A New King Arises Over Egypt Who Does Not Know Joseph
8 A new king came to power in Egypt who did not know Joseph. 9 He said to his own people, "Behold, the people of Israel are becoming mightier than we are." 10 "Let us deal wisely with them, lest they continue to multiply and during a war join with our enemies and leave the land." 11 So they appointed task masters over them to afflict them with hard labor. They used them to build Pharaoh's storage cities of Pithom and Rameses. 12 The more Egypt oppressed the children of Israel, the more they multiplied and filled the land. So the Egyptians began to dread the children of Israel.

13 The Egyptians made life rigorous for the children of Israel, 14 making their lives bitter with hard labor. They worked with bricks and mortar, doing all kinds of field labor.

15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives named Shiphrah and Puah. 16 He said, "When you are helping the Hebrew women deliver their babies, if they are sons, kill them, but the daughters you shall save." 17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them. They saved both the boys and girls. 18 So the king of Egypt called the midwives and asked them, "Why are you letting the boys live?" 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, "The Hebrew women are more vigorous than the Egyptian women and they give birth before we get to them." 20 For this reason God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and become mighty. 21 Because the midwives feared God, He established their households. 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all of the children of Israel that when they had a boy, they were to cast him into the river, and every daughter they should let live.

Exodus 2 - RWB Paraphrase (25 V)
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Moses Is Born
1 A man from the house of Levi married a daughter of Levi. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son. Being unwilling to see him die, she hid him for three months. 3 When she could no longer hide him she made an ark of bulrushes and daubed it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in the basket at the edge of the river among the reeds. 4 His sister stood at a distance to see what might happen to him. 5 Pharaoh's daughter came to the Nile with her maidens to bath. Seeing the basket among the reeds, she sent a maid to fetch it. 6 When she opened the basket and saw the that the crying child was a boy, and taking pity on him, she said, "This is a Hebrew child." 7 Then the baby's sister came to Pharaoh's daughter and said, "Shall I call someone from among the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?"

COMMENT: It was inspiration that made this plan for saving this baby boy.

8 Pharaoh's daughter said, "Yes, go." So the girl ran and called the child's mother. 9 Then Pharaoh's daughter told the woman to take the child and nurse him for her and she would give her wages for doing this. So the woman took the child and nursed him.

10 The child grew and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses because, she said, "I have drawn him out of the water."

11 It came to pass that when Moses grew up, he went out among his brethren and saw their distress. He saw one of the Egyptians beating a Hebrew. 12 Looking both ways and thinking no one would see him, he killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand. 13 The next day he witnessed two Hebrews fighting. He said to the one in the wrong, "Why are you striking your brother?" 14 But the man answered him saying, "Who made you a prince to be a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you did the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid and thought, "Surely this matter will not be kept secret."

Moses Flees to the Land of Midian
15 When Pharaoh heard of it, he wanted to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the presence of Pharaoh and ended up in the land of Midian where he sat by a well.

16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. These came to fill the water troughs for their father's flock. 17 Some other shepherds came and drove them away. Moses came to their aid and helped them water their flock. 18 When they had come to Reuel their father, he asked them why they were home so soon? 19 They explained, "An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he even drew water for our flocks." 20 He asked his daughters, "Where is he? Why have you left him behind? Invite him to have something to eat."

21 Moses was willing to dwell with the man. And he gave Zipporah, his daughter, to Moses. 22 She gave birth to a son and Moses called him Gershom, for he said, "I have been a stranger in a strange land."

23 In The course of time the king of Egypt died. The children of Israel sighed under their bondage and cried to the LORD. 24 God heard their groaning and remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 25 As God looked upon the children of Israel He was concerned for them.

Exodus 3 - RWB Paraphrase (22 V)
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An Angel of the Lord Appeared to Moses
1 At this time Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, who was the priest of Midian. He led the flock far back in the desert, and came to the mountain of God called Horeb.

COMMENT: Moses had been in Midian for almost 40 years. He was now about 80 years old.

2 The Angel of the LORD appeared to him out of the midst of a burning bush. He watched the bush and noticed that it did not burn up. 3 So Moses said to himself, "I must get a closer look to see why the bush is not burning up."

COMMENT: Another question would have been, "What started the fire out in the middle of nowhere?"

4 The LORD saw that he was coming closer and called to him out of the midst of the bush, saying, "Moses, Moses!" And he answered, "Here I am." 5 Then God said, "Do not come near here. Remove your shoes, for you are standing on holy ground." 6 He continued, saying, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

COMMENT: Moses seemed to have a healthy respect for God, even though he had spent many years in Pharaoh's courts. In addition to his parents training, he had spent forty years associated with his father-in-law Jethro (Reuel). And it may be noted that his close association with nature while keeping his father-in-law's sheep must have brought him closer to God.

7 The LORD said, "I have seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard their cry because of their severe taskmasters and I know of their sufferings." 8 "So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and bring them to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite, the Amorite and the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite." 9 "I have heard the cry of the children of Israel and I have seen the oppression they have experienced at the hand of the Egyptians." 10 "Therefore, I am sending you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt." 11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?" 12 God said, "I will be with you. This shall be the sign to you that I am sending you. When you have brought the children of Israel out of Egypt you shall worship God on this mountain."

COMMENT: How fitting, Moses was to bring the children of Israel to this same place.

13 Then Moses said to God, "When I come to the children of Israel, and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask what Your name is, what shall I tell them?'"

COMMENT: How interesting! They didn't have a name for God.

14 God said to Moses, "I Am Who I Am. This is what you are to tell them when they ask who sent you."

COMMENT: I exist because I exist might be a translation.

15 God continued by saying, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is a memorial to all generations.'" 16 "Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, 'The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, appeared to me, saying, I have surely visited you and seen what Egypt has done to you." 17 "So I said, 'I will bring you out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites, the Amorites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing in milk and honey.'"

18 "They will listen to you. Then you and the elders of Israel will go to the king of Egypt, and say to him, 'The LORD God of the Hebrews met with us. Let us go, now, three days journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.'" 19 "I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go except he is compelled by a mighty hand." 20 "So I will stretch out My hand smite Egypt with all My miracles which I will do in their midst, and after that, he will let you go."

21 "I will grant My people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and it shall come to pass that they will not only let you go, but will also make sure that you do not leave empty handed." 22 "Every woman shall ask her neighbor woman for jewels of gold and silver and for clothing. You shall put these on your sons and daughters and in this way you shall spoil the Egyptians."

Exodus 4 - RWB Paraphrase (31 V)
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Moses Receives Signs to Show That God Has Sent Him
1 Then Moses asked, "What if they will not believe me, or listen to what I say? They will surely not believe that the LORD has appeared to me." 2 Then the LORD said to him, "What do you have in your hand?" He said, "A staff." 3 And the LORD said, "Throw it on the ground." So Moses threw it on the ground. It became a snake and he ran from it. 4 God said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand pick it up by its tail." So Moses picked it up by its tail and it was once more a staff in his hand. 5 "This," said the LORD, "Will help them believe that the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and Jacob, has appeared to you."

6 Next the LORD said, "Put your hand into your bosom." So he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, it was covered with leprosy, white as snow. 7 Then God said, "Put your hand in your bosom again." So Moses put his hand in his bosom and when he took it out, his hand was restored like the rest of his body. 8 God said, "If they do not believe you after seeing the first sign, they may believe you as they witness the last sign." 9 "But if they still do not believe, after seeing these first two signs, and are unwilling to listen to what you say, then you shall take some water from the river and pour it out on dry ground, and the water will turn to blood on the dry land."

10 Then Moses said to the LORD, "I cannot speak well." 11 The LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Who makes a man mute, deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not the LORD?" 12 "Now go and I will be with you, teaching you what to say." 13 But Moses said, "Please Lord, send your message by someone else."

COMMENT: Moses had been willing to lead out in delivering the children of Israel forty years previous. But now he is not interested. What changed for him?

14 Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses. He said, "Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he speaks well. He is coming to meet you, and he will be happy to see you." 15 "I will teach you what to tell him to say." 16 "He will be your spokesman to the people. He will be your mouth and you will be My mouthpiece." 17 "And you shall take your staff that you may perform the signs."

18 So Moses returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, "Please, let me go, that I may return to my brethren in Egypt and see if they are still alive." And Jethro said, "Go in peace."

19 Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all who sought your life are dead." 20 So Moses took his wife and his sons, setting them on a donkey, and returned to the land of Egypt. And he took the rod of God in his hand.

COMMENT: Notice that where as God had fist referred to the staff as Moses' staff, now it is referred to as the rod of God. It would be appropriate for us to refer to what we have as actually the Lord's.

21 The LORD said to Moses, "When you return to Egypt, be sure to show Pharaoh the rod I have placed in your hand. Nevertheless, I will harden his heart and he will not let My people go." 22 Then you shall say to him, "Thus says the LORD, Israel is My son, My firstborn." 23 "So I am asking you to let my son go, that he may serve Me. If you refuse to let him go, then I will slay your firstborn son."

24 And it came to pass that at a place of lodging on the way to Egypt, the LORD met Moses and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and threw it at the feet of Moses, saying, "You are surely a bridegroom of blood to me." 26 So God let Moses live. It was because of the circumcision she said to Moses, "You are a bridegroom of blood."

27 Now the LORD said to Aaron, "Go into the wilderness to meet Moses." And he went and met him in the mount of God and kissed him. 28 Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and of the signs the LORD had commanded him to do. 29 Then Moses and Aaron assembled all the elders of the children of Israel. 30 And Aaron spoke the words that God gave to Moses. And Moses did the signs God had given him. 31 So the people believed. And when they heard that God was visiting the children of Israel, and had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshipped.

