there is a peculiar liability to variations.  With these brief remarks we must dismiss this subject.  The reader will find the question of scriptural chronology discussed at large in the treatises devoted to the subject.  For more compendious views, see in Alexander’s Kitto and Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible the articles entitled Chronology.

II.  EXODUS.

7.  The Hebrew name of this book is:  Ve-elle shemoth, Now these [are] the names; or more briefly:  Shemoth, names.  The word Exodus (Greek Exodos, whence the Latin Exodus) signifies going forth, departure, namely, of Israel from Egypt.  With the book of Exodus begins the history of Israel as a nation.  It has perfect unity of plan and steady progress from beginning to end.  The narrative of the golden calf is no exception; for this records in its true order an interruption of the divine legislation.  The book consists of two parts essentially connected with each other.  The contents of the first part (chaps. 1-18) are briefly the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt and their journey to Sinai, as preparatory to their national covenant with God there.  More particularly this part contains:  (1) an account of the multiplication of the people in Egypt; their oppression by the Egyptians; the birth and education of Moses, his abortive attempt to interpose in behalf of his people, his flight to Midian, and his residence there forty years (chaps. 1, 2); (2) God’s miraculous appearance to Moses at Horeb under the name JEHOVAH; his mission to Pharaoh for the release of Israel, in which Aaron his brother was associated with him; the execution of this mission, in the progress of which the Egyptians were visited with a succession of plagues, ending in the death of all the first-born of man and beast in Egypt; the final expulsion of the people, and in connection with this the establishment of the feast of the passover and the law respecting the first-born of man and beast (chaps. 3-13); (3) the journey of the Israelites to the Red sea under the guidance of a cloudy pillar; their passage through it, with the overthrow of Pharaoh’s host; the miraculous supply of manna and of water; the fight with Amalek, and Jethro’s visit to Moses.

The second part contains the establishment of the Mosaic economy with its tabernacle and priesthood.  At Sinai God enters into a national covenant with the people, grounded on the preceding Abrahamic covenant; promulgates in awful majesty the ten commandments, which he afterwards writes on two tables of stone, and adds a code of civil regulations.  Chaps. 19-23.  The covenant is then written and solemnly ratified by the blood of sacrifices.  Chap. 24.  After this follows a direction which contains in itself the whole idea of the sanctuary:  “Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.”