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Exodus 1–6

The children of Israel grew in number in Egypt, and a new pharaoh enslaved them. Pharaoh ordered that all Hebrew baby boys be killed. Moses was saved by his mother and raised by Pharaoh’s daughter. The Lord heard the Israelites’ cries and called Moses to deliver them from bondage. After Moses expressed concern about his abilities, the Lord promised to be with him and give him power to deliver Israel. The Lord also provided Aaron as a spokesperson for Moses. Moses and Aaron asked Pharaoh to free the Israelites, but Pharaoh refused and increased their burdens. When Moses prayed for help, the Lord assured him that He would fulfill His covenants and deliver the Israelites.

Resources

• Background and Context

• Learn More

• Media

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Background and Context

What is the book of Exodus?

The book of Exodus is an account of Israel’s departure from bondage in Egypt and their preparation to inherit the promised land as the Lord’s covenant people. The word exodus means “exit” or “departure.” In this book we witness Jehovah’s mighty power and His covenantal love. Exodus also provides details of Moses’s upbringing and the beginning of his ministry as a great prophet of the Lord.

The events recorded in Exodus—such as the Lord parting the Red Sea, providing manna in the wilderness, and giving the Ten Commandments—became foundational to Israel’s identity as a people. Jesus Christ and His prophets have referred to these miraculous events to teach a variety of gospel principles. Israel’s escape from bondage and their journey through the wilderness can symbolize our journey through a fallen world and back to the presence of God.

The book of Exodus is divided into two main sections. Chapters 1–18 recount the calling of Moses and the deliverance of Israel from bondage. Chapters 19–40 describe the Lord’s covenant with Israel and the giving of His law at Mount Sinai, along with the construction of the tabernacle.

Exodus 1:8

What might it mean that the new king of Egypt “knew not Joseph”?

Many scholars believe that during the time of Joseph, northern Egypt was ruled by the non-Egyptian Hyksos people. Eventually a new dynasty overthrew these foreign rulers, which may explain the statement that “there arose up a new king over Egypt.” The new Pharaoh became wary of the Israelites for a variety of reasons, including their increasing population, the potential for them to ally with Egypt’s enemies, and possibly their connection to the former Hyksos rulers.

Exodus 1:17

What does it mean that the Hebrew midwives feared God?

The Hebrew midwives Shiphrah and Puah defied Pharaoh’s command to kill the Hebrew infant sons because they “feared God.” To fear God means to have reverence and deep respect for Him.

Elder David A. Bednar taught, “Unlike worldly fear that creates alarm and anxiety, godly fear is a source of peace, assurance, and confidence.” He further explained that godly fear “encompasses a deep feeling of reverence, respect, and awe for the Lord Jesus Christ … , obedience to His commandments … , and anticipation of the Final Judgment and justice at His hand.”

Puah and Shiphrah Defy Pharaoh, by Sallie Clinton Poet

Exodus 2:1–10

What was significant about the life and ministry of Moses?

Moses was one of the greatest prophets the world has ever known. His life and mission were the subject of Joseph of Egypt’s prophecies centuries before his birth. There are many similarities between Moses’s life and the life and mission of Jesus Christ, who was called “a prophet … like unto” Moses. When the Lord called Moses to be a prophet, He told him, “Thou art in the similitude of mine Only Begotten.”

The following table lists some of the similarities between Moses and Jesus Christ.

Passages about Moses	Similarities between Moses and Jesus Christ	Passages about Jesus Christ
Passages about Moses Exodus 1:15–16, 22; 2:1–3	Similarities between Moses and Jesus Christ Both escaped a decree of death as infants.	Passages about Jesus Christ Matthew 2:13–16
Passages about Moses Exodus 3:7–10	Similarities between Moses and Jesus Christ Both were called to deliver Israel.	Passages about Jesus Christ 2 Nephi 6:17
Passages about Moses Moses 1:1, 8	Similarities between Moses and Jesus Christ Both were carried away by the Spirit to a high mountain, where they were shown the kingdoms of the world.	Passages about Jesus Christ Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 4:8 (in Matthew 4:8, footnote a)
Passages about Moses Moses 1:12–22	Similarities between Moses and Jesus Christ Both overcame confrontations with Satan.	Passages about Jesus Christ Matthew 4:3–11
Passages about Moses Exodus 4:19	Similarities between Moses and Jesus Christ Both remained in exile until the kings who sought to kill them had died.	Passages about Jesus Christ Matthew 2:19–20
Passages about Moses Exodus 14:21	Similarities between Moses and Jesus Christ Both had power over the winds and the sea.	Passages about Jesus Christ Mark 4:37–39
Passages about Moses Exodus 16:15–18	Similarities between Moses and Jesus Christ Both miraculously provided bread for their followers.	Passages about Jesus Christ John 6:5, 10–13
Passages about Moses Exodus 17:5–6	Similarities between Moses and Jesus Christ Both provided lifesaving water.	Passages about Jesus Christ John 4:10–14
Passages about Moses Exodus 20–23	Similarities between Moses and Jesus Christ Both were great lawgivers.	Passages about Jesus Christ 3 Nephi 15:5–10
Passages about Moses Deuteronomy 9:16–20, 23–26	Similarities between Moses and Jesus Christ Both were mediators between God and their people.	Passages about Jesus Christ 1 Timothy 2:5

