Study Desk

So all the Israelites obeyed the commands that the Lord gave to Moses and Aaron.

So for seven days, you must not eat any bread made with yeast. There must be no bread with yeast any place in your land.

So remember this festival every year at the right time.

In Egypt, Pharaoh was stubborn and refused to let us leave. So the Lord killed every firstborn in all the land. (The Lord killed the firstborn males—animal and human.) That is why I give every firstborn male animal to the Lord , and that is why I buy back each of my firstborn sons from him.'

So God led them another way through the desert by the Red Sea. The Israelites were dressed for war when they left Egypt.

The Lord led the way. During the day, he used a tall cloud to lead the people. And during the night, he used a tall column of fire to lead the way. This fire gave them light so that they could also travel at night.

I will make Pharaoh brave, and he will chase you. But I will defeat Pharaoh and his army. This will bring honor to me. Then the people of Egypt will know that I am the Lord ." So the Israelites did what he told them.

So Pharaoh prepared his chariot and took his men with him.

I have made the Egyptians brave, so they will chase you. But I will show you that I am more powerful than Pharaoh and all of his horses and chariots.

Then the angel of God moved to the back of the people. (The angel was usually in front of the people, leading them.) So the tall cloud moved from in front of the people and went to the back of the people.

In this way the cloud stood between the Egyptians and the Israelites. There was light for the Israelites. But there was darkness for the Egyptians. So the Egyptians did not come any closer to the Israelites that night.

So just before daylight, Moses raised his hand over the sea. And the water rushed back to its proper level. The Egyptians were running as fast as they could from the water, but the Lord swept them away with the sea.

So that day the Lord saved the Israelites from the Egyptians. Later, the Israelites saw the dead bodies of the Egyptians on the shore of the Red Sea.

The Israelites saw the great power of the Lord when he defeated the Egyptians. So the people feared and respected the Lord , and they began to trust the Lord and his servant Moses.

So Moses called to the Lord , and the Lord showed him a large piece of wood. When Moses put the wood in the water, the water became good to drink. There the Lord put in place a law and a command for him and tested him to see if he would obey.

Then the people traveled to Elim. At Elim there were twelve springs of water and 70 palm trees. So the people made their camp there near that water.

So Moses and Aaron said to the Israelites, "Tonight you will see the power of the Lord . You will know that he is the one who brought you out of Egypt.

You have been complaining about the Lord , and he heard you. So tomorrow morning you will see the Glory of the Lord . You have been complaining and complaining about us. Maybe now we can have a little rest."

Then Moses said, "In the evening the Lord will give you meat to eat, and in the morning you will have all the bread you want. The Lord will do this because he has heard your complaining, which was against him, not us. What can we do? We do only what he tells us to do, so your complaints are really against the Lord ."

So Aaron spoke to all the Israelites. While he was talking, the people turned and looked into the desert. And they saw the Glory of the Lord appear in a cloud.