The LORD Reveals Himself at Sinai

The Israelites arrived in the wilderness of Sinai exactly two months after they left Egypt. After breaking camp at Rephidim, they came to the base of Mount Sinai and set up camp there.

Then Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God. The LORD called out to him from the mountain and said, "Give these instruction to the descendants of Jacob, the people of Israel: You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I brought you to myself and carried you on eagle's wings. Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the nations of the earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be to me a kingdom of priests, my holy nation.' Give this message to the Israelites."

Moses returned from the mountain and called together the leaders of the people and told them what the LORD had said. They all responded together, "We will certainly do everything the LORD asks of us." So Moses brought the people's answer back to the LORD.

Then the LORD said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a thick cloud so the people themselves can hear me as I speak to you. Then they will always have confidence in you."

Moses told the LORD what the people had said. The the LORD told Moses, "Go down and prepare the people for my visit. Purify them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their clothing. Be sure they are ready on the third day, for I will come down upon Mount Sinai as all the people watch. Set boundary lines that the people may not pass. Warn them, 'Be careful! Do not go up on the mountain or even touch its boundaries. Those who do will certainly die! Any people or animals that cross the boundary must be stoned to death or shot with arrows. They must not be touched by human hands.' The people must stay away from the mountain until they hear one long blast from the ram's horn. Then they must gather at the foot of the mountain."

So Moses went down to the people. He purified them for worship and had them wash their clothing. He told them, "Get ready for an important event two days from now. And until then, abstain from having sexual intercourse."

On the morning of the third day, there was a powerful thunder and lightning storm, and a dense cloud came down upon the mountain. There was a long, loud blast from a ram's horn, and all the people trembled. Moses led them out from the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. All Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the LORD had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain shook with a violent earthquake. As the horn blast grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God thundered his reply for all to hear. The LORD came down on the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses climbed the mountain.

Then the LORD told Moses, "Go back down and warn the people not to cross the boundaries. They must not come up here to see the LORD, for those who do will die. Even the priests who regularly come near to the LORD must purify themselves, or I will destroy them."

But LORD, the people cannot come up on the mountain!" Moses protested. You already tole them not to. You told me to set boundaries around the mountain and to declare it off limits."

But the LORD said, "Go down anyway and bring Aaron back with you. In the meantime, do not let the priests or the people cross the boundaries to come up here. If they do, I will punish them."

So Moses went down to the people and told them what the LORD had said.

Jethro's Visit to Moses

Word soon reached Jethro, the priest of Midian and Moses' father-in-law, about all the wonderful things God had done for Moses and his people, the Israelites. He had heard about how the LORD had brought them safely out of Egypt.

Sometime before this, Moses had sent his wife, Zipporah, and his two sons to live with Jethro, his father-in-law. The name of Moses' first son was Gershom, for Moses had said when the boy was born. "I have been a stranger in a foreign land." The name of his second son was Eliezer, for Moses had said at his birth, "The God of my fathers was my helper; he delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh." Jethro now came to visit Moses, and he brought Moses' wife and two sons with him. They arrived while Moses and the people were camped near the mountain of god. Moses was told, "Jethro, your father-in-law, has come to visit you. Your wife and your two sons are with him."

So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law. He bowed to him respectfully and greeted him warmly. They asked about each other's health and then went to Moses' tent to talk further. Moses told his father-in-law about everything the LORD had done to rescue Israel from Pharaoh and the Egyptians. He also told him about the problems they had faced along the way and how the LORD had delivered his people from all their troubles. Jethro was delighted when he heard about all that the LORD had done for Israel as he brought them out of Egypt.

Praise be to the LORD," Jethro said, "for he has saved you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh. He has rescued Israel from the power of Egypt! I know now that the LORD is greater than all other gods, because his people have escaped from the proud and cruel Egyptians."

Then Jethro presented a burnt offering and gave sacrifices to God. As Jethro was doing this, Aaron and the leaders of Israel came out to meet him. They all joined him in a sacrificial meal in God's presence.

Bitter Water at Marah

Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the Shur Desert. They traveled in this desert for three days without water. When they came to Marah, they finally found water. But the people couldn't drink it because it was bitter. (That is why the place was called Marah, which means "Bitter.")

Then the people turned against Moses. "What are we going to drink?" they demanded.

So Moses cried out to the LORD for help, and the LORD showed him a branch. Moses took the branch and threw it into the water. This made the water good to drink.

It was there at Marah that the LORD laid before them the following conditions to test their faithfulness to him: If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and laws, then I will not make you suffer the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the LORD who heals you."

After leaving Marah, they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees. They camped there beside the springs.

Exodus 15

Escape through the Red Sea

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! Use your shepherd's staff hold it out over the water, and a path will open up before you through the sea. Then all the people of Israel will walk through on dry ground. Yet I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will follow the Israelites into the sea. Then I will receive great glory at the expense of Pharaoh and his armies, chariots, and charioteers. When I am finished with Pharaoh and his army, all Egypt will know that I am the LORD!"

Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to a position behind them, and the pillar of cloud also moved around behind them. The cloud settled between the Israelite and Egyptian camps. As night came, the pillar of cloud turned of fire, lighting the Israelite camp. But the cloud became darkness to the Egyptians, and they couldn't find the Israelites.

Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the LORD opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land. So the people of Israel walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side! Then the Egyptians all of Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and charioteers followed them across the bottom of the sea. But early in the morning, the LORD looked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw them into confusion. Their chariot wheels began to come off, making their chariots impossible to drive. "Let's get out of here!" the Egyptians shouted. "The LORD is fighting for Israel against us!"

When all the Israelites were on the other side, the LORD said to Moses, "Raise your hand over the sea again. Then the waters will rush back over the Egyptian chariots and charioteers. So as the sun began to rise, Moses raised his hand over the sea. The water roared back into its usual place, and the LORD swept the terrified Egyptians into the surging currents. The waters covered all the chariots and charioteers the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who had chased the Israelites into the sea, not a single one survived.

The people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry land, as the water stood up like a wall on both sides. This was how the LORD rescued Israel from the Egyptians that day. And the Israelites could see the bodies of the Egyptians washed up on the shore. When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the LORD had displayed against the Egyptians, they feared the LORD and put their faith in him and his servant Moses.

The Egyptians Pursue Israel

When word reached the king of Egypt that the Israelites were not planning to return to Egypt after three days, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds. "What have we done, letting all these slaves get away?" they asked. So Pharaoh called out his troops and led the chase in his chariot. He took with him six hundred of Egypt's best chariots, along with the rest of the chariots of Egypt, each with a commander. The LORD continued to strengthen Pharaoh's resolve and he chased after the people of Israel who had escaped so defiantly. All the forces in Pharaoh's army all his horses, chariots, and charioteers were used in the chase. The Egyptians caught up with the people of Israel as they were camped beside the shore near Pihahiroth, across from Baal-zephon.

As Pharaoh and his army approached, the people of Israel could see them in the distance, marching toward them. The people began to panic, and cried out to the LORD for help.

Then they turned against Moses and complained, "Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren't there enough graves for us in Egypt? Why did you make us leave? Didn't we tell you to leave us alone while we were in Egypt? Our Egyptian slavery was far better than dying out here in the wilderness!"

But Moses told the people, "Don't be afraid. Just stand where you are and watch the LORD rescue you. 'The Egyptians that you see today will never be seen again. The LORD himself will fight for you. You won't have to lift a finger in your defense!"

Israel's Exodus from Egypt

Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron during the night. "Leave us!" he cried. "Go away, all of you, all of you! Go and serve the LORD as you have requested. Take your flocks and herds, and be gone. Go, but give me a blessing as you leave. All the Egyptians urged the people of Israel to get out of the land as quickly as possible, for they thought, "We will all die!"

The Israelites took with them their bread dough made without yeast. They wrapped their kneading bowls in their spare clothing and carried them on their shoulders. And the people of Israel did as Moses had instructed and asked the Egyptians for clothing and articles of silver and gold. The LORD caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they gave the Israelites whatever they asked for. So, like a victorious army, they plundered the Egyptians!

That night the people of Israel left Rameses and started for Succothe. There were about 600,000 men, plus all the women and children. And they were all traveling on foot. Many people who were not Israelites went with them, along with the many flocks and herds. Whenever they stopped to eat, they baked read from the yeastless dough they had brought from Egypt. It was made without yeast because the people were rushed out of Egypt and had no time to wait for bread to rise.

The people of Israel had lived in Egypt for 430 years. In fact, it was on the last day of the 430th year that all the LORD's forces left the land. This night had been reserved by the LORD to bring his people out from the land of Egypt, so this same night now belongs to him. It must be celebrated every year, from generation to generation, to remember the LORD's deliverance.

Death for Egypt's Firstborn

Then the LORD said to Moses, "I will send just one more disaster on Pharaoh and the land of Egypt. After that, Pharaoh will let you go. In fact, he will be so anxious to get rid of you that he will practically force you to leave the country. Tell all the Israelite men and women to ask their Egyptian neighbors for articles of silver and gold."

(Now the LORD had caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the people of Israel, and Moses was considered a very great man in the land of Egypt. He was respected by Pharaoh's officials and the Egyptian people alike.)

So Moses announced to Pharaoh, "This what the LORD says: About midnight I will pass through Egypt. All the firstborn sons will die in every family in Egypt, from the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the oldest son of his lowliest slave. Even the firstborn of the animals will die.

Then a loud wail will be heard throughout the land of Egypt; there has never been such wailing before, and there never will be again. but among the Israelites it will be so peaceful that not even a dog will bark. Then you will know that the LORD makes a distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites. All the officials of Egypt will come running to me, bowing low. 'Please leave!' they will beg. 'Hurry! And take all your followers with you.' Only then will I go!" Then, burning with anger, Moses left Pharaoh's presence.

Now the LORD had told Moses, "Pharaoh will not listen to you. But this will give me the opportunity to do even more mighty miracles in the land of Egypt." Although Moses and Aaron did these miracles in Pharaoh's presence, the LORD hardened his heart so he wouldn't let the Israelites leave the country.

A Plague against Livestock!

"Go back to Pharaoh, "the LORD commanded Moses. "Tell him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so they can worship me. If you continue to oppress them and refuse to let them go, the LORD will send a deadly plague to destroy your horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, and sheep. But the LORD will again make a distinction between the property of the Israelites and that of the Egyptians. Not a single one of Israel's livestock will die!"

The LORD announced that he would send the plague the very next day, and he did it, just as he had said. The next morning all the livestock of the Egyptians began to die, but the Israelites didn't lose a single animal from their flocks and herds. Pharaoh sent officials to see whether it was true that none of the Israelites' animals were dead. But even after he found it to be true, his heart remained stubborn. He still refused to let the people go.

A Plague of Gnats!

So the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron to strike the dust with his staff. The dust will turn into swarms of gnats throughout the land of Egypt." so Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded them. Suddenly, gnats infested the entire land, covering the Egyptians and their animals. All the dust in the land of Egypt turned into gnats. Pharaoh's magicians tried to do the same thing with their secret arts, but this time they failed. And the gnats covered all the people and animals.

This is the finger of God!" the magicians exclaimed to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh's heart remained hard and stubborn. He wouldn't listen to them just as the LORD had predicted.