|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries: |
Research categories | Follow us on Twitter |
Research categories
View all topics in the newsView all reference sources at Encyclopedia.com |
|||
Exodus, book of
Exodus, book of The second book of the Pentateuch. It takes its title from the Greek LXX and means ‘departure’; it is divided by scholars, like other parts of the Pentateuch, into the sources J, E, and P, with the greatest parts in this book being assigned to J and P. The book consists of an account of the birth and calling of Moses (chs. 2 to 6); the contest between Moses and Pharaoh, and the plagues, culminating in the death of the first-born (chs. 7 to 12); the march out of Egypt (chs. 13 to 15); wanderings in the wilderness (chs. 15: 22 to 18); and the meetings at the mountain (chs. 19 to 40).
In the J source God is the primary agent of the exodus and Moses little more than his mouthpiece. But there is much rebellion and murmuring amongst the people, culminating in the construction of the golden, or molten, calf (Exod. 32), a story which seems to reflect the apostasy of the northern kingdom under Jeroboam (about 920 BCE), who set up golden calves for worship in Dan and Bethel. It could be that this source in Exodus was written to reassure loyal believers living in the north under Jeroboam—God's promises still hold good, even after backsliding. The P narrative contains some of the stories of the plagues and the defeat of the magicians, and the inauguration of the covenant at Sinai. This was the decisive moment in the nation's realization of itself as the people of Yahweh, when all the pain of the wanderings since they abandoned the fleshpots of Egypt (Exod. 16: 3), found a significance. The P narrative concentrates on instructions for sacrifices and worship, which was of vital interest to Jews after the Return from Exile when the Temple was being restored: from 520 BCE it became the focus of the nation's very life, replacing in that role the dynasty of David. What was formerly a Canaanite agricultural festival in spring was taken over and turned into the annual commemoration of the Exodus so that it should never be forgotten. The festival was Passover and Unleavened Bread. A reader of the book of Exodus might discern in the J source a hope that in spite of rebellion and discontinuity at Sinai God does not forsake his people; in P a reader might infer that between Sinai and the second Temple there is a divine continuity. A modern reader might express astonishment that descendants of a group of slaves who fled out of Egypt over 3,000 years ago still survive in spite of all the vicissitudes of history, in the land those Hebrews then invaded. |
|
|
Cite this article
W. R. F. BROWNING. "Exodus, book of." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 25 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. W. R. F. BROWNING. "Exodus, book of." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 25, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-Exodusbookof.html W. R. F. BROWNING. "Exodus, book of." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Retrieved May 25, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-Exodusbookof.html |
|
Exodus, Book of
Exodus, Book of. This OT Book records the events attending the ‘Exodus’ (i.e. the release of the Israelites under Moses from their Egyptian bondage) and the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. Its authorship has traditionally been ascribed to Moses. Modern scholars assign the Book to a later time than that of Moses, some holding it to be a composite work, its strata probably having been written between the 9th and 5th cents. BC. The date of the Exodus is also debated, but most scholars favour the 13th cent. BC. The deliverance has throughout Jewish history been regarded as the outstanding instance of God's favour to His chosen people; Christian writers have used the imagery of the Passover with reference to the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary and of the Eucharist. In modern times the Exodus has become a symbol of liberation for many groups, from Black Christians in the USA to Liberation theologians in Latin America.
|
|
|
Cite this article
E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "Exodus, Book of." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 25 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "Exodus, Book of." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (May 25, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-ExodusBookof.html E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "Exodus, Book of." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Retrieved May 25, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-ExodusBookof.html |
|
Exodus, Book of
Exodus, Book of. The second book of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. The English title follows that of the Septuagint Greek version, the usual short Hebrew title Shemoth (‘names’) being the second word of the text. Like the rest of the Pentateuch the book is traditionally ascribed to Moses but is held by modern critics to be a composite work of the 9th to 5th cents. BCE. Miriam's song in 15. 21 may be among the oldest passages in the Bible.
|
|
|
Cite this article
JOHN BOWKER. "Exodus, Book of." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 25 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN BOWKER. "Exodus, Book of." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 25, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-ExodusBookof.html JOHN BOWKER. "Exodus, Book of." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved May 25, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-ExodusBookof.html |
|
Exodus
Ex·o·dus / ˈeksədəs/ the second book of the Bible, which recounts the departure of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, their journey across the Red Sea and through the wilderness led by Moses, and the giving of the Ten Commandments. The events have been variously dated by scholars between about 1580 and 1200 bc. |
|
|
Cite this article
"Exodus." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 25 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Exodus." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 25, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-exodus.html "Exodus." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 25, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-exodus.html |
|
Exodus
Exodus the second book of the Bible, which recounts the departure of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, their journey across the Red Sea and through the wilderness led by Moses, and the giving of the Ten Commandments. The events have been variously dated by scholars between about 1580 and 1200 bc.
|
|
|
Cite this article
ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Exodus." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 25 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Exodus." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 25, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Exodus.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Exodus." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved May 25, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Exodus.html |
|
Exodus
|
|
|
Cite this article
MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Exodus." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 25 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Exodus." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (May 25, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-Exodus.html MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Exodus." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Retrieved May 25, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-Exodus.html |
|
Exodus
Exodus Old Testament book of the Bible, the second book of the Pentateuch or Torah. The first part details the flight of the Israelites from Egypt; the second part contains a catalogue of religious instructions that formed the basis of Mosaic law.
|
|
|
Cite this article
"Exodus." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 25 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Exodus." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 25, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Exodus.html "Exodus." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 25, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Exodus.html |
|
exodus
exodus departure, spec. of the Israelites out of Egypt (hence, title of the second book of the Pentateuch, which relates this). XVII. — ecclL. Exodus — Gr. éxodos, f. EX-2 + hodós way.
|
|
|
Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "exodus." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 25 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "exodus." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 25, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-exodus.html T. F. HOAD. "exodus." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 25, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-exodus.html |
|
exodus
|
|
|
Cite this article
"exodus." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 25 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "exodus." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 25, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-exodus005.html "exodus." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 25, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-exodus005.html |
|
Exodus
|
|
|
Cite this article
JOHN BOWKER. "Exodus." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 25 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN BOWKER. "Exodus." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 25, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Exodus.html JOHN BOWKER. "Exodus." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved May 25, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Exodus.html |
|
exodus
exodus
•horrendous, stupendous, tremendous
•Barbados • Indus • solidus • Lepidus
•Midas, nidus
•Aldous • Judas • Enceladus • exodus
•hazardous • Dreyfus • Josephus
•Sisyphus • typhus • Dollfuss
•amorphous, anthropomorphous, polymorphous
•rufous, Rufus
•Angus • Argus
•Las Vegas, magus, Tagus
•negus
•anilingus, cunnilingus, dingus, Mingus
•bogus
•fungous, fungus, humongous
•anthropophagous, oesophagus (US esophagus), sarcophagus
•analogous
•homologous, tautologous
•Areopagus • asparagus
•Burgas, Fergus, Lycurgus
•Carajás • frabjous
•advantageous, contagious, courageous, outrageous, rampageous
•egregious
•irreligious, litigious, prestigious, prodigious, religious, sacrilegious
•umbrageous • gorgeous
|
|
|
Cite this article
"exodus." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 25 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "exodus." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 25, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-exodus.html "exodus." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 25, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-exodus.html |
|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries:
HighBeam™ Research, Inc. © Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
The Encyclopedia.com advertising network includes:
