The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Torah or Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament. It takes the story of the Israelites from their presence in and oppression by Egypt up to the reception of the divine law that occupies the entire book of Leviticus and much of Numbers. It contains many of the central moments of the early history of Israel, both narratively and theologically: Egyptian bondage, the ten plagues, the Passover, the Exodus from Egypt proper, the crossing of the sea, the divine revelation and law giving at Sinai, and the apostasy of the golden calf. Its timeless and iconic narratives present features that are fundamental to understanding Israel’s identity, as well as that of Christians who also consider the Hebrew Bible sacred scripture. Pursue this study and delve deeper into the stories that have been so formative for Jews and Christians alike.
Meet Our Professors
Joel Baden, Professor of Hebrew Bible at Yale Divinity School, is a specialist in the Pentateuch, Biblical Hebrew, and disability theory in biblical studies. He is the author of numerous articles, essays, and books on individual pentateuchal texts, critical methodology, and Biblical Hebrew. Future projects include commentaries on Deuteronomy and Exodus. He holds degrees in Judaic Studies (BA, Yale), Semitic Languages (MA, University of Chicago), and Hebrew Bible (PhD, Harvard).
John J. Collins, Holmes Professor of Old Testament Criticism and Interpretation at Yale Divinity School, is a native of Ireland and was a professor of Hebrew Bible at the University of Chicago from 1991 until his arrival at YDS in 2000. He previously taught at the University of Notre Dame. He has published widely on the subjects of apocalypticism, wisdom, Hellenistic Judaism, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. He has participated in the editing of the Dead Sea Scrolls and is general editor of the Yale Anchor Bible series. He holds degrees from University College Dublin (BA, MA, and an honorary D.Litt.) and Harvard University (PhD).