About this Bible Study........The King James Version of the Bible
is written in a beautiful form of the English language. It can be hard
for modern English readers to understand. In this study, you will find
notes and summaries in brown just above the the verses from the Bible.
We recommend that you read the notes and summaries first, and then read
the verses in their KJV form.
The book of Exodus was written by Moses. The word "exodus" means to
"go out" or "leave". This book is about the Israelites leaving Egypt
and going back to Canaan. Exodus begins about 350 after Joseph died. The
date that the Israelites leave Egypt is about 1445 B.C. (1, 445 years
before Jesus Christ was born).
Exodus 1 -4
Moses is born and grows up as an Egyptian
Moses kills an Egyptian and escapes to Midian.
God speaks to Moses from a burning bush.
God tells Moses to go back to Egypt.
God tells Moses that he will be the leader and take the Israelites back
to Canaan.
 |
"Israelites as Slaves in Egypt"
Water color Bible illustrations were done in Bogota, Colombia for the
Communicating Christ video course.
They were later scanned
by Publications for Latin America, WELS.
From
WELS web site. |
Exodus 1
Jacob's descendants become slaves
Jacob's family moved to Egypt. This
was written about in the book of Genesis. At first, there were 70 people
in Jacob's family. Later, when those people had children and grandchildren
and great grandchildren, there were many, many of Jacob's descendants.
They were called Israelites. They were also called Hebrews. At
first, the Israelites lived in the area of Goshen only. But later, they
moved and lived all over Egypt.
[1] Now these are the names of the children of Israel,
which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.
[2] Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
[3] Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
[4] Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
[5] And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob
were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.
[6] And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that
generation.
[7] And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased
abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land
was filled with them.
Many years passed. There was a new king (Pharaoh) in Egypt. The new king
didn't know anything about Joseph. He didn't like that there were many
Israelites in Egypt. He was afraid that the Israelites might have a war
with the people of Egypt in the future.
[8] Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew
not Joseph.
[9] And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of
the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:
[10] Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply,
and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join
also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of
the land.
He decided that the Israelites should be slaves. Pharaoh put taskmasters
(bosses) over them. The Israelites had to work for them. The Israelites
had to build cities for Pharaoh.
[11] Therefore they did set over them taskmasters
to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure
cities, Pithom and Raamses.
The Israelites continued to multiply. There were many Israelites living
in all parts of Egypt. The Egyptians continued to make the Israelites
work hard. They treated them badly.
[12] But the more they afflicted them, the more
they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children
of Israel.
[13] And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve
with rigour:
[14] And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage,
in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field:
all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.
Pharaoh wants to kill Israelite babies
Midwives were women who helped when other
women were having babies. Two of the Hebrew midwives were named Shiphrah
and Puah. Pharaoh made a new rule. If the Hebrew midwives were helping
a Hebrew woman have a baby, and the baby was a boy, the baby boy must be
killed.
[15] And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives,
of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:
[16] And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to
the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then
ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.
The midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, knew that God did not want the babies
to die. They loved God and wanted to follow God's laws. They did not
kill the baby boys.
[17] But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king
of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
Pharaoh was angry with Shiphrah and Puah. He met with them and asked them
why they were not killing the baby boys. They said that Hebrew or Israelite
women were stronger than Egyptian women. They said that the Hebrew women
had their babies without help.
[18] And the king of Egypt called for the midwives,
and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the
men children alive?
[19] And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew
women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered
ere the midwives come in unto them.
God was happy with the midwives because they had followed His laws.
The Israelites continued to multiply.
[20] Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the
people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.
[21] And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God,
that he made them houses.
Pharaoh made a new rule. He said that all people should kill the
baby boys of the Hebrews.
[22] And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son
that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall
save alive.
Exodus 2
The birth of Moses
One of the descendants
of Jacob's son, Levi, was married to another descendant of Levi. The wife
became pregnant and had a baby boy. She was afraid because Pharaoh's
people were killing all of the Hebrew's baby boys. So she kept her baby
hidden.
