EXODUS—NOTE ON 1:1–18:27 Exodus of Israel from Egypt. The entirety of the first half of the book of Exodus is focused on the exodus of the people of Israel out of Egypt: the setting (1:1–2:25), leadership (3:1–6:30), signs (7:1–15:21), and journey (15:22–18:27).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 1:1–2:25 Setting: Israel in Egypt. The opening section sets the stage for the rest of the book by describing: the connection to the narrative of Genesis (Ex. 1:1–7), the oppression that has arisen under a new pharaoh (1:8–22), the preservation of Moses at birth (2:1–10) and later in Midian (2:11–22), and the declaration of God’s intimate knowledge of Israel’s suffering and God’s faithfulness to his covenant with Abraham and his descendants (2:23–25).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 1:1–7 The Sons of Jacob Become the People of Israel. This section links the events of Joseph bringing Jacob and all his brothers to Egypt (see Gen. 46:8–26) and the death of that generation (see Gen. 50:26) with their descendants living in Egypt.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 1:1 the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob. Two names are used to refer to the same person: Israel and Jacob. The dual reference reminds the reader of the previous narrative in Genesis where God declared that Jacob would be called Israel (Gen. 32:28; 35:10) and connects the narrative of Exodus with the promise that God would be faithful to the covenant that he made with Abraham and reaffirmed with Jacob (Gen. 35:11–12). God’s faithfulness to remember and fulfill his covenant promises is a central theme in the book of Exodus (Ex. 2:24; 3:6–8, 15–17; 4:5; 6:2–8; and also 32:13).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 1:2–4 The names of the sons of Jacob (aside from Joseph) are given in the order of their birth with respect to who bore them (i.e., Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah). The same list of names (with the addition of Joseph) is found in Gen. 35:23–26 with the name of the mother listed before her sons.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 1:5 seventy persons. On the relationship between this number and the 75 given in Stephen’s speech (Acts 7:14), see note on Gen. 46:26–27.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 1:7 The Hebrew phrase translated the people of Israel is the same phrase rendered as “the sons of Israel” in v. 1. Since the narrative has just referred to the death of Joseph and all his generation (v. 6), the focus shifts here from the specific 12 sons of Jacob to their offspring who have become the people of Israel. The vocabulary used to describe their growth (they were fruitful, multiplied, and the land was filled with them) parallels that of God’s command to mankind at creation (Gen. 1:28) as well as his later reiteration to Jacob (Gen. 35:11).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 1:8–2:25 New Pharaoh, New Situation. The coming to power (1:8) and death (2:23) of a new king of Egypt frame this section, which describes both how the peaceful existence of Jacob’s family in Egypt turned into one of oppression through enslavement (1:8–22) and how these circumstances became the context in which God preserved the life of Moses (2:1–22).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 1:8 The reference to a new leader in Egypt who did not know Joseph presumes that the reader is familiar with the narrative of Joseph’s entry, problems, and rise to power in Egypt (see Genesis 37–50, esp. 41:37–45).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 1:11 The description of the taskmasters who were put in place to afflict Israel echoes the vocabulary of God’s covenant with Abraham in which he foretold that his offspring would sojourn in a foreign land and “be afflicted for four hundred years” (Gen. 15:13). It is commonly accepted today that the site of Raamses is located at Qantir in the eastern Nile delta about 12 miles (19 km) south of Tanis. Excavations have confirmed this identification. During the second millennium B.C., a massive settlement of Asiatic foreigners lived here. (On the “Asiatics,” see note on Gen. 37:28.) In addition, a factory has been discovered at the site; it produced decorated glazed tiles. Pottery fragments found in the factory bear the name Raamses. Pithom is probably located at Tell el Retabe, about 17 miles (27 km) southeast of Raamses.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 1:15–22 The Hebrew midwives (v. 15) show through their defiant actions that they feared God (vv. 17, 21) more than they feared the king of Egypt (v. 17). For the narrator to say this twice shows that he commends them for their faith. Also, this narrative names so few people (not even naming the pharaohs!) that it is probably a further display of the narrator’s approval of the women’s deeds that he gives their names, Shiphrah and Puah (v. 15), a detail unnecessary for describing the events themselves. The faithfulness of the midwives is also an indication that there were those among the people of Israel who feared God after all the years of enslavement and before there was any knowledge of God’s call of Moses. The exemplary actions of the midwives signify a central theme of the book of Exodus: Israel is called to fear God above any other ruler, nation, or circumstance.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 1:16 The use of the term “son” (vv. 16, 22) is thematic for chs. 1–15. In an attempt to prevent a possible future rebellion, the king of Egypt here calls for all the male children of Israel to be killed at birth. When God instructs Moses about what he will say to Pharaoh, he refers to Israel as his “firstborn son” (4:22) and warns that refusal to listen will lead to the death of Egypt’s firstborn (4:23), which comes about in the tenth plague (12:29–30).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 1:19 When challenged as to why they did not carry out the pharaoh’s decrees, the midwives gave an answer that some have called deceptive. It is uncertain that the reply is, strictly speaking, untrue; nor is it clear whether this is all that the women said. The narrator simply commends the women for refusing to comply with Pharaoh’s murderous scheme. Some would argue that, with such an evil plan, Pharaoh had forfeited any right to expect obedience (or complete truthfulness) from his subjects. Exodus, however, reports these events without giving any moral evaluation, its chief purpose being to help its readers rejoice that God had wonderfully preserved his people from Pharaoh.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 1:22 Pharaoh chooses to let every daughter live because he is primarily worried about the threat of Israel’s sons joining with a foreign army against Egypt (v. 10). However, it is the faithfulness of some of Israel’s daughters who fear God more than Pharaoh that is highlighted here (Shiphrah and Puah) and in the following narrative (Moses’ mother and sister in 2:1–10); they are part of the means by which God will eventually bring his people out of slavery. Furthermore, it is ironic that Pharaoh’s own daughter is also one who acts to preserve the life of Moses, through whom God will bring Israel out of Egypt.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 2:1–22 This section narrates two different points at which Moses’ life was preserved: as an infant (vv. 1–10) and as a young man (vv. 11–22). Clearly, the book of Exodus intends to narrate the setting, events, and characters in each case as the actual events of Moses’ preservation. In the NT, these two particular narrative motifs will converge in the events of Jesus’ preservation from Herod through the flight to Egypt (Matt. 2:13–23). It is crucial for the first audience to know how God preserved Moses from several dangers: this story, together with the account of God’s call on Moses (Ex. 3:1–4:17), should enable the people of Israel to embrace Moses as God’s authorized “prince and judge” (2:14), as well as lawgiver.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 2:2 she saw that he was a fine child. The Hebrew is lit., “she saw him, that he was good.” This may refer simply to Moses’ being “healthy.” Some have seen here an echo of the creation account (1:7); this would fit with the way the opening events in the book of Exodus act as a creation-like account for the birth of Israel as a nation.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 2:3 The birth account of Moses contains several words that are likely influenced by or borrowed from Egyptian, like the terms used for a basket made of bulrushes and reeds.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 2:7–9 As someone from the population of slaves in Egypt, it took significant courage for Moses’ sister to presume to speak to Pharaoh’s daughter (v. 7). Her bold move ends up bringing about a situation that surely Moses’ mother could not have imagined possible when she hid him: she is paid wages to nurse her own son (v. 9).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 2:10 Moses. In Hebrew, the name sounds like the verb mashah, “to draw out” (see esv footnote). The name may also be related to the common Egyptian word for “son.” Since Pharaoh’s daughter clearly knows that Moses is a Hebrew child (vv. 6–9), it is possible that she chose the name for both its Hebrew (“drawn out of water”) and Egyptian (“son”) senses. The irony of such a dual reference would be that her action not only prefigures but is also a part of the means that God uses to “draw” Israel as his “son” out of Egypt (Hos. 11:1). The narrator tells nothing of what it was like for Moses in Pharaoh’s household: Did Pharaoh know of Moses’ origin? Why did he allow one of his daughters to adopt a child at all? Did the daughter marry? The attentive reader may guess at answers to these questions, but the absence of further comment probably shows that the narrator did not intend to supply these details. It would seem likely that the daughter never told Pharaoh the truth about Moses’ origin, but this can only be surmised.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 2:11 when Moses had grown up. In Acts 7:23 Stephen gives Moses’ age at this time as 40 (reflecting Jewish interpretative tradition). Even after a life preserved from the affliction of slavery, and privileged by what he would have received as a part of Pharaoh’s house, Moses identifies himself with the Hebrew slaves as his people.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 2:14 Who made you a prince and a judge over us? The words of the Hebrew man foreshadow the repeated grumbling that Moses will encounter when he leads Israel out of Egypt (see 5:21; 14:11, 12; 15:24; 16:2–3; 17:3). Acts 7:27 quotes these words from the Septuagint, which renders them “a ruler and a judge.”
EXODUS—NOTE ON 2:15 In sitting down by a well, Moses repeats the actions through which both Isaac (through Abraham’s servant, Gen. 24:11ff.) and Jacob (Gen. 29:2ff.) interacted with women who would become their wives.
