Exodus

Exodus

“Departure”

The Pattern of Salvation and Redemption

Archaeologists Discover Remains of Egyptian Army From the Biblical Exodus in Red Sea

Exodus follows Genesis just like

the New Testament follows the Old Testament

Genesis tells of man’s failure under every test and in every condition; Exodus is the thrilling Epic of God hastening to the rescue of man.  It tells of the redeeming work of a sovereign God.  He rescued them to make Himself known, not only by the exercise of His power but also through an ongoing covenant relationship based on His capacity for patience, grace, and forgiveness.

4 Messages conveyed:

➡   “I AM THAT I AM”

➡   Redemption

➡   Law – civil and ceremonial

➡   Tabernacle – God dwelling among His people

Exodus is the book of redemption in the OT.  Beginning with darkness and gloom yet ends in glory; It commences by telling how God came down in grace to deliver an enslaved people, and ends by declaring how God came down in glory to dwell in the midst of a redeemed people.

Exodus in Greek means “way out”.  Without Genesis Exodus has no meaning.  Each book of the Torah is about something and each are vitally related to each other.

Moses spent:

40 years thinking he was somebody

40 years learning he was nobody

40 years discovering what God can do with a nobody.

Bondage and Oppression 

(under 18th dynasty Pharaoh’s Thutmose and Amenhotep II)

The book opens 350 years after the closing scene of Genesis.  Genesis is about family history and Exodus is a national history.  There were only 70 person that went down to Egypt, but before the left had grown to 3 million.

When Joseph died and a new dynasty came to the throne in Egypt, the wealth and great numbers of the children of Israel made them objects of suspension and the Pharaoh became suspicious and reduced them to slavery of the worst sort.  This was hard for them who had lived as free men with every favor upon them.  They remembered the promises God had given to Abraham and his descendants, and it made this bondage doubly hard to understand.  Through the long years of bondage, they clung to the promise that one day Canaan would be their home.

We see God coming down to deliver the people from Egypt and take them back to the land which He promised them.

Deliverance 

The Exodus (1441 BC)

In the construction of any great edifice a blueprint has to be drawn and a pattern made.  Our Salvation was designed by God before the foundation of the world.  We find he pattern in the book of Exodus.  Exodus is the historical picture of divine grace in the redemption of man by God to Himself by Jesus Christ, who is at once our great Apostle (moses) and High Priest (aaron).

The story of Exodus is repeated in every soul that seeks deliverance from the enmeshing and enervating influence of the world.

We study Exodus in order to see God’s way of delivering sinful man, and His gracious purposes in thus rescuing him.

Passover 

Chapter 12-19

9 plagues – then murder of the 1st born.  Hebrews saved by blood of the lamb…When I see blood I will Passover you.

The clearest OT picture of our individual salvation through faith in the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ is our Passover Lamb.

Passover is the Heart

Take a Lamb

 ➡   Christ’s sinless life didn’t save us, his blood that shed death and resurrection did

Sprinkle the blood

 ➡   Blood is not sufficient, blood applied is. 

 ➡   Not blood in the basin but blood applied saves a soul. 

 ➡   Not all the blood shed on the cross can save a soul from death unless it is applied. 

 ➡   Not feelings, person worthiness, only the blood.

Eat the lamb

 ➡   Direction for nourishment, Salvation first the feeding – fellowship, worship, walk, and service.

Remove the Leaven

 ➡   Search me and see if there is any wicked way in me. 

 ➡   Unrighteousness must be removed before we are to eat with God (Marriage Supper of the Lamb)

Bitter Herbs

➡   Christ tasted the bitter cup for us and bitterness too we must suffer. 

➡   The lamb was not to be feasted upon raw but one that suffered, passed through the fire

Be Ready to Leave

➡   They ate standing and dressed, ready to go. 

➡   Peaceful feasting in the houses of Israel; awful mourning in the house of Egypt!

The Passover sealed them

The passage of the Red Sea steeled them

The left Egypt under the blood, marked men.

They passed through the Red Sea directed.

God led them out and shut the door behind them.

The Law

Chapters 20-24

We see the law given, broken, and restored.  Up to this time in Israel’s history all has been about grace and mercy.  God had heard the cry of their bondage and answered them.  God selected a leader and trained him.  god defeated their enemies.  God fed them and yet they rebelled.  Now a new order of things is brought about at Sinai.

The law demands nothing short of perfection.  Only one has been able to keep it perfectly.  Christ not only kept the law but He paid the complete penalty for the broken law.  He suffered so we might be spared.

If a man could not keep the law, why was it given?  That we might know our exceeding sinfulness.

God’s Law reveals our sin condition but doesn’t cleanse us from it.  (Just like a doctor reveals the condition of a sick patient).  It did not make man sin, it showed him hat he was a sinner.

The law is God’s mirror to show us our exceeding sinfulness.

There are 2 mountain peaks which stand over against each other in God’s Word.

   ➡   Mt Sinai, with all of its horror thundered forth the law

   ➡   Opposite this God places Calvary which took away all the fire and thunder and made possible a meeting place between God and the sinner.  We each have a choice how we shall approach God, by the law, or by blood.

