Exodus

Deliverance from Egypt

Exodus tells of Israel’s slavery in Egypt, the call of Moses, the plagues, the crossing of the sea and the covenant at Mount Sinai. It includes the Ten Commandments and the instructions for the tabernacle.

Historical context

Jewish and Christian tradition attributes the first five books of the Bible to Moses. Many scholars think they gathered older traditions and reached their final form around the exile and after it (6th–5th centuries BC).

Explanation

Best-known passages

The burning bush (ch. 3)
The ten plagues (ch. 7–11)
The Passover (ch. 12)
Crossing the sea (ch. 14)
The Ten Commandments (ch. 20)