Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Its time to continue with episode #07.
Exodus chapters 13 & 14.
Chapter 13
Recap, Circumcision, and Magic
- Moses reminds the people how big a deal their liberation from Egypt was, and proclaims that the festival of the Lord will occur every year to commemorate the event.
- This was the guy who said he wasn't qualified to do the job. Just look at him now!
- Circumcision is established as a way to mark God's covenant on males.
- In a not-so-great turn of events, God steers the Israelites away from the land he promised them. He does this because the Philistines, a coastal nation, is in the way of Canaan, the land God promised the Israelites.
- God is worried that if the Israelites get into a war with the Philistines, they will forget that he, God, just saved them. So they go the long way around.
- God leads the people "in a pillar of cloud by day," and "a pillar of fire by night" (13:21-22). Whoa.
- Moses takes the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had wanted to be moved with his people.
Chapter 14
The Parting of the Red Sea
- God tells Moses to take the Israelites in a funky direction so Pharaoh will think they're aimlessly wandering around. God will also harden Pharaoh's heart so that he regrets letting the Israelites go.
- Pharaoh's heart is hardened. Again.
- Pharaoh decides to go after the Israelites. He rallies 600+ chariots to do the job.
- Quick note: here's a great example of the text contradicting itself a little bit. If Israel has 600,000 men, then how does Pharaoh expect to beat them with 600 chariots? The text could be trying to make Pharaoh seem stupid, or it could be the work of two different writers. You decide.
- Back in the story, the Israelites see the Egyptians advancing, and start panicking.
- When Moses cries out to God, God tells him to stretch out his hand and divide the sea.
- God's angel keeps the Egyptian army at bay while the sea opens up to create a passageway. The Israelites pass through the sea on dry land.