There was not provision made in the law for failure.  It is all or nothing – the whole law or a broken thing.  One hole in a bowl, one crack in a pitcher, unfits it for its purpose.  One flaw in a character mars the perfection God requires under the law.

It is divided into 2 parts:

  ➡   mans attitude toward God

  ➡   mans attiude toward his fellow men.

Human pride always makes us think that we can please God by ourselves.  Before Israel even received the law or started to keep it, they were dancing around the golden calf, and worhsipping a god they had made.

Teaches us the redeemed must do the will of their Redeemer, consecrating themselves to His service, and submitting to His control.  Therefore, the moral law is given, followed by the ceremonial law which was provision for the violator of the moral law.

The Tabernacle

Chapter 25-40

God told Moses He wished a sanctuary or holy dwelling place which should point to Christ and tell of His person and work.

Outer Court

The brazen altar on which the burnt offerings were sacrificed (Christ is our sin offering)

The Holy Place

The golden lampstand (typifying Christ, the light of the world, and the bread of presence) Christ is the Bread of life, and the golden altar of incense symbolizing His intercession for us

Holy of Holies

Draw back the veil (Christ’s body) we see the ark of the covenant, symbolizing God’s presence   Into this holy of Holies, the high priest came only once a year to sprinkle the blood of atomnment.  Christ is not only our High Priest but that He was our atonement, so we can go into the HH (the presence of God) ant any time with boldness.

The Tabernacle

With the cloud of glory over it, taught the people that God was dwelling in their midst.  It was the common center and rallying point which hcould be moved from time to time.

God gave the tabernacle as a detailed picture of the Redeemer to come, in His many offices, and as a dwelling place for His visible glory on earth.

Chapter 1 : The Israelites Multiply in Egypt

1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.
2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. 5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were 70 souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already. 6 And Joseph died, and all his brothers, and all that generation. 7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.

Oppression by a New Pharaoh

8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.  9 And he said to his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:  10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them;  lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falls out any war, they join also to our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. 11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom (“lower Egypt, City of Justice”) and Raamses. (“child of the sun”) 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. 13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor: 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigor.

Pharoah Orders Male Children Killed

15 And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah (“fair,brightness, beauty”), and the name of the other Puah: (“glitter, splendid, brilliancy”) 16 And he said, When you do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them on the stools; if it be a son, then you shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. 

18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, Why have you done this thing, and have saved the men children alive? 19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in to them. 20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. 21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses. 22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.

Exodus 2 : The Birth of Moses (to be drawn out of the water)

1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. 2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him 3 months. 3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and laid it in the flags by the river’s brink. 4 And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him. 

Notes:

3 months 12 weeks 84 days 2016 hours 120,960 minutes   ark vessel which Noah built basket vessel in which Moses was placed תֵּבָה têbâh, tay-baw’; perhaps of foreign derivation; a box:—ark. 28x in 25v bulrushes = “rush, reed, papyrus” גֹּמֶא gômeʼ, go’-meh; from H1572; properly, an absorbent, i.e. the bulrush (from its porosity); specifically the papyrus:—(bul-) rush. 1573; 4x in 4v daubed to boil, foam, foam up, ferment (Qal) to boil, foam up (Poalal) to be troubled, be in turmoil (Poalal) to be reddened (Qal) to daub, seal up, cover or smear with asphalt חָמַר châmar, khaw-mar’; a primitive root; also as denominative (from H2564) properly, to boil up; hence, to ferment (with scum); to glow (with redness); to smear with pitch:—daub, befoul, be red, trouble. slime = “pitch, asphalt, bitumen” חֵמָר chêmâr, khay-mawr’; from H2560; bitumen (as rising to the surface):—slime(-pit). bitumen which boils up from subterranean fountains like oil or hot pitch, in the vicinity of Babylon, and also near the Dead Sea, and from its bottom; it afterwards hardens through the heat of the sun, and is collected on the surface of the Dead Sea pitch = “tar, asphalt” זֶפֶת zepheth, zeh’-feth; from an unused root (meaning to liquify); asphalt (from its tendency to soften in the sun):—pitch. as having the idea of liquefaction or dropping. ***this is how Sodom and Gomorrah slide in the Dead Sea flags reed, rush, water plant rushes sea of rushes of Red Sea of arms of Red Sea of Gulf of Suez of sea from straits to Gulf of Akaba סוּף çûwph, soof; probably of Egyptian origin; a reed, especially the papyrus:—flag, Red (sea), weed. Compare H5489. 28x in 28v brink lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding lip (as body part) language edge, shore, bank (of cup, sea, river, etc) שָׂפָה sâphâh, saw-faw’; or (in dual and plural) שֶׂפֶת sepheth; probably fromH5595 or H8192 through the idea of termination (compare H5490); the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.):—band, bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language, lip, prating, (sea-)shore, side, speech, talk, (vain) words. 176 times in 164 v   In an Egyptian name like Thutmose, mose is related to an Egyptian verb meaning “bear, produce, bring forth” and a noun meaning “child,” while Thut/Thoth was a god, so “Thutmose” and similar names celebrated a connection between the “birth of a child and an Egyptian god”.  Pharaoh’s daughter named Moses in a way that suited Egyptian naming patters and commemorated her action in saving his life, celebrating his connection with her.