[1] And there went a man of the house of Levi,
and took to wife a daughter of Levi.
[2] And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she
saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
The baby boy grew for 3months, and his mother could not hide him
anymore. She made a little boat for him. She used bulrushes (like tall
grass) and made a boat. She took the boat to the river. The mother knew
that Pharaoh's daughter took a bath in the river. The mother asked
the baby boy's sister to stay by the river and watch the little boat.
[3] And when she could not longer hide him, she took for
him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and
put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink.
[4] And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done
to him.
Pharaoh's daughter and some other Egyptian women came to the river.
They saw the little boat in the water, and they took it out of the river.
[5] And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself
at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when
she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.
They looked inside and saw the baby boy. They baby was crying, and
Pharaoh's daughter wanted to help the baby. One of the other women told
Pharaoh's daughter that the baby was a Hebrew baby.
[6] And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold,
the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of
the Hebrews' children.
The baby's sister was watching. She went over and talked to Pharaoh's
daughter. She offered to go get one of the Hebrew women to feed the baby.
Pharaoh's daughter said yes, and the sister went and brought back the
baby's real mother. But none of the Egyptians knew she was the baby's
mother. Pharaoh's daughter said
she would pay the woman to help her take care of the baby.
[7] Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall
I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse
the child for thee?
[8] And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid
went and called the child's mother.
[9] And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child
away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman
took the child, and nursed it.
Pharaoh's daughter adopted the baby. She named the baby boy Moses.
Moses grew up and went to school like the other children who were from
rich Egyptian families.
[10] And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's
daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she
said, Because I drew him out of the water.
Moses grows up and kills an Egyptian
 |
"Moses Kills an Egyptian"
Water color Bible illustrations were done in Bogota, Colombia for the
Communicating Christ video course.
They were later scanned
by Publications for Latin America, WELS.
From the
WELS web site |
Moses grew up and was a man. One day, he noticed an Egyptian man
beating a Hebrew man.
[11] And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown,
that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he
spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.
Moses looked around. He didn't see anyone looking, so he killed
the Egyptian man. He hid the Egyptian's body in the sand.
[12] And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw
that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
A few days later, Moses was out, and he saw two Hebrew men fighting.
He talked to them and told them they shouldn't be fighting. One of the
men asked Moses who had made him the judge. The man asked Moses if he was
going to kill him the same way he killed the Egyptian. Moses then knew that
other people knew he had killed the Egyptian.
[13] And when he went out the second day, behold, two men
of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong,
Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?
[14] And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over
us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses
feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.
Moses runs away to Midian
When Pharaoh heard about what happened, he planned to kill Moses.
So Moses ran away and hid in the land of the Midianites. The Midianite
people lived in Midian. They were the descendants of Abraham and his second
wife, Keturah. When he arrived in Midian, he sat down by a water well.
[15] Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses.
But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian:
and he sat down by a well.
The priest in Midian was named Reuel. Reuel had 7 daughters. They came
to the well to give their father's sheep some water. Some other shepherds
were at the well. They made the girls leave. But Moses stood up and helped
the girls give their sheep some water.
[16] Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they
came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.
[17] And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses
stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
After the sheep had water, the girls went home. Their father asked them
how they finished so fast. They said that an Egyptian man had helped them.
[18] And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How
is it that ye are come so soon to day?
[19] And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand
of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the
flock.
Reuel wanted to know where the Egyptian man was. He wanted to invite
him to dinner.
[20] And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is
it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.
Moses stays in Midian for 40 years
Moses stayed with Reuel's family. Moses
married one of Reuel's daughters. Her name was Zipporah. Moses and Zipporah
had a baby boy. His name was Gershom.
[21] And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he
gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.
[22] And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom:
for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.
In Egypt, the king died. The Israelite people prayed and cried to God.
They did not want to be slaves any more. God heard their prayers and remembered
his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God would help the Israelites.
[23] And it came to pass in process of time, that the king
of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage,
and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
[24] And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his
covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
[25] And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God
had respect unto them.