View this chart online at http://kindle.esvsb.org/c47
| Location | Age | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Egypt | 0–40 | Ex. 2:11; Acts 7:23 |
| Midian | 41–80 | Ex. 2:15; 7:7; Acts 7:29–30 |
| The wilderness | 81–120 | Deut. 31:2; 34:7; cf. Num. 14:33–34; Deut. 29:5 |
EXODUS—NOTE ON 2:18 Reuel is later referred to as “Jethro” (3:1; 4:18; 18:1). Clearly both names refer to the same person: the priest of Midian (2:16) who is Moses’ father-in-law.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 2:19 The reference to Moses as an Egyptian indicates an aspect of tension in the narrative: while Moses bore enough signs of his Egyptian upbringing for Reuel’s daughters to assume his ethnic identity, he was also known as a Hebrew (v. 6) and chose to identify himself with the Hebrew slaves (v. 11). However, through the events of vv. 11–15, Moses becomes alienated from both the people of his birth (v. 14) and his Egyptian household (v. 15).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 2:23–25 These verses function with 1:1–7 to frame the opening section with the reminder that the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will not be defined by their years of slavery, but by their covenant relationship with the God who has heard their cries (and who saw and knew their affliction) and remembered his promises.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 2:23 many days. Acts 7:30 takes this period as 40 years (cf. Ex. 2:11; 7:7).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 2:24 remembered. See note on Gen. 8:1.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 3:1–4:31 Call of Moses. This section focuses primarily on the call of Moses at the burning bush (3:1–4:17) but also includes narration of certain events related to Moses’ return from Midian to Egypt: the peaceful departure from Jethro (4:18–20), the Lord’s reminder and further instruction to Moses (4:21–23), the preservation of Moses’ life by Zipporah (4:24–26), and the arrival of Aaron before Moses met with the elders of Israel (4:27–31).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 3:1–4:17 Burning Bush: Call of Moses. At the burning bush, God reveals himself, his promises, and his purposes to Moses (3:1–22) and also demonstrates his power both through and for Moses (4:1–17). The call of Moses marks the beginning of the role that he will fill as the one who will mediate between the Lord and his people, and it is recorded in detail here, in part to remind Israel that following the Lord necessitates fidelity to the covenant which he revealed through Moses (chs. 20–23).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 3:1 Horeb, the mountain of God. The mountain where Moses has arrived is also referred to as “Mount Sinai” (see 19:11). “Horeb” is typically understood as either another name for Mount Sinai or as a term that refers to the region in which the mountain was located. Mount Sinai becomes known as “the mountain of God” through the events that are about to unfold in the narrative of Exodus: God calls Moses from the burning bush at the mountain; Aaron meets Moses here when he returns from Midian (4:27); and God meets with Moses on the mountain when Israel comes out of Egypt and gives him the law (ch. 19).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 3:2 Where the angel of the LORD appears in the OT, he is often described as acting or speaking in a manner that suggests he is more than simply an angel or messenger and that he is closely identified with God himself (e.g., Gen. 22:11–18). Here he appears to Moses in a flame of fire, which is a sign of God’s presence throughout the events narrated in the book of Exodus: in the pillar of fire and cloud that leads and protects the Israelites (Ex. 13:21–22); in the signs of God’s presence on Mount Sinai (19:18); and in the tabernacle (40:38). The angel also protects Israel when they come out of Egypt (14:19), and God promises that he will go before Israel into the land of Canaan (23:20; 33:2). In 3:4 this angel of God is identified as “the LORD” and “God.”
EXODUS—NOTE ON 3:5 Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet. The instructions to Moses are followed by a reason that emphasizes the place where he is standing. The very ordinariness of the location helps make the point that it is holy ground, not because of any special properties of the place but only because of God’s presence. This is representative of a theme in Exodus: God is holy, and he is the one who makes or declares places and people to be holy—and each is properly understood or treated as holy only in its relation to God. The instructions given to Moses here at the burning bush are also given to his successor Joshua when he meets the “commander of the army of the LORD” as Israel is preparing to take Jericho (see Josh. 5:13–15).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 3:6 Although Moses is in exile from his household in Egypt (2:15) and somewhat estranged from the people of his birth (2:14), God reveals himself as the God of your father and makes it clear that Moses’ identity is framed primarily by his being an offspring of Abraham and thus belonging to the people to whom God has pledged himself by covenant (see 2:23–25). Jesus quotes from this verse (Matt. 22:32), affirming that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob still live.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 3:7–9 God tells Moses of his intimate knowledge of Israel’s affliction (I have … seen, heard, know; see also 2:23–25) and indicates his covenant promises and identification with them by referring to the Hebrew slaves as my people (also 3:10), which is also what the Lord will instruct Moses to say before Pharaoh (e.g., 5:1).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 3:11–12 Who am I … ? Moses’ initial question is surely sensible, and God does not reprove him for asking it (v. 11). However, God does not answer Moses’ question in the way that he asks it, but instead says, “I will be with you” indicating that his presence with Moses is essential to the call (v. 12). When the OT says that God is “with” someone, it stresses God’s power that enables the person to carry out his calling (cf. 4:12; Gen. 26:3). God also promises that the very place where they are speaking will become a confirming sign to Moses when he brings the people out and they serve God on this mountain (see Ex. 3:1).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 3:13 What is his name? Given the polytheism and pantheism of the surrounding Egyptian culture, it was essential to know the identity of the one true God (the God of your fathers). Further, in ancient cultures, to know the name of someone was to know something very essential about that person. Though Moses is apparently not familiar with God’s name, this does not mean that the personal name of God was unknown to the Hebrews prior to Moses (see e.g., Gen. 4:26; 9:26; 12:8; 26:25; 28:16; 30:27; cf. Ex. 3:15); it may have meant that the name had been lost or had fallen into disuse during the centuries of slavery in Egypt, or that the name had not been used extensively or fully understood before this time. (See further notes on 6:2–8 and 6:3–8.)
EXODUS—NOTE ON 3:14 I am who I am. In response to Moses’ question (“What is [your] name?” v. 13), God reveals his name to be “Yahweh” (corresponding to the four Hebrew consonants YHWH). The three occurrences of “I AM” in v. 14 all represent forms of the Hebrew verb that means “to be” (Hb. hayah), and in each case are related to the divine name Yahweh (i.e., “the LORD”; see note on v. 15). The divine name Yahweh has suggested to scholars a range of likely nuances of meaning: (1) that God is self-existent and therefore not dependent on anything else for his own existence; (2) that God is the creator and sustainer of all that exists; (3) that God is immutable in his being and character and thus is not in the process of becoming something different from what he is (e.g., “the same yesterday and today and forever,” Heb. 13:8); and (4) that God is eternal in his existence. While each of these points is true of God, the main focus in this passage is on the Lord’s promise to be with Moses and his people. The word translated “I am” (Hb. ’ehyeh) can also be understood and translated as “I will be” (cf. esv footnote). Given the context of Ex. 3:12 (“I will be with you”), the name of Yahweh (“the LORD”) is also a clear reminder of God’s promises to his people and of his help for them to fulfill their calling. In each of these cases, the personal name of God as revealed to Moses expresses something essential about the attributes and character of God.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 3:15 The LORD. Though some modern translations keep “Yahweh” in English, the esv follows the tradition of replacing Yahweh by “the LORD” (with small capital letters). This practice goes back to the first Greek translation in the third century B.C., the Septuagint, which renders Yahweh by kyrios “Lord,” a usage that was also quoted extensively in the Greek NT. In this way, translating this term as “the LORD” also shows the links with the NT, which calls Christ “Lord,” thereby identifying him with the God of the OT. When Jesus says, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58, using the Gk. found in Ex. 3:14), the Pharisees show by their desire to stone him that they understood Jesus to be claiming identity with the God who had revealed himself to Moses. (Cf. the table of “I am” statements in John.)
View this chart online at http://kindle.esvsb.org/c48
| Moses’ Questions and Concerns | Yahweh’s Responses and Signs |
|---|---|
| Who am I that I should go? (3:11). | I will be with you; when you come out of Egypt, you will serve me on this mountain (3:12). |
| What is your name, that I may tell the people who sent me? (3:13). | I AM WHO I AM: Yahweh, the God of your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (3:14–15). |
| How would the people believe that you have sent me? (4:1). | Yahweh turns Moses’ rod into a serpent then back into a rod (4:2–4); Yahweh makes Moses’ hand leprous then heals it (4:6–7); Yahweh instructs Moses to turn water from the Nile into blood (4:9). |
| I am not eloquent; I am slow of speech (4:10). | I, Yahweh, am the one who made your mouth (4:11). |
| Please send someone else (4:13). | Aaron will go with you; you will speak my words to him and he will speak to the people for you (4:15–16). |
EXODUS—NOTE ON 3:16–17 Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them. This is the first direct charge to Moses related to the role he will fulfill as the one through whom the Lord will speak to Israel (see 4:15–16; 7:2; 19:3; 20:19–21; 24:3; 34:29–35).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 3:18 To someone as powerful as the king of Egypt, Moses making a request in the name of the LORD, the God of the Hebrews would look ridiculous. What god would choose to be identified with a nation of slaves and then also presume to make a request from the king of the nation that has enslaved them? Given all the other equally true things that God could have told Moses to say to designate him (e.g., the Lord, the God who has created the heavens and the earth), he is evidently making the point to both Egypt and Israel that he has chosen to identify with the people of his covenant even when they appear to have little value in the eyes of the nation they serve except as forced labor. that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. The Lord frames the request to Pharaoh in terms of his people being able to worship him, as he will throughout the plagues: “Let my people go, that they may serve me” (7:16; 8:1, 20; 9:1, 13; 10:3). This signifies to Israel that their freedom from slavery is governed by the promises and purposes of the covenant relationship with the Lord, and it shows Pharaoh that the nature of this relationship supersedes any claim he has on Israel.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 3:19 The might or strength of God’s hand is the means by which he will bring Israel out of Egypt. This image for God’s power working in the world to save his people recurs throughout the narrative of the plagues and the exodus (see 6:1; 7:4; 9:3; 13:3). The use of the image may represent intentional irony because ancient Egyptian texts often described the power of Pharaoh by saying that he had a “strong hand/arm” to destroy his enemies.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 3:22 God tells Moses not only that Israel will be brought out of Egypt but also that they will plunder the Egyptians. The description must have seemed inconceivable to Moses. Plundering in the ancient Near East was what victorious armies did to cities they defeated. God describes a situation in which Israel will not only be released from the most powerful nation in the region, but the people will also be given the spoils of Egypt by each woman of Israel simply asking for them from her neighbor. The precious materials that Israel carries out of Egypt will, among other things, become part of what they will use to construct the tabernacle (see 35:4–9, 20–29).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 4:1–17 This section narrates the dialogue between God and Moses regarding the signs he will perform before Israel and Pharaoh; it is framed by explicit references that bring Moses’ staff into focus (vv. 2, 17). The staff serves as a sign that God will be with Moses and will bring about what he has promised through him.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 4:3–9 The three signs indicate the extent of the Lord’s power and prefigure the realms of the plagues to come: creatures of the earth (staff to a serpent), people (Moses’ hand becoming leprous), and the elements of nature (water to blood).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 4:3–4 A staff turning into a snake was not a normal part of Moses’ experience, and his initial response (Moses ran) is natural and sensible. However, since it is the Lord who has instructed him, the otherwise foolish response of picking up the snake by the tail (v. 4) becomes not only sensible but faithful as well.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 4:5 Although God states that the signs will be given so that Israel may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers … has appeared to Moses, they are also intended as confirmation to Moses himself. In light of the Lord’s gracious response to his questions, for which he has not been reproved up to this point, Moses is also responsible to act faithfully in response to what the Lord has promised about his purposes for Israel.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 4:10–12 Egyptian magicians acted as Pharaoh’s advisers and were known for being proud of their considerable powers of speech. When Moses protests that he is slow of speech and of tongue (v. 10), he is raising a relevant concern if he is going to address Pharaoh and his court. However, as the Lord signified in making Moses’ hand leprous and then restoring it, he has power to work in and through that which he has created, including Moses’ mouth (vv. 11–12). Cf. Jeremiah’s call (Jer. 1:4–10).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 4:14 The Lord has not reproved Moses for his questions but has responded by revealing his person and purposes. When the narrative states that the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, it indicates to the reader that Moses was also responsible for doing what God had told him. Still, however, the Lord accommodates Moses by granting Aaron as his spokesman while also continuing to call him to lead Israel out of Egypt.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 4:16 He shall speak. The instructions to Moses and Aaron here describe the responsibilities of a prophet (see 7:1–2), who is called to speak exclusively and exhaustively what God reveals (see Deut. 18:18–22; 1 Sam. 3:17–20). Typically, a prophet is both the recipient and deliverer of God’s message, but in this case Aaron is the recipient and deliverer of Moses’ message. When God says that Moses shall be as God to Aaron, he is calling both of these men to faithfulness in their respective roles of relating what he reveals. From his upbringing, Moses was likely already familiar with someone being the “mouth” of another person. In ancient Egypt, there was a high official called “the mouth of the king” whose job was to mediate between the “god” Pharaoh and the people of Egypt by speaking Pharaoh’s words unaltered to the people.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 4:18–31 Moses Returns from Midian to Egypt. This section is brief but significant for what it shows in the transition from Moses’ exile in Midian to his return to Egypt. In each subsection there is a focus on the Lord’s masterful speech or action: he informs Moses that he can return to Egypt (vv. 18–20); he reminds Moses of his call before Pharaoh and foretells the outcome (vv. 21–23); he seeks Moses’ life (vv. 24–26); and he sends Aaron to encourage and assist Moses (vv. 27–31).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 4:21 I will harden his heart. The heart refers to the whole of the intellect, will, and emotions from which a person acts. The various Hebrew verbs used to describe the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart all refer to a desire to act contrary to the Lord rather than in accord with him. (See chart.) The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart is referred to throughout chs. 4–14 with the implication that Pharaoh is answerable for his own actions (e.g., 8:15). However, the Lord states here that it is his sovereign hand that ultimately governs the events. This is also indicated by the recurring “as the LORD had said” (see 7:13; 8:15, 18; 9:12, 35). Though one might conclude that, if God hardens someone’s heart, the latter is not answerable for his actions, this is not the biblical view, and certainly here the narrative is also careful to point out that Pharaoh also hardened his own heart (8:15, 32; 9:34). The sinner remains responsible for his sin. Cf. Rom. 9:16–18.
