Exodus 1 to Exodus 3

Exodus 1
All of the brothers of Joseph have passed away and there is a new Pharaoh – who didn’t know who Joseph was and what he had done for Egypt. This Pharaoh took note of all the sons of Israel and began to make a contingency plan lest they outnumber the Egyptians and take over.

Pharaoh puts the Israelites into slavery, hoping the hard work will slow them down.
Pharaoh orders Hebrew midwives to kill newborn males. They don’t and excuse it by saying the Hebrews have the children before the midwives can get there.

Pharaoh orders sons to be cast into the Nile.

Despite all of this – the Hebrews continue to grow and prosper.

NOTE: knowing all of this, you have to wonder why the Israelites didn’t go to war!


Exodus 2
Moses is born of the house of Levi. His mother hides him for 3 months (as long as she can) She places him in a basket in the Nile. The Pharaoh’s daughter named him Moses.

Moses grows up. As an adult, Moses sees and Egyptian strike one of the Hebrews. Moses kills him and hides him in the sand. The Pharaoh found out about it. Moses fled to Midian.

In Midian, Moses helps shepherdesses to water their flock. Reuel (Jethro), their father, takes Moses in because of his kindness. Moses marries Zipporah, Reuel’s (Jethro) daughter.

Pharaoh dies.

“God takes notice of Israel and their hardships.”


Exodus 3

Reuel (Jethro)

• Moses father in law
• The priest of Midian
• Wealthy

Burning bush on Mount Horeb – “the mountain of God”
God calls to Moses from the bush – Moses responds “Here I am”

Thought: this phrase appears many times in the Bible. Abraham used it as well as others. Consider doing a topical study on this phrase “Here I am”

God says to Moses:

• You are standing on Holy Ground
• I am the God of your father(s)
• I have seen the affliction of My people
• I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, to a good and spacious land.
• I will send you (Moses) to Pharaoh

God gives Moses the plan:

• Moses will go to Israel and give them the plan
• Moses and the elders are to go to Pharaoh to request that they be permitted to travel 3 days to wilderness to worship God
• God tells Moses that the Pharaoh will refuse and that God will “strike Egypt with all My miracles” and then the Egyptians will let them go.