Exodus 5 - RWB Paraphrase (23 V)
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Moses and Aaron Ask Pharaoh to Let Israel Go
1 After this Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, let My people go that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness." 2 But Pharaoh said to them, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey Him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go." 3 Then Moses and Aaron said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us travel three days journey into the desert so that we can sacrifice to the LORD our God, lest He bring a pestilence or the sword upon us." 4 But the king of Egypt replied, "Why are you trying to take the people from their work? Get back to your labor!" 5 "Your people are many and you want them to rest from their labors." 6 So Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters over the people, saying, 7 "You are to no longer give the people straw for the bricks they are making. They shall gather their own straw." 8 "Nevertheless, their quota of brick produced will be no less. They have asked to sacrifice to their God because they have time on their hands." 9 "Let them pay more attention to their work and no attention to vain words." 10 So the taskmasters told the people that Pharaoh had said he would no longer give them straw. 11 "You must go and find your own straw wherever you can and you will be expected to produce just as many bricks." 12 So the people scattered everywhere in the land of Egypt gathering stubble for straw. 13 And the taskmasters told them that they must produce as many brick as when the straw had been provided. 14 Then the Hebrew foreman that Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over the people were beaten and asked, "Why haven't you produced the required number of bricks?" 15 The foreman of the children of Israel came to Pharaoh complaining of the unfair treatment. 16 "We have no straw, yet you say make just as many bricks. Then we are beaten when we cannot do this. This is unfair treatment." 17 But Pharaoh answered them, "You are very lazy, asking to go and sacrifice to the LORD." 18 "Get back to work. You will be given no straw and you must deliver your same quota of bricks." 19 Seeing that they were in trouble with Pharaoh, the foremen of the children of Israel, 20 left Pharaoh and went to Moses and Aaron who were waiting for them. 21 They said to them, "May the LORD judge you for making our lives odious in Pharaoh's sight. What he has decreed is going to kill us."

COMMENT: Sometimes when the Lord promises deliverance He tests us to see if we really expect Him to actually do it.

22 Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Lord, why have your brought harm on Your people? And why did You send me?"

COMMENT: It is alright to ask God the hard questions.

23 "Ever since I began speaking to Pharaoh he has done harm to Your people, and You have not delivered them."

Exodus 6 - RWB Paraphrase (30 V)
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God Says That He Will Make Pharaoh Let the children of Israel Go
1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. Under compulsion he will let them go and even drive them out of the land." 2 God continued by saying, "I am the LORD." 3 "I appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as God Almighty. But I did not make Myself known to them by My name."

COMMENT: God has a name.

4 "I established My covenant with them, promising to give them the land of Canaan where they sojourned." 5 "And I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel caused by the Egyptians who hold them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant." 6 "Tell the children of Israel, 'I Am The LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens the Egyptians have placed on them. I will deliver you from your bondage and redeem you with an outstretched arm and great judgments.'" 7 "Then I will take you as My people and I will be your God. And you shall know that I am the LORD your God Who brought you out of Egypt." 8 "I will bring you to the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It will be your possession. I Am The LORD."

9 So Moses told all of this to the children of Israel, but they remained despondent because of their cruel bondage and they would not listen. 10 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 11 "Go to Pharaoh king of Egypt and tell him to let the children of Israel leave his land." 12 Moses said to the LORD, "See how the children of Israel have not listened to me. How then will Pharaoh listen to my unskilled lips?" 13 The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron and commanded them to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt and to tell Pharaoh let them go.

14 These are the heads of their fathers' households.

The sons of Reuben, Israel's firstborn: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These are the families of Reuben.

15 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. These are the families of Simeon.

16 These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. And Levi lived a hundred and thirty-seven years. 17 The sons of Gershon were Libni and Shimei, according to their families.

18 The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. Kohath lived one hundred and thirty-three years. 19 And the sons of Merari were Mahali and Mushi. These are the families of Levi according to their generations. 20 And Amram married his father's sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. And Amram lived one hundred and thirty-seven years. 21 The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg and Zichri. 22 The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan and Zithri. 23 Aaron married Elishebe, the daughter of Amminadab and sister of Naashon, and she bore to Aaron Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 24 The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah and Abiasaph. These are the families of the Korahites. 25 Aaron's son Eleazar married one of the daughters of Putiel and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers' households of the Levites according to their families.

26 These are the ones that the LORD told Moses and Aaron to bring out of Egypt according to their hosts. 27 They are the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt.

28 Now it came about that on the day the LORD spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, 29 that the LORD said to him, "I am the LORD. Speak to Pharaoh the king of Egypt and tell him everything I tell you to say." 30 But Moses said to the LORD, "Behold, I am unskilled in speech. Why would Pharaoh listen to me?"

Exodus 7 - RWB Paraphrase (25 V)
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Pharaoh's Heart Is Hardened
1 And the LORD said to Moses, "See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother is your prophet." 2 "You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron will speak to Pharaoh so that he will send the children of Israel out of his land." 3 "But I will harden Pharaoh's heart so that I may multiply My signs and wonders in the land of Egypt." 4 "Pharaoh will not listen and I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring My people out of Egypt using great judgments against it." 5 "They shall know that I am the LORD and that I am calling the children of Israel out from their midst."

6 So Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded. 7 Moses was eighty years old and Aaron was eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh. 8 The LORD gave further directions to Moses and Aaron, saying, 9 "When Pharaoh speaks to you asking for a miracle, then you shall say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh that it may become a serpent.'" 10 So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD had commanded, and Pharaoh witnessed Aaron's rod becoming a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh called his wise men, sorcerers and magicians, who did their secret arts. 12 Each of them threw down his staff and each became a serpent. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. 13 So Pharaoh's heart remained hardened and he would not listen, just as the LORD had said.

First Plague
14 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is stubborn, and he will not let the people go." 15 "In the morning meet him as he is going out to the water. Stand by the river until he comes. Take the rod in your hand which became a snake." 16 "Say to Pharaoh, The LORD God of the Hebrews sent me to you. He has said, 'Let My people go that they may serve Me in the wilderness.' But you have not listened to Me." 17 "Thus says the LORD, 'By this you shall know that I am the LORD. I will strike the water in the Nile with the staff in my hand it will turn to blood.'" 18 "The fish in it will die and the river will become foul, and the Egyptians will have difficulty finding water to drink." 19 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron to stretch his staff over the waters of the Nile that all the waters of Egypt, its streams, pools and reservoirs will become blood, and there will be blood even in the vessels of wood and stone." 20 So Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded, and Pharaoh and his servants watched as the Nile turned to blood. 21 The fish in it died and the Nile became foul. The Egyptians could not drink its water. And the blood was throughout the land. 22 But the magicians and sorcerers did the same with their secret arts, and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen, just as the LORD had said. 23 He returned to his house with no concern even after this. 24 So all the Egyptians had to dig around the Nile for water to drink. 25 Seven days passed after the LORD struck the Nile.

Exodus 8 - RWB Paraphrase (32 V)
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Second Plague
1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'The LORD says, let My people go, that they may serve Me.'" 2 "And if you refuse, I will smite your whole land with frogs." 3 "The Nile will swarm with them. They will come into your house, into your bedroom and up on your bed. They will come into your servant's houses and on all your people, into your ovens and even in your kneading bowls." 4 "Frogs will come upon you, your people and all your servants."

5 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron to stretch out his staff over the rivers, the streams and the pools, and make frogs come upon the land of Egypt."

COMMENT: It is important to remember that as Moses spoke to Pharaoh through Aaron, Pharaoh could not understand what Moses said in the Hebrew language until Aaron translated it. This may not be obvious as one reads the story.

6 So Aaron did this and frogs covered the land of Egypt. 7 And the magicians did the same with their secret arts.

COMMENT: They could appear to make frogs, but they could not get rid of them.

8 Finally Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, "Entreat the LORD that He may remove the frogs from me and my people, and I will let Israel go to sacrifice to the LORD." 9 Moses replied, "You will have the honor of specifying when I shall ask the LORD to remove the frogs from the land to go back to the Nile?"

COMMENT: This was to show Pharaoh that God would be in control of getting rid of the frogs.

10 Pharaoh said, "Tomorrow." Moses said, "It will be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God."

COMMENT: This was to show that the gods of Egypt could in no way compare to Israel's God.

11 "The frogs will depart from you and your houses, your servants and your people, and they will stay in the Nile." 12 Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to the LORD concerning His plague of frogs against Pharaoh. 13 The LORD did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died in the houses, the villages and the fields. 14 They piled them up in heaps and the land was foul with the smell of them. 15 But after the frogs were taken from them, Pharaoh hardened his heart and did not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.

Third Plague
16 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become lice through all the land of Egypt.'"

COMMENT: Some translations say gnats.

17 So Aaron stretched out his staff and struck the dust and it became as lice on man and beast throughout Egypt. 18 The magicians tried to bring forth lice with their secret arts, but could not. 19 They said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." yet Pharaoh's heart remained hard just as the LORD had said it would.

Fourth Plague
20 Now the LORD said to Moses, "Rise up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh as he comes out to the water. Say to him, "Thus says the LORD, 'Let My people go that they may serve Me. '. 21 "For if you do not let My people go, I will send swarms of flies upon you, your servants and your people. Your house and the houses of all Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies. And they will cover the ground also." 22 "But I will set apart the land of Goshen where My people dwell. There will be no swarms of flies there so that you may know that I the LORD am in the midst of the land." 23 "I will put a division between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign will occur."

24 And the LORD did so. The flies were everywhere so that the land of Egypt was laid waste from the flies. 25 Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, "Go and sacrifice to your God, but stay within Egypt." 26 But Moses replied, "This would not be right, for what we sacrifice to the LORD our God is an abomination to the Egyptians. If we do this in their sight, surely they will stone us." 27 "We must go three days journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as He has commanded us." 28 Pharaoh said, "I will let you go to sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness. Only you cannot go very far. And make supplication for me, as well." 29 Then Moses said, "Behold, I am going out from you and I will make supplication to the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, his servants and his people tomorrow. Only do not act deceitfully again by not letting the Hebrews go to sacrifice to the LORD." 30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD. 31 The LORD did as Moses asked, and removed every fly from Pharaoh and all the land of Egypt. 32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart once more, and would not let the people go.