View this chart online at http://kindle.esvsb.org/c49
| Declarations | Hardenings | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| I [Yahweh] will harden Pharaoh’s heart. | Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh. | Pharaoh’s heart was hardened. | Pharaoh hardened his heart. |
| 4:21 | |||
| 7:3 | |||
| 7:13 | |||
| 7:14 | |||
| 7:22 | |||
| 8:15 | |||
| 8:19 | |||
| 8:32 | |||
| 9:7 | |||
| 9:12 | |||
| 9:34 | |||
| 9:35 | |||
| 10:1 | |||
| 10:20 | |||
| 10:27 | |||
| 11:10 | |||
| 14:4 | |||
| 14:5 | |||
| 14:8 | |||
EXODUS—NOTE ON 4:22–23 Israel had been in Egypt for over 400 years (see 12:40), and the people were enslaved for the better part of the time, which meant that they had no possessions or land to pass down as an inheritance. When the Lord instructs Moses to tell Pharaoh “Israel is my firstborn son,” he is indicating that he has remembered his covenant with Abraham (see Gen. 15:13–21) and that he will bring his people to the land promised as an inheritance to their fathers (see Gen. 15:16; 28:15; 48:21; 50:24). He is also asserting that Israel’s true identity extends back to a time and relationship that predates the many years they had been in Egypt’s service—a claim that Pharaoh will ignore to the peril of his own and all of Egypt’s firstborn (see Ex. 12:29–32). Israel as a whole is God’s “son,” and all individual Israelites are also “sons” (Deut. 14:1). For the Davidic king as God’s “son” and “firstborn,” embodying and representing the people, see notes on Ps. 2:7; 89:26–28.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 4:24–26 The events narrated in these verses are significant not only for what they tell but also for what they show. Not only has the Lord remembered his covenant promises (2:24), but his people are also called to remember the conditions of the covenant. Moses is held responsible for the provisions of the covenant with Abraham that required him to circumcise his sons (Gen. 17:9–14). Failure to be circumcised may lead to being “cut off” (some form of severe punishment from God; see notes on Gen. 17:14; Ex. 12:15; Lev. 7:11–36; Num. 9:6–14). Moses’ failure to circumcise his son could have led to his death, had it not been for his wife’s action. Once again, Moses’ life is preserved through the actions of another, this time through his wife Zipporah.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 4:27 Aaron is sent to meet Moses at the mountain of God, which is also the place where Moses first received the call to lead Israel out of Egypt and which, when they have come out, will become a sign that it is God who has brought them out (see 3:1 and note).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 5:1–7:7 Moses and Aaron: Initial Request. This section describes Moses’ and Aaron’s initial audience and request before Pharaoh (5:1–21) and the Lord’s promises and encouragement in light of the response (5:22–6:9; 7:1–7). It also includes a genealogy of Moses and Aaron that records their particular antecedents in light of the roles that they will fill when Israel is brought out of Egypt (6:10–30).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 5:1–21 Initial Request. Moses’ and Aaron’s initial audience with Pharaoh bears out what the Lord has foretold about Pharaoh’s response (vv. 1–19; see 3:19; 4:21) and foreshadows the challenge that Moses and Aaron will face in leading the people of Israel (5:20–21).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 5:1 The phrase thus says the LORD introduces Moses’ and Aaron’s words when the narrative explicitly recounts (1) the Lord’s instructions to them or (2) their actual speech to Pharaoh (see 7:17; 8:1, 20; 9:1, 13; 10:3; 11:4). As a statement of authority, the form of the phrase was used in the ancient Near East (note Pharaoh’s own appropriation of it in 5:10). For the Hebrew prophets it became a standard reminder to both messenger and recipient that the words came from and would be acted upon by the Lord (see Isa. 38:1, 5; Jer. 2:2).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 5:2 I do not know the LORD. Pharaoh’s response becomes thematic in the Lord’s descriptions of what the plagues are to signify for Egypt: “that you may know that I am the LORD” (8:10; see also 7:5, 17; 8:22; 9:14, 29; 10:2; 11:7). The sense of the word “know” here is similar to its use in the declaration that the Lord “knew” Israel’s suffering (see 2:25): it is not simply the knower’s cognitive recognition or acknowledgment but also the inclination or posture of the knower in relation to what is known. As Pharaoh’s opening question makes clear (“Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice … ?”), his statement that he does not “know” the Lord is as much about defiance against his claims as it is about ignorance of his identity.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 5:3 lest he fall upon us. This reason is not explicitly included in the narrative of what God told Moses to say, although it is clearly implied by the authority of the Lord: Egypt will be held responsible and judged for obstructing Israel’s ability to obey.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 5:6–8 The role of taskmasters is well known from Egyptian texts. An account from the time of Rameses II (13th century B.C.) records that 40 “stable masters” were assigned a quota of 2,000 bricks. The walls of the Rekhmire Chapel in Thebes (15th century B.C.) bear a famous scene that depicts the process of brick making in Egypt.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 5:10 Thus says Pharaoh. In contrast to “Thus says the LORD” (see v. 1), Pharaoh is both denying the power of the Lord’s words and asserting the authority of his own.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 5:15–16 Israel’s foremen refer to themselves before Pharaoh as your servants, which is highlighted by its repetition and stands in stark contrast to the fact that the Lord has called Israel “my people” (v. 1). In addition to the plagues functioning so that Egypt will know that it is the Lord who acts (see v. 2), the lengthy process to come is also merciful to Israel, for the people are in need of learning to trust the Lord who is at work on their behalf.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 5:21 The anger expressed by Israel’s foremen is the second instance of resistance to Moses’ help and leadership (see 2:14) and another foreshadowing of things to come (see 14:11–12; 15:24; 16:2; 17:2–3).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 5:22–6:9 God Promises to Deliver Israel from Egypt. After the first audience with Pharaoh results in his defiance and further hardship for Israel (5:1–21), Moses asks the Lord why he has done this (5:22–23) and the Lord responds by emphasizing that he will be present with his people and will bring about their deliverance in faithfulness to his covenant (6:1–9).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 5:22–23 Although the Lord had promised that he would deliver his people (3:8) and that Pharaoh would resist letting them go (3:19–20; 4:21), the shape and time frame of the events about to unfold were unknown to Moses. His first encounter with Pharaoh seemed to have brought evil (Hb. ra‘a‘, the same word translated “trouble” in 5:19) by making Israel’s situation and Pharaoh’s disposition worse than it had been.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 6:1–9 The Lord reaffirms to Moses (see 5:22–23) that he will bring his people out of Egypt, which is emphasized throughout this section by the numerous first-person statements (e.g., I will bring you out … I will deliver you … and I will redeem you; 6:6).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 6:1 With a strong hand refers to what the LORD will do in order to bring Israel out of Egypt (which 3:19–20 and 13:3 make explicit), not to the manner in which Pharaoh will send them. The Hebrew verb translated “he will send them out” is also translated “he will let you go” (3:20) and is the same verb (shallakh) used repeatedly in the command to Pharaoh, “Let my people go” (e.g., 8:1).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 6:2–8 The repeated declaration of God’s presence and identity, “I am the LORD,” frames the section (vv. 2, 6, 8) and emphasizes the significance of the plagues for Israel: the same God Almighty who made a covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (vv. 3–4) has heard the cries of their descendants and remembered his covenant (v. 5); he is the one who revealed himself to Moses (see 3:14–15) and who will bring them out of Egypt into the land he had promised to their fathers (6:6–8). Regarding the stress here on the Lord’s faithfulness, see further “I will be with you” in 3:12 and the note on 3:14.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 6:3–8 I appeared. God did indeed appear to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as indicated in a number of places in Genesis (e.g., Gen. 24:3, 7, 12; 26:22; 27:27; 28:21). but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. In light of this statement, some have suggested that the patriarchs did not actually know the name Yahweh. It is probably best, however, to understand this statement as explaining that the patriarchs did not fully understand and experience the essential character of God as represented by the name Yahweh (“the LORD”), as this was first understood more fully by Moses when the Lord appeared to him at the burning bush (see Ex. 3:1–22). Thus in 3:12–15 God had revealed himself to Moses in a far deeper way, promising Moses, “I will be with you,” and revealing the significance of his covenant identity as Yahweh (“the LORD”). Here then (in 6:6–8), God reaffirms his commitment to his people and his covenant identity in repeated affirmations, stating three times that he is the LORD—that is, he is the God of the covenant who will act in a decisive way on behalf of his people: “I will bring you out” (v. 6); “I will deliver you” (v. 6); “I will redeem you” (v. 6); “I will take you to be my people” (v. 7); “I will be your God” (v. 7); “I will bring you into the land” (v. 8); and “I will give it to you for a possession” (v. 8).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 6:6 redeem. See note on 15:13.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 6:7 When the Lord says, “I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God,” he is expressing the central idea of Israel’s relationship with him (see Deut. 4:20; 7:6). He will bring them into a personal relationship with himself, a relationship of great blessing, protection, and joy. When he says, “and you shall know that I am the LORD your God,” he is indicating that he will reveal himself to Israel through his acts on their behalf (see Ex. 10:2). This expression, common in Exodus, is called the “recognition formula”; see note on 7:5. Although it is addressed to Israel here, several similar statements (without the designation “your God”) are directed to Pharaoh during the course of the plagues (see 5:2; 7:5, 17).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 6:10–30 Moses and Aaron: Narrative Synopses and Genealogy. The genealogy of Moses and Aaron (vv. 14–25) is framed by opening and closing sections, which nearly mirror each other (vv. 10–13, 26–30). The function of the genealogy is to preserve the particular history of Moses and Aaron as the ones through whom the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt (as vv. 26–27 make clear) and also of Aaron’s sons who would become the heads of the priestly line in Israel (vv. 23, 25).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 6:10–13 The content of this section is repeated in vv. 26–30, but reversed in sequence:
Moses (vv. 10–12)
Moses and Aaron (v. 13)
genealogy (vv. 14–25)
Aaron and Moses (vv. 26–27)
Moses (vv. 28–30).