Exodus 3
Moses and the burning bush
Moses took care of his father-in-law's
sheep. Reuel had another name. He was also named Jethro. Moses was watching
the sheep one day near the mountain called Horeb.
[1] Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of
Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to
the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
Moses saw something strange. There was a fire in a bush. But the
bush itself was not burning. He was very curious about it.
[2] And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame
of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush
burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
[3] And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great
sight, why the bush is not burnt.
 |
"Moses
and the Burning Bush" (1957)
Artist: Arnold Friberg (1913- )
Arnold Friberg's 15 paintings for Cecil B. DeMille's "The Ten
Commandments" became the pictorial basis for the movie's scenes,
characters and costumes, which earned him an Academy Award Nomination.
From
JesusWalk.com |
God was in the bush. He called to Moses. Moses answered him. God
told Moses to take off his shoes because it was holy ground.
[4] And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God
called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses.
And he said, Here am I.
[5] And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes
from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
God said that he was the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the
God of Jacob. Moses hid his face. He was afraid to look at God.
[6] Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God
of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face;
for he was afraid to look upon God.
God told Moses that He had heard the Israelites' cries and prayers.
He had seen the Egyptians treating them badly. He was going to take them
out of Egypt and take them back to Canaan. The other groups of people
living in Canaan at that time were the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites,
Hivites, and the Jebusites.
[7] And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of
my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their
taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
[8] And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of
the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land
and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of
the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites,
and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
[9] Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel
is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians
oppress them.
God said he would send Moses to Pharaoh so that he could take the
Israelites out of Egypt.
[10] Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh,
that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
Moses was not sure that he could do what God asked. He didn't feel that
he was good enough.
[11] And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I
should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of
Israel out of Egypt?
God told Moses that He would be with him and would help him. After
Moses took the Israelites out of Egypt, the would worship and serve God.
[12] And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this
shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought
forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.
Moses was worried about what the Israelites would say. He said that the
Israelites would ask him who sent him to help them. Moses was asking
God what His name was. God said, "I AM THAT I AM," and told Moses to tell
the Israelites that I AM had sent him to help them. The Israelites
would then know that God lived always. They would know he was the same God
who helped their fathers, grandfathers, and great grandfathers.
[13] And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the
children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers
hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what
shall I say unto them?
[14] And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said,
Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto
you.
 |
"Moses At the Burning Bush"
Water color Bible illustrations were done in Bogota, Colombia for the
Communicating Christ video course.
They were later scanned
by Publications for Latin America, WELS.
From
WELS web site. |
God told Moses what to say to the Israelites. He should tell them
that the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob had sent
him.
[15] And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say
unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you:
this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
God told Moses to have a meeting with the elders of Israel. The elders
were the older men who were leaders of the Israelites. In the meeting, Moses
was to tell them that the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God
of Jacob had seen that they were slaves in Egypt. God wanted them to know
that He would be taking them back to Canaan. God said that Canaan was a
land "flowing with milk and honey". That means it was a very good land
and things would grow well there.
[16] Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say
unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac,
and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and
seen that which is done to you in Egypt:
[17] And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction
of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites,
and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing
with milk and honey.
After he met with the elders, Moses and the
elders were supposed to go to the Pharaoh. God wanted them to ask Pharaoh
to let them go away for 3 days to make a sacrifice.
[18] And they shall hearken to thy voice: and
thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt,
and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us:
and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness,
that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.
God knew that the Pharaoh would say no. He would not let them leave. God
would force Pharaoh to let them leave.
[19] And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you
go, no, not by a mighty hand.
[20] And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with
all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he
will let you go.
God told Moses that when the Israelites left Egypt, they would take
many valuable things with them.
[21] And I will give this people favour in the sight of the
Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not
go empty:
[22] But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of
her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold,
and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters;
and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.
Exodus 4
Moses asks more questions
Moses said that the Israelites might not believe that God really spoke
to him. God gave Moses two miracles to show the Israelites that he was
telling the truth. For the first miracle, God told Moses to throw down the
rod (stick) that he was holding. When the rod hit the ground, it became
a snake. Then God told Moses to pick up the snake. When Moses picked it
up, it became a rod again.
