would come to Moses in a dense cloud so the people would hear Him speaking and always put their trust in Moses. The people must consecrate themselves and wash their clothes, for on the third day God would come down on Mount Sinai. They must not touch the mountain or they would die. Only when the ram’s horn sounded a long blast could they approach. On the third morning there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke and trembled violently because God descended on it in fire. When Moses spoke, God answered in thunder. God called Moses to the top of the mountain and told him to warn the people not to force their way through to see God or many would die.

Exodus 20
God spoke the Ten Commandments: 1) You shall have no other gods before me. 2) Do not make an idol or worship any image. 3) Do not misuse the name of God. 4) Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. 5) Honor your father and mother. 6) Do not murder. 7) Do not commit adultery. 8) Do not steal. 9) Do not give false testimony. 10) Do not covet others’ possessions. When the people saw the smoke and heard the thunder, they trembled with fear and stayed far away. They said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” Moses said not to be afraid but to remember how God spoke from heaven so they would not sin.

Exodus 21
These are the first of God’s laws that follow the Ten Commandments:

• A Hebrew servant must be freed in the seventh year.
• A female servant must be treated well or let go.
• Anyone who injures another person is subject to the same injury – eye for eye, tooth for tooth.
• If an ox gores someone to death, the ox shall be stoned. If it has gored in the past and the owner does nothing, the owner shall die too.
• One who kills a thief shall not be guilty if it happens at night.
• Thieves shall pay restitution.
• If fire one starts spreads to another’s field, restitution must be made.
• One who borrows an animal that dies must make restitution unless the owner is present.

Exodus 22
More laws:

• One who steals an ox or sheep shall pay back 5 cattle or 4 sheep.
• If an animal is torn to pieces, the remains shall be evidence and restitution need not be made.
• If a man seduces a virgin, he must marry her. If her father refuses, he must still pay the bride price.
• A sorceress must not be allowed to live.
• Anyone having sex with an animal must be put to death.
• Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the LORD must be destroyed.
• Do not oppress foreigners, widows, or orphans.
• If you lend money to the poor, charge no interest.
• If you take a neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, return it by sunset.
• Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler.
• Bring the first fruits and firstborn males to offer to God.

Exodus 23
More laws:

• Do not spread false reports or be a malicious witness.
• Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong.
• Do not show favoritism to the poor in a lawsuit.
• Return your enemy’s ox or donkey that has strayed.
• Be sure to help your enemy’s donkey when overloaded.
• Do not deny justice to the poor.
• Do not accept bribes.
• For six years plant your land, but in the seventh let it rest.
• Celebrate three annual festivals to God: Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Harvest, and Feast of Ingathering.
• The blood and fat of sacrifices must not remain until morning.
  I will send an angel ahead of you and drive out the Canaanites. If you serve their gods, it will be a snare to you.

Exodus 24
Moses told the people all the laws, and they said, “Everything the LORD has said, we will do.” Moses built an altar and set up twelve pillars for the twelve tribes. He sent young men to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He took the blood and sprinkled it on the people as the blood of the covenant. Moses went up on the mountain with Joshua. The glory of the LORD settled on the mountain like a consuming fire. On the seventh day God called to Moses and he stayed on the mountain forty days and nights.

Exodus 25
God told Moses to have the Israelites bring Him an offering of gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins and hides; acacia wood; olive oil; and onyx stones. Have them build a sanctuary for me to dwell among them. God gave detailed instructions for making the ark of the covenant overlaid with gold, its poles and atonement cover with two cherubim, and for making the table for the bread of the Presence, the gold lampstand, and the tabernacle with curtains.

Exodus 26

God gave Moses detailed plans for building the tabernacle. It was to have curtains made of fine linen with blue, purple and scarlet yarn. The curtains were to be joined together in two sets of five, with fifty gold clasps connecting them. Over this was to be a tent of goat hair curtains, also joined in two sets. On top of the tent were to be coverings of ram skins and hides of sea cows.

The framework of the tabernacle was to be made of upright frames of acacia wood, overlaid with gold. Twenty frames were to stand on silver bases on both the north and south sides, with six frames and two extra corner frames on the west side. Five crossbars of acacia wood overlaid with gold were to reinforce the frames on each side. Inside, a curtain of fine linen embroidered with cherubim was to separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, where the ark of the covenant was to be placed. The table was to be on the north side of the Holy Place, the lampstand on the south. At the entrance of the tabernacle was to be another embroidered curtain of fine linen in blue, purple and scarlet yarn.

Exodus 27
God gave instructions for making the altar of burnt offering out of acacia wood overlaid with bronze, and for the courtyard of the tabernacle with curtains, posts and bases. The people were to bring clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps could be kept burning.

Exodus 28
The priestly garments for Aaron and his sons were to be made for glory and beauty. The ephod was to be made of gold, and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with two onyx stones on the shoulder pieces engraved with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. The breastpiece was to have twelve stones mounted on it in four rows, each engraved with the name of one of the tribes. Also they were to make a robe, tunic, turban and sash for Aaron. His sons were also to have tunics, sashes and caps.

Exodus 29
God gave instructions for consecrating the priests. They were to be brought to the entrance of the tent of meeting, washed with water and dressed in their garments. Aaron was to be anointed as the high priest. A bull, two rams, and unleavened bread were to be offered as a wave offering and burnt offering to make atonement. This was to be an ordination that would last seven days, and it would be a lasting ordinance.