Aside from highlighting the genealogy, the shape of this frame also appears to emphasize the particular role of Moses as the one who interacts directly with the Lord (vv. 10–12, 28–30) in addition to his role with Aaron in carrying out what the Lord commands (vv. 13, 26–27).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 6:12 I am of uncircumcised lips (cf. v. 30). It is difficult to determine whether Moses intends something significantly different from his plea of being “slow of speech and of tongue” (4:10). The vocabulary may be meant to evoke the incident involving circumcision in 4:24–26. If so, Moses could be implying that he feels not only physically unable to speak (4:10) but also personally unfit or “unclean” to fulfill the task (cf. Isa. 6:5).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 6:14–25 The beginning of the genealogy looks as if the sons or heads of the household of Jacob’s sons will be listed in the order of their birth (v. 14a). However, after naming the sons of Reuben (v. 14b) and Simeon (v. 15), it stops to focus on the sons of Levi (v. 16) and in particular on Aaron, Moses (v. 20), and Aaron’s sons (vv. 23, 25). The genealogy functions primarily to preserve (1) the family history of Moses and Aaron as the ones through whom the Lord led Israel out of Egypt, and (2) the history of Aaron’s sons as those who were called to be priests in Israel (see 28:1). Other figures in the genealogy are likely included because of their roles in events narrated in the book of Numbers: the sons of Korah (Ex. 6:24) eventually become jealous of Aaron’s role as priest and rebel (Num. 16:1–50); and Aaron’s grandson Phinehas (Ex. 6:25) is later noted for his act of faithfulness in relation to Israel’s Baal worship at Peor (Num. 25:1–9). Like many Biblical genealogies, this one does not aim to include every single generation. It only lists four generations from Jacob to Moses (Levi-Kohath-Amram-Moses); compare 1 Chronicles 7, which lists 12 generations from Jacob to Joshua.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 6:26–27 These verses are structured to highlight the central statement that it was this particular Moses and Aaron who went before Pharaoh.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 7:1–7 Moses Encouraged. The Lord reaffirms several things from his earlier conversations with Moses: he has provided Aaron to act like Moses’ prophet in speaking to Pharaoh (7:1–2; see 4:16); he will harden Pharaoh’s heart (7:3; see 4:21); and he will bring Israel out of Egypt by his hand (7:4–5; see 3:19–20).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 7:5 The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD. This statement recalls Pharaoh’s earlier response (“Who is the LORD … ? I do not know the LORD …”; see 5:2) and is repeated as an explicit purpose of the plagues (see 7:17; 8:10, 22; 14:4, 18). In English, this phrase might seem simply equivalent to the Egyptians knowing “that I am God.” While the plagues surely signify this, the Hebrew term translated as “the LORD” is the name by which God revealed himself to Moses at the burning bush (3:14–15) and thus refers to the Egyptians knowing who he is, namely, “that I am Yahweh,” Israel’s covenant God. While the successive plague narratives offer further descriptions of Yahweh (see 8:10, 22; 9:14, 29; 11:7), their central purpose is to focus on his self-revelation through his mighty acts. This “recognition formula” describes the Lord’s revealing himself as Israel’s God, to both Israel (6:7; 10:2; 16:12; 29:46; cf. Deut. 4:35; 7:9) and Egypt (Ex. 7:5, 17; 8:22; 14:4, 18). Outside of Exodus, the recognition formula is common in Ezekiel, where God vindicates himself, especially before his unbelieving people, but also before the nations (e.g., Ezek. 28:22; 36:23).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 7:8–15:21 Plagues and Exodus. This section includes the initial sign that Moses and Aaron perform before Pharaoh (7:8–13), the nine plagues (7:14–10:29) leading up to the lengthy account and instructions surrounding the tenth plague and the exodus (11:1–13:16), and the crossing of the Red Sea and subsequent celebration (13:17–15:21).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 7:8–13 Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh: Initial Sign. Although Moses and Aaron had already requested that Pharaoh let Israel go (see 5:1–3), they had not yet performed any of the signs the Lord had given them. This section narrates briefly an initial sign that precedes the plagues: Aaron’s staff turns into a serpent.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 7:9 The staff signifies for Moses and Aaron that God is the one working the signs through them on Israel’s behalf (see 4:1–17), and it will continue to serve in this manner throughout the plagues to come. See chart.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 7:11–12 This is the first of three times where the magicians of Egypt see the sign that Aaron performs and then do the same by their secret arts (also v. 22; 8:7). The Hebrew word translated “magician” is most likely derived from an Egyptian title that refers to a lector priest: someone who acted as a magician in service to the gods of Egypt and was also considered a teacher of wisdom. Egyptian texts are filled with descriptions of priests performing extraordinary feats, including turning inanimate objects into animals. Talc 2 of the Westcar Papyrus tells of a priest who made a wax crocodile that came to life when he threw it in a lake. The narrative of Exodus does not seek to provide any further explanation of the means by which the magicians performed these signs (whether by trickery, evil supernatural powers, a combination of these, etc.). In each case, the description focuses instead on events that indicate that, although the magicians were able to wield or utilize power to perform the sign, they did not have mastery or authority over it. Here, this is shown by the fact that Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 7:13 The recurring references to the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart signify that the Lord is sovereign over and governs the events (see 4:21; 7:3; and chart), that Pharaoh is held responsible for his refusal to acknowledge what the signs reveal (see also 8:15, 32), and also that the readers or hearers of Exodus are being called to see these things and to keep from hardening their own hearts. Psalm 95 uses this phrase from the exodus narrative to warn Israel in its worship (“do not harden your hearts,” Ps. 95:8) and subsequently, the book of Hebrews uses Psalm 95 to call the church to continue in Christ by faith (Heb. 3:7–4:13).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 7:14–25 First Plague: Water to Blood. After separate instances in which Moses and Aaron made the initial request to let Israel go (5:1–3) and performed the first sign of the Lord’s power (7:8–13), the Lord now instructs them to warn Pharaoh that his failure to let Israel go will result in a sign that bears not only the evidence of the Lord’s power but also the physical effects of the Lord’s judgment on Egypt.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 7:14 Then the LORD said to Moses. This phrase heads the narrative of each plague (see 8:1, 16, 20; 9:1, 8, 13; 10:1, 21; 11:1). It not only indicates the sequence of the plagues but also signifies that the events are governed by the word of the Lord spoken to Moses. Pharaoh’s heart is hardened. Even before the first plague, the Lord said he would harden Pharaoh’s heart (4:21; 7:3), and in response to the sign of Aaron’s staff, Pharaoh signified the state of his heart by refusing to listen (7:13).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 7:15 Since the Nile was the water in which Moses was most likely placed by his mother and drawn out of by Pharaoh’s daughter (2:1–10), there may be intentional irony in the fact that through Moses the first plague will affect the waters of the Nile.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 7:16 The LORD, the God of the Hebrews. The Lord identifies himself with the people of Israel even though they are slaves (see note on 3:18), referring to them also as “my people” (cf. 3:7). To the king of a powerful nation like Egypt, the Lord’s identification with an enslaved people would seem to indicate that he had no power or authority to make such a request. However, the Lord will reveal through the plagues and exodus that he has power over all the earth (see 9:14, 29) and that his deliverance of Israel stems from his steadfast love for them and faithfulness to his covenant promises and not to Israel’s size, wealth, or power as a nation (cf. Deut. 7:6–11).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 7:17 By this you shall know that I am the LORD. Although this statement and the others like it (8:10, 22; 9:14, 29; 10:2) are most often spoken to Pharaoh and Egypt (7:5; 14:4, 8), it first appears in Exodus where the Lord is speaking to Moses about Israel (6:7).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 7:19 even in vessels of wood and … stone. The extent of the first plague shows that it cannot be explained simply as the result of natural causes.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 7:22–25 This is the second time that the magicians are described as having done the same by their secret arts (v. 22; see also vv. 11–12 and note; 8:7). The repeated vocabulary highlights the effects of this on Pharaoh, whose heart remained hardened (7:22; see v. 14) and who did not take the sign or what it signified to heart (v. 23). The description of the Egyptian people digging for water (v. 24) and the time frame of seven full days (v. 25) indicate what was being shown to Pharaoh: although the magicians repeated the sign, they did not have the power to reverse the effects of the plague or to cleanse the water of the Nile.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 8:1–15 Second Plague: Frogs. After Pharaoh’s refusal to heed the sign of the water of the Nile turned to blood, the Lord commands Moses and Aaron to perform a second plague, also from the Nile: frogs will come up to cover the land (vv. 1–7). Although Pharaoh recognizes the power represented in the plague and pleads with Moses, he further hardens his heart when there is relief from its effects (vv. 8–15).
Exodus records the instructions and events of the plagues for the purpose of showing how the Lord revealed both his person and his power through delivering Israel from Egypt. The plagues fall on areas of life supposedly protected by Egypt’s gods, thus demonstrating the Lord’s power over the gods of the world’s mightiest nation. The narrative of the plagues is therefore not necessarily an exhaustive account of everything that happened but is shaped in order to communicate the aspects of each plague that are necessary for its purpose. For example, the section describing the third plague (8:16–19) does not record either the instruction or the event of Moses and Aaron going before Pharaoh, but the fact that the magicians seek to reproduce the sign (v. 18) indicates that it is likely they performed it initially in the presence of Pharaoh and his court. Each of the sections on the third, sixth, and ninth plagues are similar in their brevity and style, which also lends to the shape of three cycles of three plagues leading up to the tenth and final plague.
