Exodus | Definition, Summary, & Facts

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<div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Exodus-Old-Testament">Exodus</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <span class="toc-extra-link selected link-gray-900 mt-15"> Introduction </span> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Exodus-Old-Testament/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/Exodus-Old-Testament">Quick Facts & Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-related-questions"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 pb-0 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-15"> Related Questions </div> <ul> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/Why-is-the-Bible-important">Why is the Bible important?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/What-language-was-the-Bible-originally-written-in">What language was the Bible originally written in?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/How-is-the-Bible-organized">How is the Bible organized?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/When-was-the-Bible-written">When was the Bible written?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a 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They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-11-04T00:00:00CST" >Nov 4, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Exodus-Old-Testament/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="qf-title font-weight-bold font-14 mb-10 text-center"> Quick Facts</div> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Date: </dt> <dd><i>c. </i> 1300 BCE - <i>c. </i> 1201 </dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Location: </dt> <dd><a href="/place/Egypt">Egypt</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Participants: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/Israelite">Israelite</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Context: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/Bible">Bible</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Hebrew-Bible">Hebrew Bible</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Old-Testament">Old Testament</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Torah">Torah</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Key People: </dt> <dd><a href="/biography/Aaron-biblical-figure">Aaron</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Caleb">Caleb</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Joshua">Joshua</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Moses-Hebrew-prophet">Moses</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="facts-item-none d-none"> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>On the Web: </dt> <dd><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/old-testament-seminary-teacher-manual/introduction-to-the-book-of-exodus?lang=eng" target="_blank">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Introduction to the Book of Exodus</a> (Nov. 04, 2024)</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/Exodus-Old-Testament"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> <button class="facts-list-show-more-btn mt-15 p-0 mx-auto btn font-14 d-block font-weight-normal"> <span class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></span> <span class="show-more-label">Show More</span> </button> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref115274"></span>Exodus</strong>, the liberation of the people of <span id="ref115275"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Israel-Old-Testament-kingdom" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Israel</a> from slavery in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Egypt" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Egypt</a> in the 13th century <span class="text-smallcaps">bce</span>, under the leadership of Moses; also, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Old-Testament" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Old Testament</a> book of the same name. The English name of the book derives from the Septuagint (Greek) use of “exodus” to designate the deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage and their safe passage through the Sea of Reeds (traditionally mislocated as the Red Sea). The Hebrew title of the work is Shemot (Names).</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Chapters 1–18 narrate the history of the Egyptian bondage, the Exodus from Egypt, and the journey to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mount-Sinai-mountain-Egypt" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Mount Sinai</a> under the leadership of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Moses-Hebrew-prophet" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Moses</a>. The second half of the book tells of the <span id="ref115276"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/covenant-religion" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Covenant</a> that was established between God and Israel at Sinai and <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="promulgates" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/promulgates" data-type="MW">promulgates</a> laws for the ordering of Israel’s life.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Since Exodus continues the sacred story of the divine promise to Israel begun in Genesis, it must be seen as part of a larger literary unit that is variously understood to include the first four, five, or six books of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Bible" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Bible</a>.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-read-more-module" href="/topic/biblical-literature/Exodus#ref651415" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/99/73199-050-8B10012A/spread-Johannes-Gutenberg-Bible.jpg" alt="Gutenberg Bible" class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-navy-dark">More From Britannica</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">biblical literature: Exodus</div> </div> </a><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Scholars have identified three literary traditions in Exodus, designated by the letters J, E, and P. The J strand, so called because it uses the name <span id="ref115277"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yahweh" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Yahweh</a> (Jahweh in German) for God, is a Judaean rendition of the sacred story, perhaps written as early as 950 <span class="text-smallcaps">bce</span>. The E strand, which <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="designates" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/designates" data-type="EB">designates</a> God as <span id="ref115278"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Elohist-source" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Elohim</a>, is a version of the sacred story from the northern kingdom of Israel, written in about 900–750 <span class="text-smallcaps">bce</span>. The <span id="ref115279"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Priestly-code" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">P</a> strand, so called because of its cultic interests and regulations for priests, is usually dated in the 5th century <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span> and is regarded as the law upon which Ezra and Nehemiah based their reform. Each of these strands preserves materials much older than the time of their incorporation into a written work. Exodus thus conserves extremely old oral and written history. (<em>See also</em> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Torah" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Torah</a>.)</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span></section><span class="md-signature"><a href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</a></span><span class="md-signature">This article was most recently revised and updated by <a href="/editor/Adam-Augustyn/6394">Adam Augustyn</a>.</span><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":198216,"pageLength":312,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"D","adLeg":"D","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"MEDIUM","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Exodus | Definition, Summary, & Facts | Britannica