Exodus 9 - RWB Paraphrase (35 V)
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Fifth Plague
1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and tell him that the LORD God of the Hebrews says, 'Let My people go, that they may serve Me.'" 2 "And if you refuse to let them go." 3 "The hand of the LORD will come with a severe pestilence on your livestock in the fields, on the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds and flocks." 4 "But the LORD will not send the pestilence on the livestock of Israel. Nothing of theirs will die." 5 The LORD set a definite time, saying, "Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing." 6 So the next day the LORD sent the pestilence on all the livestock of Egypt and many of them died. But not one of the livestock of Israel was bothered. 7 Pharaoh sent his servants to verify that not one of Israel's livestock had died. Yet his heart remained hardened and he would not let the people go.

Sixth Plague
8 Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Take handfuls of soot from a kiln and let Moses throw it toward the sky while Pharaoh watches." 9 "A fine dust will settle over all the land of Egypt, causing boils to break out on man and beast throughout all Egypt." 10 So they took soot from a kiln, and stood before Pharaoh as Moses threw it toward the sky, and it became boils on man and beast. 11 The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils they had as well as the boils on all of the Egyptians. 12 And the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he would not let the people go, just as the LORD had said.

Seventh Plague
13 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh. Say to him, "Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, 'Let My people go that they may serve Me. '. 14 "For I am about to send all My plagues on you, on your servants and your people, so that you will know that there is no one like Me in all the earth." 15 "I will stretch out My hand strike you and your people and I will cut you off from the earth."

COMMENT: In other words, I will greatly reduce your numbers.

16 "I have allowed you to remain until now in order to demonstrate My power and proclaim My name throughout all the earth." 17 "In the face of all the evidence I have given, you still will not let My people go." 18 "Behold, about this time tomorrow I will send a great hail, such as never has been seen in Egypt." 19 "You must bring your livestock in from the field to safety. The hail will kill every man and beast found in the field." 20 Those of Pharaoh's servants who feared the LORD brought his servants and livestock into shelter. 21 But those who did not regard the word of the LORD left their servants and livestock in the field. 22 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that hail may fall on all the land of Egypt, on man and beast, and on every plant in the field." 23 Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire ran along the ground. And the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. 24 There was hail mingled with fire, such as Egypt had never seen since it was a nation. 25 Anything in the fields, man, beast, plant and tree, were all shattered by the hail. 26 But no hail fell in the land of Goshen where the children of Israel were. 27 Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron and said to them, "The LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked." 28 "Make supplication to the LORD, so that there be no more thunder and hail, and I will let you go." 29 Moses said, "As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will lift my hands to the LORD, and the thunder and hail will stop. Then you may know that the earth is the LORD's."

COMMENT: So Moses must have walked through the hail unharmed.

30 "But I know that you and your servants do not yet fear the LORD."

31 The flax and barley were ruined because the barley was in ear and the flax had budded. 32 But the wheat and the spelt had not been ruined because they ripen later.

33 Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city and raised his hands to the LORD. The thunder and the hail ceased and rain no longer poured upon the earth. 34 But when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail and the thunder had ceased, he and his servants sinned again by hardening their hearts.

COMMENT: Do we sometimes feel the heavy hand of the Lord but think otherwise when it has been lifted?

35 And Pharaoh did not let the children of Israel go, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses.

Exodus 10 - RWB Paraphrase (29 V)
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Eighth Plague
1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and his servants that I may perform My signs among them, for I have hardened their hearts." 2 "I want you to be able to tell your son and your grandson of the signs I did in Egypt, so that you may know that I am the LORD." 3 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself and let My people go so that they may serve Me?'." 4 "If you refuse to let My people go, I will bring locust into your land tomorrow." 5 "They shall cover the land so that you cannot see the ground. They will eat up what the hail did not destroy, including even the trees in the field." 6 "Then they will fill your house and the houses of all Egyptians. Neither your fathers nor grandfathers have ever seen such a plague of locust." And Moses turned and went out from Pharaoh.

7 Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How long shall this man cause us so much trouble? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD, before all Egypt has been destroyed." 8 So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh and he said to them, "Go and serve your God! But who will go?" 9 Moses said, "We will go with our young and our old, with our sons and daughters, our flocks and herds, for we must hold a feast to the LORD." 10 Then Pharaoh said, "Certainly the LORD would be with you if I would let you go. You are up to no good." 11 "You may go if you take only the men to serve your Lord. That is all that is needed." And they drove Moses and Aaron from Pharaoh's presence.

12 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch your hand over the land of Egypt that the locust may come on the land eat every plant that the hail has not destroyed." 13 So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt and the LORD brought up an east wind that blew all day and all night. And the morning win brought the locust. 14 They covered the land of Egypt settling everywhere. There were more locust than anyone had ever seen or would ever see again. 15 They darkened the surface of the land, eating every green plant and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had not destroyed. Nothing green was left on tree or plant in the fields in all of Egypt. 16 Pharaoh hurriedly called Moses and Aaron, and said, "I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you." 17 "Please forgive me just this once and make supplication to the LORD your God, that He will remove this death from the land." 18 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and made supplication to the LORD. 19 Then the LORD shifted the wind to come from the west. It was a mighty wind and it took the locust away casting them into the Red Sea. Not one locust was left in all of Egypt. 20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he did not let the children of Israel go.

Ninth Plague
21 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out you hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt. It will be a darkness that can be felt." 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven and thick darkness came over the land of Egypt for three days. 23 No one could see anyone else and no one moved from where he was for three days. But the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. 24 Then Pharaoh called Moses and said, "Go serve the LORD, only leave your flocks and herds. Even your little ones may go with you." 25 But Moses said, "You must let us have our animals for the sacrifices and burnt offerings which we will make to our Lord." 26 "Not one animal may be left behind. We will not know what we will need to serve our Lord until we get there." 27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart and he was not willing to let them go. 28 Then Pharaoh said to Moses, "Get out of my sight for the next time you see my face you will die." 29 Moses said, "Just as you have said. I will not see your face again."

Exodus 11 - RWB Paraphrase (10 V)
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Tenth Plague
1 And the LORD said to Moses, "I will bring only one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that he will let you go. In fact, he will drive you out of Egypt." 2 "Speak in the hearing of the people and tell them to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold." 3 And the LORD gave the children of Israel favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moses was considered to be very great by everyone in the land of Egypt.

4 Moses said, "The LORD has said, 'At about midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt.'" 5 "And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the slave girl who grinds at the millstone. And all the firstborn of the cattle will die as well." 6 "There shall be a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as never was before and never shall be again." 7 "But not even a dog of any of the children of Israel will bark against man or beast, so that you may know that the LORD makes a difference between Egypt and the children of Israel." 8 And to Pharaoh he sent this message."All of your servants will come to me and bow themselves before me, saying, 'Go out, you and all the people who follow you.' And after that, I will go out of Egypt." And he went from Pharaoh in a great anger.

9 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh will not listen to you. This is so that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt." 10 Moses and Aaron had performed all these wonders before Pharaoh, yet the LORD hardened his heart and he did not let the children of Israel go out of Egypt.

Exodus 12 - RWB Paraphrase (51 V)
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The First Passover
1 The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2 "This month shall be the first month of each year for you." 3 "Explain to all the congregation of Israel, saying, 'On the tenth of this month each one is to take a lamb for his household.'" 4 "If the household is too small, then he and his nearest neighbor with his household may do this together." 5 "Your lamb must be an unblemished male that is a year old. You may take it from the sheep or the goats." 6 "You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to each kill their lamb in the evening." 7 "They are to take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of door of the house in which they will eat it." 8 "They shall eat the flesh that same night after roasting it over the fire. And they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs."

COMMENT: At the last Passover Jesus shared with the disciples, He said, "This is My body." On that night the bread and the wine seem to have more significance than the roasted lamb, at least from our perspective. The lamb represented Jesus. But for communion we use just the bread and wine (fresh grape juice).

9 "The lamb must not be eaten raw or boiled, but roasted with fire, both its head, its legs and its entrails." 10 "And you shall let nothing remain until the morning. Anything left over must be burned."

COMMENT: There is an immediacy to this ritual. They were not to put off the eating of it.

11 "As you eat it have your loins girded, your sandals on the feet and your staff in your hand. You shall eat it in haste, for it is the LORD's Passover."

COMMENT: It would seem that they were to eat it before the angel passed over.

12 "For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night and strike down all the firstborn in the land, both man and beast. Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment. I am the LORD."

COMMENT: Imagine what it must have felt like to the Egyptians who saw the blood around the doors of the children of Israel on the day after.

13 "The blood shall be to you a sign upon the houses where you live. When I see the blood, I will pass over you and the plague shall not destroy any within your houses as I smite the land of Egypt."

COMMENT: Everyone should have the blood clearly visible to onlookers. In today's language, people not believing as we do should readily see a difference in those within our house. We are to be clearly marked as believing in Jesus Christ.

14 This day shall be a memorial to you, and you will celebrate it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. It is to be a permanent ordinance. 15 "You must remove all leaven from your houses and eat only unleavened bread for seven days. Whoever eats anything with leaven during this seven day period is to be cut off from Israel."

16 "On the first and seventh days there shall be a holy convocation. No work is to be done except preparation for what every man must eat."

COMMENT: This is like Sabbath. We do no work except what is necessary to be able to eat. However our preparation should as simple as possible.

17 "You shall observe this Feast of Unleavened Bread, for it was on this same day that I brought you out of Egypt. All your generations shall observe this ordinance forever." 18 "At evening on the fourteenth day of the first month you shall eat unleavened bread until the evening of the twenty-first day of the month." 19 "For seven days there is to be no leaven found in your houses. Anyone who eats leaven shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether an alien or native of the land." 20 "Everyone is to eat only unleavened bread."