Exodus 30
God told Moses to make an altar of acacia wood for burning incense, overlaid with pure gold. He was also to make anointing oil and pure, fragrant incense, all done according to the art of the perfumer. When Moses took a census of the people, each one was to pay a ransom for his life so there would be no plague. Each was to give a half shekel according to the sanctuary shekel. This money would be used for the service of the tent of meeting.

Exodus 31
God chose Bezalel and Oholiab to do the artistic work for the tabernacle and filled them with His Spirit in wisdom, understanding and knowledge. He told the people to observe the Sabbath as a sign between them and God. Then God gave Moses the two tablets of the covenant law, tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.

Exodus 32
When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Make us a god who will go before us.” So Aaron made a golden calf. God told Moses that the people had become corrupt and that He would destroy them and make Moses into a great nation. But Moses sought the favor of God and asked Him to remember His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to make their descendants as numerous as the stars. So God relented from the destruction He threatened. When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the people dancing, he burned with anger. He threw down the tablets, shattering them, took the calf, burned it, ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the people drink it. The Levites rallied to Moses and went through the camp, killing about 3,000 people. Then Moses went back up the mountain to seek forgiveness for the people’s sin.

Exodus 33
God told Moses to leave Sinai and go to the land He promised, and that He would send an angel before them to drive out the inhabitants. But God said He would not go with them because they were a stiff-necked people and He might destroy them on the way. When the people heard this, they began to mourn. Moses set up a “tent of meeting” outside the camp where he would go to inquire of God. The people would stand at the entrances of their tents and watch Moses until he entered the tent. The pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance while God spoke with Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Moses asked God to teach him His ways. God said His Presence would go with them and He would give them rest. Moses said, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” God agreed to do what Moses asked because he had found favor in God’s sight. Moses asked to see God’s glory, so God hid Moses in the cleft of a rock and covered him with His hand while His glory passed by. God allowed Moses to see His back, but not His face.

Exodus 34
God told Moses to chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and that He would write on them the words that were on the original tablets which Moses broke. Moses was to present himself on the top of the mountain alone. So Moses chiseled out the tablets and went up Mount Sinai. The Lord came down in the cloud and proclaimed His name “the LORD” and His attributes of compassion, graciousness, slowness to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness. But He does not leave the guilty unpunished. Moses bowed down and worshipped. He asked God to go with them, even though they were a stiff-necked people, to pardon their sin and take them as His inheritance. God made a covenant to do wonders never before done – driving out the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites from the promised land. But the people were to be careful not to make covenants with the current inhabitants or they would become a snare to them. They must break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles. They must not worship any other gods. God repeated the instructions for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the dedication of firstborn animals, the Sabbath, the three annual festivals, and not boiling a young goat in its mother’s milk. Moses was with the LORD forty days and nights without eating bread or drinking water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant – the Ten Commandments. When Moses came down, his face was radiant from speaking with the LORD. He put a veil over his face.

Exodus 35
Moses assembled the whole Israelite community and told them these are the things the LORD has commanded: they were to work for six days but the seventh would be a holy Sabbath rest. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath must be put to death. Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath. Moses told them to take an offering for the LORD of gold, silver, bronze, fine linen, goat hair, ram skins, acacia wood, olive oil, spices, and onyx and other precious stones. All who were skilled were to come and make everything the LORD commanded – the tabernacle with its tent and curtains, ark, table, lampstand, altar of incense, altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, basin, and courtyard curtains. They should make the woven garments for ministering in the holy place for Aaron and his sons. Everyone who was willing brought to the LORD freewill offerings for the tent of meeting, its service, and the holy garments. All the Israelite men and women whose hearts were willing brought gold and materials for the work. Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD gave ability and who was willing came to do the work.

Exodus 36
The people brought more than enough materials. So Moses had a proclamation made that no man or woman should bring anything else. Bezalel, Oholiab and the other skilled craftsmen made the tabernacle curtains, boards, bars, posts and bases exactly as God had instructed Moses. They also made the veil and the curtain for the entrance.

Exodus 37
Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood and overlaid it with pure gold. He made its poles, atonement cover and cherubim. He made the table, lampstand with its lamps and wick trimmers, and the altar of incense – all out of pure gold.

Exodus 38
Bezalel made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, overlaid with bronze. All its utensils were bronze. He made the bronze basin and stand. He made the courtyard curtains of fine linen and their posts. All the curtain hooks and tent pegs were bronze. The cost of these materials was recorded and the listing of how much was brought concludes the chapter.

Exodus 39
From the blue, purple and scarlet yarn they made woven garments for ministering in the holy place. They made the ephod, breastpiece, robe, tunic, turban, sashes, and linen undergarments – all as God commanded Moses. They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold and wrote on it “Holy to the LORD.” The Israelites did all the work of the tabernacle just as God commanded Moses. They brought the tabernacle and all its furnishings to Moses. Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the LORD commanded, so he blessed them.

Exodus 40
The LORD said to Moses that he should set up the tabernacle on the first day of the first month. He should place the ark in the Most Holy Place behind the curtain. He should bring in the table, lampstand and altar of incense. Then he should set up the courtyard curtains. He was to anoint the tabernacle and everything in it to consecrate them. Then he should bring Aaron and his sons, wash them, dress them in their priestly garments and anoint them as priests. Moses did everything just as the LORD commanded. When he finished the work, the cloud covered the tent of meeting and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter because the cloud settled on it and the glory of the LORD filled it. Whenever the cloud lifted, the Israelites would set out. The cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites as they traveled.