Exodus 2:10

What do we know about Moses’s upbringing in Egypt?

Exodus offers only limited information about Moses’s life in Egypt after he was adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter. However, the book of Acts provides additional insights about Moses’s early years. Stephen explained that “Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.” And the ancient Jewish historian Josephus suggested that Moses was a well-educated prince and a military general in the service of Egypt.

Stephen’s teachings suggest that Moses knew he would be the one to deliver the Hebrews from Egypt. He taught that when Moses “was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. … For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.”

Exodus 2:11–15

Why did Moses slay an Egyptian?

The account of Moses smiting an Egyptian taskmaster is brief and lacks many details. The Hebrew word translated as “smiting” in verse 11 is translated as “slew” in verse 12 and describes the violent action of soldiers. This suggests that the Hebrew slave’s life was truly in danger. In other words, Moses killed the Egyptian to save the life of the Hebrew. Moses’s actions before and after the incident imply that he knew the Egyptians would not approve of what he did. However, since he was acting in defense, Moses was not guilty of murder.

Exodus 2:15–21

Who was Jethro?

Jethro (also known as Reuel) was the high priest of Midian, a region to the east of Egypt. As a Midianite, Jethro was a descendant of Abraham and Keturah through their son Midian. Moses married Zipporah, one of Jethro’s daughters. From latter-day scripture, we learn that Jethro received the priesthood through the lineage of Abraham and that he conferred the priesthood upon Moses.

Exodus 2:23–25

How did God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob relate to the Israelites in Egypt?

The Lord made remarkable promises through His covenants with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Among these promises were that kings and nations would descend from Abraham, that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through his seed, and that Abraham and his descendants would receive the land of Canaan “for an everlasting possession.” The Lord also promised Abraham that although his descendants would one day be enslaved “in a land that is not theirs,” they would ultimately “come out with great substance.”

After centuries of enslavement in Egypt, it might have been easy for the Israelites to feel that God had forgotten them. But Exodus 2:24 reminds us that “God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.” The Lord will always honor His covenants with His people. President Russell M. Nelson taught: “Once you and I have made a covenant with God, our relationship with Him becomes much closer than before our covenant. Now we are bound together. Because of our covenant with God, He will never tire in His efforts to help us, and we will never exhaust His merciful patience with us. Each of us has a special place in God’s heart.”

Exodus 3:1

What is significant about the place where Moses saw the Lord?

Moses’s encounter with the Lord at the burning bush took place at Horeb, “the mountain of God.” Horeb is also called Mount Sinai and is the place where Moses would later receive the law and the Ten Commandments from the Lord.

Exodus 3:2–6

What can we learn about the glory of God from the burning bush?

God first called to Moses from a bush on Mount Sinai that “burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.” This is the first recorded instance of the Lord appearing to Moses. Later, before leading the children of Israel out of Egypt, Moses spoke with the Lord again—this time “face to face.” In that interaction, “the glory of God was upon Moses; therefore Moses could endure his presence.”

Throughout the scriptures, descriptions of God’s presence often emphasize brightness, glory, or fire. When the Lord appeared to Moses on another occasion on Sinai, His appearance was “like devouring fire.” The children of Israel were guided by the Lord’s presence in a “pillar of fire” during their journey through the wilderness. In one account of the First Vision, the Prophet Joseph Smith described a pillar of fire that did not consume the surrounding trees. Lehi described a pillar of fire on a rock. Other prophets have used similar language to describe the glory of God.

Moses and the Burning Bushes, by Jerry Thompson

Exodus 3:13–14

What is the meaning of the name “I AM”?