21 Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, "Each of you is to take a lamb for himself according to his family and slay this Passover lamb." 22 "Catch the blood in a basin and dip a bunch of hyssop in the blood and apply it to the lintel and doorposts of your houses. No one is to go outside the door of his house until morning." 23 "For the LORD will pass through the land to smite the Egyptians and He shall Passover the houses where He sees the blood on the lintel and doorposts. He will not allow the destroyer to come into your house to smite you."

COMMENT: So as we claim the blood of Christ in our behalf, we are assured of salvation.

24 "You and your sons shall observe this ordinance forever." 25 "And when you enter the land which the LORD has promised to give to you, you shall continue to keep this ordinance." 26 "Your children will ask, 'What is the meaning of this service?'" 27 "And you shall say to them, 'It is the sacrifice of the LORD's Passover, who passed over the houses of Israel when He smote the entire land of Egypt, but spared our houses.'" And the people bowed their heads and worshipped. 28 And the children of Israel did just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron.

At Midnight the LORD Struck All the Firstborn in the Land of Egypt
29 It was at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from Pharaoh's firstborn, to the captive in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the cattle.

COMMENT: The fact that it was only the firstborn that died showed that this was not the result of some pandemic.

30 And Pharaoh rose up that night, as did his servants and all Egyptians. A great cry could be heard throughout Egypt, for every house had someone dead.

31 Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron during the night and said to them, "Rise up and get out from among my people. Take your children and your cattle and serve the LORD, as you have said." 32 "Take your flocks and herds, and go, and bless me also."

33 The Egyptians urged the Hebrews to leave quickly, lest all the Egyptians die. 34 So the Hebrews took their dough before it was leavened, and their kneading bowls, bound up in the clothes on their shoulders.

35 The children of Israel had done what Moses had told them to do. They had asked the Egyptians for articles of gold and silver and for clothing. 36 And the LORD had caused the Egyptians to willingly give them these things. In this way they plundered Egypt. 37 So the children of Israel journeyed on foot from Rameses to Succoth. There were about six hundred thousand adults besides children. 38 In addition to these, a mixed multitude went with them along with a very large number of livestock in their flocks and herds. 39 They baked the dough they carried out of Egypt into cakes of unleavened bread. It did not leaven because they had been driven out of Egypt and had not had time to prepare any provisions.

40 The children of Israel had lived in Egypt for four hundred and thirty years. 41 At the end of the four hundred and thirty years, to the day, all the hosts of the LORD went out of the land of Egypt.

COMMENT: Paul says that this time period began with Abraham. But Moses seems to say that the children of Israel lived in Egypt that long.

Galatians 3:17 The Law came four hundred and thirty years after the promise concerning Abraham's seed. And this law did not invalidate the covenant God previously ratified.

Genesis 15:13 God said to Abram, "Know and understand that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own. They will be oppressed as slaves for four hundred years."

42 In memory of the LORD bringing them out of Egypt, the previous night was to be observed by all the children of Israel throughout their generations.

43 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "No foreigner is to eat of the ordinance of the Passover." 44 "But a man's slave who has been purchased with money may participate after he has been circumcised." 45 "A foreigner and a hired servant shall not eat of it." 46 "It shall be eaten in the house and none of may be carried outside. Also, no bone of it shall be broken."

COMMENT: It is as though some things are to be kept in house. This is why it may be best to limit communion to those within the house, members in good standing.

47 "All of the congregation of Israel shall keep it." 48 "When a stranger sojourns with you, and wants to keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males first be circumcised, and then let him come near and eat it. Then he will be as one born in the land. No uncircumcised person shall eat of it."

COMMENT: Circumcision may be analogous to baptism. Therefore, communion should be reserved for baptized church members.

49 "The same law shall apply to the native and the stranger who sojourns among you."

50 Thus all the children of Israel did just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron. 51 So the LORD brought the children of Israel out of Egypt on that same day.

Exodus 13 - RWB Paraphrase (22 V)
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The Passover Is to Be Observed Every Year
1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Sanctify unto me all the firstborn of Israel, both man and beast. They are mine." 3 And Moses said to the people, "Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt and its slavery. The LORD brought you out by His powerful hand. And nothing with leaven shall be eaten." 4 "This is the month of Abib, and you are about to go forth." 5 "And it shall be that when the LORD brings you to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, a land flowing with milk and honey which the LORD swore to your fathers to give to you, that you shall observe this service in this month." 6 "For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD." 7 "Unleavened bread shall be eaten on all seven days. Nothing leavened shall be seen anywhere within your borders."

COMMENT: It would seem that although the leaven represented sin and this represented a clean start, God also had in mind something healthful with leaven that was not an old culture.

8 "You are to explain it to your sons on that day, saying, 'We do this because the LORD instituted this feast on the day He brought us out of Egypt.'" 9 "It is to be a sign to you and always remembered, so that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth as you consider His powerful hand by which He brought you out of Egypt."

COMMENT: We are not to measure our quality of life by what we eat or what we wear. Instead we are to regularly remember that it is God's deliverance from sin that gives our lives the most meaning.

10 "This is why you must keep this ordinance at its appointed time each year." 11 "Now when the LORD brings you to the land of the Canaanite, as He swore to your fathers," 12 "you shall devote the firstborn of every beast you own. The males belong to the LORD." 13 "But the firstborn of a donkey may be redeemed with a lamb. If you do not redeem it, you shall break its neck."

"And every firstborn son shall be redeemed." 14 "And in the future when your son asks you why this is done, you shall say to him, 'The LORD brought us out of Egypt from the house of slavery.'" 15 "When Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go out of Egypt, the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast. Therefore I sacrifice the firstborn of my beasts, but I redeem my firstborn son." 16 "So it shall serve as a sign in what you do and the way you think, always reminding you that the LORD brought you out of the land of Egypt by the strength of His hand."

17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them directly to the land of the Philistines, which would have been a much shorter route, for God said, "The people may change their minds when they see war and decide to return to Egypt." 18 So God led them through the wilderness to the Red Sea. The children of Israel went out of Egypt in martial array. 19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, as Joseph had made his kinsmen promise to do when they should return to the land of their fathers.

20 They traveled from Succoth and camped in Etham on the edge of the wilderness. 21 The LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud by day, leading them on their way. At night He was a pillar of fire giving them light. And there were also those times when they needed to travel at night. 22 He was always with the people in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

Exodus 14 - RWB Paraphrase (31 V)
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The Lord Prepares to Destroy Pharaoh and His Army
1 And the LORD said to Moses, 2 "tell the children of Israel to camp before Pihahiroth between Migdol and the sea in front of Baalzephon." 3 "Pharaoh will think you are lost and wandering aimlessly in the wilderness." 4 "I will harden Pharaoh's heart once more and he will come after the children of Israel. I will be honored through Pharaoh and his army, and all of them will know that I am God."

5 When the king of Egypt was told the people had gone from Egypt, his heart and the heart of his servants turned against the Hebrews. They said, "Why have we let Israel go so that they no longer serve us?" 6 Preparing his chariot he took his army with him. 7 He had six hundred special chariots along with all the regular chariots of Egypt with officers over them. 8 In anger Pharaoh pursued the children of Israel because they had left Egypt.

COMMENT: His work force was severely curtailed.

9 His chariots and horsemen and all his army chased after Israel and found them camped by the sea beside Pihahiroth in front of Baalzephon. 10 As Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel became afraid and cried out to the LORD. 11 They said to Moses, "Is it because there was not enough room to bury us in Egypt that you have brought us out here to die? Why did you bring us out of Egypt?"

COMMENT: They saw no way of escape. How quickly the children of Israel forgot that God had been leading them along. What appears to be sarcasm shows up time and again.

12 "Didn't we ask you to leave us alone in Egypt to serve them? It would have been better to serve Pharaoh in Egypt than to die in the wilderness."

COMMENT: They didn't place a very high price on freedom. And they did not yet have any idea of what God was about to give them. And we, too, often cling to what we know rather than what God offers.

13 But Moses said to them, "Do not be afraid. Watch and see the salvation of the LORD today in your behalf. After this you will never see these Egyptians again." 14 "The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent."

COMMENT: So it seems that the Lord is glorified when we are patient without complaint.

15 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why cry to me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward through the sea." 16 "Lift your staff toward the sea. It will divide and the children of Israel shall go across through its midst on dry ground." 17 "I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will follow after. And I will be honored by what happens to them." 18 "Then the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD."

19 Then the angel of the LORD, who had gone before Israel, moved behind them, 20 and stood between the camp of the children of Israel and the Egyptian camp. The camp of the Egyptians was dark but the camp of Israel had light for it was night. Neither camp saw the other all night.

COMMENT: When the Egyptians experience the deep darkness on that night, they must have thought of the three days of darkness back in Egypt. The God of the Hebrews was surely at work against them. But they would not turn back.

The Children of Israel Cross the Red Sea
21 When Moses stretched his hand over the sea, the LORD swept back the sea with a strong east wind that blew all night. And the sea bed became dry land where the waters were parted. 22 The children of Israel went through the sea on the dry sea bed while the water on either side of them stood up like walls. 23 Then the Egyptians took up the pursuit as Pharaoh and all his army, his horses and chariots, went after them through the midst of the sea.

COMMENT: They did not understand how there could be a path through the sea, but they followed after.

24 When morning came the LORD looked upon the host of the Egyptians and brought confusion on them. 25 He caused their chariot wheels to come off and their chariots moved with great difficulty. They did not understand that the LORD was fighting against them and they decided to flee.

26 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch your hand out over the waters so that they come back over the Egyptians, their chariots and horsemen." 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and the water returned to its normal state covering the Egyptians as they fled. Thus the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 Pharaoh's entire army had gone into the sea and not one of them escaped. 29 The children of Israel had walked on dry ground through the midst of the sea with a wall of water on either side of them.

30 So the LORD saved Israel from the Egyptians that day, and they saw the Egyptians dead bodies wash up on the sea shore. 31 When Israel saw the great work the LORD had done against the Egyptians, they feared Him and believed in Him, and His servant Moses.

Exodus 15 - RWB Paraphrase (27 V)
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Moses and the Children of Israel Sing to the Lord
1 Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD."