View this chart online at http://kindle.esvsb.org/c50
| Type of Plague | Reference | Warning? | Time of Warning | Instruction | Agent | Staff? | Pharaoh promises to let people go? | Pharaoh’s heart hardened? | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Cycle | 1. Nile to blood | 7:14–25 | Yes | In the morning | Go to Pharaoh; Stand | Aaron | Yes | – | Yes |
| 2. Frogs from the Nile | 8:1–15 | Yes | – | Go in to Pharaoh | Aaron | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 3. Dust to gnats | 8:16–19 | – | – | – | Aaron | Yes | – | Yes | |
| 2nd Cycle | 4. Flies | 8:20–32 | Yes | Early in the morning | Present yourself to Pharaoh | God | – | Yes | Yes |
| 5. Egyptian livestock die | 9:1–7 | Yes | – | Go in to Pharaoh | God | – | – | Yes | |
| 6. Boils | 9:8–12 | – | – | – | Moses | – | – | Yes | |
| 3rd Cycle | 7. Hail | 9:13–35 | Yes | Early in the morning | Present yourself before Pharaoh | Moses | – | Yes | Yes |
| 8. Locusts | 10:1–20 | Yes | – | Go in to Pharaoh | Moses | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 9. Darkness | 10:21–29 | – | – | – | Moses | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 10. Death of firstborn | 11:1–10; 12:29–32 | Yes | – | – | God | Yes | Yes | Yes |
EXODUS—NOTE ON 8:3–4 The account of the second plague emphasizes that the effects will extend beyond the water of the Nile: the frogs will come up into the house, bedroom, and bed, into the ovens and kneading bowls, and even on all of the inhabitants of Egypt.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 8:7 This is the third time that the magicians observed the sign Aaron performed and then did the same by their secret arts (see 7:11–12 and note; 7:22). In each case, the narrator offers no further comment or qualification of the magicians’ work but instead focuses on how the following events illustrate the supremacy of the Lord’s power. Part of the narrative tension is that Pharaoh and his court begin to recognize some of what is being revealed, though Pharaoh will never fully relent even in light of all the plagues and even after the death of his own firstborn son.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 8:8 Pharaoh’s request that Moses and Aaron plead with the LORD to take away the frogs (v. 8) represents a tacit admission that the magicians of Egypt were powerless to do this (see v. 7). Pharaoh acted as if it were his prerogative to keep Israel or to let the people go, but his request to Moses is also an implicit admission that this power belonged to the Lord alone.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 8:12 Moses cried to the LORD on Egypt’s behalf, in accord with the stipulations he had allowed Pharaoh to set (vv. 9–11). Moses’ intercession for Egypt (v. 29; 9:33; 10:18) prepares for and prefigures the way that he will intercede on Israel’s behalf once they have gone out of Egypt (see 15:25; 17:4; 32:11–14; 33:12–16).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 8:13 The fact that the LORD did according to the word of Moses stands in distinct contrast to the inefficacy of the magicians of Egypt.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 8:14–15 Although Pharaoh hardened his heart in light of the relief from the frogs (v. 15), it is the people of Egypt who must clean up the mess (just as they had to dig for water after the first plague). The land stank (v. 14) would have been a potent reason to question whether their king had made the right choice. The disastrous effects of Pharaoh’s refusal to heed the warnings of the plagues become gradually more evident to those who are suffering because of his disobedience (see v. 19; 10:7).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 8:15 The narrative of each plague opens with the phrase “and the LORD said to Moses” (see 7:14); the fulfillment of the plague or the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart is often followed by the phrase “as the LORD had said” (see 7:13, 22; 8:19; also 9:12, 35), further underscoring that the events are governed by the word of the Lord.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 8:16–19 Third Plague: Gnats. The description of the third plague is sparse and similar to those of the sixth (9:8–12) and ninth plagues (10:21–29), which are also brief and begin with the Lord’s instruction to Moses about the plague itself (see chart). The brevity of this section brings the response of the magicians into sharp focus (8:18–19).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 8:18–19 Up to this point the magicians of Egypt had been able to use their secret arts to replicate the signs done by Aaron (see 7:11–12 and note; 7:22; 8:7). In each case they had been unable to overpower the sign (the serpents) or reverse its effects (water to blood; frogs on the land). But now that they are unable to produce gnats from dust they say to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God” (v. 19). The narrative of the plagues highlights the way that some of Pharaoh’s servants (see also 10:7) begin to recognize what he fails to see: the God who sent Moses and Aaron has shown that he has power over Egypt and that Pharaoh’s persistent defiance is harming his own people.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 8:20–32 Fourth Plague: Flies. The fourth plague is the first to focus on the distinction between the effects on Egypt and on Israel (vv. 22–24). Although Pharaoh has been reluctant to acknowledge either the damage caused by the plagues or what they represent, he begins to plead with Moses more often in order to gain relief (see v. 8) while still refusing to listen to the command to let Israel go.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 8:20–21 In the Lord’s message to Pharaoh he refers to Israel as my people (v. 20; see 3:7) and to Egypt as your people (8:21) and prefigures the distinction he will make (in the fourth plague) between Israel and Egypt (vv. 22–24).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 8:22 The land of Goshen (perhaps the area of the eastern delta in Egypt) was originally given to Jacob and his family by the pharaoh who had known and honored Joseph (Gen. 47:4–6; cf. Gen. 45:10; 46:28). He had given the Israelites this territory in part because they and their means of livelihood were abhorrent to the Egyptians (see Gen. 43:32; 46:34). The distinction that the Lord will make between Goshen and Egypt would have seemed entirely contrary to what the Egyptians considered to be the worth of each nation. that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. The Lord states repeatedly that the plagues have the purpose that Pharaoh (and the Egyptians) would know who he is (see note on Ex. 7:5). Both translation options for this phrase (see esv footnote on 8:22) focus on the identity (see 3:14–15) and presence (see 6:2–8) of Yahweh, who is at work on behalf of his people.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 8:25–27 When Pharaoh offers the qualified response that Israel may go and serve God within the land (v. 25), Moses responds first with the logistical problems that should have been obvious to Pharaoh (v. 26) before he gives the reason that really governs his inability to accept the lesser offer: Israel must go out to serve the Lord as he tells us (v. 27).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 8:28 Despite the ruin that the flies had brought on Egypt (v. 24) and what it represented about the Lord’s power, Pharaoh still seeks to govern the extent to which he would let Israel go (only you must not go very far away) before he asks for Moses to intercede for him.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 8:32 After Moses’ intercession brought relief from the flies, Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, just as he had after the relief from the frogs (see v. 15).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 9:1–7 Fifth Plague: Egyptian Livestock Are Killed. The fifth plague is the second to make a distinction between Israel and Egypt (see 8:22–23) and the first to bring about death in Egypt as the specific effect of the plague.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 9:1 The LORD instructs Moses once again to refer to him before Pharaoh as the God of the Hebrews (see 3:18; 7:16). In light of the distinction between Israel and Egypt in the fourth plague and also here in the fifth, the reference should have begun to hammer home to Pharaoh that Yahweh’s identification with Israel indicated his favor on them—but also that this did not mean that God’s power and authority were limited to the Hebrew people.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 9:3 The reference to the hand of the LORD is another thematic statement in the account of the exodus (see note on 3:19) that makes explicit what the events are meant to show to both Egypt and to Israel: it is the Lord who is at work to bring Israel out of Egypt.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 9:5 Tomorrow. When Pharaoh was asked to set the time of relief for the second plague, he requested that it be done “tomorrow” (see 8:10). Moses then used the same time frame in his plea for relief from the fourth plague (8:29). Now, the Lord again uses it for the timing of the plague on Egypt’s livestock.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 9:7 The fact that Pharaoh sends someone to check on whether Israel had been spared from this fifth plague, and then responds as he does, both illustrates and contributes further to the hardness of his heart.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 9:8–12 Sixth Plague: Boils. The description of the sixth plague is similar to that of the third in both its brevity and the way it focuses on the magicians of Egypt (see 8:16–19; and chart).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 9:8 After Aaron performs the initial sign (7:10) and the first three plagues (7:19; 8:3, 16), and the Lord’s agency alone is described in the fourth and fifth (8:24; 9:6), here the Lord commands Moses to be the one to bring about the sign. As the events continue to unfold, the narrative shows Moses maturing in the role that the Lord had called him to at the burning bush (3:1–4:17).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 9:9 The boils of the sixth plague are the first effect to impact the inhabitants of Egypt directly. The progression of the plagues continues to grow both in what they show of the Lord’s power and in the proximity of their effects on the lives of Pharaoh and his people.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 9:11 Pharaoh originally summons his magicians to contest the significance of the signs performed by Moses and Aaron (7:11). While they are able to reproduce some of the first signs (7:11, 22; 8:7), they could not overpower them (7:12) or reverse their effects (7:24; 8:8). When the magicians are unable to produce gnats, they confess to Pharaoh what has been signified throughout, “This is the finger of God” (see 8:19). In the sixth plague, the effects of the Lord’s power are embodied in the magicians themselves who could not stand before Moses because of the boils.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 9:13–35 Seventh Plague: Hail. In the progression of the narrative, the seventh plague is highlighted by both the length and content of its description. The extended section of the Lord’s words to Pharaoh is particularly significant: it is the first and only time the Lord explicitly explains to Pharaoh the power and purposes of the plagues (vv. 14–17), and it is also the first time he offers Pharaoh a way to avoid the effects of the plague (vv. 18–19).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 9:14–16 The repeated reference to the earth in these verses underscores the Lord’s message: although Pharaoh considered himself to be a representative of divine power, the plagues have revealed that there is no one like the Lord in all the earth (v. 14; see v. 29); that it was only by the Lord’s mercy that Egypt had not yet been destroyed from the earth (v. 15); and that Pharaoh was ultimately raised up by the Lord’s power and for the proclamation of his name in all the earth (v. 16, also cited by the apostle Paul on the purposes behind God’s absolute sovereignty, Rom. 9:17).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 9:14 this time. The Lord indicates the increasing intensity and proximity of the effects of this plague, but when Pharaoh uses the same phrase to qualify his repentance (v. 27) it is clear that he has still not taken any of the plagues to heart. The Hebrew phrase translated “on you yourself” is literally “on your heart” (see esv footnote) and is likely an intended wordplay with the continued reference to the state of Pharaoh’s heart (vv. 34–35) and the hearts of his servants (v. 34; see vv. 20–21).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 9:18–21 hail … such as never has been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now (v. 18; also v. 24). Several of the plagues involved elements that would have occurred naturally to some degree in the land of Egypt (e.g., frogs, flies, hail, locusts), but in each case the details (related to the timing, concentration, location, severity, or even the means of relief) were meant to signify that the Lord had supernaturally brought them on Egypt. The provision of a way to find safe shelter from the hail (v. 19) was a test to indicate who had taken the plagues to heart and thus feared the word of the LORD (v. 20). The reference to those who did not pay attention to the word of the LORD draws into focus the wordplay on the state of the heart of Pharaoh and his servants (see v. 14) as the Hebrew phrase is literally, “whoever did not set his heart to the word of the Lord.”