The Hebrew name for the God of Israel is YHWH, a word that is traditionally transliterated as Jehovah in English. This name is based on the verb “to be” and can mean “He is,” or, in the first person, “I am.” Jesus Christ’s eternal nature is reflected in this name. Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught: “Both as Jehovah and Messiah, He is the great I Am, the self-existing God. He simply is and ever will be.

Exodus 4:21

Did God harden Pharaoh’s heart?

The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart is a recurring theme in the early chapters of Exodus. Many of these passages state that the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart. However, in the Joseph Smith Translation, each such passage is revised to say that Pharaoh hardened his own heart. These revisions emphasize Pharaoh’s personal agency in resisting God’s will.

Exodus 4:24–26

Why was the Lord angry with Moses?

The account of God seeking to kill Moses is difficult to understand because the text lacks many important details. The Joseph Smith Translation indicates that the Lord was angry with Moses for failing to circumcise his son and that Zipporah’s actions of circumcising the child spared Moses’s life.

Exodus 6:3

Did the ancient patriarchs know Jehovah’s name?

The text in Exodus 6:3 suggests that the name Jehovah was unknown to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, this suggestion contradicts earlier Old Testament accounts which state that the name of the Lord was known to earlier people. The Joseph Smith Translation rearranges the order of words in this verse to ask a rhetorical question with an implied positive answer rather than to make a declaration: “Was not my name known unto them?”

Learn More

Righteous women

• Heather B. Moore, “The Women in Moses’s Life” (digital-only article), Liahona, Mar. 2022, Gospel Library

Moses’s call as a prophet

• Neil L. Andersen, “The Prophet of God,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 24–27

• Willard Elieson and Michael Magleby, “Leadership Lessons from Moses” (digital-only article), Liahona, Apr. 2022, Gospel Library

Media

Images

The Protector (Shiphrah), by Elspeth Young

The Mother of Moses, by Simeon Solomon/Bridgeman Images

Faith at the Water’s Edge, by Anne Marie Oborn

Moses Found in the Bulrushes by Pharaoh’s Daughter, by George Soper

For She Had Compassion on Him, by Eva Timothy

A traditional site of Mount Sinai in Egypt

Notes

1. Bible Dictionary, “Exodus, book of.” Exodus is a Greek word. The Hebrew title for the book of Exodus is Shemot, which means “names.” This title comes from the opening words of the book, in Exodus 1:1: “Now these are the names …” (see Michael D. Coogan and others, eds., The New Oxford Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard Version, 5th ed. [2018], 81).

2. See John 6:48–51; 1 Corinthians 10:1–7; Hebrews 11:23–29; 1 Nephi 4:1–3; 17:23–31; Mosiah 12:27–30; 13:9–26; Helaman 8:11–13; Doctrine and Covenants 8:2–3.

3. See the section “Analysis of Hebrews,” in Bible Dictionary, “Pauline Epistles.”

4. See Bible Dictionary, “Exodus, book of.”

5. The Hyksos ruled in Egypt from around 1750 BC to 1550 BC. They were likely of Semitic origin, as were Joseph and his family. This shared background may have made the Hyksos sympathetic toward the Hebrews and caused them to treat Joseph and his descendants positively (see Bible Dictionary, “Egypt”).

6. “The new Theban dynasty, which founded what is known as the ‘New Kingdom’ in Egyptian history, despised any groups related to the Hyksos, especially if there were some notion that they had aided these rulers. Thus the Exodus reference to a pharaoh arising who ‘knew not Joseph’ (Exodus 1:9) most likely does not mean that he had never heard of Joseph, but instead means that this pharaoh had no respect for Joseph or anything he did” (Kerry Muhlestein, “Israel, Egypt, and Canaan,” in From Creation to Sinai: The Old Testament Through the Lens of the Restoration, ed. Daniel L. Belnap and Aaron P. Schade (2021), 211.

7. Exodus 1:8.

8. See Exodus 1:9.

9. See Exodus 1:10.

10. See Muhlestein, “Israel, Egypt, and Canaan,” 211.

11. Exodus 1:17.

12. See Guide to the Scriptures, “Fear,” Gospel Library.

13. David A. Bednar, “Therefore They Hushed Their Fears,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 48.

14. See Deuteronomy 34:10–12. See also Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “You Matter to Him,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 19.

