Carpe Scriptura

Exodus

This chapter’s focus is on the life of Moses up until the giving of the commandments and ordinances in the wilderness by way of the Israelite escape from Egypt.

• Exodus 1: The Hebrews are enslaved and Pharaoh commands his people to kill their sons at birth.
• [Addition: In search of Exodus, looking for the historicity of the Bible.]
• Exodus 2: Baby Moses is saved, murders an Egyptian, and flees to Midian.
• [Addition: On the similarities between Moses and Sargon of Akkad.]
• Exodus 3: God calls on Moses to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt.
• Exodus 4: God’s call continued. Also, God tries to murder Moses. Aaron is on board as Moses’ spokesperson.
• [Addition: On the similarities between Moses and Abraham.]
• Exodus 5: Moses and Aaron have their first meeting with Pharaoh. It doesn’t go well.
• Exodus 6: God gives Moses a pep talk and we get another genealogy.
• Exodus 7: Pharaoh’s heart is hardened, so Aaron turns his rod into a snake and unleashes the first plague (blood).
• [Addition: Why is Aaron the principle actor in the plagues narrative?]
• Exodus 8: The second plague (frogs), third plague (gnats), and fourth plague (flies).
• Exodus 9: The fifth (cattle death), sixth (boils), and seventh (hail) plagues.
• Exodus 10: Plagues eight (locusts) and nine (darkness).
• Exodus 11: The final plague is announced.
• Exodus 12: God gives some cooking tips and then commits genocide.
• Exodus 13: God hints at child sacrifice, then sends the Israelites out into the wilderness.
• Exodus 14: Moses parts the Red Sea, Pharaoh is drowned.
• Exodus 15: Miriam leads the Israelites in singing praises to God. Then God provides water.
• Exodus 16: God feeds the Hebrews for 40 years with manna.
• Exodus 17: Moses draws water from a stone and Joshua fights the Amalekites.
• [Addition: What’s the deal with Joshua?]
• Exodus 18: Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, comes to visit.
• Exodus 19: God appears to the Israelites at Mount Sinai.
• Exodus 20: God delivers ten commandments, plus a few more.
• [Addition: The politics of the ten commandments.]
• [Addition: The origins of the ten commandments and the Egyptian Book of the Dead.]
• Exodus 21: Some additional rules about slavery and murder.
• Exodus 22: More rules, covering property, social, and cultic concerns.
• Exodus 23: More rules, the setting of the cultic calendar, and the appointment of a guardian angel.
• Exodus 24: Hebrews agree to follow the rules and the Covenant is made.
• [Addition: Why is Moses sometimes depicted with horns?]
• Exodus 25: Instructions for the construction of the Ark.
• Exodus 26: Instructions for building the tent of the tabernacle.
• Exodus 27: Instructions for building the altar and the court of the Ark.
• Exodus 28: Instructions for the making of priestly robes.
• Exodus 29: Instructions for the ordination of priests.
• [Addition: What are the ephod and teraphim?]
• Exodus 30: Moses is asked to take a census and receives more instructions for the priests.
• Exodus 31: The appointing of the craftsmen and reminder to keep the Sabbath.
• Exodus 32: The Golden Calf.
• [Addition: What’s the meaning of Aaron’s involvement in the making of the Golden Calf.]
• Exodus 33: God sends the Hebrews onward towards the Promised Land.
• Exodus 34: God dictates the new Ten Commandments.
• Exodus 35: Collecting materials for the tent of meeting.
• Exodus 36: Bezalel and Oholiab begin construction.
• Exodus 37: Construction continues.
• Exodus 38: Construction continues.
• Exodus 39: Construction continues.
• Exodus 40: Aaron is appointed high priest and the Hebrews depart from Sinai/Horeb.