Pharaoh’s Daughter Rescues Moses

5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river-side; and she saw the ark among the flags, and sent her handmaid to fetch it. 6 And she opened it, and saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews children. 7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maiden went and called the child’s mother.

 9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. 10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses, and said, Because I drew him out of the water.

Moses Kills an Egyptian

11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown up, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he saw an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.  13 And he went out the 2nd day, and, behold, 2 men of the Hebrews were striving together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? 14 And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? Thinkest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely the thing is known.

Moses Flees to Midian

15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian:  and he sat down by a well. 16 Now the priest of Midian had 7 daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 And the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. 18 And when they came to Reuel (“friend of God”) their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to-day? 19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and moreover he drew water for us, and watered the flock. 20 And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? Why is it that ye have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread. 21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah (“bird”) his daughter. 22 And she bare a son, and he called his name Gershom;(“foreigner”) for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.

Notes:

Midianites were descendants of Abraham through his wife Keturah. Midian or Midianite = “strife” son of Abraham by Keturah and progenitor of the tribe of Midianites or Arabians the tribe descended from Midian the territory of the tribe descended from Midian; located principally in the desert north of the Arabian peninsula; land to which Moses went when he fled from Pharaoh מִדְיָן Midyân, mid-yawn’; the same as H4079; Midjan, a son of Abraham; also his country and (collectively) his descendants:—Midian, Midianite. 59 times in 55 v  trough רַהַט rahaṭ, rah’-hat; from an unused root apparently meaning to hollow out; a channel or watering-box; by resemblance a ringlet of hair (as forming parallel lines):—gallery, gutter, trough. Reuel or Raguel = “friend of God” a son of Esau by his wife Bashemath, the sister of Ishmael the father-in-law of Moses also ‘Jethro’ father of Eliasaph, the leader of the tribe of Gad at the time of the census at Sinai a Benjamite, ancestor of Elah Zipporah = “bird” daughter of Reuel or Jethro, wife of Moses, and mother of Gershom and Eliezer צִפֹּרָה Tsippôrâh, tsip-po-raw’; feminine of H6833; bird; Tsipporah, Moses’ wife:—Zipporah. Gershom = “foreigner” firstborn son of Moses and Zipporah firstborn son of Levi a son of the priestly family of Phinehas who returned from exile with Ezra גֵּרְשֹׁם Gêrᵉshôm, gay-resh-ome’; for H1648; Gereshom, the name of four Israelites:—Gershom. 14 times in 14 v Gershon or Gershom = “exile” firstborn son of Levi born before Jacob’s family went to Egypt 17 times in 17 v

God Hears the Israelites’ Cry

23 And it came to pass in the course of those many days, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God saw the children of Israel, and God took knowledge of them .

Chapter 3 : Moses at the Burning Bush

1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God, unto Horeb. 2 And the angel of Jehovah appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4 And when Jehovah saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. 5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. 6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. 7 And Jehovah said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people that are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; 8 and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 9 And now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: moreover I have seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

Moses Call

10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. 11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? 12 And he said,

Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be the token unto thee, that I have sent thee: when thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. 13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them?

14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. 15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, Jehovah, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. 16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, Jehovah, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, hath appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and’seen that which is done to you in Egypt: 17 and I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. 18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews, hath met with us: and now let us go, we pray thee, 3 days journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to Jehovah our God.

God Will Do Wonders

19 And I know that the king of Egypt will not give you leave to go, no, not by a mighty hand. 20 And I will put forth my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go. 21 And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty. 22 But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall despoil the Egyptians.

Chapter 4 : Moses’ Staff

1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me,  nor listen to my voice:  for they will say, The LORD has not appeared to you. 2 And the LORD said to him, What is that in your hand? And he said, A rod. 3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. 4 And the LORD said to Moses, Put forth your hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: 5 That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.

Moses’ Leprous Hand

6 And the LORD said furthermore to him, Put now your hand into your bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. 7 And he said, Put your hand into your bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. 8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe you, neither listen to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. 9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither listen to your voice, that you shall take of the water of the river, and pour it on the dry land: and the water which you take out of the river shall become blood on the dry land. 

Moses Feels Inadequate : The Appointment of Aaron

10 And Moses said to the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since you have spoken to your servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 11 And the LORD said to him, Who has made man’s mouth? or who makes the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall say. 13 And he said, O my LORD, send, I pray you, by the hand of him whom you will send. 14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he comes forth to meet you: and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 And you shall speak to him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with your mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do. 16 And he shall be your spokesman to the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to you instead of a mouth, and you shall be to him instead of God. 

17 And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do signs.

Moses Returns to Egypt

18And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said to him, Let me go, I pray you, and return to my brothers which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace. 19And the LORD said to Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought your life. 20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them on an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand. 21 And the LORD said to Moses, When you go to return into Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in your hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.

 22 And you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus said the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: 23 And I say to you, Let my son go, that he may serve me:  and if you refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay your son, even your firstborn. 24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband are you to me. 26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband you are, because of the circumcision.

