Lecture 8 - Exodus: From Egypt to Sinai (Exodus 5-24, 32; Numbers)
Feb 16, 2011 5492 views 
This lecture traces the account of the Exodus (and the origin of the Passover festival as a historicization of older nature festivals) and Israel's liberation from bondage under Pharaoh. The story reaches its climax with the covenant concluded between God and Israel through Moses at Sinai. Drawing heavily on the work of Jon Levenson, the lecture examines Ancient Near Eastern parallels to the Sinaitic covenant and describes the divine-human relationship (an intersection of law and love) that the covenant seeks to express. Reading assignment: Bible: (1) Ex 5-24, 32; Skim Ex 25-40 (construction of the sanctuary) (2) Introduction to Leviticus (JSB pp. 203-206). Skim Lev 1-8 (sacrificial system), 11-17 (dietary laws and impurity system) (3) Introduction to Numbers (JSB pp. 281-284); Num 11-14, 16, 19-20, 25