Moses and the book of Exodus in the Old Testament

Old Testament Bible Dictionary Project

Person-- -- Moses

Moses was born in 1393 and died in 1273 BCE. The Maimonides called him 'perfect' and the Talmud sages said 'Divine Prescence' spoke from Moses' throat. While some have said these wonderful things of Moses, the man who freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt was written in the Old Testament as a very humble man. The third child of Amram and Jocheved, Moses' brother Aaron was older than him by three years. Miriam, the oldest, was six years his senior. As many know, when Moses was a baby (three months old), he was set afloat in a bakset in the River Nile to avoid death by the Pharoah's decree[footnoteRef:1]. This decree said all male Hebrew children would be killed via drowning. Batyah, the Pharoah's daughter saved him and took him from the river to raise as her own (Exodus 2:5-10. He lived with Batyah until he had to run away at age 20 for killing an Egyptian who had beaten a Jew. From there he traveled to Midian, married Zipporah, and had two sons, Eliezer and Gershom. He saw the burning bush when he was 80 at Mount Sinai (Mount Horeb), and from there began the journey to free the Israelites from Egypt's hold. The ten plagues ending with the loss of the first born forced the Pharoah to liberate the Israelites. Although the Pharoah changed his mind and went after them, Moses performed a great miracle through God and parted the sea so the Israelites could cross safely. Afterward God gave unto Moses the ten commandments and Moses led his people through the wilderness. [1: Margaret Hodges and Barry Moser, Moses (Orlando, Fla.: Harcourt, 2007). P. 128]

Book---- -- Exodus

The book of Exodus or simply called, 'Exodus', is the second book in the Torah and the Old Testament. The book has the very famous of the 'exodus' of the Hebrews from Egypt led by Moses. The story of the Hebrews escape from Egypt depicts the ten plagues that included a river of blood, boils, and the last and most painful one, the death of the first-born sons. On there way through the wildenerness to where Moses received the Ten Commandments, they encountered some trials and tribulations but God's gift of manna helps feed them on their travels. The Israelites eventually make a pact with God and almost lose their way by worshiping a golden calf to which Moses and God remake the stone tablets and dictate the Ten Commandments unto the Israelites. The book is the first book to show God's direct interaction with the Israelites via Moses and reveal the theme of 'lsalvation' and 'theophany' as they make their way to the 'promised land'. While the authorship was originally believed to have been Moses, some say it may have been multiple authors with some parts of the story having real roots in ancient legends like the Covenant Code in Exodus 20:22-23:33 being similar in both structure and content to the Laws of Hammurabi[footnoteRef:2]. Aside from the aforementioned themes, the themes of covenant and election of Israel are represented and provide an origins story to Israel and Israel's identity, making it arguably one of the most important books in the Old Testament. [2: J. M. Powis Smith, The Origin And History Of Hebrew Law (Clark, N.J.: Lawbook Exchange, 2005). P. 17.]

Setting/place--- -- Egypt

The Bible was written over the span of 1,600 years. Its prophecy and history are linked to several world powers with some of the earliest being Babylon and Egypt. Egypt was the setting of one of the most famous stories in the Bible, the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt. Most of the first half of the story takes place in Egypt with Moses living with the Pharoah's daughter and being raised as an Egyptian. The ten plagues that wreaked havoc on the Egyptians also demonstrated not only the power of God but the Israelites as God's chosen people. Some interesting things that can be pulled from the period of slavery in Egypt was brickmaking. The Israelites made bricks from clay and mixed it with straw that served as a means of binding the materials together (Exodus 1:14, 5:6-18). Although Hebrew men of the time grew out their beards, in Genesis 41:14, Joseph appeared before the Pharoah shaven. This is because Egyptian etiquette and custom emphasizes a cleanliness through a shaven face[footnoteRef:3]. Egypt was considered the first main struggle of the Israelites that resulted in not only their freedom, but their personal covenant with God. It represented the struggle of God's chosen people with a world power that only regarded the Israelites as slaves; how the Israelites became victorious through God's will and through God's influence on Moses, the chosen leader. A country rich in history and the setting for the greatest liberation story of all time, Egypt is a well-known location of the Old Testament. [3: Larry Richards and Larry Richards, Bible Teacher's Commentary (Colorado Springs, Colo.: Victor, 2002). P. 67

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Person- -- Barabbas

Barabbas is not mentioned in the New Testament as often as someone like Paul. Where he was born, how long he lived, these facts are unknown. However in Matt. 27:16, John, Mark, and Matthew brand him as a 'notorious prisoner' who in Mark 15:7 was said to have 'committed murder in the rebellion'. Aside from murder, he was also labeled a thief in John 18:40. His crimes could be an indication of being a Zealot. The Zealots were radical Jews that committed violent crimes like murder in order to try to forcefully overthrow the Romans. Another interpretation of the character of Barabbas is a 'promised savior'. He may have claimed to be the ones they thought of as Messiah and tried to save Israel, along with the other rebels, to end Rome's tyranny. The Messiah angle can be supported via the Syrian manuscript in the New Testament that translates the name of Barabbas as 'Jesus, son of Abba' (Matthew 27:17)[footnoteRef:4]. When Christ was set to trial in Pilot's court, the Jews were given a chance to select a prisoner they desired to be freed, as described in John 18:39 this option was a custom of the time. Instead of choosing the real Jesus, who was an innocent man, they chose to free an actual criminal, Barabbas, cementing his name in history and leaving behind a legacy showing Jesus' role in dying in place of sinners, thieves, and criminals so that they can live and have faith in Him. [4: George Martin, Opening The Scriptures Bringing The Gospel Of Matthew To Life (Our Sunday Visitor, 2014). P. 56]

Setting/Place- -- Jordan River

Mount Hermon is the source of the small but well-known, Jordan River. As it rolls outward, through the Sea of Galilee, it stretches along the borders of Jordan and Israel[footnoteRef:6]. It is a 200-mile long river that ends in the Dead Sea. With ferile and lush areas adjacent to the river, it provides a haven amid the arid landscape beyond. Thanks to flooding throughout the year and irrigation, rthe Jordan River maintains its size even with little rainfall experienced in the region. While it is a small river, with its widest point only being 100 feet across, it is the main setting for numerous Biblical stories and accounts, making it an important setting. Some memorable stories that hold the river as the main backdrop is the story of the Israelites entering Canaan. God parted the waters of the river so the Israelites could cross safetly (Johusa 3:14-16). In Samuel and the 1st and 2nd Kingds, the ancient kings like before, cross over the river and would camp near the river during their numerous skirmishes. Healing also took place in the river as a Syrian captain that suffered from leprosy was healed by the river waters by being dipped in it seven times as per Elisha's instructions. The most important event that makes the River Jordan so famous was the baptisim of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist as described in Mark 1:9. [6: Rachel S Havrelock, River Jordan (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2011).]

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