I will sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously.
He has thrown the horse and his rider into the sea."
2 "The LORD is my strength and song, and has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will prepare Him an habitation.
He is my father's God and I will exalt him."
3 "The LORD is a warrior. The LORD is His name."
4 "Pharaoh's chariots and his army He has cast into the sea.
His chosen captains drowned in the Red Sea."
5 "The depths have covered them. They sank to the bottom like a stone."
6 "Your right hand, O LORD, is glorious in power.
Your right hand, has dashed the enemy to pieces."
7 "And in the greatness of your Excellency
You have overthrown those who rose up against You.
You sent forth Your wrath which consumed them as stubble."
8 "At the blast of Your nostrils the waters were gathered together.
The waters stood up in a heap.
The depths were congealed in the heart of the sea."

9 "The enemy said, 'I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil.
My lust shall be satisfied upon them.
I will draw my sword and my hand shall destroy them.'"

10 "You blew with Your wind and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead in the mighty waters."
11 "Among the gods, who is like You, O LORD?
Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, and doing Your wonders?"
12 "You stretched out Your right hand, the earth swallowed them."
13 "In Your mercy You have led forth Your redeemed.
You have guided them in Your strength to Your holy habitation."
14 "The nations shall hear and be afraid.
Sorrow has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia."
15 "The chiefs of Edom shall be amazed.
The mighty men of Moab will tremble.
All the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away."
16 "Fear and dread shall fall upon them.
By the greatness of Your arm they shall become motionless,
Until Your people pass over, O LORD,
Until the people You have purchased pass over."
17 "You shall bring Your people in and plant them
In the mountain of Your inheritance, O LORD,
Which You have made for Your dwelling,
In the Sanctuary, O LORD, which You have established."
18 The LORD shall reign forever and ever.
19 "For the horses of Pharaoh went into the sea with his chariots and horsemen,
And the LORD brought the waters of the sea upon them.
But the children of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea."

20 Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took the timbrel in her hand the women followed her with timbrels and dancing. 21 Miriam called out to them, saying,
"Sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted.
The horse and his rider He has thrown into the sea."

22 Moses lead Israel from the Red Sea into the wilderness of Shur. And they went three days without finding water.

COMMENT: After great triumph come great testing.

23 When they came to Marah they could not drink the water, for it was bitter. That is how it came to be called Marah. 24 The people began to grumble against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" 25 Then Moses cried to the LORD and the LORD showed him a tree. When he had thrown this tree into the waters, they became sweet. In this place God made a statute for them because He had tested them. 26 He said to them, "If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, doing what is right in His sight, giving ear to His commandments and keeping His statutes, then I will put none of the diseases on you that I brought upon the Egyptians, for I am the LORD that heals you."

27 Then they came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms. And they camped there.

Exodus 16 - RWB Paraphrase (36 V)
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The Children of Israel Become Discouraged
1 And the children of Israel journeyed from Elim to the wilderness of Sin. This is between Elim and Sinai. It was the fifteenth day of the second month after they had left Egypt. 2 The whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 saying to them, "We would rather have died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt. At least there we had pots of meat and could eat our fill of bread. You have brought us out into this wilderness to starve us to death."

The Lord Rains Bread From Heaven
4 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for everyone. The people are to go out and gather enough for each day's need. I will test them to see whether or not they will do as I say." 5 "On the sixth day of the week they shall gather twice as much as they gather on other days." 6 So Moses and Aaron told the children of Israel, "This evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of Egypt." 7 "In the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, for He has heard your murmurings against Him. Who are we that you murmur against us?" 8 Moses added, "The LORD will give you meat to eat in the evening, and bread to the full in the morning. When you murmur against us you are really murmuring against the LORD." 9 Then Moses told Aaron to say to the congregation of the children of Israel, "Come near before the LORD, for He has heard your grumbling." 10 As Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness and the glory of the LORD appeared in a cloud. 11 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 12 "I have heard the murmuring of the children of Israel, when they say that they want to eat flesh in the evening and their fill of bread in the morning. They shall know that I am God." 13 So it came about that evening that quail came over the camp and covered the ground, and in the morning the dew lay on the ground everywhere. 14 When the dew had evaporated, the ground was covered with a small round thing that was as small as frost on the ground. 15 The children of Israel asked each other, "What is it?" Moses told them, "It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat." 16 "This is what the LORD has commanded, 'Every man shall gather an omer for each person in his tent.'" 17 And the children of Israel gathered it, some more and some less. 18 When they measured it with an omer, the one who gathered much had no excess and the one who gathered little had no lack. Every man gathered as much as he could eat.

COMMENT: It would seem that this is God's plan for meeting our needs. We are not to be grasping. Making a living need not be all consuming.

19 Moses said to them, "No one is to save any of it for the next day." 20 But they did not listen to him. Some left some of it until the morning and it became wormy and smelled bad. Then Moses became angry with those who did this.

21 They gathered it morning by morning and when the sun became hot, what was still on the ground melted in its heat.

COMMENT: So they were to work for their bread early in the day.

22 Now on the sixth day of the week they had been told to gather two omers for each person. The leaders of the congregation reported to Moses that this was being done. 23 And he said to them, "This is what the LORD has instructed. Tomorrow is the holy Sabbath to the LORD. Bake or boil the extra and set it aside for tomorrow." 24 So the people put some aside for use the next day just as Moses had ordered, and it did not spoil or become wormy.

25 The next day Moses told them to eat what was saved from the previous day, for none would fall on the ground on the Sabbath day of the LORD. 26 "Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, there will be none on the ground."

COMMENT: The Sabbath was here referred to before the commandments were written on the tablets of stone.

27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather manna, but found none. 28 Then the LORD said to Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep My commandments and laws?" 29 "See how the LORD gives you the Sabbath and enough bread for two days on the sixth day. Every man is to remain in his place and not go out on the seventh day." 30 So the people rested on the seventh day. 31 The children of Israel called it manna. It was like coriander seed, white and sweet like wafers made with honey.

32 Then Moses said, "The LORD has commanded that an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, that you may see the bread He fed you in the wilderness when He brought you out of Egypt." 33 Moses said to Aaron, "Take a pot and place an omer of manna in it and lay it up before the LORD to be kept for all generations." 34 So Aaron did as God had instructed Moses and laid it up before the Testimony.

COMMENT: It was placed in the ark of testimony.

35 And the children of Israel ate manna for forty years until they came to the land of Canaan. 36 An omer is a tenth of an ephah, or just over a half gallon.

COMMENT: Three thing were placed in the ark.

Hebrews 9:4 It had the golden alter of incense outside the second veil, and the ark of the covenant overlaid with gold was behind this veil. In this ark were a golden pot of manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant.

Exodus 17 - RWB Paraphrase (16 V)
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The People Blame Moses Because There Is No Water
1 The children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin day by day as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim and once again the people had no water to drink. 2 Because of this the people got after Moses, saying, "Give us water that we may drink." Moses said, "Why do you chide me? And why are you tempting the LORD?" 3 But the people were thirsty and continued grumbling against Moses, saying, "Why have you brought us out of Egypt to kill us, our children and our livestock?" 4 So Moses cried to the LORD, saying, "What shall I do with these people. They are ready to stone me." 5 The LORD said to Moses, "Take the elders of Israel and pass before the people. Take the staff with which you struck the Nile River." 6 "I will stand before you on the rock at Horeb. You shall strike the rock and water will come out of it so that the people may drink." And Moses did this while the elders of Israel watched.

COMMENT: One would think that the elders of Israel would become more supportive after watching this miracle.

7 He named the place Massah and Meribah, because the children of Israel tested the LORD by asking if He was among them.

COMMENT: Do you and I test the Lord when we ask and He seems to take longer than we want to wait for His answer?

Amalek Comes Against Israel
8 Then Amalek came against Israel in Rephidim. 9 So Moses told Joshua to choose men to fight against Amalek. He said, "Tomorrow I will station myself on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand."

COMMENT: Interesting. Moses referred to the staff as God's staff. It was the staff he had used while herding sheep before God called him. It certainly was used to do God's work. Perhaps you and I can be like that staff, doing God's work and being referred to as belonging to God and being used by Him.

10 Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek. Moses went with Aaron and Hur to the top of the hill. 11 It came about that when Moses held his hand up, Israel prevailed, but when he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 Moses hands became heavy so they brought a stone for him to sit on. And while he sat there, Aaron and Hur stayed on either side of him and held his hands steady until the sun went down.

COMMENT: We need to hold up the hands of our leaders.

13 So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this in a book to be remembered and recited to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." 15 Moses built an altar and named it, "The LORD is My Banner." 16 And he said, "The LORD has sworn that He will war against Amalek from generation to generation."

Exodus 18 - RWB Paraphrase (27 V)
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Jethro, Moses' father-in-law Come the Camp of Israel
1 When Jethro, who was the priest of Midian and the father-in-law to Moses, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for His people Israel in bringing them out of Egypt, 2 he brought Moses' wife Zipporah to him, for Moses had sent her home. 3 He also brought their two sons. The first was named Gershom, for Moses said, "I have been an alien in a foreign land." 4 The other was named Eliezer, for he said, "The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from Pharaoh's sword." 5 So Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came bringing his wife and sons to the wilderness where Israel was camped at the mount of God. 6 He sent word to Moses, saying, "I, Jethro, your father-in-law, am coming to you with your wife and two sons." 7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed down and kissed him. They inquired of each other's welfare and went into the tent. 8 Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake. He also told of all the hardships since leaving Egypt and of how the LORD had delivered them. 9 Jethro rejoiced at all the goodness of the LORD in delivering them from the Egyptians. 10 And Jethro said, "Blessed be the LORD who delivered you out of the hand of Pharaoh and from the Egyptians." 11 "Now I know the LORD is greater than all the gods." 12 Then Jethro made burnt offering and sacrifices to God. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel, and they ate bread with Moses' father-in-law before God.