The People Believe Moses and Aaron

27 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him. 28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him. 29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: 30 And Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

Exodus 5 : Pharaoh’s First Refusal

1And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus said the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness. 2And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go. 3And they said, The God of the Hebrews has met with us: let us go, we pray you, 3 days’ journey into the desert, and sacrifice to the LORD our God; lest he fall on us with pestilence, or with the sword. 4And the king of Egypt said to them, Why do you, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you to your burdens. 5And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and you make them rest from their burdens.

Bricks and Straw

6And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, 7You shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, you shall lay on them; you shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. 9Let there more work be laid on the men, that they may labor therein; and let them not regard vain words.

10And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, Thus said Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. 11Go you, get you straw where you can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished. 12So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. 13And the taskmasters hurried them, saying, Fulfill your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw. 14And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Why have you not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?

The Israelites’ Cry

15Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, Why deal you thus with your servants? 16There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.

17But he said, You are idle, you are idle: therefore you say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD.

18Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall you deliver the tale of bricks. 19And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, You shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task. 20And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh: 21And they said to them, The LORD look on you, and judge; because you have made our smell to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

22And Moses returned to the LORD, and said, LORD, why have you so evil entreated this people? why is it that you have sent me? 23For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have you delivered your people at all.

Exodus 6 : God Promises Deliverance

1Then the LORD said to Moses, Now shall you see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.

2And God spoke to Moses, and said to him, I am the LORD: 3And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. 4And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. 5And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. 6Why say to the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: 7And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, which brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8And I will bring you in to the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD. 9And Moses spoke so to the children of Israel: but they listened not to Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.

Moses and Aaron Sent to Pharaoh

10And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 11Go in, speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. 12And Moses spoke before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not listened to me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?

Genealogies of Moses and Aaron

13And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and gave them a charge to the children of Israel, and to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

14These be the heads of their fathers’ houses:

The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these be the families of Reuben.

15And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon.

16And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an 137 years. 17The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families.18And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath were an 133 years.19And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations.

20And Amram took him Jochebed his father’s sister to wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an 137 years. 21And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri. 22And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri. 23And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bore him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 24And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites. 25And Eleazar Aaron’s son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bore him Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families.

Moses and Aaron’s Story Recounted

26These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the LORD said, Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies.27These are they which spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron.

28And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, 29That the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, I am the LORD: speak you to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you. 30And Moses said before the LORD, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh listen to me?

Chapter 7 : I will Stretch Out My Hand

1And the LORD said to Moses, See, I have made you a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. 2You shall speak all that I command you: and Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land. 3And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. 4But Pharaoh shall not listen to you, that I may lay my hand on Egypt, and bring forth my armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. 5And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth my hand on Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them. 6And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they. 7And Moses was 80 years old, and Aaron 83 years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.

Aaron’s Staff Becomes a Serpent

8 And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 9 When Pharaoh shall speak to you, saying, Show a miracle for you: then you shall say to Aaron, Take your rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. 10 And Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. 12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. 13 And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he listened not to them; as the LORD had said.

The First Plague: Blood

14 And the LORD said to Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened, he refuses to let the people go. 15 Get you to Pharaoh in the morning; see, he goes out to the water; and you shall stand by the river’s brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shall you take in your hand. 16 And you shall say to him, The LORD God of the Hebrews has sent me to you, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, till now you would not hear. 

17 Thus said the LORD, In this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in my hand on the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. 

18 And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink of the water of the river. 19 And the LORD spoke to Moses, Say to Aaron, Take your rod, and stretch out your hand on the waters of Egypt, on their streams, on their rivers, and on their ponds, and on all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone. 20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. 21 And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. 22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, neither did he listen to them; as the LORD had said. 23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also.

 24 And all the Egyptians dig round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river. 25 And 7 days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the river.

Chapter 8 : The Second Plague of Frogs

1And the LORD spoke to Moses, Go to Pharaoh, and say to him, Thus said the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 2And if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all your borders with frogs: 3And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into your house, and into your bedchamber, and on your bed, and into the house of your servants, and on your people, and into your ovens, and into your kneading troughs: 4And the frogs shall come up both on you, and on your people, and on all your servants. 5And the LORD spoke to Moses, Say to Aaron, Stretch forth your hand with your rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt. 6And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. 7And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.

Pharoah Asks for Relief

8Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Entreat the LORD, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice to the LORD. 9And Moses said to Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I entreat for you, and for your servants, and for your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses, that they may remain in the river only? 10And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to your word: that you may know that there is none like to the LORD our God.11And the frogs shall depart from you, and from your houses, and from your servants, and from your people; they shall remain in the river only. 12And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: and Moses cried to the LORD because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh. 13And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields. 14And they gathered them together on heaps: and the land stank. 15But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and listened not to them; as the LORD had said.

The Third Plague: Gnats

16 And the LORD said to Moses, Say to Aaron, Stretch out your rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt. 17 And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. 18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice on man, and on beast. 19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he listened not to them; as the LORD had said.

The Fourth Plague: Flies

20 And the LORD said to Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; see, he comes forth to the water; and say to him, Thus said the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 21 Else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you, and on your servants, and on your people, and into your houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground where on they are. 22 And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end you may know that I am the LORD in the middle of the earth. 23 And I will put a division between my people and your people: to morrow shall this sign be. 24 And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.