EXODUS—NOTE ON 9:27 This time I have sinned. Pharaoh’s qualified admission echoes the opening words from the Lord’s explanation of the plague (“this time,” v. 14), but indicates that he has drawn the wrong conclusion (see also 10:17). Pharaoh has sinned in response to each plague, refusing to listen to the word of the Lord, and Egypt stands under judgment as a result.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 9:31–32 The explanation about crops in Egypt indicates that Pharaoh took comfort from what remained in his land rather than acknowledging the destruction that had already come.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 9:34 he … hardened his heart, he and his servants. The repetition highlights Pharaoh’s responsibility. His defiance leads the way for the defiance of his servants and brings about the destruction of his land. As the plagues progress, some of Pharaoh’s servants begin to recognize that he is exercising his rule at their expense rather than in their best interest (see 8:19; 10:7; 11:8).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 9:35 The two references to the heart of Pharaoh represent both his responsibility for his actions (v. 34) and the sovereign governance over the events by the Lord (v. 35; see also 10:1).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 10:1–20 Eighth Plague: Locusts. The eighth plague ties together the events and narrative of plagues seven through nine: the locusts of the eighth plague finish off what the hail of the seventh has left behind (see 9:31–32), and the language describing the effect of the locusts “covering the face of the land” prefigures the darkness of the ninth (10:21). Where the Lord explained his purposes more explicitly to Pharaoh in the seventh (see 9:14–17), here he indicates again to Moses that the plagues are not solely for Egypt but primarily for what they reveal to the people of Israel (10:2; see also 6:7).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 10:1 I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants. This is only the second plague narrative (cf. 7:14) that begins with a statement about the condition of Pharaoh’s heart. The point is clear: Yahweh governs the events (see 9:34–35). Hereafter in the plague and exodus narrative it is usually the Lord who is referred to as hardening the heart of Pharaoh (see note on 4:21; also chart).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 10:2 The Lord has Moses tell Pharaoh several times that the purpose of the plagues is that you may know that I am the LORD (see note on 7:5). Here in the preface to the eighth plague, the Lord addresses these words to Moses and reminds him that this is also his purpose for Israel (see 6:7)—and that what is signified in the plagues will become a part of the regular celebration in Israel of who the Lord is and what he has done for his people (that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 10:5 The description of the locusts as covering the face of the land, so that no one can see the land (also v. 15) prefigures the darkness that is to come in the ninth plague (vv. 21–23). Although each of the plagues has signified judgment through the threat of disease and/or death in some measure, the seventh through the ninth plagues intensify the warning and prefigure the judgment of death that is to come with the final plague.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 10:6 from the day they came on earth to this day. Like the hail of the seventh plague, the Lord makes it clear that, although swarms of locusts were not unknown in the history of Egypt, the warning, timing, and extent of this plague indicate that it should not be interpreted as simply a regular and expected part of their normal experience.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 10:7 Like the magicians in 8:19, some of Pharaoh’s servants recognize what the plagues signify and make the bold move to suggest strongly to Pharaoh that he is not acting on behalf of his people as a ruler should.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 10:8–11 Pharaoh listens to his servants (v. 7) and for the first time calls Moses and Aaron back into his presence before the plague has begun (v. 8). However, as in his post-plague pleading with Moses, Pharaoh responds to Moses’ answer (v. 9) with an offer of only qualified obedience to the Lord’s command (v. 10) and then sends them out in the anger of offended pride (v. 11). Contrary to what all of the plagues have indicated, Pharaoh continues to act as if he has unqualified authority over Israel.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 10:17 When Pharaoh pleads with Moses and Aaron that his sin be forgiven only this once, the Hebrew is similar to his earlier qualified admission, “This time I have sinned” (9:27; see also 9:14) and indicates again that he recognizes neither the nature of his actions nor the gravity of what the plagues represent. remove this death from me. Pharaoh’s description of the effect of the locusts as “death” is apt because of what has happened to Egypt’s crops and also for the way it foreshadows the death to come in the final plague.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 10:19 Red Sea. See note on 13:18.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 10:21–29 Ninth Plague: Darkness. The ninth plague is significant both for its immediate effects and for what it represents. The “darkness to be felt” immobilizes the inhabitants of Egypt from any normal pattern of living for three full days and is a foreboding warning of the death that waits in the final plague.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 10:23 After the locusts of the eighth plague are described as covering “the face” (vv. 5, 15) of the land so that no one could “see the land” (v. 5) because it was “darkened” (v. 15), the plague of darkness now has the effect that the people of Egypt did not see one another. The extended night that Egypt endures for three days prefigures the death to come, both in the way that darkness was often associated with the realm of death and for how the final plague will come at midnight (11:4; 12:29).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 10:24 Pharaoh once again offers a qualification to what the Lord has asked in order to have some way of still tethering Israel to Egypt as his labor force. He has told them to go and sacrifice: “within the land” (8:25), without “your little ones” (10:9–11), and then here without your flocks and your herds. The Lord’s words to Pharaoh have always framed Israel’s going out as having the purpose “that they may serve me” (see 7:16; 8:1; etc. and also 3:12, 18), indicating also that this service would be primarily worship (see 5:1; 10:9, 25–26). Pharaoh stands in continual defiance of what the Lord is calling Israel to do in terms of the location, people, and provisions for serving him.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 10:27–29 The narrative of each plague ends with either a description like this on the state of Pharaoh’s heart (8:32; 9:7; 10:20) or a declaration that events had transpired according to the word of the Lord (8:15, 19; 9:12, 35), and once with a reference to the time elapsed (7:25). The interchange between Pharaoh and Moses in 10:28 may indicate that the warning of the tenth plague (11:4–8) comes while Moses is still in Pharaoh’s presence. The threefold reference to Pharaoh’s face plays on the description of the darkening of the land by the locusts (see 10:5, 15) and on the effects of the thick darkness on the people of Egypt (vv. 21–23) and, as Moses’ final statement makes clear, forewarns of the finality of the plague to come: I will not see your face again.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 11:1–15:21 Tenth Plague: Final Sign. The section that describes the tenth and final plague includes extended accounts that relate to: the warning (11:1–10); the instructions for Israel’s Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (12:1–28); the plague (12:29–32); the exodus (12:33–42); the statute for the Passover (12:43–51); the command to consecrate the firstborn and celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread (13:1–16); how Israel went out of Egypt (13:17–22); the events of the Red Sea (14:1–31); and the songs of Moses (15:1–18) and Miriam (15:19–21).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 11:1–10 The Lord both prepares Israel for going out of Egypt (vv. 1–3) and once again warns Pharaoh of the plague that is to come (vv. 4–8). The section ends with a final statement that Moses and Aaron had done all that the Lord asked them and that Pharaoh would not listen because the Lord had hardened his heart (vv. 9–10).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 11:1 Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Although the Lord told Moses at the outset that Pharaoh would not listen because of his hardened heart (see 3:19–20; 4:21), the Lord only now reveals when the plagues would end. The plague narratives show Moses continually maturing in his role as Israel’s leader, as one who is called to act in light of the Lord’s promises even though he does not know exactly how and when the Lord will bring Israel out of Egypt.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 11:2–3 The Lord instructs Israel to ask the Egyptians for silver and gold, a fulfillment of what he told Moses at the burning bush (3:21–22). In addition, the fact that Moses was considered very great by both Pharaoh’s servants and the people in Egypt is a fulfillment of the Lord’s promise at the burning bush: “I will be with you” (3:12, 15).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 11:4 The descriptions of the third, sixth, and ninth plagues each begin with the Lord simply instructing Moses to perform the sign (8:16; 9:8; 10:21; see chart). The descriptions of the other plagues always include the words to Pharaoh “thus says the LORD” and the instruction to “let my people go” (see 7:16, 17; 8:1, 20; 9:1, 13; 10:3). The warning here indicates the finality of the tenth plague when Moses says, “Thus says the LORD,” and then describes the forthcoming effects of the plague without any further request to let Israel go.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 11:5 When the Lord spoke to Moses as he was preparing to go back to Egypt, he referred to Israel as “my firstborn son” (4:22) and indicated that Pharaoh’s refusal would result in the death of his firstborn (4:23). Since Pharaoh leads as his people’s representative, the plagues have extended not simply to him but also to his people, a fact which becomes even more poignant in the final plague when every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 11:7 The LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel from the very beginning by referring to Israel as “my people” (see 3:7; 5:1) and identifying himself with them as “the God of the Hebrews” (3:18; 5:3). This distinction is further revealed to Pharaoh through the plagues (see 8:22–23; 9:4, 26; 10:23) and is grounded not in anything inherent in either nation but in the Lord’s sovereign governance over all nations and particularly in his steadfast love for and covenant promises to Abraham (see Deut. 7:6–11).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 11:8 The narrative does not tell the reader explicitly why Moses went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. As the one who has interacted with Pharaoh throughout and even pleaded with the Lord on his behalf, it may be that Moses found Pharaoh’s persistent pride infuriating because of the devastating effect it would have on the people of Egypt (cf. note on 9:34).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:1–28 Where the Lord had made a distinction in earlier plagues by protecting Israel’s land, livestock, and people from the effects he brought upon Egypt, the people of Israel are now called to act faithfully in order to appropriate the means by which the Lord will “pass over” them during the tenth plague. The Lord’s instructions to Moses and Aaron look beyond simply the events of the tenth plague and describe how the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread will be celebrated by Israel in the Promised Land.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:2 The events of the plagues and exodus are so significant for Israel’s identity as an emerging nation that the month they come out of Egypt will become for them the first month of the year. (Cf. The Hebrew Calendar.)
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:3–4 Just as the plague will result in the death of a firstborn in every house in Egypt (see v. 30), Israel is given instructions for a lamb to be sacrificed on behalf of every household.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:7 they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts. The practice would indicate that the members of the household had followed the Lord’s instructions and were consecrated to him; but the Israelites, in light of the developed sacrificial system, would find the blood of the slain lamb to be a vivid reminder that a life had to be sacrificed in place of those in the home.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:8 The Passover lamb is to be eaten with unleavened bread. This reflects the coming events in which Israel is sent out of Egypt so quickly that they have to pack up their dough before it is leavened (vv. 34, 39).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:9–10 Israel is to prepare their Passover lambs by roasting them “on the fire” (v. 8), and they are to burn anything that remains of the meal in the morning (v. 10). Although the reasons for these instructions are not stated explicitly, the reference to the meal as “the LORD’s” (v. 11; see also v. 27) indicates that it is to be treated as holy.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:11 Similar to the instruction about unleavened bread (v. 8), Israel is to eat the Passover dressed in a manner that symbolizes their being sent out of Egypt in the middle of the night (vv. 31–34).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:12 The seventh plague had been a forewarning that the Lord has authority over both man and beast (9:25), but where the hail had affected only those who remained in the field, the tenth plague would strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt. The Lord has stated repeatedly that the central purpose of the plagues is that both Egypt and Israel would know who he is: “I am the LORD” (see 3:13–15; 6:2–8; 7:5, 17). What is being displayed in judgment on Egypt’s land, animals, people, king, and gods is also revealing to Israel that Yahweh is the only true God of heaven and earth and he is acting on their behalf. The events of the Passover are the ultimate demonstration of God’s holy judgment of Egypt in its stubborn rejection of Yahweh, of God’s great love for his people Israel, and of his power that is infinitely greater than all the power of Pharaoh and his kingdom (cf. Rom. 9:17, 22–24).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:13 Since the Lord had shown clearly in previous plagues that he could distinguish between the people of Egypt and Israel (e.g., 8:22; 9:4), the blood placed on the doorway of the houses of Israel was to function both as the sign that they were a part of the Lord’s people and also as the seal or means to appropriate the Lord’s protection from the plague (see also 12:21–23).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:14–20 The instructions in this section relate particularly to the way that Israel will celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the Promised Land.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:15 The consequence of eating something leavened during the seven days is that a person shall be cut off from Israel (also v. 19). This suggests that eating leavened bread during the Passover was a serious sin. Although being “cut off” is stated as the consequence for a number of violations of the law (e.g., not being circumcised, Gen. 17:14; eating part of the sacrifice while unclean, Lev. 7:20–21; committing incest, Lev. 20:17), the majority of the contexts where it is mentioned do not state explicitly whether this refers to an action that Israel is to carry out or whether it is something known and acted upon by the Lord (see note on Ex. 31:14–15). In the context of the instructions for the Passover, it is possible that the addition of being cut off from the congregation of Israel (12:19) indicates that Israel was to remove a person from the celebration of the Passover if and when they knew the restriction had been broken. However, even where such an action may be intended, it would have been grounded primarily in what being cut off represented about the person’s state before the Lord and thus would have been a merciful warning against disregarding the covenant lest the person continue in such a state and be cut off forever. Sometimes it appears that God’s judgment brings about the offender’s premature death. (See also note on Lev. 7:11–36; cf. notes on Gen. 17:14; Lev. 22:1–3; Num. 9:6–14; Ps. 37:9.)
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:19 a sojourner or a native of the land. See vv. 43–49. The sojourners were non-Israelites, living among Israel; often they were converts to the Lord. These rules are not just for the first Passover in Egypt; they prescribe how the festival is to be celebrated when Israel arrives in Canaan and has foreigners living among them.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:21 After Pharaoh offers qualified obedience to the Lord’s request, including attempts to restrict the place (8:25), participants (10:8–11), and provision (10:24–26) for serving him, there is tragic irony in the fact that Israel’s first sacrifice (kill the Passover lamb) is in the land of Egypt and signifies the judgment that will come upon it.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:22 hyssop. A bushy shrub used as a brush in a variety of cleansing ceremonies (see Lev. 14:4–7; Num. 19:6, 18; Ps. 51:7; cf. John 19:29).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:23 when he sees the blood. See notes on vv. 7, 13.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:26–27 when your children say to you … you shall say. Israel’s identity as the people whom the Lord had brought out of Egypt was to be formed not only through faithful participation in the celebration of the Passover but also by proper narration of what it signifies.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:30 The elders of Israel had been called to act on behalf of their households (v. 21) so that every “house” would appropriate the means for protection (v. 22); Pharaoh’s refusal to obey the Lord results in there being not a house where someone was not dead. In each case, the leaders acted as representatives through whom the consequences of either their faithfulness or unfaithfulness were extended to their respective “houses.”
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:35–36 Israel’s obedience in asking for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing (v. 35) fulfills not only what the Lord had promised to Moses at the burning bush (3:22) but also what he had originally promised to Abraham, that his descendants would come out (of Egypt) “with great possessions” (Gen. 15:14).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:37 While the sons of Jacob and their families arrived in Egypt with 70 persons (see 1:5), the people of Israel who were going out of the land now numbered more than six hundred thousand . . . , besides women and children. This would suggest a total company of about 2 million. On the large numbers in the Pentateuch, see Introduction to Numbers.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:39 The celebration of Israel’s exodus from Egypt (see vv. 14–20; 13:3–10) will involve the seemingly unimportant but historically particular event of having to bake unleavened cakes of the dough (see 12:34). Israel’s inability to prepare any provisions for themselves is merciful because Yahweh will continually demonstrate his provision for them in this context. As the narrative will make clear, Israel is still in need of fully believing and appropriating this truth during the journey to Sinai (see 15:24; 16:2; 17:2–3).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:41 The reference to Israel as the hosts of the LORD (also vv. 17, 51; 7:4) evokes a military image (see 15:4). The pharaoh “who did not know Joseph” (1:8) had originally enslaved Israel because he feared they would form a military alliance with one of Egypt’s enemies (1:10). Although Israel probably had enough people to stage a military coup (12:37), the plagues and the exodus signified that it was the Lord who would fight on behalf of his people (cf. 14:14). When Israel is equipped for battle, it is not to fight Egypt but to be ready to go into the land the Lord has promised them (13:18).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:43–49 The statutes related to the Passover were necessary in light of the “mixed multitude” that went out of Egypt with Israel (v. 38). Participation in the feasts that would be formative for Israel’s life in the land required that a person be identified as a part of the Lord’s people by letting all his males be circumcised (v. 48). In the NT church, there is a parallel in that baptism (the sign of membership in God’s people) would ordinarily precede participating in the Lord’s Supper. Similarly here, circumcision is required prior to eating the Passover.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 12:46 you shall not break any of its bones. This is probably the text John 19:36 has in mind as fulfilled in the death of Jesus on Passover (John may have combined this text with Ps. 34:20; see notes on Ps. 34:15–22 and John 19:36).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 13:1–16 As the Passover in 12:1–27 looks forward to Israel’s life in the land, these verses call the people of Israel to faithfulness in celebrating the Feast of Unleavened Bread (13:3–10) and consecrating all their firstborn (vv. 2, 11–16).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 13:2 In addition to the yearly sacrifice of the Passover (see 12:1–13), Israel is also called to consecrate to the Lord all the firstborn in Israel, whether animal or human. The instructions for how and why this is to be carried out are given in 13:11–16. This reminds Israel that, when the Egyptian firstborn died in the tenth plague, the Israelites were spared (v. 15). “Consecrate” means “make holy by giving to God.” Thus the firstborn of sacrificial animals, such as sheep and cattle, had to be sacrificed. However, firstborn donkeys and humans had to be redeemed: a lamb was offered in sacrifice instead of them (vv. 12–13).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 13:3 The repeated statement that the Lord brought his people out by a strong hand (also vv. 9, 14, 16) frames the instruction of this section and acts as the grounds upon which Israel is called to be faithful in keeping both the Feast of Unleavened Bread (vv. 3, 9) and the consecration of all the firstborn (vv. 14, 16). As a reminder of the Lord’s power, it also seems intended to encourage Israel to fear the Lord and not the nations who inhabit the land of Canaan (see vv. 5, 11).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 13:5 The instruction of vv. 2–16 focuses on the time when the Lord will bring Israel into the land of the Canaanites (also v. 11). With the repeated statement that the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt “by a strong hand” (see v. 3), Moses encourages Israel to see that faithfulness to these two statutes is a part of being formed to fear the Lord and not the nations who inhabit the land.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 13:6–7 These instructions relate to the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is initiated by the celebration of Passover and is observed for seven days (see 12:14–20).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 13:8 Israel is called once again (see 12:26) not only to faithfully participate in the statutes of the Lord but also to tell their children what they mean: You shall tell your son on that day (also 13:14).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 13:9 The Lord’s statutes were to be so normative and governing for life in Israel that they would be like marks on your hand and between your eyes (also v. 16). In a wordplay related to the part of the body responsible for both eating and speaking (the mouth), faithfulness is described as having the result that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth; that is, you will always be saying it to yourself or teaching your children (Deut. 6:7; Ps. 1:2).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 13:11–16 set apart to the LORD all that first opens the womb (v. 12). This was another way in which Israel’s pattern of everyday life was to reflect the fact that they were the people that the Lord had brought out of Egypt (see also 34:19–20). Every firstborn was regarded as belonging to the Lord. Firstborn animals were to be sacrificed, redeemed by the sacrifice of another animal, or killed (13:12–15). Firstborn children were to be redeemed (v. 13) by the sacrifice of a lamb. Like the Passover (see 12:26) and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (13:8–9), parents were to be faithful in both the doing and the telling of consecration: And when in time to come your son asks you, “What does this mean?” you shall say … (vv. 14–15).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 13:17 Although the Lord has clearly shown through the plagues that he can bring his people victoriously through the land of the Philistines, he mercifully chooses to take them on another route that will not lead to immediate armed conflict. However, this route will result in Israel being hemmed in between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army of chariots (see 14:5–9) and will call them to a different sort of challenge. Before the Lord calls Israel to trust that he will fight through them (as he will do with the Amalekites in 17:8–16), he will show them once again how he will fight for them (see 14:13–14).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 13:18 toward the Red Sea. In the accounts of the crossing of the sea (15:4; Deut. 11:4; Ps. 106:7, 9, 22) the water is often referred to as Yam Sup, which is also the Hebrew phrase in this verse. Some modern scholars interpret Yam Sup as “Sea of Reeds/Papyrus” because the term sup refers to the reeds growing along the Nile River (Ex. 2:3). Because papyrus does not grow along the Red Sea/Gulf of Suez, some scholars have concluded that the Yam Sup is one of the marshy lakes in the eastern delta region north of the Red Sea. Support for this is claimed from the Egyptian document Papyrus Anastasis III, which describes a “papyrus lake” not far from the city of Rameses that could be identified with the Yam Sup of the Exodus account. Many scholars have concluded from this that the Israelites crossed a marshy area of a lake rather than a large body of water such as the Red Sea. Other scholars disagree, proposing that sup is not related to the Egyptian word “papyrus” but rather to a word that means “end” (Hb. sop). And, thus, the yam sup would literally mean “the sea of the end,” that is, the sea at the end of the land of Egypt (i.e., the Red Sea). The Septuagint translates yam sup into Greek as tēn erythran thalassan (lit., “the red sea”) here and elsewhere. In addition, every certain reference to yam sup in the Bible refers to the Red Sea or its northern extensions in the Gulfs of Aqaba and Suez (e.g., 1 Kings 9:26; Jer. 49:21). This suggests that the name Yam Sup is best understood to denote the Red Sea/Gulf of Suez and, therefore, the Israelites crossed this major body of water when they fled Egypt.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 13:19 Taking the bones of Joseph carried out his last wishes (Gen. 50:24–25); it reaffirmed for Israel that God had kept the promises he had made so long before. Hebrews 11:22 sees Joseph’s desire to be buried in the Promised Land as evidence of his “faith” in God’s future blessings, including “a better country, that is, a heavenly one” (Heb. 11:16; cf. Heb. 11:1, 10, 13–16, 39–40).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 13:21–22 Throughout the events of Exodus, cloud and fire accompany and signify the presence of the Lord: at the burning bush (3:2), in giving the people manna (16:10), on Mount Sinai (19:18), and in the tabernacle (40:38).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 14:1–31 With statements that echo his words to Moses before the plagues (see vv. 4, 8, 17, 18; 4:21; 7:3–5), the Lord indicates that the coming events are governed by his power and purposes. Although the Lord tells Moses that he will “get glory over Pharaoh” (14:4), he does not tell him just how Israel will be delivered. Between the time of the plagues in Egypt (7:14–12:32) and the journey to Sinai (15:22–18:27), the events at the Red Sea show Moses as a maturing leader who trusts the word of the Lord (see 14:13–14), as they also illustrate Israel’s need to do the same (see vv. 10–12).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 14:2 The body of water that Israel is about to cross is called “the Red Sea” in 13:18 and 15:4 and is referred to simply as “the sea” in this section. The exact route of the exodus is uncertain, but it is likely that they crossed the Red Sea at its northern end (see map).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 14:4 The content of this verse is repeated nearly verbatim in the narrative (vv. 17–18) and echoes the Lord’s words to Moses both before and during the plagues: I will harden Pharaoh’s heart (cf. 4:21; 7:3, etc.), I will get glory over Pharaoh (cf. 7:16), and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD (cf. 7:5).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 14:5 When the Egyptians refer to letting Israel go by saying, “What is this we have done … ?” they exhibit the hardness of heart that the Lord said he would bring about (see vv. 4, 8, 17). The question also resembles the way Israel will wrongly attribute their circumstances to Moses in the face of Egypt’s pursuit (see v. 11).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 14:7 The possession of chariots represented a significant advantage in ancient Near Eastern warfare; Egypt was proficient in the use of chariots, as indicated by the distinction of six hundred chosen chariots in addition to all the others. Pharaoh was coming out against what appeared to be a wandering and trapped nation with his most prestigious and imposing force.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 14:10 The reference to Israel seeing Egypt’s army and fearing greatly is thematic for this section. Through the plagues (and continuing on their journey to Sinai), Yahweh calls Israel to fear him over any other nation or battle force (see vv. 13, 31).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 14:11 What have you done to us … ? Note the similar mistake that the Egyptians make with reference to their own actions (v. 5). This incident between the people and Moses was prefaced by earlier events (2:14; 5:21) and also prefigures those to come (15:24; 16:2; 17:3).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 14:12 When the people of Israel say, “it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness,” they are viewing their circumstances without reference to the fact that the Lord himself brought them to this place. As revealed throughout Israel’s history, the Lord is merciful in never leaving his people simply to themselves or to their circumstances. As both Daniel and his three friends will later assert (see Dan. 3:16–18; 6:10), whatever the Lord calls his people to face as a result of fearing him is in fact better than simply remaining alive.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 14:13 Fear not. Israel is being called once again not to fear any other nation or circumstance (see v. 10) but to fear the Lord (see v. 31).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 14:17–18 References to the Lord getting glory over Pharaoh (see also v. 4) come on either side of the statement that the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD. Although the plagues have continually revealed that the Lord—and not Pharaoh—is due honor, the victory over Pharaoh’s chariots in the Red Sea will be known powerfully in Egypt and throughout the surrounding nations (see 9:16; 15:14–16).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 14:19 the angel of God. See note on 3:2.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 14:22 The image of the waters as a wall is a vivid indication of the protection given by the water on each side (cf. 1 Sam. 25:16; Jer. 15:20). The text presents the event as a demonstration of the Lord’s “great power” (Ex. 14:31) including how the waters “returned and covered the chariots and horsemen” of Egypt (v. 28). Thus the text is clear that this is not a purely natural event. Similar events will take place when Joshua leads Israel across the Jordan into the land of Canaan (Josh. 3:14–17), when Elijah and Elisha cross the Jordan together on the way to Elijah being taken (2 Kings 2:8), and when Elisha returns across the Jordan alone (2 Kings 2:14).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 14:31 they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses. Since the Lord has chosen Moses as the one through whom he will reveal his word, it is necessary for Israel to learn to follow Moses as a consequence of learning to fear the Lord (see vv. 10, 13).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 15:1–21 This section includes a celebration of the Lord’s deliverance in song (vv. 1–18), followed by the women playing tambourines and dancing and Miriam singing the first lines of the song (vv. 19–21).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 15:1–18 The song of praise is a celebration of the triumph over Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea as representative of the Lord’s power and rule. It is similar to other songs or psalms in both the OT and NT that celebrate particular events that reveal God’s character: e.g., Deborah and Barak’s song in response to victory over Sisera and Jabin of Canaan (Judg. 5:1–31); Hannah’s song at the birth of Samuel (1 Sam. 2:1–10); Mary’s response to the angel’s news and Elizabeth’s greeting (Luke 1:46–55); and Zechariah’s prophecy after the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:68–79).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 15:1 the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The drowning of Pharaoh’s army by the hand of the Lord is the central event celebrated by the song, and it is referred to with various images: “cast into the sea” and “sunk in the Red Sea” (v. 4); “floods covered them,” and “they went down … like a stone” (v. 5); “the sea covered them; they sank like lead” (v. 10); “the earth swallowed them” (v. 12).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 15:2 The singular reference to my father’s God echoes the Lord’s words to Moses at the burning bush, which indicate that this phrase refers to “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (3:6) and equips Israel also to say of him, “this is my God.”
EXODUS—NOTE ON 15:4 Red Sea. See note on 13:18.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 15:6 The reference to the Lord’s right hand (v. 12; cf. v. 16) takes up God’s words to Moses describing the means by which Israel would come out of Egypt (see 6:1; 7:4–5).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 15:9 While the words of the enemy refer first of all to the actions of the Egyptians (pursue, overtake; see 14:9) who intended to bring Israel back to serve as slaves (see 14:5), they also extend beyond the particular events of the Red Sea and are representative of the pride and desire of any adversary of the Lord and his people (i.e., divide the spoil, destroy).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 15:11 In light of the events that have taken place, the rhetorical questions of this verse imply that there is no one among the gods of the nations like the Lord (see also 12:12; 20:3). In a similar song, Hannah proclaims the complementary answers to the questions of this verse: “There is none holy like the LORD; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God” (1 Sam. 2:2).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 15:13–18 These verses, like the song as a whole (see v. 9), describe Israel’s journey out of Egypt and into the land of Canaan. They anticipate the fear that will befall the surrounding peoples, the Philistines, Edomites, and Moabites, as well as the Canaanites. your own mountain, the place … you have made for your abode (v. 17). In one sense the whole hilly country of Canaan is to be God’s dwelling. But his “abode” may be a more specific reference to the hill of Jerusalem, where God’s temple will stand.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 15:13 redeemed. This term refers to God’s dealings for the sake of his people, rescuing them from danger and fostering the conditions in which their faithfulness may flourish; cf. 6:6; Ps. 74:2; 77:15; 106:10; Isa. 52:9; 62:12. See note on Isa. 41:14.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 15:16 purchased. An image for the way that God “acquired” his people through great deeds; cf. Ps. 74:2.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 15:21 Miriam leads the women in singing a verse that repeats the first verse of the song (see v. 1).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 15:22–18:27 Journey. Israel journeys from Egypt to Rephidim and responds to difficulties like the need for water (15:22–27; 17:1–7) and food (16:1–36). The narrative also includes two difficult situations the people face while encamped at Rephidim (see 17:1): the external attack by another nation (17:8) and the internal question of how to help the people make decisions according to the Lord’s statutes (18:1–27). From Rephidim Israel will make their final short journey to the wilderness of Sinai (see 19:2).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 15:22–27 Water Problem: Marah. The people of Israel respond to a lack of water at Marah in a manner similar to their grumbling against Moses at the Red Sea (14:10–12). They do not yet trust that the Lord’s presence with them is sufficient for their protection and provision, which will be a recurring struggle in the journey to Sinai (see 16:2–3; 17:2–3) and ultimately lead to the situation through which this generation of Israel will be not be allowed to enter Canaan (Num. 14:1–4).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 15:22–24 With the large number of people and livestock coming out of Egypt (see 12:37–38), the inability to find drinkable water is a significant problem (15:22–23). However, Israel has just experienced the Lord’s power over the waters of the Red Sea and thus their choice to grumble against Moses about the lack of something to drink (v. 24) is ironic. The signs in Egypt confirmed Moses as the Lord’s choice to lead Israel, and Israel needs to faithfully appropriate what has been revealed to them (see vv. 25–26).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 15:24–26 grumbled. Though the people of Israel had just seen the power of the Lord unforgettably demonstrated, they nonetheless forgot and failed to trust the Lord. In contrast to their unbelief, Moses cried to the LORD to deliver the people from their distress. the LORD showed him a log. In response to Moses’ cry for help, the Lord intervenes by causing the water to become sweet. Although some have proposed a naturalistic explanation for this, it seems more likely that it was entirely the Lord’s direct intervention (“the LORD showed” Moses what to do). The purpose of the event at Marah is made clear in vv. 25a and 26: There the LORD made for them a statute and … tested them. The statute was to demonstrate, by means of testing, the principle (a rule) that if the people would diligently listen to the voice of the LORD, he would graciously care for them as their healer.
EXODUS—NOTE ON 15:25–26 The statute calls Israel to give heed to all that he has commanded (e.g., Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the consecration of the firstborn) and all that he will reveal further, which requires implicitly that the people follow Moses as the one through whom they will “listen to the voice of the LORD.” The Lord’s reference to himself as your healer indicates that Israel has already been graciously spared from what happened to the Egyptians and that faithfulness is the means by which they will continue to appropriate the blessings of the covenant relationship with the Lord (see 23:25; Deut. 7:15). The statute given here is the seed of that which Moses will give the next generation of Israel before they enter the land (see Deut. 7:12–15).
EXODUS—NOTE ON 15:27 Elim (cf. Num. 33:9) was perhaps an oasis in Wadi Gharandel. With its twelve springs and seventy palm trees it signified to Israel once again that, since the Lord is leading them, they should not conclude too quickly that they know the meaning of their circumstances, especially when they cannot yet see how the Lord will work on their behalf (e.g., parting the Red Sea).