Moses, Exodus, and Passover
About this date: No single BCE year is secure for the Exodus; proposed historical reconstructions and religious chronologies differ.
The Exodus narrative tells of liberation from Egypt, Passover, the sea crossing, and the formation of Israel as a covenant people.
Historical context
Passover is presented both as an event in the departure from Egypt and as a practice to be remembered by later generations. Instructions for households are woven into the liberation narrative.
Key points
- Households prepare a meal before departure.
- Questions from children connect the ritual with retelling the story.
- The departure includes families and a mixed company.
People
- Moses
- Aaron
- Israelite households
Scripture
- Exodus 1–15 — Exodus narrates Israel's oppression, Moses' call, the plagues and Passover, and departure through the sea.
Sources and further reading
- Exodus 12 (King James Version)
Passover instructions, remembrance, and departure. - USCCB introduction to Exodus
Literary and historical introduction; retained from the original record.