Commentary on Exodus: From The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary

By Elaine Phillips

Comprehensive, accessible, and fully illustrated--this commentary on Exodus is a must-have resource.

You want a deeper understanding of the Scriptures, but the notes in your study Bible don't give you enough depth or insight. This commentary was created with you in mind.

Each volume of The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary is a nontechnical, section-by-section commentary on one book or section of the Bible that provides reliable and readable interpretations of the Scriptures from leading evangelical scholars. This information-packed commentary will help you gain a deeper understanding of the Bible in your own personal study or in preparation for teaching. It tackles problematic questions, calls attention to the spiritual and personal aspects of the biblical message, and brings out important points of biblical theology, making it invaluable to anyone seeking to get the most out of their Bible study.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
• Release date: Oct 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781493424405

Elaine Phillips

Elaine Phillips is Distinguished Professor of Biblical Studies at Gordon College, Wenham MA, USA. She is the author of An Introduction to Reading Biblical Wisdom Texts, With God, Nothing is Impossible, and commentaries on Esther and Exodus.

Book preview

© 2012 by Baker Publishing Group

Published by Baker Books

a division of Baker Publishing Group

P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287

www.bakerbooks.com

Ebook short created 2019

Previously published in The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary edited by Gary M. Burge and Andrew E. Hill in 2012

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4934-2440-5

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Scripture quotations labeled ESV from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2007

Scripture quotations labeled NASB are from the New American Standard Bible®, copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.lockman.org

Scripture quotations labeled NIV 1984 are from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations labeled NJPS are from the New Jewish Publication Society Version © 1985 by The Jewish Publication Society. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations labeled NKJV are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations labeled NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations labeled NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations labeled RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise indicated, photos, illustrations, and maps are copyright © Baker Photo Archive.

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright Page

Abbreviations

Introduction

Commentary

1. From Bondage to Freedom (1:1–15:21)

A. Connection with the Past (1:1–7)

B. Oppression of Israel (1:8–22)

C. Birth, Preservation, and Preparation of Moses (2:1–25)

D. Moses’s Call and Commissioning (3:1–4:17)

E. Return to Egypt (4:18–31)

F. God of Israel versus the Gods of Egypt: The Initial Request (5:1–6:1)

G. Covenant Lord and His Ministers (6:2–30)

H. Moses and Aaron Confront Pharaoh (7:1–13)

I. Nine Plagues (7:14–10:29)

J. Warning of the Tenth Plague (11:1–10)

K. Instructions for Passover (12:1–28)

L. Tenth Plague and Departure of Israel (12:29–42)

M. Instructions for Commemoration (12:43–13:16)

N. Deliverance at the Sea (13:17–14:31)

O. Song of Victory (15:1–21)

2. Tests in the Wilderness (15:22–18:27)

A. Bitter Waters (15:22–27)

B. Threat of Starvation (16:1–36)

C. Thirst in the Desert (17:1–7)

D. Attack from Enemies (17:8–16)

E. Reuniting with Family (18:1–12)

F. Settling Disputes (18:13–27)

3. Covenant at Sinai (19:1–24:18)

A. Preparations to Receive the Covenant (19:1–25)

B. Ten Commandments and the People’s Response (20:1–26)

C. Covenant Stipulations (21:1–23:19)

D. Preparing the Way to the Land (23:20–33)

E. Covenant Ratification (24:1–18)

4. Instructions for Sanctuary and Priesthood (25:1–31:18)

A. Contributions (25:1–9)

B. Ark of the Covenant (25:10–22)

C. Table and Lampstand (25:23–40)

D. Tabernacle (26:1–37)

E. Altar and Courtyard (27:1–21)

F. Priestly Attire (28:1–43)

G. Consecration of Priests (29:1–46)

H. Incense Altar, Half-Shekel Contribution, Wash Basin, Oil, and Incense (30:1–38)

I. Spirit-Filled Artisans (31:1–11)

J. Sign of the Covenant (31:12–18)

5. Apostasy at Sinai (32:1–34:35)

A. The Golden Calf (32:1–29)

B. Moses Intercedes for the People (32:30–33:17)

C. Revelation of God’s Glory (33:18–34:9)

D. Restating the Covenant (34:10–35)

6. Assurance of God’s Presence (35:1–40:38)

A. Sabbath (35:1–3)

B. Establishing the Tabernacle (35:4–40:38)

Timelines

Back Ad

Abbreviations

Exodus

Elaine Phillips

Introduction

The book of Exodus reports the most dramatic events in the Hebrew Bible. After the Israelites spent 430 years in Egypt (Exod. 12:40) God delivered his people from oppression, brought them into the bonds of covenant relationship at Mount Sinai, and established his sanctuary in their midst. The exodus was a foreshadowing of the deliverance from the bondage of sin accomplished by the atoning death of Jesus Christ as the Passover lamb (1 Cor. 5:7; 1 Pet. 1:18–19).

Title

The Hebrew title of the book, Shemot (names), is based on the first key word of the text. It refers to the names of the children of Israel who went down to Egypt, and it establishes continuity, in spite of the centuries of intervening silence, with the events that closed Genesis. The English title, Exodus, comes from the Greek Septuagint title and addresses the theme of the first part of the book.

Date and Historicity

The historicity of the exodus has prompted extensive scholarly