Jethro Gives Moses Some Advice
13 The next day Moses sat to judge the people from morning until evening. 14 When Jethro saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, "Why do you alone judge the people. You are doing this all day long." 15 Moses said, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God." 16 "When they have a dispute I judge between a man and his neighbor and explain the statutes of God and His laws." 17 Jethro said to him, "What you are doing is not good." 18 "You will surely wear yourself out for the task is too heavy for you to do alone." 19 "Now consider what I say, and God shall be with you. As the representative of the people, you bring their disputes to God." 20 "In this way you teach the people the statutes and laws so they may know what is right." 21 "You should select able men who love truth and hate dishonest gain and place these men as leaders of thousands, hundred, fifties and tens." 22 "Let them judge the people's minor disagreements and bring only the major disputes to you. Let others bear this burden with you." 23 "If you do this with God's blessing, then you will be able to endure the work of helping this people to live in peace."

24 So Moses listened to his father-in-law and followed his advice. 25 He chose able men out of Israel, putting them over the people as rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 26 These men judged the people in the majority of cases. The more difficult disputes were brought to Moses but they handled the minor disputes themselves. 27 After this Moses bade his father-in-law farewell as he departed for his own land.

Exodus 19 - RWB Paraphrase (25 V)
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Moses Meets with God on Mount Sinai
1 In the third month to the day after the children of Israel had come out of Egypt they arrived in the wilderness of Sinai. 2 Having come from Rephidim, they camped in the wilderness of Sinai in front of the mountain.

3 Moses went up to God on the mountain and the LORD said to him, "Here is what you shall say to the house of Jacob:" 4 "you have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagle's wings to bring you out to Myself." 5 "Now then, if you will obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine." 6 "You shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. This is what you shall tell the children of Israel."

7 Moses came down from the mountain and called all the elders of the people together, and he told them everything the LORD had said. 8 All the people answered together, saying, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." Then Moses brought their words back to the LORD.

9 The LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and believe in you forever." So Moses told the words of the people to the LORD. 10 The LORD also said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Tell them to wash their garments."

COMMENT: Here is an example of why we should wear clean clothes to church.

11 "They must be ready by the third day for Me to come down on Mount Sinai in their sight." 12 "Set boundaries for all the people. Tell them to be sure that they do not go up into the mountain, or even touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death." 13 "Whether it be beast or man, the one who touches the mountain shall be stoned or shot through. When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall approach the mountain."

14 So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and the people were consecrated and washed their clothes. 15 He told them, "Be ready on the third day. Consecrate yourselves and do not be intimate with your wives."

16 So on the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning and a thick cloud covered the mountain. A very loud trumpet sounded and the people trembled. 17 Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the LORD had descended upon it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace and the mountain quaked violently. 19 As the trumpet sounded louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him. 20 The LORD came down on the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses up to the top of the mountain. 21 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people, lest they pass the barrier hoping to see the LORD and many of them perish." 22 "And let the priests which come near to the LORD sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break out against them." 23 Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up the mountain, for You warned us, telling us to set bounds around the mountain and to sanctify it." 24 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go down and get Aaron and bring him back up with you. But do not let the priests or any of the other people come up to the LORD lest He break forth upon them." 25 So Moses went down to the people and told them what the LORD had said.

Exodus 20 - RWB Paraphrase (26 V)
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God Gives the Ten Commandments
1 Then the LORD spoke these words: 2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt where you were slaves."

How to Love God
3 "You shall have no other gods before Me."

4 "You shall not make for yourselves any carved image, or any likeness of what is in heaven above, or on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth,"

COMMENT: This is not a prohibition of carving or molding any likeness of what may be observed for the purpose art. What is forbidden is the making of some thing to be venerated, or worshipped, even if it is claimed that the item is to remind us of God. He wants us to come directly to Him. He wants our connection with Him to be personal. No one or any thing is come between God and us.

5 "for the purpose of worshiping them, or serving them. For I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me."

COMMENT: God jealously guards His love affair with each individual.

6 "And showing mercy to thousands of them that love Me and keep My commandments."

7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will consider you guilty when you take His name in vain."

COMMENT: Taking God's name in vain is much more than misusing His name as an expletive. While it is true that expletives add nothing to the certainty of what one says, it also holds that taking God's name does not guarantee that God is truly valued by the one claiming to belong to Him. Words are cheap and obedience to God's directives are the truest validation of one's allegiance to Him.

8 "Remember to keep the Sabbath day holy."

COMMENT: If God admonishes us to remember, it must suggest that I am prone to forget. I am prone to forget not only the edges of the sacred hours of the Sabbath. I am also apt to stray from its sacred purpose, such as toying with secular subjects in conversation. What must happen for me to remember the value God's places on the Sabbath? Am I forgetting that He wants to invite me into His presence in a way that is more rewarding during its hours?

9 "Six days you shall do all your work."

COMMENT: Here is more than a prohibition to not do gainful activities on the Sabbath, lest I demonstrate my lack of trust in God's provision. This statement is also an injunction to work the rest of the week. During the first six days of each week God expects me to be productive.

Matthew 25:24-25 "When the servant who had received the one talent came with it to his master, 'He said, I knew that you were a hard man, who gathered where he had not planted.'" [25] "I was afraid of losing your talent and I hid it in the ground so you would suffer no lose."

10 "But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. On this day you shall not work. It is to be the same for your son and your daughter, your manservant and your maidservant, for your cattle and even the stranger staying with you."

COMMENT: You and everyone in your sphere of influence is to benefit from God's plan for rest once every week. Studies show that even the animals benefit from weekly rest.

11 "For the LORD made the heavens, the earth and the seas, and everything in them in six days, and rested on the seventh day. So the LORD blessed the Sabbath day making it holy."

COMMENT: This is to remind us that God is the Creator of everything, including the Sabbath. And a blessing attends the sanctity of its hours.

Genesis 2:2 And on the seventh day God rested from all His work of creating the earth and its inhabitants.

How To Love One's Neighbor
12 "Honor your father and mother so that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives to you."

COMMENT: This demonstrates the transition from honoring our parents and honoring God.

13 "You shall not murder."

14 "You shall not commit adultery."

COMMENT: Adultery is to ignore a life long commitment in its most intimate context.

15 "You shall not steal."

16 "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."

COMMENT: To tell an untruth is bad. To do this to someone's hurt is even worse.

17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

COMMENT: This commandment deals with even a person's thought, as he wishes for something that is not his. It also points out that thinking about something is the first step towards action. Since a burning desire is actually unhealthy, even if there is no action on the part of the one who covets, the minds becomes diseased as it wants what it cannot have. We must not linger over unholy desire.

It Was An Awesome Sight
18 When all the people saw the thundering and lightning, the noise of the trumpet, and the smoking mountain, they moved back and trembled from a distance. 19 They said to Moses, "We will die if the LORD continues to speak to us. Let Him tell you and then you tell us what He says." 20 Moses said to them, "Do not be afraid, for God has been testing you that the fear of Him may remain with you so that you will not sin."

COMMENT: It is a little like a child who fears punishment and decides not to do wrong. Of course, the fear must really be respect.

21 So the people stood at a distance while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was. 22 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say to the children of Israel, 'You have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven.'" 23 "You shall not make other gods of gold or silver."

COMMENT: God reiterates the fist and second commandment.

24 "You shall make an altar of earth for Me, and sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings of your sheep and oxen on it. And I will come and bless you in every place where I cause My name to be remembered."

25 "When you make an altar for Me, you shall not use hewn stones shaped with tools. This will profane it." 26 "And do not make steps up to the altar, lest your nakedness be exposed as you are presenting your sacrifice."

COMMENT: God is the author of modesty. We should follow His instruction with care.

Exodus 21 - RWB Paraphrase (36 V)
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Ordinances to Live by
1 "Now these are the ordinances which you shall give to the people." 2 "If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve you six years and be released free and clear in the seventh year." 3 "If he comes into your service alone, he shall leave by himself. If he comes into your service married, his wife shall go out with him." 4 "If his master has given him a wife, and she has born him children, the wife and children belong to his master and he shall go out by himself." 5 "But if the servant plainly states that he loves his master, and his wife and children, and agrees to not go free." 6 "Then his master shall bring him before the judges to the doorpost and his master shall pierce his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his servant forever." 7 "If a man sells his daughter as a maidservant, she shall not go free as the menservants do."

COMMENT: This must have been for her security because a woman's safety depended on her being under the care of her father, husband or master.

8 "However, if she does not please her master who betrothed her to himself, she may be redeemed. He may not sell her to a foreigner since he has not been fair to her." 9 "If he betroths her to his son, he shall treat her as a daughter." 10 "If he takes another wife, he may not reduce her food or clothing, nor diminish her conjugal rights."

COMMENT: Her future is wrapped up in her children. This was their social security system.

11 "If he will not do these things for her, then she may go out without any payment of money."

12 "He who strikes a man and causes him to die, shall himself be put to death." 13 "But if it was not intentional and their confrontation was accidental, then I will appoint a place where he may flee." 14 "On the other hand, if a man schemes to kill his neighbor, you are to take him from My altar that he may die."

15 "He who strikes his father or mother shall surely be put to death." 16 "He who kidnaps a man, whether he sells or keeps him for himself, shall surely be put to death." 17 "He who curses his father or mother shall surely be put to death."

COMMENT: The honoring of ones parents is the foundation of the rule of law.

18 "If men quarrel and come to blows and one strikes the other with a stone or his fist, and his opponent does not die but is bedridden," 19 "if he is able to recover so that he can get around with a staff, then the one who struck him shall go unpunished, except that he must pay for the injured man's loss of time until he gets well." 20 "If a man strikes his male or female servant with a rod and he dies from it, he shall be punished." 21 "However, if the servant survives for a day or two, the master shall not be punished, for this person is his property."