Pharaoh’s Heart Hardened

25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go you, sacrifice to your God in the land. 26 And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: see, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us? 27 We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us. 28 And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away: entreat for me. 29 And Moses said, Behold, I go out from you, and I will entreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD. 30 And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the LORD. 31 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one. 32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go. 

Chapter 9 : The Fifth Plague: Livestock

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus said the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 2 For if you refuse to let them go, and will hold them still, 3 Behold, the hand of the LORD is on your cattle which is in the field, on the horses, on the asses, on the camels, on the oxen, and on the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain. 4 And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of Israel. 5 And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land. 6 And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one. 7 And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

The Sixth Plague: Boils

8 And the LORD said to Moses and to Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. 9 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains on man, and on beast, throughout all the land of Egypt. 10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains on man, and on beast. 11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was on the magicians, and on all the Egyptians. 12 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he listened not to them; as the LORD had spoken to Moses.

The Seventh Plague: Hail

13 And the LORD said to Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, Thus said the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 14 For I will at this time send all my plagues on your heart, and on your servants, and on your people; that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth. 15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite you and your people with pestilence; and you shall be cut off from the earth. 16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised you up, for to show in you my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. 17 As yet exalt you yourself against my people, that you will not let them go? 18 Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as has not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now. 19 Send therefore now, and gather your cattle, and all that you have in the field; for on every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down on them, and they shall die. 20 He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: 21 And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field. 22 And the LORD said to Moses, Stretch forth your hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man, and on beast, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt. 23 And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along on the ground; and the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt. 24 So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. 25 And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the field. 26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail. 27 And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. 28 Entreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunder and hail; and I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer. 29 And Moses said to him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands to the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that you may know how that the earth is the LORD’s. 30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you will not yet fear the LORD God. 31 And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was in bloom. 32 But the wheat and the rye were not smitten: for they were not grown up. 33 And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands to the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth. 34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. 35 And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.

Chapter 10 : The Eighth Plague: Locusts

1 And the LORD said to Moses, Go in to Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might show these my signs before him: 2And that you may tell in the ears of your son, and of your son’s son, what things I have worked in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that you may know how that I am the LORD. 3 And Moses and Aaron came in to Pharaoh, and said to him, Thus said the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me. 4 Else, if you refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into your coast: 5 And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remains to you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the field: 6 And they shall fill your houses, and the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither your fathers, nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh. 7 And Pharaoh’s servants said to him, How long shall this man be a snare to us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: know you not yet that Egypt is destroyed? 8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh: and he said to them, Go, serve the LORD your God: but who are they that shall go? 9 And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast to the LORD. 10 And he said to them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you. 11 Not so: go now you that are men, and serve the LORD; for that you did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence. 12 And the LORD said to Moses, Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail has left. 13 And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind on the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.

14And the locust went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such. 15For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt. 16Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. 17Now therefore forgive, I pray you, my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only. 18And he went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the LORD. 19And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt. 20But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.

The Ninth Plague: Darkness

21 And the LORD said to Moses, Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. 22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt 3 days: 23 They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. 24 And Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, Go you, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you. 25 And Moses said, You must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. 26 Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God;

and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither. 27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. 28 And Pharaoh said to him, Get you from me, take heed to yourself, see my face no more; for in that day you see my face you shall die. 29 And Moses said, You have spoken well, I will see your face again no more.

Chapter 11 : The Plague on the Firstborn Foretold

1And Jehovah said unto Moses, Yet one plague more will I bring upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether. 2Speak now in the ears of the people, and let them ask every man of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold. 3And Jehovah gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people. 4And Moses said, Thus saith Jehovah,

About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: 5and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill; and all the first-born of cattle.

6And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there hath not been, nor shall be any more. 7But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that Jehovah doth make a distinction between the Egyptians and Israel. 8And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.9And Jehovah said unto Moses, Pharaoh will not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt. 10And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and Jehovah hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.

Notes:

to ask, enquire, borrow, beg שָׁאַל shâʼal, shaw-al’; or שָׁאֵל shâʼêl; a primitive root; to inquire; by implication, to request; by extension, to demand:—ask (counsel, on), beg, borrow, lay to charge, consult, demand, desire, × earnestly, enquire, greet, obtain leave, lend, pray, request, require, salute, × straitly, × surely, wish. ask (94x),enquire (22x), desire (9x), require (7x), borrow (6x), salute (4x), demand (4x),lent (4x), request (3x), earnestly (2x), beg (2x), miscellaneous (16x). 173 times in 157 v jewels article, vessel, implement, utensil article, object (general) utensil, implement, apparatus, vessel implement (of hunting or war) implement (of music) implement, tool (of labour) equipment, yoke (of oxen) utensils, furniture vessel, receptacle (general) vessels (boats) of paper-reed כְּלִי kᵉlîy, kel-ee’; from H3615; something prepared, i.e. any apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon):—armour(-bearer), artillery, bag, carriage, furnish, furniture, instrument, jewel, that is made of, × one from another, that which pertaineth, pot, psaltery, sack, stuff, thing, tool, vessel, ware, weapon, whatsoever. vessel (166x),instrument (39x), weapon (21x), jewel (21x), armourbearer (with H5375) (18x),stuff (14x), thing (11x), armour (10x), furniture (7x), carriage (3x), bag (2x),miscellaneous (13x) 325 times in 276 v silver, money silver as metal as ornament as colour money, shekels, talents כֶּסֶף keçeph, keh’-sef; from H3700; silver (from its pale color); by implication, money:—money, price, silver(-ling). silver (287x),money (112x), price (3x), silverlings (1x). 403 times in 343 v gold as precious metal as a measure of weight of brilliance, splendour (fig.) זָהָב zâhâb, zaw-hawb’; from an unused root meaning to shimmer; gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky:—gold(-en), fair weather. gold (348x),golden (40x), fair weather (1x) 389 times in 336 v firstborn, firstling of men and women of animals noun of relation (fig.) בְּכוֹר bᵉkôwr, bek-ore’; from H1069; first-born; hence, chief:—eldest (son), firstborn(-ling). firstborn (101x),firstling (10x), eldest (4x), firstborn (with H1121) (1x), eldest son (1x). 117 times in 96 v seat (of honour), throne, seat, stool seat (of honour), throne royal dignity, authority, power (fig.) כִּסֵּא kiççêʼ, kis-say’; or כִּסֵּה kiççêh; from H3680; properly, covered, i.e. a throne (as canopied):—seat, stool, throne. throne (127x),seat (7x), stool (1x). 135 times in 124 v handmills a pair of millstones for grinding רֵחֶה rêcheh, ray-kheh’; from an unused root meaning to pulverize; a mill-stone:—mill (stone). tongue tongue (of men) tongue (literal) tongue (organ of speech) language tongue (of animals) tongue (of fire) wedge, bay of sea (tongue-shaped) לָשׁוֹן lâshôwn, law-shone’; or לָשֹׁן lâshôn; also (in plural) feminine לְשֹׁנָה lᵉshônâh; from H3960; the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of water):— babbler, bay, evil speaker, language, talker, tongue, wedge. tongue (98x),language (10x), bay (3x), wedge (2x), babbler (1x), flame (1x),speaker (with H376) (1x), talkers (1x) 117 times in 115 v

Chapter 12 : The First Passover

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the 1st month of the year to you. 3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the 10th day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 6 And ye shall keep it up until the 14th day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. 11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it [is] the LORD’S passover. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

14And this day shall be to you for a memorial; and you shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. 15Seven days shall you eat unleavened bread; even the first day you shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the 7th day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. 16And in the 1st day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the 7th day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. 17And you shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall you observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever. 18In the 1st month, on the 14th day of the month at even, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the 21st day of the month at even. 19Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whoever eats that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land. 20You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall you eat unleavened bread. 21Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said to them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. 22And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. 23For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he sees the blood on the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you. 24And you shall observe this thing for an ordinance to you and to your sons for ever. 25And it shall come to pass, when you be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he has promised, that you shall keep this service. 26And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say to you, What mean you by this service? 27That you shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped. 28And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.

The Tenth Plague: Death of Firstborn

29And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. 30And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.

The Exodus Begins

31And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both you and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as you have said. 32Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also. 33And the Egyptians were urgent on the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men. 34And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes on their shoulders. 35And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: 36And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent to them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians. 37And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about 600,000 on foot that were men, beside children. 38And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle. 39And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual. 40Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelled in Egypt, was 430 years. 41And it came to pass at the end of the 430 years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. 42It is a night to be much observed to the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.

Instructions for the Passover

43And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof: 44But every man’s servant that is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof. 45A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof. 46In one house shall it be eaten; you shall not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall you break a bone thereof. 47All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. 48And when a stranger shall sojourn with you, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. 49One law shall be to him that is home born, and to the stranger that sojournes among you. 50Thus did all the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. 51And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.

Chapter 13 : Dedication of the Firstborn

1And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2Sanctify to me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine. 3And Moses said to the people, Remember this day, in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. 4This day came you out in the month Abib. 5And it shall be when the LORD shall bring you into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month. 6Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD.7Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with you, neither shall there be leaven seen with you in all your quarters.8And you shall show your son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did to me when I came forth out of Egypt. 9And it shall be for a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that the LORD’s law may be in your mouth: for with a strong hand has the LORD brought you out of Egypt. 10You shall therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year. 11And it shall be when the LORD shall bring you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and to your fathers, and shall give it you, 12That you shall set apart to the LORD all that opens the matrix(womb), and every firstling that comes of a beast which you have; the males shall be the LORD’s. 13And every firstling of an ass you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among your children shall you redeem. 14And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, What is this? that you shall say to him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: 15And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that opens the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem. 16And it shall be for a token on your hand, and for frontlets between your eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.

The Pillars of Cloud and Fire

17And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: 18But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. 19And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straightly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and you shall carry up my bones away hence with you. 20And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. 21And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: 22He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

Chapter 14 : Pharaoh Pursues the Israelites

1And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall you encamp by the sea. 3For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness has shut them in.4And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honored on Pharaoh, and on all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.