[1] And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe
me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared
unto thee.
[2] And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand?
And he said, A rod.
[3] And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on
the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
[4] And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and
take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became
a rod in his hand:
[5] That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers,
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared
unto thee.
For the second miracle, God told Moses to put his hand in his shirt.
When he took his hand out again, it was white and had a skin disease called
leprosy. God told him to put his hand in his shirt again. When he took
his hand out the second time, it was normal.
[6] And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine
hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took
it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.
[7] And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And
he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom,
and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.
God said that if the Israelites didn't believe the first miracle (the
rod and the snake), they would believe the second miracle (the hand with
the skin disease).
[8] And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee,
neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe
the voice of the latter sign.
God said that if the Israelites did not believe the first two miracles,
Moses could show them a third miracle. For the third miracles, God told
Moses to take some water out of the river. When he poured the water on the
dry land, the water would change into blood.
[9] And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also
these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take
of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water
which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.
Moses told God that he had a speech disability. He felt that he could
not talk well enough to do what God was asking him to do.
[10] And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent,
neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but
I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
God reminded Moses that He made everyone, including people who had speech
disabilities and people who were deaf and blind.
[11] And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth?
or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not
I the LORD?
God told Moses that He would help him and teach him what to say.
[12] Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and
teach thee what thou shalt say.
Moses wanted God to send someone else. God was angry at Moses for hesitating.
God said that Aaron, Moses' brother, would help him. Aaron would do the
talking for Moses.
[13] And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand
of him whom thou wilt send.
[14] And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses,
and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak
well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth
thee, he will be glad in his heart.
[15] And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his
mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach
you what ye shall do.
[16] And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he
shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt
be to him instead of God.
God told Moses to take the rod (stick) and do the miracles when it was
time.
[17] And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith
thou shalt do signs.
Moses told his father-in-law that he needed to go back to Egypt. Jethro
said he could go.
[18] And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law,
and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren
which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said
to Moses, Go in peace.
Moses goes back to Egypt
God told Moses that it was time to go to Egypt.
He said that all of the men who wanted to kill Moses were dead.
[19] And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt:
for all the men are dead which sought thy life.
Moses, his wife, and his sons left for Egypt. Moses took the rod that
God gave him with him.
[20] And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon
an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod
of God in his hand.
God told Moses that when he arrived in Egypt, he should do the miracles
in front of Pharaoh. But God said He would harden Pharaoh's heart. This
means that God would make Pharaoh refuse to let the Israelites leave Egypt. It
was God's plan for Pharaoh to refuse when Moses first asked.
[21] And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return
into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which
I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not
let the people go.
In Egypt, the oldest son, the firstborn, was very special. God told Moses
to tell Pharaoh that Israel was God's firstborn. Israel was special to
God. If Pharaoh did not let the Israelites go, God would kill Pharaoh's
oldest son.
[22] And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD,
Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
[23] And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve
me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even
thy firstborn.
Moses and his son are
circumcised.
Moses was not circumcised when he was a baby. Circumcision is cutting
skin from the male organ. It was the special sign of all Israelites. God
wanted Moses to be circumcised. Zipporah (Moses' wife) also circumcised
Moses' son.
[24] And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the
LORD met him, and sought to kill him.
[25] Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin
of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband
art thou to me.
[26] So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou
art, because of the circumcision.
Moses and Aaron meet the the leaders of the Israelites
Aaron was Moses' brother. The Lord God told Aaron to go and meet Moses.
He did, and Moses told him everything God had told him to do.
[27] And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet
Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.
[28] And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had
sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.
Moses and Aaron had a meeting with the elders (leaders) of the Israelites.
Aaron said what Moses told him to say. Moses showed the elders the miracles
God had given him. The Israelites believed him, and they said prayers
to thank God for helping them.
[29] And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the
elders of the children of Israel:
[30] And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken
unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.
[31] And the people believed: and when they heard that the
LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon
their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