22 "If men in their struggle together cause a woman to give birth prematurely, but no permanent injury is sustained, he shall pay a fine as the woman's husband will determine and the judges will oversee the amount." 23 "But if the injury to the woman or her child results in death, he shall give life for life," 24 "eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot," 25 "burn for burn, wound for wound and bruise for bruise." 26 "If a man strikes the eye of a male or female servant and the eye is lost, the servant may go free because of the loss of the eye." 27 "And if he knocks out a tooth of his male or female servant, he shall go free on account of his lost tooth."

28 "If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned and it flesh not eaten. The owner of the ox shall go unpunished." 29 "But if an ox has been in the habit of goring and his owner has been warned but has not confined it, and someone is killed by it, the ox shall be stoned and its owner shall be put to death." 30 "He may pay as a ransom for his life whatever is demanded of him." 31 "The same holds true when a son or daughter is gored." 32 "If the ox gores a male or female servant the owner of the ox shall give the servant's master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned."

33 "If a man has a pit and someone's ox or donkey falls into it," 34 "the owner of the pit shall make restitution giving the value of the dead animal to its owner." 35 "If a man's ox causes another man's ox to die, they shall sell the live ox and divide the proceeds equally, and the dead ox shall be divided equally between as well." 36 "But if it was previously known that the ox was in the habit of goring, and the owner did nothing to confine it, he shall pay ox for ox and the dead ox shall be his."

Exodus 22 - RWB Paraphrase (31 V)
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Civil Laws
1 "If a man steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters or sells it, he shall return five oxen for the stolen ox and four sheep for a stolen sheep."

COMMENT: It takes longer to raise an ox and they usually do not bear twins.

2 "If a thief is killed while breaking in, the man who killed him is not to be punished." 3 "However, if this happens after daylight, the one who killed him shall be guilty of bloodshed. The thief shall surely make restitution and if he owns nothing, he shall be sold for his theft."

COMMENT: So dealing with a thief in the dark is different than during daylight.

4 "If what he stole is found alive in his possession, whether an ox or a donkey or sheep, he shall pay double."

5 "If a man grazes his animal in another man's field or vineyard, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field or vineyard." 6 "If a fire breaks out and spreads to brambles and then to stacks of grain, or grain in the field, the one who started the fire shall surely make restitution."

7 "If a man asks his neighbor to keep money or goods for him, and it is stolen from the man's house, if the thief is caught he shall pay double." 8 "If the thief is not caught, the owner of the house shall appear before the judges to determine whether he himself laid hands on his neighbor's property." 9 "For every breach of trust, whether having to do with an animal, or clothing, or anything that is lost, let the parties involved come before the judges and the one that the judge condemns shall pay his neighbor double." 10 "If a man asks his neighbor to keep one of his beasts, and it dies, is hurt, or is driven away and no one is a witness to the loss," 11 "an oath before the LORD shall be taken from both parties concerning the circumstances and the owner shall accept the outcome without restitution." 12 "But if it was actually stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner." 13 "If it was torn to pieces, let the man bring it as evidence, and in this case he shall not make restitution." 14 "If a man borrows anything from his neighbor, and it is injured or dies while its owner is not present, he shall make restitution." 15 "If the owner is with it, no restitution is required. If it was hired, restitution is not required."

16 "If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and lies with her, he must pay a dowry for her to become his wife." 17 "If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he shall pay her father the dowry of a virgin."

18 "You shall not allow a sorceress to live." 19 "Whoever lies with an animal shall surely be put to death." 20 "He who sacrifices to any god besides the LORD shall be destroyed."

21 "You shall do no wrong to a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt." 22 "You shall not afflict any widow or orphan." 23 "If you afflict one of these and they cry out to Me, I will hear their cry," 24 "and My anger will be aroused. I will kill you with the sword, and your wives will become widows and your little ones will be orphaned."

25 "If you lend money to the poor among My people, you shall not act as a creditor by charging interest." 26 "If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge, you must return it to him before the sun goes down." 27 "For that is his only covering against the cold when he sleeps. I am gracious and when he cries out to Me I will hear him."

28 "You shall not curse God or a ruler among your people."

COMMENT: So should we ever curse our rulers?

29 "You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe fruits and produce of your vineyards. And you are to give the firstborn of your sons to Me." 30 "You shall do the same with your oxen and sheep. It shall be with its mother for seven days and on the eighth day you shall give it to Me." 31 "You shall be holy men toward Me. You are not to eat the flesh that has been torn by beasts. You must give it to the dogs."

Exodus 23 - RWB Paraphrase (33 V)
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More Civil Laws
1 "You shall not give a false report or become an unrighteous witness for a wicked man." 2 "You shall not follow the crowd in doing evil or to pervert justice." 3 "You shall not be partial to a poor man in his dispute."

4 "If you find your enemy's ox or donkey wandering away, you must return it to its owner." 5 "If you find the donkey belonging to someone who hates you lying helpless under its load, you shall help the animal and its owner." 6 "You shall not pervert the justice due the poor." 7 "Stay away from any form of fraud. Do not kill the innocent or the righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked." 8 "You shall not take a bribe, for this blinds the clear sighted and perverts the words of the righteous." 9 "You shall not oppress the stranger. You know what it is to be a stranger as you were in the land Egypt."

10 "You shall sow the land for six years and gather its yield." 11 "But on the seventh year you are to let it rest from producing a crop for your own purposes. Its yield is to be for the poor. Anything they leave will be for the wild animals to eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and olive grove."

12 "Six days you shall work. On the seventh day you shall rest, so that your ox and donkey may also rest, as well as the son of your handmaid, and the stranger staying with you, that they may be refreshed." 13 "Be careful to follow everything I have told you. Never mention the name of other gods."

14 "Three times a year you shall celebrate feasts to Me." 15 "You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, eating it for seven days, as I commanded you in the appointed time in the month of Abib. That was the month you came out of Egypt. No one is to appeared before Me empty handed." 16 "Also you shall observe the Feast of Harvest of the first fruits of what you have sown in the field. And finally the Feast of the Ingathering which comes at the end of the year after you have gathered your crops." 17 "Three times a year all your men shall appear before the LORD God."

COMMENT: No man was to remain at home saying that he must look after his fields or orchard.

18 "You shall offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread. And the fat of My sacrifice shall not remain until morning."

COMMENT: At this time the bread is to have leaven.

19 "You shall bring the first fruits of the land into the house of the LORD your God. You are not to boil a young goat in its mother's milk."

20 "Behold, I will send an angel before you to bring you into the place I have prepared for you." 21 "Be on your guard to obey his voice. Do not be rebellious toward him, for he comes in My name and will not forgive."

22 "But if you obey his voice and do all that I have commanded, then I will be an enemy to your adversaries." 23 "For My angel will go before you to bring you into the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites. I will completely destroy them." 24 "You shall not worship their gods, nor serve them, but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely destroy their images."

25 "You shall serve the LORD your God, and He shall bless you with bread and water, and I will take away your sickness." 26 "None of you will miscarry or be barren. And I will give you the full number of your days."

27 "I will send the fear of Me before you, and destroy all the people you come to. Your enemies will run from you." 28 "I will send hornets ahead of you and they will drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite and the Hittite from before you." 29 "I will do this over a period of time lest the land become desolate and the beasts of prey become too numerous for you." 30 "I will drive these people out little by little until you become fruitful and take possession of the land." 31 "I will set your boundaries from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the river Euphrates. For I will deliver the land's inhabitants into your hand, and you will drive them out before you." 32 "You shall make no covenant with them, or with their gods." 33 "They shall not live in your land, lest they cause you to sin against Me. For if you serve their gods it will surely be a snare to you."

Exodus 24 - RWB Paraphrase (18 V)
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The Children of Israel Say They Will Do Everything the Lord Says
1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Come up to Me. Bring Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, along with the seventy elders of Israel. And they shall worship at a distance." 2 "Only Moses shall come near to the LORD. No one else shall come with him." 3 Then Moses recounted to the people everything the LORD had said. All the people answered with one voice, saying, "All that the LORD has commanded, we will do." 4 Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Then he got up early the next morning and built an altar at the bottom of the mountain. He also built twelve pillars, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 He sent young men of the children of Israel to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings of oxen to the LORD. 6 Moses put half the blood in basins and the rest he sprinkled on the altar.

7 Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. When they had heard it they said, "All that the LORD has said, we will do. We will obey." 8 So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, "Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you concerning all His words."

9 Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and the seventy elders of Israel, 10 and they all saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there appeared a pavement of sapphire as clear as the sky above. 11 The LORD did not stretch out His hand against any of those who saw Him. And they ate and drank in His presence.

12 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Come up to Me on the mountain and I will give you tables of stone with the law written on them for the instruction of Israel." 13 So Moses took Joshua his servant and went up on the mountain of God. 14 And to the elders he said, "Wait here until we return. Behold, you have Aaron and Hur. You can ask them any questions that come up."

15 Then Moses went up into the mountain and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 The glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day the LORD called Moses from the midst of the cloud.

COMMENT: Moses had to be patient. What did he do during those first six days?

17 To the children of Israel watching from below the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. 18 And Moses remained in the midst of the cloud forty days and forty nights.

Exodus 25 - RWB Paraphrase (40 V)
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God Tells Moses How to Build the Sanctuary
1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses saying, 2 "Tell the children of Israel to bring Me an offering. Everyone is to give willingly from his heart." 3 "Ask them for gold, silver and brass," 4 "blue, purple and scarlet material, fine linen and goats hair," 5 "ram skins dyed red, badger skins and acacia wood,"

COMMENT: The badger skins were probably skins dyed purple or blue.

6 "oil for lamps, spices for anointing oil and fragrant incense," 7 "onyx stones and special stones for the ephod and the breastplate." 8 "Let them make Me a Sanctuary so that I may dwell among them." 9 "You shall construct the Sanctuary and its furniture according to the pattern I will show you."

