Jenna Erickson
BIBL 104-D13
04/17/2015
Old Testament Bible Dictionary Project: Exodus/Moses/Sinai
Exodus:
Exodus is the second book of five in the Pentateuch or Torah of the Old Testament. It is also the second book in the Hebrew Bible, and is known as V’elleh Shemoth, while in the Greek Bible it is known as Exodus, meaning “departure” or “outgoing”. Moses is believed to be the author of Exodus, and it was most likely written during the forty years of wandering in the wilderness, between 1451 and 1491 BC. Then 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” (Exodus 17:14).
The main themes of Exodus is God’s covenant with the Hebrew nation, and Moses leading the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt. “And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew” (Exodus 2:24-25). A brief summary of Exodus would include the beginning chapters about; the enslaved Israelites, the birth, education and first leaving of Moses, the 10 plagues set about by God, the first Passover, the Israelites departure (Exodus) from Egypt along with the parting of the Red Sea, and the destruction of the Egypt Army. The middle of the book includes; the journey to Mt. Sinai from the Red Sea, the making of the covenant at Sinai and the writing of the Ten Commandments. And the Lord said to Moses, “Write these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel” (Exodus 34:27). The last portions of the Book of Exodus include; the building of the Ark of the Covenant to hold the Ten Commandments, the renewing of the covenant at Sinai due to the sins of the ‘golden calf’ worshiping, and plans and construction of the Tabernacle.
Moses:
Moses was