Steven Tini

CPO 801
Section 1
OT Survey

Summary of the Storyline of the Bible

(Primeval Period to Wilderness Period)
Reading Statement: I, Steven Tini, have in fact read all of the assigned reading: The
Pentateuch.
People: God, Adam, Eve, Satan, Terrah, Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, Isaac, Lot,
Laben, Jacob, Isaac, Rebecca, Rachel, Leah, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Caleb.
Places: Earth, Garden of Eden, Mesopotamia, Canaan, Egypt, Haran, Egypt, Mount
Sinai, Kadesh, Moab, Mount Sion.
Events: God makes earth, Adam names all of the animals, Fall of man, First murder,
Flood, Tower of Babel, Isaac and Ishmael born, Jacob received the birthright, Moses and
the plagues on Egypt, Moses gets law, Israelites fear the people of Canaan, Moses strikes
rock-condemning himself Aaron dies, Moses receives second law, Moses dies.

Reading Report:
PRIMEVAL PERIOD
The bible starts off with the words, in the beginning. God starts all time from the
beginning, and the next 6 literal days envelope His creation, and plans for the earth. The
first thing God created, were light and darkness this can also be equated to day and night.
He found that it was good and it pleased Him.
The next day, God created land, and moved the water to be above and below it.
On the third day, God moved the waters into oceans and reservoirs beneath the earth, to
water it. The other half of the water was made into a canopy to protect the earth.
Vegetation was also created. The vegetation existed on the light that was present, as the
sun was not created until the fourth day, along with the moon, starts, and other planets.
On the fifth day of creation, God put all of the water creatures into the seas, and
the birds into the air. On the final 6th day of creation, all of the land animals were added.
God topped off the earth, with his most special creation, made in his own image, man.
On the last day, God relaxed, looked at His creation, and he said that it was good.
In Genesis two, God brings Adam, the name of His created human, to life by
breathing the breath of life into his nostrils. Inside the Garden of Eden, God placed
Adam and put all trees that were good for food in the garden with him, including the Tree
of Life, and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God had Adam take care of the

garden. God also commanded Adam to not eat the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
He also entrusted Adam to name all the animals in the garden that God brought to him.
God also saw that Adam was alone, and needed another, so He put Adam into a deep
sleep, and created a woman, Eve, and when Adam saw her, he declared that she was made
of him, and therefore should be rightly joined together. They were both without sin, and
so clothes were not a necessity for either of them, and they were not ashamed.
Satan was in an asp, and came to Eve to tempt her to sin against God. He asked
her if she was allowed to eat any fruit in the garden, and directed her to the Tree of
knowledge of good and evil. Eve looked at the tree and the Satan told her it would make
her as wise as God, and so she ate from the tree and also gave to Adam, and he ate as
well. When they both sinned, they saw they were naked, and hid from God because they
heard Him coming. When God asked where they were, Adam called out saying they hid
because they were naked, and confessed they had eaten. Adam blamed eve and eve
blamed the serpent.
With the entrance of sin into the world, God was upset and there had to be a
punishment paid. The snake had to crawl on its belly the rest of its life. The woman had
to have pain in childbirth, and would be subject to her husband. Adam had to toil hard to
get anything from the ground to grow. Adam named Eve because she was the mother of
all the earth. God turned to Himself and decided that He did not want man to eat of the
Tree of Life so he would not live in the sinful state. Adam and Eve got kicked out of the
garden because of that.
After they left the garden, were married, and had two sons, Cain and Abel. Both
boys brought an offering to the Lord. He was pleased with Abels offering, but was not
with Cains. Cain got very angry with Abel, and having premeditated on it for a while, he
rose up and killed his brother. God came to him asking where his brother was, and Cain
would not admit to murder. God cursed Cain, however he put a mark on him so that if
anybody found him, they would not kill him, lest anybody who killed him would have a
punishment 7 times worse.
In Genesis 5, we are told about all of the descendants of Adam, many of them
living into the multiple of hundreds of years. At the end, we finally learn about Noah
being born, and the names of his sons.
God looked at the earth, and saw man, and how wicked they had become, doing
what they felt and not regarding the Lord in anyway. Noah found favor in the Lords
eyes because he was living for the Lord. God spoke to Noah, and told him to build an ark
because He was going to send a flood of water to destroy all of the earth. God gave Noah
explicit instructions of how to build the boat. Noah obeyed everything that the Lord had
commanded him to do.
Noah and his family went into the ark, and so did seven of all the clean animals,
and two of all the unclean ones. When everything and one was aboard the ark, God shut
the door of the boat, and the water of the earth came up from the deep, and the covering
over the earth fell down. The waters persisted for 150 days. After the waters went
down, the ark rested on Mnt. Ararat. Noah sent forth birds to see if the waters were down
far enough from the earth. After a long time, God opened the ark, and Noah built an alter
to the Lord. In the sky, God placed the rainbow as a sign to man that He would not again
destroy the entire earth with a flood. God commanded every living thing on the earth to
be fruitful, multiply, and spread out over the earth.

Genesis 10 tells a long list of genealogies. When the people of the earth started to
move east, they decided to build a city, and a tower to reach the heavens so they could
make a name for themselves. God looked at the tower, and wanted to put a stop to the
wicked pridefulness of man, and confused the languages of all the people. The people
moved out and
PATRIARCHAL PERIOD
After a list of genealogies, we learn of Terrah being born, and Terrah fathering
Abram at age 70. God spoke to Abram and told him to leave the land they were at, and
moved into the land of Canaan. God appeared unto Abram and told him that all the land
he saw He would give to him. Abram built an alter to the Lord, and trusted on the Lord.
When passing through the land of Egypt, Abram told his wife Sarah to say she
was his sister, as to not be killed by the pharaoh, however when the pharaoh found out
Abram was her husband, the pharaoh commanded him to take his wife and leave. After
they left, Lot and Abram were having trouble dwelling together because the herd was so
large. Abram gave Lot the option to choose which was he wished to go.
After the men split, Abram was given all of the land as far as he could see, and
God told him that if any man could number the dust of the earth, then also would
Abrams seed be numbered. Abram built God an alter and worshiped Him. God spoke to
Abram and told him that he would have a son, despite his old age. Abram trusted the
Lord, and it pleased God, and God made a covenant with him in the traditional style of
walking between the animals.
Hagar, Sarais hand maid, had a son with Abram, but after her master got angry,
Hagar fled into the wilderness. An angel of the Lord came to her in the wilderness by a
well, and told her to return to Abrams wife. The son born of Hagar was Ishmael. When
Abram was 99, God came to him, and reaffirmed His covenant with him. He also
declared that Abram would now be called Abraham, as he is the father of many nations.
The sons of Abraham would follow the Lord, and they would be His people. God also
changed Sarias name to Sarah, as she would be a mother of nations. God set up
circumcision to be a sign of the covenant between Abraham and God.
One day while Abraham was sitting outside, he saw three men coming towards
him. He ran up to them and bowed. Abraham made haste, and made ready a meal for
them. When Abraham was talking with the men, they told him that his wife would have a
son. Sarah laughed at the news of the men, because she was old and did not believe
herself to be able to have children at her age. When questioned by God, she denied
laughing, because she was afraid of the Lord. Once again though, God promised to give
them a child.
Lot, living in the land of Sodom, was contacted by God, and told that He was
going to destroy the city of Sodom. After some bartering with God, he convinced God to
change his plan, that if there were 10 people in the city who were righteous, that God
would not destroy the city. Lot looked, but was unable to find even 10. One day, looking
up, Lot saw two angels coming. Lot convinced them to stay in the house with him. That
evening, the men of the city came and wanted to molest the men. Lot tried to convince
the crowd to calm down, however they pressed on Lot to the point of almost breaking the

door. Once inside, the angels talked to Lot and told him to leave the city because God
was going to destroy it.
In the morning, Lot and his wife were lingering, but the angels grabbed the hands
of Lot, his wife, and his two daughters, and drug them out of the town. Once outside of
the town, the angels said do not look back, but hasten to the mountains. After a little
discussion, Lot was allowed to flee to another little city. While they were fleeing to the
small town, his wife turned back to look, and she became a pillar of salt. In the morning,
Lot looked at the cities of the city, and saw how the cities and land where Lot had dwelt
were like smoke of a furnace.
Sarah bore Isaac to Abraham, just as God had promised He would do. God
promised to make a nation out of both Isaac, and Ishmael. Hagar once again left, because
she did not want Abraham to see Ishmael die. In the wilderness, Hagar called upon God
and He heard her. He promised to not let Ishmael die because he would be the father of a
great nation.
After several years of Isaac living, God wanted to see how committed to Him he
still was. God told Abraham to take Isaac as a sacrifice to God. Abraham followed the
word of the Lord, and took his son, wood, and servants to go make an offering. When
they got to the place that God had told Abraham of, Abraham and Isaac left the servants
and wood, and began up the mountain to the place where God commanded. While they
built an alter, Isaac realized they did not have a ram. After the alter was completed,
Abraham tied Isaac down to be the sacrifice. As Abraham took his knife and was ready
to kill his son, God called down to him and told him to not lay a finger on his son. At that
moment, there before them was a ram. Abraham and Isaac offered the ram as a sacrifice
to God instead. God was well pleased with Abraham, knowing that he would not
withhold anything from the Lord, not even his son.
When Sarah was 123 years old, she died, and Abraham bought a tack of land, and
buried her. Abraham tried to pay, but the landowner would not hear it. Finally, Abraham
convinced him to let him pay him, and he weighed out the 400 shekels, and bought a
burring plot, a cave, at the end of a field.
Abraham sent a servant to find a wife for Isaac. So the servant went to a town,
and prayed to God that whoever gave him and the animals water would be the one for his
masters son. Rebecca came out of the city, and fulfilled the prayer. Laben was very
please to find that Isaac was to be wed to Rebecca. The servant also put lots of jewelry
on Rebecca so that she would marry him. Rebecca agreed to go with the servant, and
when they drew near to the place where they lived, a man from the field came towards
them. It was Isaac, and Rebecca fell in love at first sight. They loved each other, and
were wed.
Rebecca conceived, and the children inside of her were fighting. God spoke to
Rebecca about it, and He said that the two represented different nations. Esau was born
first, with Jacob hanging onto his heel. Esau was a man of the field and woods, while
Jacob was of the house. One day, Esau came in to the house famished, and Jacob sold
Esau some soup in exchange for his birthright. Jacob was the one to receive the blessing
of God, and rule over his older brother.
Isaac was old, and blind. He called Esau unto him. Isaac wanted to Esau to hunt
for him and make meat for him so that he could eat it, enjoy it, and bless him. Rebecca
over heard it, and told Jacob to go get 2 goats, so she could prepare it. Jacob would then

take the meat to him and Isaac would bless him instead. To be safe, Jacob donned Esaus
coat and put goat hair on his arm so he would feel like Esau.
When he came before his father, he gave the meat to his father. Isaac was
skeptical, and wanted to feel Jacob, so he grabbed hold of Jacobs goat covered arms and
believed it to be Esau. Isaac wanted a kiss, and he smelt his raiment, and discerned that it
smelled like Esau. Isaac ate the meat, and blessed Jacob.
As Jacob left the room, Esau did enter the room to give the venison to Isaac and
be blessed. When Isaac realized the problem, he was sore afraid. Esau was very upset,
and cried out in great agony. Isaac gave whatever blessing that was left to Esau, yet Esau
still wanted to kill Jacob. This was told to Rebecca though, and she told Jacob to leave to
her family, and she would send to him word when Esau was no longer furious at the
brother who had stolen his blessings.
On his journey, it started to get late, and he was tired. He lay down and used a
rock as his pillow, and as he slept, he dreamed a dream of a ladder. On this ladder moved
angels and the holiness of God going up and down to heaven. Then the Lord of God
spoke to Jacob, and told him that where he was at would belong to him, and his
descendents would increase and be Gods chosen people. In the early morning, he set up
his rock as a pillar as a sign and poured oil over it signifying his honor and reverence
realizing this was a place of God.
Jacob saw that Labens daughter Rachael was fair, and wished to be wed. So he
agreed with Laben and said he would work seven years for the right to marry Rachael his
daughter. On the wedding day, Laben switched Leah, and Jacob went in unto her. Jacob
being highly angry, agreed to work for her seven more years. Jacob loved Rachael much
more than Leah. When God saw that Leah was hated, He opened her womb, and she
bore Jacob sons so that Jacob would love her more. Rachael was jealous of Leah because
she had not had children.
God had not forgotten about Rachael, and He opened her womb, and she bore
Joseph unto Jacob. Jacob decided it was time for him to move back to his own family.
Laben did not want Jacob to leave. Jacob said that all of the spotted and speckled goats,
cows, and all the brown sheep. The flocks of Jacob grew and became larger than
Labens. The sons of Laben saw this, and got angry at Jacob, and Labens countenance
grew disheartened towards Jacob. Jacob had decided it was time for them to leave.
Jacob left without telling Laben because he did not want to make him mad.
Laben found out that Jacob had left, and he got up his servants and perused him.
When he caught up to him, he was angry at Jacob because he had left without telling him.
Then Laben and Jacob made a covenant with stones set up. The Lord had spoken to
Laben and told him to leave Jacob go, so Laben told Jacob he could not take up other
wives or other sons, and that God would be the judge between the two. Then Jacob
offered a sacrifice to the Lord. In the morning, Laben got up, kissed his sons and
daughters, and returned unto his dwellings.
Jacob continued on towards his home. He sent servants ahead of him to talk to
Esau and tell him that he was coming. When the servants returned, they told Jacob that
Esau was also coming out, and with 400 men. Then Jacob split his flocks and servants
into two groups. The first to be the bait, and if Esau slay the first group, then the second
would be able to turn and flee for safety. Then Jacob sent Esau many of the flock to be a
peace offering gift. He sent the other groups ahead, and Jacob was left alone. While he

was alone, he wrestled with a man all night, and when he could not prevail, the
challenger touched his side and put his hip out of socket. Yet Jacob did not let go until
the man bless him, and God in the form of the man changed Jacobs name to Israel. And
Israel limped from that day on.
When Jacob moved on, he saw Esau coming, and moved his people in the order
of the way he loved them. Then Esau came and wept and kissed Jacob. Jacob introduced
all those God had blessed him with. Esau told Jacob he was being foolish, and told him
to keep all the flocks, because Esau had plenty already. So Jacob settled near Esau and
cared for his flocks in the land near his family.
God spoke to Jacob, and told him to dwell in Bethel. When Jacob went into
Bethel, he made an alter to God, and told his servants to get rid of the idols they had been
worshiping. The lands around were afraid of Jacob, and his children and did not pursue
any of them. Jacob and his group moved to another city, and Rachael had another son,
but died because of it. Jacob called the son Benjamin. After a little while, Isaac grew
old, and he died. His sons Esau and Jacob then buried him.
Esau and Jacob were so blessed by God that they both had to move because the
vastness of their cattle and animals were to great for the land they were dwelling in.
Genesis 36 also continues lineage, and more genealogies. Esau became known as the
father of the Edamites.
Joseph was out in the field, and he brought his father an ill report of the work.
Israel had a coat of many colors made for Joseph because he loved him greater than the
other sons. His brothers hated him for this on. Then Joseph told them of his two dreams,
and neither of these dreams pleased the brothers or his father. Israel sent Joseph to look
for his brothers to see how they were doing. After a little tracking, Joseph heard about
his brothers moving to another area.
When his brothers saw him coming, they started planning on how to do away with
Joseph. The oldest brother decided it was best to not kill him, just throw him into a pit.
Judah saw a group of people, and decided they would make some money and sell Joseph.
They got 20 pieces of silver for him. The brothers took the coat and dipped it in blood,
and told their father that a wild animal had killed him. This made Israel terribly sad
because of it. When Joseph got to Egypt, he was sold to the captain of the guard.
The captain of the guard saw Joseph in charge overseer of the house, and
everything in the house as well as the servants. The captain did not even keep an account
of anything in the house because Joseph was so trustworthy. The wife of the captain told
him to lay with her, however Joseph would not consent and insisted not to do a thing.
One day Joseph was in the house alone, and the wife tried to get him to lie with her,
however, Joseph ran off and left his coat. The captains wife accused Joseph of trying to
lie with her and so he had Joseph thrown in prison.
While in prison, Joseph was put in charge of the others in the prison because he
was reliable and looked upon. The pharaoh threw the butler and the baker into the jail,
and while they were there, they had a dream. Joseph talked to the men because they were
both worried about their dreams. The butler shared his dream, and Joseph interpreted the
dream, giving the glory to God. Joseph told the butler he would be restored to his
position, however he asked the butler to remember him when he got out. The baker,
seeing the interpretation was good, told his dream to him. Joseph interpreted the dream,
and told the baker he was going to be hung and killed.

After three days, it was pharaohs birthday and he had a huge feast. For the feast,
the butler was restored to be in charge of the party. The baker also was hung. The butler
did not remember Joseph as he had said he would do.
Pharaoh had a dream, and woke up troubled. In another sleep, he had yet another
dream, waking him up, and it caused him much troubledness. He sent for all the
magicians and wise men in the land. None of them were able to interpret the dream. At
this point, the butler remembered Joseph in the prison, and told pharaoh of Josephs
ability through God to interpret dreams correctly. Pharaoh called for Joseph. He
prepared himself quickly and appeared before pharaoh. Joseph made sure to give the
credit of interpreting dreams to God. Pharaoh told the dreams to Joseph, and Joseph was
able to interpret them for him.
Joseph told Pharaoh how there would be seven good years, and then seven years
of famine. Joseph suggested that he find someone to be in charge of directing the storage
of grain for the years of famine. Pharaoh recognized God being with Joseph and made
him second in command of all the land of Egypt.
Joseph went all over Egypt, storing food from all over. He gathered so much that
they were unable to keep track of because of the vast amount of corn that had been
collected. After seven years of plentiful, the famine came just as Joseph had said. When
the people came to Pharaoh for food, he said to go see Joseph. People from all over the
world came in to Egypt to buy food.
Israel heard that there was corn in Egypt, and so he sent his 10 brothers to buy
corn because the famine was in the land of Canaan. Joseph was in charge, and
recognized his brothers, however they did not recognize him. Joseph remembered his
dreams, and spoke through his translators, accusing them of being spies. Joseph kept one
of the brothers, and would only be released when they brought the youngest brother back
to Egypt. When the brothers consulted amongst themselves, and thought this was all due
to them because of what they had done to Joseph. Joseph was able to understand them,
so he turned away and cried because of how is brothers spoke.
On the return trip, one of the brothers opened up his bag to feed his animals, and
saw that the money he had paid for the food was returned unto the bag. Each checking
their bags realized that all the money had been returned. This troubled the entire family.
Israel was very set against sending Benjamin with them when they were to return. When
all the corn had been eaten, more food was needed. Finally the brothers convinced Israel
there was no other way to obtain food for the family, but to bring Benjamin.
The brothers packed to go, and they took presents as well as double the money.
When they got to Egypt, Joseph saw that Benjamin was with them, and commanded the
servant to set a table for all the brothers to commune with him. The brothers, afraid
Joseph was angry and sought retribution, talked to the brothers and told them to fear not.
Joseph asked if their father was doing well, and he was glad when the report was given.
Joseph had to leave to weep when he saw Benjamin. When all the food was served out,
Benjamin had 5x as much as any of the other brothers.
He commanded the steward, to fill the sacks up with food, and also the money
back into the bags. He also said to put the cup into one of the bags. After the brothers
left, the servant came up and over took the men. He chastised them for stealing from
Joseph. They were so confident that nothing had been taken, that they promised
whoevers sack the cup was found in, he would be put to death and the rest would be

servants. The servant said only that the one with the cup would be a servant and the rest
remain blameless. The cup was found to be in the bag of the youngest. The brothers
were greatly saddened. They returned to the city to talk to Joseph. Judah stood up and
said do not take the youngest, because our father would die if he were to lose this brother
as well.
As he saw this, he could not keep back. He commanded all the servants to leave.
Joseph said to his brothers who he was. He wondered aloud, if his father still lived,
however they were unable to answer him because they were sore afraid. Joseph
comforted his brother, and said to them to not worry because they meant it for evil, but
God intended it for good. Joseph forgave his brothers. He sent his brothers back to get
Israel and bring them to Egypt so they could live close by to Joseph. It pleased Pharaoh
to hear of Josephs kin coming to live near Egypt. It pleased him so much in fact, that he
gave them provisions, and wagons to bring back all of the things.
When they told Israel of Joseph being alive, he did not believe them. When he
saw the wagons though, he believed. He took up all of his things and moved to Egypt to
see Joseph one last time before he died. God spoke to him that night, and said to not be
afraid to go to Egypt, because there He would bring up a people.
When Israel got near to Egypt, Joseph rode out in a chariot to greet them. Israel
got up and gave Joseph a hug and was introduced to Pharaoh. Jacob blessed Pharaoh,
and his fathers house hold kept the flocks in Egypt. When the famine got dreadfully
bad, the money failed and they came to Joseph offering whatever they had. Joseph said
he would trade livestock for bread. The next year, Joseph bought all of the lands of
Egypt in exchange for food, and he moved all of the people into the cities.
When it was time for Israel to die, he told Joseph he did not want to be buried in
Egypt, but rather buried with his fathers where they were. Some time later, a servant
came to Joseph and told him that his father was sick, so Joseph went unto his father and
talked with him. Joseph also brought his sons to him, and he blessed them, the younger
more abundantly and to rule over the older. Israel died, and after the ceremonies, buried
him with his forefathers, and Joseph and his brothers returned to Egypt.
Exodus (Redemption)
The very opening of Exodus goes through the genealogy of the people in Josephs
family who were in Egypt, however all of that generation died. A new king rose up and
did not know Joseph, and encouraged the people to enslave the Israelites and make them
work for Egypt in labor so they would not rise up to conquer Egypt in a time of war. The
more of the infliction given to the Israelites, the greater the population, and the Israelites
multiplied. The Pharaoh declared that all the male babies born, were to be cast into the
river.
One woman, had a son, and hid him for three months, however it was getting to
hard to care for the baby, so she put the baby in a basket covered in pitch. She placed the
basket into the river and the Pharaohs daughter had her servant take the basket and bring
it to her. She decided to get a woman to take care of the baby, and the woman was
Moses mother.
When Moses grew up, he was walking about, and saw an Egyptian beating an
Israelite, and Moses rose up and smote him. Because of this, the Pharaoh was angry, and

Moses fled. After leaving, he was sitting at a well, and he helped 7 daughters of a man,
and he stayed with him for a while. Moses kept the flock of Jethro, his father in law. As
he was watching the flock, the angel of the Lord came to Moses. As Moses looked, he
saw a bush burning, however it was not being burned. God spoke to Moses from the
bush, and commanded him to take off his sandals for he was on holy ground. God
explained how he had heard the cry of the Israelites that came from Egypt. He said to
Moses that he was to go to Pharaoh telling him to bring the people of Israel out of Egypt.
Moses was full of doubt, and God told him to tell them that I AM had sent him.
Moses was still unsure, and so God commanded him to cast his rod down. When
he had done this, it turned into a snake, and it started him. God told Moses to grab the
snake by the tail, and it returned to a rod. God showed Moses several other miracles,
which he was able to do to show Gods power to the Pharaoh. God then tried to say he
was not a good speaker, so God said to take his brother Aaron, to be the speaker for
Moses.
When Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh asking them to let his people go into the
wilderness to worship God he would not hear it. Pharaoh commanded that the work of
the Israelites be increased, so they would have no time to rest or think about worshiping
God. The people were angry at Moses and Aaron for speaking to Pharaoh because of the
work load being increased, as they had to collect their own straw as well as keep up with
the quota of the bricks. Moses tried to talk to the people of Israel, but they did not want
to listen to what he had to say.
Moses and Aaron went in to talk to Pharaoh, and Aaron tossed won his rod, and it
turned to a snake. Then all of the magicians of Pharaoh did the same, however Aarons
serpent ate the other snakes. This simply hardened Pharaohs heart. The next day, they
came to the river where Pharaoh was at, and Aaron taking his rod, stretched out his hand
over all the water in Egypt, and every thing turned to blood. Once again the Magicians
did the same with their enchantments.
After seven days Moses and Aaron returned to Pharaoh and told him to let Gods
people go, but if he did not, a plague of frogs would come up to all the borders of Egypt
and frogs were everywhere. After a day, the frogs returned to solely in the water,
however when they gathered the dead frogs, the land stank. Pharaoh did not relent
however, so Aaron stretched out his hand, and all the land became lice upon man and
upon beast. The magicians realized and told the Pharaoh that this is the finger of God.
In the morning, Moses came before the Pharaoh and told him to let the people go.
Once again, Pharaoh denied the request, and there was a swarm of flies over all the land
of Egypt, and they were over all the house. When Moses came to Pharaoh, Pharaoh said
the people could go out (not far) and worship the Lord. So Moses entreated towards the
Lord, and the flies were taken away from the land. When the flies had gone, Pharaoh
hardened his heart and would not let the people go.
Moses returned to Pharaoh because of his changed heart. Because the children of
the Lord were not allowed to go, the cattle and all the flocks died, however the animals of
the Israelites did not die. Then Moses took ashes and sprinkled them towards heaven,
and boils came to all the Egyptians, and the magicians were not able to stand before
Joseph because of the boils, which inflicted them. Then Pharaoh hardened his heart, and
hail came down upon the land of Egypt and destroyed all the crop, man, and beast that
were outside in Egypt.

Pharaoh sent for Moses and admitted that he and his people were wicked and the
Lord was righteous. Moses said that when he was gone out of the city, that the thunder
would cease, and the hail would not continue. So Moses went out like he said, and
stopped the hail and thunder. When he saw this, the Pharaoh hardened his heart and
would not let the people go.
Moses came back to Pharaoh and when he talked with him, he raised his hands,
and the land was covered in locust that ate all of the crops that were left, and were full in
the houses and all the places around Egypt. Pharaoh once again called for Moses, and he
told him to leave and worship God in the wilderness. Pharaoh asked for him to forgive
the sin, and Moses went out and God blew a west wind and all the locust went into the
red sea. Pharaoh once again hardened his heart, and Moses rose his hand out and there
was extreme darkness over all the land. Pharaoh once again told them to go, but to leave
the animals. Moses told Pharaoh they would take the animals because they did not know
until they got to the wilderness, what sacrifice would be required of God. Pharaoh
hardened his heart, and told Moses to never see his face again.
There was one last plague that God was ready to do in the land of Egypt to the
Pharaoh. Moses told the people that there would be a plague that every first born from
the Pharaoh, to the servants, to even the animals would die. The first Passover was done.
Each house was to take a lamb and kill it on the evening of the 14th day of the month, and
wipe the blood on the door posts. They were to roast the lamb, and eat bitter herbs. They
were to eat it all, and burn whatever was left. When God passed over the land, if there
was blood on the door post, He would Passover the house and no judgment would be
brought.
At midnight, that night the Lord swept through the land, and killed all the first
born. Everyone rose up and there was not a house where there was not one dead.
Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron in the midst of the night, and furiously told them to
leave. Moses returned to the people and the Israelites moved out of the land of Egypt.
WILDERNESS PERIOD
The Lord spoke to Moses and brought the people out of the land of Egypt, and
was to remember the Passover for 7 days, and on the last day a feast to the Lord. The
Passover was to be a sign to the people reminding them of Gods faithfulness through the
Passover.
As they were in the wilderness, the Lord led by a pillar of fire at night, and during
the day, a pillar which was a cloud. The pillar was always before the people, leading
them where they were to go, and it/ He never left the people.
As the Pharaoh though, he talked with other Egyptians, and they questioned why
they let their workers leave. The Egyptians assembled an army, and went up to pursue
the Israelites, and they trapped the people against the Red Sea. God said unto Moses that
he should speak to the children of Israel, and that he should raise his hand and the water
would split. God in the pillar cloud moved behind Israel so the Egyptians were not able
to see or get to the Israelites. So Moses lifted up his staff, and the water split, and all of
Israel walked across the sea on dry land. When all of the Israelites were across, Moses
raised his hands again, and the sea closed itself on the chariots and army of the Egyptians.

The people saw what the Lord did for the people, and they feared the Lord and his
servant Moses. When the people reached the other side they glorified God and sang
praises to His name. They offered sacrifices, and praised His name. Israel glorified God
for his might and powerful hand. They worshiped saying that all the people of the land
knew of Israel and were afraid.
After 3 days of wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites needed water,
and they came upon an oasis, however it was sour and unable to be drank. The people
complained, but Moses took a branch as God commanded him and threw it into the water
and it was made to be drinkable. He told the people that they should rely in God and
what He is able to do. Again, the Israelites started to groan to Moses and Aaron because
there was not a large bounty of food. So God spoke to Moses and told him that He would
send bread in the mornings, and the people were able to collect enough for one day, and
on the sixth day, they should gather for two days so they would not have to work on the
Sabbath day. More than just bread, but in the evenings quail came and the people were
able to eat of them.
Aaron took a pot as the Lord commanded God unto Moses and put Manna away
for generations to come to remember. Once again, there was no water for the people to
be able to drink. They started to murmur and complain. Moses cried unto God and asked
him what to do with the people because they were angry almost to the point of a mob.
God led Moses and the leaders, and he struck a rock with his rod as God commanded and
water flowed out of it, because the people tested and called God to question.
Moses met with Joshua, and ordered him to take men from Israel and prepare
them for war the next day with an enemy. Moses, Aaron, and Herr, went to the top of the
hill, and when the rod was raised Joshua won, and when his hand were going down, the
would lose. So Aaron and Herr held up his hands until the sun started to go down when
Joshua prevailed over their enemy.
Moses set up a system of judicial authorities, and they would deal with small
matters. The large issues were brought to Moses and the elders to decide upon. At that
point, the Israelites continued to wander. So Moses went up the mountain, and spoke
with the Lord that they would be able to take control of the surrounding area with Gods
help. Moses commanded the people to not even touch the mountain, lest they should die,
because God dwelt high in the mountain top. God came down on Mount Sinai and the
mountain quaked greatly because he descended upon it as in fire. God called Moses up,
and told him to tell everyone they needed to back up and not look up in the mountain,
because it was of God and needed to be sanctified.
While Moses was up on Mount Sinai, God gave Moses a set of commandments
that the people were to keep. The people on the ground, stood far from the Mount, and
told Moses to talk with God. God gave Moses a long list of rules that carries over several
chapters. In Exodus 25, God tells Moses to collect offerings from the people, for whoever
was willing to offer up things to the world. God gives Moses the dimensions and explicit
instructions on how to craft the Ark of the Covenant, the temporary and moveable resting
place of the Lord God with Israel. God also gave instructions for the Tabernacle. The
Tabernacle was a more mobile tent used for the worship of God while Israel was still
wondering around.
God also commanded Aaron to take his sons and brethren, because they were to
be in charge of the priesthood. There were many specifics given with full directions and

they were followed to make the clothes for the Priestly tribe. Aaron and his sons
prepared themselves and consecrated themselves, so they were able to even think of
appearing before God. The Priest tribe of Aaron was to make daily offerings and
supplications to the Lord for the people. God brought specialists in to be able to work on
all of the fancy things, which went into the creation of the Tabernacle. The Sabbath was
required to be kept as a remembrance of the day that the Lord rested from creation of the
world.
Moses took a long time up in the Mount, and they rose up to Aaron and asked for
them to create a god so that they could worship, and so Aaron received all the material
and created a golden calf. Then the next day, the people brought offerings to the calf and
had a feast in honour of it, and sacrificed even so to it. Moses seemed to speak to God
attempting to cool his wrath which almost seemingly enough to breathe down fire and
completely annihilate the Israelites. So Moses went down, and when he got to Joshua,
they heard the cry of the Israelites on the way down, and when he was able to see the calf
and the dancing, he threw down the tablets and broke them. Then he burnt the calf, and
made them drink the ash in water of the calf. Then He had the Levites take up their
swords and slay 3000 men who had defiled themselves and all of Israel.
God called Moses back up the mountain, and he went up to the Lord, and there he
received a second copy of the 10 commandments because Moses had so wrathfully
destroyed them during the golden cow incident. Moses came down off of Mount Sinai,
and took up treasure to furnish the Tabernacle which was set up apart from the camp that
way any one who wanted to draw near to God had to move out to the tabernacle which
was set apart. God continued to give Moses rules and regulations concerning the
tabernacle, and everything that was associated with it. As the Tabernacle became
complete, and the priests were garnered in garments as appointed by God, the Lord came
as a cloud of glory, and covered the tabernacle by a cloud by day, and with fire by night.
Starting in Leviticus, the Lord started to command Moses as to the offerings that
God commanded. He told Moses how to conduct the burnt offerings, the grain offerings,
the peace offerings, the sin offerings, the offerings of restitution, and the law in general
concerning of the burn offerings. Aaron and his sons had to be consecrated because they
were meant to be set apart for the glory and honouring work of God, and the tribe of Levi
began their priestly work.
The Levites had an entirely separate and more strict set of laws that God required
them follow. Many foods were forbidden from the priests, as well as many articles of
clothing, and the manner of which one garnered ones self in them. The priests had duties
concerning childbirth, leprosy, bodily discharges. The priests had laws concerning the
sanctity of blood, laws of sexual morality, moral and ceremonial laws, rules and conducts
of the priests, holy things, and of course the judgment and requirements for whenever the
law is broken.
The last few chapters of Leviticus deals with feasts and special rituals of
thanksgiving to the Lord. There were the feasts of the Lord, the Sabbath, and the seventh
year feast. Several other chapters dealt with handlings of people to people, quarrels and
how to deal with them, and blasphemy, curses, and the like.
In the book of numbers, the first census of the people was taken. The census
included all the men about 20 years old, and able to go to war. A different man was
chosen to represent the father/house. Large portions of the text are reserved for lists of

genealogies, names of leaders of the armies. The Levites were not numbered among their
fathers tribe because they were not part of the men able to bear arms.
More than simply numbers, there are several new laws and rules introduced. God
talked to Moses and told him how to deal with confession and restitution, unfaithful
wives, priestly blessings, offerings of the leaders, arrangement of the lamps, and the
factors that go into keeping a nazirite clean. The Lord spoke to Moses while they were in
the wilderness, and they celebrated the second Passover as the Lord had commanded to
remember what the Lord had done for them years earlier. The Lord told Moses, that it
was time to move, and so the people packed up each tent to his own, and they continued
in the wilderness. The people complained because of the manna that was before their
eyes. Moses was so distraught with dealing with the people, he simply wanted to be
cursed and die. God sent the people meat, but while they were in the process of eating it,
it turned horrid, and the people were struck with a plague. Many died because of it.
Then the Lord came to Aaron, Miriam, and Moses. The Lord in the cloud stood
before the tabernacle and called forth Aaron and Miriam. The two had been talking and
conspiring behind Moses. God called forth Miriam, and when Aaron and Moses looked,
she was covered in Leprosy. Moses did not want Miriam to die, and begged the Lord to
heal her. God declared she must stay outside of the city for seven days, and could be
restored afterwards.
After Miriam was returned to the camp, the Israelites moved onward. The Lord
spoke to Moses and told him of men to send into the land of Canaan to scout the land out.
The men went up and into the land to spy it out. The spies came back with fruit and gave
a report how the men in the land were giants. The people became terrified, and would not
enter into the land of Canaan. The men who brought the bad report of the land died
before the Lord by the plague, however, Joshua and Caleb remained alive. When the
people saw this, they were deeply sadden and sorry, so the decided to go into the land
because the Lord had promised it to them, however Moses told them they should not go
in because the Lord was no longer with them. The Israelites did not listen, and when
engaged in battle with the Amalekites and Canaanites, the people of Israel were driven
back.
God gave them new laws dealing with the offerings of drink, grain, and
purification. There were also several new laws given dealing with the punishments for
different commands. Then the people of the tribe of Levi rose up, and came before
Moses and Aaron telling them that they were become to proud and that they are not the
ones the Lord desired to be in control. Many people started to get roused up before
Moses saying he was as bad as the Egyptians, and even worse. Moses presented his
censer before the Lord, and the 250 priests challenging Moses did the same. A large
group of people were standing and watching, many of them being strongly against
Moses. While they were standing, the earth opened up and closed again on the people.
The others, who had not been swallowed, fled from the place lest they should be
swallowed as well. Then the Lord sent down fire and consumed the 250 men who were
offering incense to the Lord. The rest of the people of Israel came down with a plague,
and people started dying by the thousands. Moses took his censer and ran between the
people offering atonement for them lest everyone should die. There were 14,700 people
who died because of the plague, and more that died at Korah.

The people now questioned which tribe was the priestly tribe, so God commanded
each tribe bring a rod and place it in the ground. Aaron placed his rod in the ground for
the tribe of Levi. The next morning when he looked, Moses saw that Aarons rod had not
only sprouted, but was already blooming and covered in ripe almonds. When Moses
showed it to the people, they stopped complaining lest the Lord be angry with them and
kill them as well.
The people moved along in the wilderness and Miriam died. The people started to
complain to Moses and Aaron again, that there was no water, and it would have been
better for them to die with their brethren at the hand of the Lord. Moses and Aaron came
before the Lord and He told them to take a rod and speak to the rock before the people of
Israel and it would bring forth a river for the people. So Moses took the rod and went to
the rock and he stood up yelling at the people for their disbelief, and he struck the rock
twice and water came out before the people. The Lord spoke to Moses and told him that
because of his disbelief, he would not be able to lead the people into the Promised Land.
The people moved on to Mount Hor, and there Aaron, his son and Moses went up
the mountain and Aaron died, so Moses took the garments from him and dressed Aarons
son. The Canaanites rose up against the people, however they prayed to God and he
indeed delivered them into Israels hand. While they were traveling, they stared to
complain again, and serpents came and bit the people and many died. Moses took a
bronze snake and put it upon a pole and set it in the midst of the people, and anyone who
looked upon it was healed because the people were sorry.
As the people traveled around, they trusted in the Lord and defeated several
kingdoms. Balaam came towards Israel, he had the incident with his donkey. While
dealing with the Israelites, he had prophecies and dealings with them. Again, there was a
census in Israel and they counted all the men 20 years or older of whom were eligible to
fight. The Lord came to Moses and told him told him to declare Joshua as the next leader
of Israel. The Lord also commanded to Moses new ordinances regarding the daily
offering, the Sabbath offering, and offerings at Passover. The tribes of Ruben settled to
the east of the Jordan River. God added some more laws concerning the tribe of Levi as
well as disclosing living accommodation.
The peoples time of wandering was coming to a close, and they started to move
closer to the promise land defeating kings on the way. Moses knowing his time was
coming to an end talked to the people warning them to be careful and guard themselves
from becoming too involved with the people of the land. Moses went up Mount Sion and
got the second law from the Lord for the people. Because the old generation had grown
old and died, this new generation feared the Lord and trusted in him to be their strength.
Because of their trust, God declared that they were indeed his chosen people.
Moses presented the second law to the new generation. He warned them of things
their forefathers had fallen into. Moses instructed them not to fall into the snare of false
gods, unholy eating, bad tithing principles, debts, bondservants, laws concerning the
firstborn animals, governing, justice, portions given to Levites and priests, laws
concerning murder, principles of governing warfare, what to do with female captives,
sexual morality, those excluded from the congregation, and other miscellaneous laws.
God wanted to promise the people that he would still be true to his covenant with
them, so while they were in Moab, the Lord came down and renewed his covenant with
the people. God blessed the people and Moses stepped down letting Joshua take

command of the people of Israel, and the Lord was with him. Moses stood before the
people addressing them in song. In the end, he went up to mount Nebo above the plains
of Moab. As he looked down, he died, still in good health. To this day, nobody knows
where he is buried.

1.
Henry, Matthew. BibleGateway. Matthew Henrys Concise Commentary on the
Bible. 1706 <http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/MatthewHenry/Gen/God-Creates-Heaven-Earth>.
2.
Marty, William. A Survey of the Old Testament. Kendall/Hunt Publishing
Company, 1992.
3.

Nelson, Thomas. New King James Version Study Bible. Nelson, 2006.