Part 2:

The Exodus journey to Sinai

The Exodus: From Rameses to Succoth (12:37)

[cf. Num 33:3-5]

12:31-36

• The Egyptians urge the Israelites to leave Egypt, even giving them gold (cf. 3:21-22; 11:1-3)

12:37-41

• The Israelites leave Egypt [on Day 15, Month 1, Year 1, see Num 33:3];
• They bake unleavened bread [on the journey to Succoth, cf. 12:34];
• They had spent exactly 430 years in Egypt to the very day

12:42-51

• Law: The Passover must be observed [annually]
• but it must not be eaten by foreigners [e.g. those mentioned in 12:38] unless they are circumcised [& enter into God’s covenant, see Gen 17:10-14]

13:1-2

• Law: All first-born sons (both people & animals) belong to God, so they must be consecrated

13:3-16

• Law: The people must always remember the day they left Egypt by celebrating the Feast-of-Unleavened-Bread (cf. 12:15-20)
• First-born sons must be set apart for God or redeemed

13:17-18

• God leads the Israelites away from Philistia (& war) as they would return to Egypt (cf. 14:12)

13:19

• Joseph’s bones are carried from Egypt [for burial in Canaan, cf. Gen 50:24-25, Josh 24:32, Heb 11:22]

From Succoth to Etham (13:20)

[cf. Num 33:6]

13:20-22

• God leads the Israelites in a pillar-of-cloud by day & in [the same] pillar [but] of-fire by night

From Etham to Pi Hahiroth (near Migdol) by the Red Sea (14:2)

[cf. Num 33:7]

14:1-4

• God says, ‘Turn back & camp by the [Red] sea to entice the Egyptians to chase after you!’

14:5-14

• The Egyptians pursue the Israelites, who get scared; Moses says, ‘God will fight for you!’

Crossing the Red Sea (14:22)

[cf. Num 33:8a]

14:15-20

• God says that the Israelites will cross the [Red] sea
• The Angel-of-God (cf. 3:2) & the pillar-of-cloud [that He was in, cf. 13:21, 14:24] move to go between the Israelites & Egyptians

14:21-31

• God parts the sea; the Israelites go through on dry land; the Egyptians follow but they drown

15:1-21

• The Israelites sing: ‘God has triumphed; the nations will be afraid!’ Miriam leads the music

Through the Desert of Shur to Marah (15:22-23)

[cf. Num 33:8b]

GRUMBLE #1

15:22-26

• After 3 days in the desert without water, the people find bitter water at ‘Marah’ [‘Bitter’] so they grumble
• God shows Moses a tree to throw into the water & the water is made sweet [the water is ‘healed’, cf. 2 Kings 2:19-22]
• God says, ‘If you listen to your God & obey His commandments, I will protect you from the diseases that afflicted the Egyptians; I am your Healer!’ [cf. Dt 7:15, contrast Dt 28:58-60]

On to Elim (15:27)

[cf. Num 33:9]

15:27

• On to Elim, they find 12 water-springs & 70 palm trees

Through the Desert of Sin (16:1)

[cf. Num 33:10-11]

16:1

• They arrive in this desert on Day 15, Month 2 [Year 1, exactly one month] after leaving Egypt

GRUMBLE #2

16:2-36

• The people grumble due to hunger
• God promises bread from heaven [manna]; they will have to gather a specific amount each day (to test their obedience);
• God also sends quail;
• Some Israelites do not obey the instructions for collecting manna;
• Aaron stores some manna for posterity

At Rephidim (17:1) [a.k.a. Massah / Meribah (17:7)]

 [cf. Num 33:12-14]

GRUMBLE #3

17:1-7

• The people grumble against Moses due to lack of water; Moses strikes a rock with his staff & water flows out
• The place is named ‘Massah’ [‘Testing’] & ‘Meribah’ [‘Quarrelling’]

War with the Amalekites

17:8-16

• The Amalekites attack; Joshua leads the defence, while Moses holds his hands up to God
• God promises to always fight Amalekites
• An altar is built, named ‘Yahweh-our-Banner’

In the wilderness en route to Sinai (18:5, 19:1-2)

[cf. Num 33:15]

Jethro visits Moses

18:1-6

• Moses’ father-in-law Jethro [Family name: Reuel (Ex 2:18) or Raguel (Num 10:29, KJV)] visits the Israelites to bring Moses’ wife (Zipporah) & sons (Gershom, cf. 2:22, & Eliezer) to Moses, as they had previously been sent home [perhaps after Moses was threatened with death in 4:24-26]

18:7-27

• Moses’ tells Jethro his news; Jethro praises God
• Jethro sees Moses doing all the work [of government] & advises him to appoint judges so he will not wear himself out
• Jethro leaves

19:1-2

• The people arrive at Sinai during Month 3 since leaving Egypt [Day 1? or Day 15 (cf. Num 33:3)?]

[NB. Sinai was also called Horeb, the Mountain of God, see 3:1, 33:6. 

‘Sinai’ means ‘To-Shine’, see 24:17]

Gen / EX / Lev / Num / Deut