A Dramatic Escape from Egypt - An Overview of Exodus

Exodus is the second book of the Bible. The name derives from the Greek word for "the way out." Exodus relates the story of how God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and gave them the law through Moses. Many well-known Bible stories come out of Exodus, including baby Moses in the basket, the burning bush, the 10 plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, manna in the wilderness, the giving of the Ten Commandments, the golden calf, and others. The DreamWorks movie "The Prince of Egypt" was an adaptation of the Bible book of Exodus.

In the beginning of Exodus the people of God, the descendants of Israel (Jacob), are living in Egypt. The extended family of Israel (about 70 people) had moved south to Egypt during a major international famine near the end of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. Israel's son, Joseph, had been placed by God into a position of power in Egypt, and arranged for his father, brothers, and other relatives to be given food and land. Exodus takes place some generations later, when the Israelites had grown to a considerable number and a new Pharaoh, who did not know about Joseph, had taken the throne. The Pharaoh enslaved and oppressed the people of Israel, and Exodus finds them doing hard labor for a harsh and unreasonable king.

During Exodus, God calls Moses (who, though Israelite, grew up as an Egyptian prince then fled Egypt after he murdered an Egyptian in defense of an Israelite slave) to go back to Egypt and tell Moses to set God's people free. Pharaoh refuses, and God demonstrates his power in a series of ten remarkable and increasingly miraculous and devastating plagues. The final plague is the death of every firstborn in Egypt, and during the plague the Jewish Passover is instituted. The plague passed over every person who trusted in God and followed his directions, but in every other household every firstborn male died.