10 "The ark shall be made of acacia wood. It is to be two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high." 11 "You shall overlay it with pure gold inside and out, and make a crown of gold molding around it." 12 "You shall cast four rings of gold for it, placing a ring at each of the four corners. There will be two rings on each side." 13 "You shall make poles of acacia wood overlaid with gold." 14 "Put the poles in the rings on either side of the ark. These poles will be used to carry it." 15 "The poles shall always remain in the rings of the ark." 16 "Inside the ark you shall place the testimony I will give to you."

17 "You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold, two and one half cubits long and one and one half cubits wide." 18 "Make two cherubim of beaten gold and place them on top of the mercy seat." 19 "Place a cherubim at each end of the mercy seat." 20 "The cherubim shall have their wings spread to cover the mercy seat as they face each other with the mercy seat between them." 21 "You shall place the mercy seat on top of the ark which will contain the testimony that I shall give you." 22 "I will meet with you and speak to you from above the mercy seat between the two cherubim. From this place I will give instruction for the children of Israel."

23 "You shall make a table of acacia wood, two cubits long, one cubit wide and one and one half cubits high." 24 It shall be overlaid with pure gold and with a crown of gold around it. 25 "The golden crown around it shall be a border the width of a handbreadth." 26 "You shall make four rings of gold to place at each of the four corners." 27 "The rings are to be close to the crown of it and will hold the poles used to carry it." 28 "Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay then with gold."

29 "Use pure gold to make dishes, spoons, bowls and covers for the bowls and dishes." 30 "On this table you shall place the Bread of Presence before Me at all times."

31 "Then you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. Its base and branches, its bowls, knobs and flowers, shall be hammered from one piece of gold." 32 "Three branches shall come out of each side of it." 33 "Each branch is to have a bowl shaped like an almond blossom with a bulb and a flower on each of the six branches." 34 "There shall be four additional bowls shaped like almond flowers." 35 "There shall be a bulb under the place where each pair of branches comes out of the lampstand." 36 "The bulbs and branches shall be of one piece of pure hammered gold." 37 "Make it with seven lamps placing it so that it will shed light in front of it." 38 "Its snuffers and trays shall also be of pure gold."

39 "All of these utensils shall be made from a talent of pure gold." 40 "See that everything is made according to the pattern I showed you on the mountain."

Exodus 26 - RWB Paraphrase (37 V)
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More Information on How to Build the Tabernacle
1 "Besides all this, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen along with blue, purple and scarlet. A design of Cherubims shall be woven into it." 2 "The length of each curtain is to be twenty eight cubits and its width is to be four cubits, all of the curtains being the same size." 3 "Five curtains shall be joined together and the other five also joined together." 4 "You shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain of both sets." 5 "Make fifty loops for each curtain," 6 "and fifty clasps of gold to join the curtains together by their loops using the gold clasps, so that the tabernacle will be one unit."

7 "You shall make curtains of goat's hair for a tent over the tabernacle, eleven curtains in all." 8 "The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits with a width of four cubits. All eleven curtains will be of the same measurement." 9 "You shall join five of the curtains together and the remaining six curtains together by themselves. The sixth curtain shall double over the front of the tent." 10 "Make fifty loops on the edge of each set of curtains." 11 "Make fifty clasps of bronze to join the loops of both curtains making a single unit of them to be a tent." 12 "The overlapping part that is half a curtain shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle." 13 "A cubit of the curtain that covers the tabernacle shall hang down over each side." 14 "You shall make a covering for the tent using ram's skins dyed red above a covering of badger skins."

COMMENT: The badger skins were probably skins dyed purple or blue.

15 "Then you shall make boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood. These will stand upright." 16 "Each board is to be ten cubits long and one and a half cubits wide." 17 "There shall be two tenons for each board so they can be fit together." 18 "You shall make twenty boards for the south side of the tabernacle." 19 "Make forty sockets of silver, two for each of the twenty boards to connect to the two tenons on each board." 20 "Do the same on the north side of the tabernacle with its twenty boards." 21 "Their forty sockets of silver shall be two for each board." 22 "At the rear of the tabernacle, to the west, make six boards." 23 "Make two boards for the corner of the tabernacle at the rear." 24 "They shall be coupled together at the top and bottom. This is how to make the two back corners." 25 "There shall be eight boards with two sockets of silver in each board."

26 "Then you shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the boards on one side of the tabernacle," 27 "and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle. Five more bars are to be made for the boards at the rear of the tabernacle on its west side." 28 "The middle bar at the center of the boards shall reach from end to end." 29 "Overlay the boards with gold and make rings of gold to hold the bars. Overlay the bars with gold as well."

30 "Then you shall set up the tabernacle according to the plan you saw on the mountain," 31 "and make a veil of blue, purple and scarlet material along with fine twisted linen. It shall have patterns of cherubims embroidered on it." 32 "You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold. Their hooks shall also be of gold hung on sockets of silver."

33 "Hang the veil under the clasps and bring the ark of the testimony within the veil which will serve as a partition between the holy and most holy place." 34 "Place the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Holy of Holies."

35 "Set the table outside the veil on the south side and the candlestick opposite the table on the north side." 36 "You shall make a screen for the doorway of the tent using blue, purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen woven with needlework." 37 "Make five pillars of acacia wood to hold the screen and overlay these pillars with pure gold. Their hooks shall also be of gold. Cast five sockets of silver to hold the hooks."

Exodus 27 - RWB Paraphrase (21 V)
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And Yet More About How to Build the Tabernacle
1 "You shall make a square altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide. Its height shall be three cubits." 2 "Place horns on each corner and make it part of the altar, all one piece. Overlay the altar with bronze." 3 "From bronze make pans and shovels for removing ashes. Make basins, flesh hooks and firepans, all out of bronze." 4 "Make a bronze grating with a ring at each corner." 5 "Place it halfway up inside the altar." 6 "Make poles of acacia wood for the altar. Overlay these with bronze." 7 "Place the poles in rings on either side of the altar so that it may be carried." 8 "Make it hollow with planks just as you were shown in the mountain."

9 "Make the court of the tabernacle as follows: use a hundred cubits of hangings of fine twisted linen for the south side." 10 "There must be twenty pillars, each with a socket of bronze. The hooks and their bands shall be of silver." 11 "Do the same on the north side of the court." 12 "For the width of the court on the west side use fifty cubits of hangings and ten pillars with their ten sockets." 13 "The width on the east side shall be fifty cubits." 14 "The hangings for one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits with three pillars, and their sockets." 15 "And the other side shall be fifteen cubits with its hangings, three pillars and their sockets." 16 "The gate of the court shall be a screen of twenty cubits. Make it of blue, purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen with needlework. It is to be set on four pillars with their sockets." 17 "All the pillars around the court shall be furnished with silver bands, and their hooks and sockets made of silver." 18 "The length of the court shall be one hundred cubits and its width fifty cubits. Its height shall be five cubits of twisted linen and its sockets of bronze." 19 "All the utensils used in the tabernacle service and the pins used in the court shall be of bronze."

20 "And you shall command the children of Israel to bring pure olive oil for the candlestick so that it may burn continually." 21 "In the tabernacle of the congregation outside the veil between the holy and most holy, Aaron and his sons shall conduct a service before the LORD morning and evening. This is to continue throughout the generations of the children of Israel."

Exodus 28 - RWB Paraphrase (43 V)
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How Aaron and His Sons Are to Be Dressed
1 "Bring your brother Aaron, and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, from among the children of Israel, that they may minister as priests to Me." 2 "Make beautiful holy garments for Aaron." 3 "Confer with skillful people endowed with wisdom in the making of these garments. They shall be consecrated for him to wear as he ministers as priest to Me." 4 "These are the garments needed: a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, an embroidered coat, a turban and a sash. They shall be holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, when he ministers to Me as priest." 5 "They shall use gold, blue, purple and scarlet material and fine linen." 6 "Skillful workman shall make the ephod of the same colors." 7 "There shall be two shoulder pieces joined at their ends." 8 "A skillfully woven band shall be made of the same material to be used as a sash." 9 "Take two onyx stones and engrave them with the names of the children of Israel." 10 "Six of the names shall be on one stone and the other six names on the other stone, according to their birth." 11 "Set these two stones in a filigree of gold," 12 "and place the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod as a memorial to the children of Israel. Aaron shall bear their names on his shoulders before the LORD."

COMMENT: Just as Jesus bears our names on His shoulders in heaven.

13 "Make filigree settings of gold," 14 "and two chains of pure gold of twisted cords on the filigree settings." 15 "Make a breastplate of judgment with skillful work like that of the ephod, using gold, blue, purple, scarlet and fine twisted linen." 16 "It shall be a span in length and width." 17 "You shall set four rows of stones in it: the first row shall be of ruby, topaz and emerald." 18 "The second row shall be turquoise, sapphire and diamond." 19 "The third row shall be jacinth, agate and amethyst." 20 "And the fourth row will have beryl, onyx and jasper. They shall be set in a gold filigree."

COMMENT: These stones are mentioned in the foundation of the new Jerusalem.

Revelation 21:19-20 The foundations of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second, sapphire, the third, agate, the fourth, emerald, [20] the fifth, sardonyx, the sixth, sardius, the seventh, chrysolite, the eighth, beryl, the ninth, topaz, the tenth, chrysoprase, the eleventh, jacinth, the twelfth, amethyst.

21 "Each stone shall be engraved with one of the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel." 22 "Make the twisted chains on the breastplate of pure gold." 23 "You shall make two rings of gold for the breastplate, one for each end." 24 "Place the two cords of gold on the rings at the end of the breastplate." 25 "Attach the other ends of the gold cords to the filigree settings on the front of the shoulders of the ephod." 26 "Make two more rings of gold and attach them on the inner side of the ephod." 27 "Make an additional two rings of gold and attach them at the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod to be used to join its front together." 28 "Bind the breastplate securely by its rings to the rings of the ephod with blue lace at the top of the woven band of the ephod." 29 "Aaron shall always carry the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment over his heart when he goes into the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD." 30 "Two additional stones shall be placed on the breastplate of judgment: the Urim and Thummim. They shall be over Aaron's heart, and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually."