EXODUSEXODUS

Slavery Slavery

RevelationRevelation

THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT

•Exodus – means departureExodus – means departure•The stories in Genesis are essentially family legends. The stories in Genesis are essentially family legends. •This story is linked to Genesis by the story of Joseph, but This story is linked to Genesis by the story of Joseph, but it draws on traditions of a different kind.it draws on traditions of a different kind.•The subject matter of this story is the Exodus of the The subject matter of this story is the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.Israelites from Egypt.

• This is the most celebrated event in the entire This is the most celebrated event in the entire Hebrew BibleHebrew Bible•The story is told primarily in the first half of the book, The story is told primarily in the first half of the book, proceeding from the slavery in Egypt to the revelation proceeding from the slavery in Egypt to the revelation at Mount Sinai in chapter 19. at Mount Sinai in chapter 19.

ExileExile

• The book of Exodus begins about four hundred and fifty years after the death of Joseph.

• The Exodus stories were collected and edited into the Book of Exodus around the time of the exile in Babylon (seven hundred or so years after the Exodus took place).

The RevelationThe Revelation

• There are two major themes in the story of the Exodus:– 1) the revelation of

YHWH and – 2) the liberation from

slavery.

1) the revelation of YHWH 1) the revelation of YHWH

• There are two revelations on a mountain in Exodus

– 1st- Chapters 3-4. Here the mountain is called Horeb, the mountain of God,

• Hebrew word for “bush”

– 2nd- Chapters 19-34. Here the mountain is called Sinai- only here the word covenant is used.

2) the liberation from slavery2) the liberation from slavery

– 2) the liberation from slavery.

• The Plagues- – The process of liberation

begins with the confrontation between Moses and Pharaoh in Exodus 7.

– The episode of the plagues shows that Exodus is not only the story of the liberation of Israel, but also the story of the defeat and humiliation of the Egyptians.

– The most chilling plague is the slaughter of the firstborn.

MOSESMOSES

• Moses- his miraculous birth • READ Exodus 1:8-2:10

• The Call/Mission of Moses• Read Exodus 2:11-3:16

The Burning BushThe Burning Bush

• God appeared to Moses at mount Horeb (bush)• As a burning bush• Do not get closer • Remove- your sandals from your feet the place on which you are

standing is holy ground

• “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

• Moses hid his face, he was afraid of to look at God.

• God commanded Moses to free the Hebrews

• Who sends me.

• The divine name revealed- “I AM WHO I AM”

The Divine Name RevealedThe Divine Name Revealed

• When God appeared to Moses, he said “Ehyeh asher ehyah = YHWH

• YHWH – pronounce without vowels. How does it sound?

• Hebrew language does not have vowels • Vowels are what give gender, tense and

number to a word in Hebrew. • Vowels are added to make the word

speak-able

• In Exodus 3:14 the Hebrew may be translated into English as:

• “I am who am”• “I will be what I will be”

• Important – God ‘s connection to the verb “to be” – a living God

What’s in a Name?What’s in a Name?

• Jews do not pronounce the Divine Name (YHWH) as Yahweh because it is considered too holy to pronounce.

• Therefore, they say the word in Hebrew that means Lord = “Adonai”.

• Whenever you see Lord spelled in all caps in the Bible – it stands for Yahweh or Adonai.

The Divine The Divine NameName

• Christians, although reverent towards God, do pronounce the Divine name YHWH as  Yahweh (or Jehova) because they believe that that is how it was pronounced by God to Moses

What’s with “Jehova”?What’s with “Jehova”?

• The use of “Jehovah” comes from a misunderstanding on the part of English scholars of both the German pronunciation of the letter J  and the rabbinic tradition of giving YHWH the vowels that actually belong to the word “adonai” : a-o-a.

The PassoverThe Passover

• Before the Israelite depart from Egypt, they celebrate the Passover.

• The Israelites are to celebrate this meal every year as a perpetual reminder of the Passover.