The Waters of Marah and Elim

       Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.) So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?"
       Then Moses cried out to The LORD, and The LORD showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.
       There The LORD made a decree and a law for them, and there He tested them. He said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of The LORD your GOD and do what is right in His eyes, if you pay attention to His commands and keep all His decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I Am The LORD, who heals you."
       Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.


The Book of Exodus: chapter 15, verses 22 - 27

Manna and Quail

       The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by The  LORD's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death."
       Then The Lord said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow My instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days."
       So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, "In the evening you will know that it was The LORD who brought you out of Egypt, and in the morning you will see the glory of The LORD, because He has heard your grumbling against Him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?" Moses also said, "You will know that it was The LORD when He gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because He has heard your grumbling against Him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against The LORD."
       Then Moses told Aaron, "Say to the entire Israelite community, 'Come before The LORD, for He has heard your grumbling.' "
       While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of The LORD appearing in the cloud.
       The LORD said to Moses, "I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, 'At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I Am The LORD your GOD.' "
       That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was.
       Moses said to them, "It is the bread The LORD has given you to eat. This is what The LORD has commanded: 'Each one is to gather as much as he needs. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.' "
       The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. And when they measured it by the omer, he who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little. Each one gathered as much as he needed.
       Then Moses said to them, "No one is to keep any of it until morning."
       However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them.
       Each morning everyone gathered as much as he needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much--two omers for each person--and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. He said to them, "This is what The LORD commanded: "Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to The LORD. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.' "
       So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. "Eat it today," Moses said, "because today is a Sabbath to The LORD. You will not find any of it on the ground today. Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any."
       Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. Then The LORD said to Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep My commands and My instructions? Bear in mind that The LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day He gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out." So the people rested on the seventh day.
       The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. Moses said, "This is what The LORD has commanded: 'Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.' "
       So Moses said to Aaron, "Take a jar and put an omer of manna in it. Then place it before The LORD to be kept for the generations to come."
       As The LORD commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna in front of the Testimony, that it might be kept. The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.
       (An omer is one tenth of an ephah.)


The Book of Exodus: chapter 16

Water From the Rock

       The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as The LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink."
       Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put The LORD to the test?"
       But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?"
       Then Moses cried out to The LORD, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me."
       The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarrled and because they tested The LORD saying, "Is The LORD among us or not?"


The Book of Exodus: chapter 17, verses 1 - 7

The Amalekites Defeated

       The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of GOD in my hands."
       So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up--one on one side, one on the other--so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
       Then The LORD said to Moses, "Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven."
       Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner. He said, "For hands were lifted up to the throne of The LORD. The LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation."


The Book of Exodus: chapter 17, verses 8 - 16

Jethro Visits Moses

       Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything GOD had done for Moses and for His people Israel, and how The LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.
       After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, "I have become an alien in a foreign land"; and the other was named Eliezer, for he said, "My father's GOD was my helper; He saved me from the sword of Pharaoh."
       Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, together with Moses' sons and wife, came to him in the desert, where he was camped near the mountain of GOD. Jethro had sent word to him, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons."
       So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. Moses told his father-in-law about everything The LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how The LORD had saved them.
       Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things The LORD had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. He said, "Praise be to The LORD, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that The LORD is greater than all other gods, for He did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly." Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to GOD, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of GOD.
       The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, "What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?"
       Moses answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek GOD's will. Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of GOD's decrees and laws."
       Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may GOD be with you. You must be the people's representative before GOD and bring their disputes to Him. Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. But select capable men from all the people--men who fear GOD, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain--and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. If you do this and GOD so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied."
       Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.
       Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country.


The Book of Exodus: chapter 18

At Mount Sinai

       In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt--on the very day--they came to the Desert of Sinai. After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.
       Then Moses went up to GOD, and The LORD called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites."
       So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words The LORD had commanded him to speak. The people all responded together, "We will do everything The LORD has said," So Moses brought their answer back to The LORD.
       The LORD said to Moses, "I Am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear Me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you." Then Moses told The LORD what the people had said.
       And The LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day The LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, 'Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. He shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on him. Whether man or animal, he shall not be permitted to live.' Only when the ram's horn sounds a long blast may they go up to the mountain."
       After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. Then he said to the people, "Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations."
       On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with GOD, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because The LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of GOD answered him.
       The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up and The LORD said to him. "Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see The LORD and many of them perish. Even the priests, who approach The LORD, must consecrate themselves, or The LORD will break out against them."
       Moses said to The LORD, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, 'Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy,' "
       The LORD replied, "Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to The LORD, or He will break out against them."
       So Moses went down to the people and told them.


The Book of Exodus: chapter 19

The Ten Commandments

And GOD spoke all these words:

       "I Am The LORD your GOD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
       "You shall have no other gods before Me.
       "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, The LORD your GOD, Am a jealous GOD, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.
       "You shall not misuse the name of The LORD your GOD, for The LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name.
       "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to The LORD your GOD. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days The LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day. Therefore The LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
       "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land The LORD your GOD is giving you.
       "You shall not murder.
       "You shall not commit adultery.
       "You shall not steal.
       "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
       "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

       When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have GOD speak to us or we will die."
       Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. GOD has come to test you, so that the fear of GOD will be with you to keep you from sinning."
       The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where GOD was.


The Book of Exodus: chapter 20, verses 1 - 21

Idols and Altars

       Then The LORD said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites this: 'You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: Do not make any gods to be alongside Me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.
       " 'Make an altar of earth for Me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause My name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you. If you make an altar of stones for Me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it. And do not go up to My altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.'

       "These are the laws you are to set before them:


The Book of Exodus: chapter 20, verses 22 - 26 & chapter 21, verse 1

Hebrew Servants

       "If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything. If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.
       "But if the servant declares, 'I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,' then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.
       "If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as menservants do. If she does not please the master who has selected her for himself, he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, because he has broken faith with her. If he selects her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter. If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights. If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money."


The Book of Exodus: chapter 21, verses 2 - 11

Personal Injuries

       "Anyone who strikes a man and kills him shall surely be put to death. However, if he does not do it intentionally, but GOD lets it happen, he is to flee to a place I will designate. But if a man schemes and kills another man deliberately, take him away from My altar and put him to death.
       "Anyone who attacks his father or his mother must be put to death.
       "Anyone who kidnaps another and either sells him or still has him when he is caught must be put to death.
       "Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.
       "If men quarrel and one hits the other with a stone or with his fist and he does not die but is confined to bed, the one who struck the blow will not be held responsible if the other gets up and walks around outside with his staff; however, he must pay the injured man for the loss of his time and see that he is completely healed.
       "If a man beats his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies as a direct result, he must be punished, but he is not to be punished if the slave gets up after a day or two, since the slave is his property.
       "If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
       "If a man hits a manservant or maidservant in the eye and destroys it, he must let the servant go free to compensate for the eye. And if he knocks out the tooth of a manservant or maidservant, he must let the servant go free to compensate for the tooth.
       "If a bull gores a man or a woman to death, the bull must be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up and it kills a man or woman, the bull must be stoned and the owner also must be put to death. However, if payment is demanded of him, he may redeem his life by paying whatever is demanded. This law also applies if the bull gores a son or daughter. If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull must be stoned.
       "If a man uncovers a pit or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it, the owner of the pit must pay for the loss; he must pay its owner, and the dead animal will be his.
       "If a man's bull injures the bull of another and it dies, they are to sell the live one and divide both the money and the dead animal equally. However, if it was known that the bull had the habit of goring, yet the owner did not keep it penned up, the owner must pay, animal for animal, and the dead animal will be his."


The Book of Exodus: chapter 21, verses 12 - 36