5And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? 6And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: 7And he took 600 chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them. 8And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand. 9But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.10And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD. 11And they said to Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? why have you dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 12Is not this the word that we did tell you in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. 13And Moses said to the people, Fear you not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you to day: for the Egyptians whom you have seen to day, you shall see them again no more for ever. 14The LORD shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.

Parting the Red Sea

15And the LORD said to Moses, Why cry you to me? speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward: 16But lift you up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the middle of the sea. 17And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honor on Pharaoh, and on all his host, on his chariots, and on his horsemen. 18And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honor on Pharaoh, on his chariots, and on his horsemen. 19And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: 20And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night. 21And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22And the children of Israel went into the middle of the sea on the dry ground: and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left. 23And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the middle of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked to the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, 25And took off their chariot wheels, that they drove them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians. 26And the LORD said to Moses, Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come again on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.27And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the middle of the sea. 28And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them. 29But the children of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea; and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left. 30Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the sea shore. 31And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did on the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.

Chapter 15 : Moses’ Song of Deliverance

1Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song to the LORD, and spoke, saying, I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider has he thrown into the sea. 2The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him. 3The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name. 4Pharaoh’s chariots and his host has he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea. 5The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone. 6Your right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: your right hand, O LORD, has dashed in pieces the enemy. 7And in the greatness of your excellency you have overthrown them that rose up against you: you sent forth your wrath, which consumed them as stubble. 8And with the blast of your nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea. 9The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied on them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. 10You did blow with your wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters. 11Who is like to you, O LORD, among the gods? who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? 12You stretched out your right hand, the earth swallowed them. 13You in your mercy have led forth the people which you have redeemed: you have guided them in your strength to your holy habitation.

14The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina. 15Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold on them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. 

16Fear and dread shall fall on them; by the greatness of your arm they shall be as still as a stone; till your people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which you have purchased. 17You shall bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which you have made for you to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O LORD, which your hands have established. 18The LORD shall reign for ever and ever. 19For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea on them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the middle of the sea.

 20And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances. 21And Miriam answered them, Sing you to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider has he thrown into the sea.

The Waters of Marah

22So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went 3 days in the wilderness, and found no water. 23And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.

24And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? 25And he cried to the LORD; and the LORD showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, 26And said, If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and will do that which is right in his sight, and will give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases on you, which I have brought on the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that heals you. 27And they came to Elim, where were 12 wells of water, and 70 palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

Chapter 16 : Bread from Heaven

1They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the 15th day of the 2nd month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. 2And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” 4Then the LORD said to Moses,

“Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. 5On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” 6So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against the LORD. For what are we, that you grumble against us?” 8And Moses said, “When the LORD gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the LORD has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the LORD.” 9Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, ‘Come near before the LORD, for he has heard your grumbling.’” 10And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. 11And the LORD said to Moses, 12“I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’” 13In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?”^a For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat. 16This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer,^b according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’” 17And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. 18But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. 19And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” 20But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. 21Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted. 22On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses,

23he said to them, “This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.’” 24So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it. 25Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field.26Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.” 27On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none.28And the LORD said to Moses,

“How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? 29See! The LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the 6th day he gives you bread for 2 days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the 7th day.” 30So the people rested on the seventh day. 31Now the house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. 32Moses said, “This is what theLORD has commanded: ‘Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, so that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” 33And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the LORD to be kept throughout your generations.” 34As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the testimony to be kept.35The people of Israel ate the manna 40 years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan. 36(An omer is the tenth part of an ephah (grain).)^c

Chapter 17 : Water from the Rock

1All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the  LORD, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?” 3But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” 4So Moses cried to the LORD, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” 5And the LORD said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7And he called the name of the place Massah^a and Meribah,^b because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the LORD by saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”

 Israel Defeats Amalek

8Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. 9So Moses said to Joshua,

“Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” 10So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

11Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.

12But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

13And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword. 

14Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” 15And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The LORD Is My Banner, 16saying, “A hand upon the throne^c of the LORD! The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

Chapter 18 : Jethro’s Advice

1Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.

2Now Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her home, 3along with her two sons. The name of the one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a sojourner^a in a foreign land”), 4and the name of the other, Eliezer^b (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”). 5Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God. 6And when he sent word to Moses, “I,^c your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her,” 7Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. And they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent.

8Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them in the way, and how the LORD had delivered them. 9And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the LORD had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.  10Jethro said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, because in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people.”^d 12And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.  13The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening.

14When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?” 15And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God; 16when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws.” 17Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good.18You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. 19Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God,20and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do.

21Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 22And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.23If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.” 24So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.25Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 26And they judged the people at all times. Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves. 27Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went away to his own country.

Chapter 19  : Israel at Mount Sinai

1On the 3rd new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. 2They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, 3while Moses went up to God. The LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying,

“Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: 4You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;6and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” 7So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him. 8All the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” And Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD. 9And the LORD said to Moses,

“Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.” When Moses told the words of the people to the LORD, 10the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments11and be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12And you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death. 13No hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot (with an arrow);^a whether beast or man, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.” 14So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and consecrated the people; and they washed their garments. 15And he said to the people, “Be ready for the 3rd day; do not go near a woman.” 16On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled.17Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. 18Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the LORD had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. 19And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. 20The LORD came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. 21And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the LORD to look and many of them perish. 22Also let the priests who come near to the LORD consecrate themselves, lest the LORD break out against them.” 23And Moses said to the LORD, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.’” 24And the LORD said to him, “Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD, lest he break out against them.” 25So Moses went down to the people and told them.

Chapter 20 : The Ten Commandments

1And God spoke all these words, saying, 

2“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 

3“You shall have no other gods before^a me. 

4“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

5You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,6but showing steadfast love to thousands^b of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.  

8“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11For in six days the LORD made heaven and 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. 

12“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. 

13“You shall not murder.^c 

14“You shall not commit adultery. 

15“You shall not steal. 

16“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

 17“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 is your neighbor’s.”

 18Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid^d and trembled, and they stood far off 19and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” 20Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

Laws About Altars

22And the LORD said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven.

23You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold. 24An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you. 25If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you wield your tool on it you profane it. 26And you shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness be not exposed on it.’

Chapter 21 : Laws About Slaves

1“Now these are the rules that you shall set before them.

2When you buy a Hebrew slave,^a he shall serve 6 years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. 3If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out alone. 5But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ 6then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever.

7“When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do.8If she does not please her master, who has designated her^b for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has broken faith with her. 9If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her as with a daughter. 10If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights. 11And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money.

12“Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death. 13But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee. 14But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him by cunning, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.

15“Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death. 16“Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death. 17“Whoever curses^c his father or his mother shall be put to death.

18“When men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist and the man does not die but takes to his bed, 19then if the man rises again and walks outdoors with his staff, he who struck him shall be clear; only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall have him thoroughly healed.

20“When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. 21But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money.

22“When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. 23But if there is harm,^d then you shall pay life for life, 24eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

26“When a man strikes the eye of his slave, male or female, and destroys it, he shall let the slave go free because of his eye. 27If he knocks out the tooth of his slave, male or female, he shall let the slave go free because of his tooth.

28“When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the ox shall not be liable. 29But if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death. 30If a ransom is imposed on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is imposed on him. 31If it gores a man’s son or daughter, he shall be dealt with according to this same rule. 32If the ox gores a slave, male or female, the owner shall give to their master 30 shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

Laws About Restitution

33“When a man opens a pit, or when a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34the owner of the pit shall make restoration. He shall give money to its owner, and the dead beast shall be his.

35“When one man’s ox butts another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and share its price, and the dead beast also they shall share. 36Or if it is known that the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall repay ox for ox, and the dead beast shall be his.

exodus 22 : Property Rights

1^a “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall repay 5 oxen for an ox, and 4 sheep for a sheep. 2^b If a thief is found breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him, 3but if the sun has risen on him, there shall be bloodguilt for him. He shall surely pay. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. 4If the stolen beast is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double.

5“If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over, or lets his beast loose and it feeds in another man’s field, he shall make restitution from the best in his own field and in his own vineyard.

6“If fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution.

7“If a man gives to his neighbor money or goods to keep safe, and it is stolen from the man’s house, then, if the thief is found, he shall pay double. 8If the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall come near to God to show whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor’s property. 9For every breach of trust, whether it is for an ox, for a donkey, for a sheep, for a cloak, or for any kind of lost thing, of which one says, ‘This is it,’ the case of both parties shall come before God. The one whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor.

10“If a man gives to his neighbor a donkey or an ox or a sheep or any beast to keep safe, and it dies or is injured or is driven away, without anyone seeing it, 11an oath by the LORD shall be between them both to see whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor’s property. The owner shall accept the oath, and he shall not make restitution. 12But if it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner. 13If it is torn by beasts, let him bring it as evidence. He shall not make restitution for what has been torn.

14“If a man borrows anything of his neighbor, and it is injured or dies, the owner not being with it, he shall make full restitution. 15If the owner was with it, he shall not make restitution; if it was hired, it came for its hiring fee.^c

Laws About Social Justice

16“If a man seduces a virgin^d who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price^e for her and make her his wife. 17If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins.

18“You shall not permit a sorceress to live.

19“Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death.

20“Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the LORD alone, shall be devoted to destruction.^f

21“You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. 22You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. 23If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, 24and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.

25“If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him. 26If ever you take your neighbor’s cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, 27for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

28“You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.

29“You shall not delay to offer from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to me. 30You shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep: seven days it shall be with its mother; on the eighth day you shall give it to me.

31“You shall be consecrated to me. Therefore you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by beasts in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.

exodus 23 : various laws

1“You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. 2You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice, 3nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit.

4“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him.5If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.

6“You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in his lawsuit. 7Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked. 8And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of those who are in the right.

9“You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.

Laws About the Sabbath and Festivals

10“For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield, 11but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the beasts of the field may eat. You shall do likewise with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard.

12“Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed.

13“Pay attention to all that I have said to you, and make no mention of the names of other gods, nor let it be heard on your lips.

14“Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me. 15You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. None shall appear before me empty-handed. 16You shall keep the Feast of Harvest, of the firstfruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field. You shall keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labor. 17Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord GOD.

18“You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened, or let the fat of my feast remain until the morning.

19“The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God.

“You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.