15. See Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 50:24, 34–35, Gospel Library; 2 Nephi 3:10, 16–17.

16. See Acts 3:22; 7:37; Deuteronomy 18:15, 18–19; 1 Nephi 22:20–21; 3 Nephi 20:23–24. It has been suggested that the Gospel of Matthew “is structured to illustrate that Jesus Christ was a ‘new Moses,’ a fulfillment of Moses’s ministry and teaching” (Shon D. Hopkin, “How New Testament Disciples Built on Old Testament Foundations” [digital-only article], Liahona, Jan. 2023, Gospel Library.

17. Moses 1:6.

18. Acts 7:22.

19. See Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, trans. William Whiston (1737), book 2, chapter 9, paragraph 7; book 2, chapter 10, paragraphs 1–2.

20. Acts 7:23, 25. Centuries before Moses’s birth, Joseph of Egypt prophesied about Moses’s mission and his role in delivering Israel from Egypt (see Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 50:24, 34–35, Gospel Library). It is possible that Moses was aware of Joseph’s prophecies.

21. See Ellis T. Rasmussen, A Latter-day Saint Commentary on the Old Testament (1993), 86.

22. In Exodus 20:13, the Lord commanded, “Thou shalt not kill.” The Hebrew word translated as “kill” in that verse (rasah) means “murder.” A different Hebrew word (naka), meaning to “strike” or “attack,” was used to describe Moses’s actions of smiting the Egyptian (see Tremper Longman III and Mark L. Strauss, The Baker Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words [2023], entry 1021, page 992 and entry 7523, page 1021).

23. See Exodus 3:1; Joseph Smith Translation, Exodus 18:1 (in Exodus 18:1, footnote b). Midian was mostly east of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea and included the southern and eastern portions of the Sinai Peninsula (see J. D. Douglas and Merrill C. Tenney, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary, rev. ed. [2011], 942).

24. See Richard Neitzel Holzapfel and others, Jehovah and the World of the Old Testament: An Illustrated Reference for Latter-day Saints (2009), 87. See also Bible Dictionary, “Keturah.”

25. See Exodus 2:21.

26. See Doctrine and Covenants 84:6–16.

27. Genesis 17:8. See Genesis 17:2–7; 22:18; Abraham 2:9–11.

28. Genesis 15:13–14. The Lord had also told Jacob that his descendants would become a great nation in Egypt and that the Lord would “surely bring thee up again” to the land of Canaan (Genesis 46:2–4). This promise may suggest both Jacob’s burial in Canaan and the later return of his descendants as well.

29. See also Genesis 15:13–14; 46:2–4. God’s faithfulness to the covenant is often seen in contrast to the unfaithfulness of His people.

30. Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,” Liahona, Oct. 2022, 6.

31. Exodus 3:1.

32. See Guide to the Scriptures, “Sinai, Mount,” Gospel Library. See also Exodus 19–21.

33. Exodus 3:2.

34. The Joseph Smith Translation clarifies that it was the presence of the Lord, not an angel, that called out to Moses (see Joseph Smith Translation, Exodus 3:2 [in Exodus 3:2, footnote a]).

35. Moses 1:2. See also Moses 1:17, 25–26.

36. Moses 1:2. See also Moses 1:9–11.

37. See Exodus 19:18.

38. Exodus 24:17.

39. Exodus 13:21–22; Numbers 9:15–16; Psalm 78:14.

40. “Journal, 9–11 November 1835,” in The First Vision (2020), Gospel Library. Joseph Smith’s First Vision account recorded in the Pearl of Great Price describes it as a “pillar of light” (Joseph Smith—History 1:16).

41. See 1 Nephi 1:6.

42. See Isaiah 33:14; Doctrine and Covenants 29:12; 130:6–7; 133:41; 137:2–3. See also Bible Dictionary, “Shechinah.”

43. The word Jehovah is a Latinized word that combines the consonants of the Hebrew name YHWH (JHVH) and the vowels of the Hebrew word Adonai, which means “my Lord” (see Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, eds., The Jewish Study Bible, 2nd ed. [2014], 103–4, note on Exodus 3:14–15).

44. See Holzapfel and others, Jehovah and the World of the Old Testament, 16; Bible Dictionary, “Jehovah”; Guide to the Scriptures, “Jehovah,” Gospel Library.

45. D. Todd Christofferson, “The Resurrection of Jesus Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 112.

46. See Exodus 4:21; 7:3, 13; 9:12; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10.

47. One scholar observed, “This passage has been recognized as one of the most difficult in the Old Testament to decipher and understand because so much appears to be missing” (Camille Fronk Olson, “The Matriarchs: Administrators of God’s Covenantal Blessings,” in Belnap and Shade, From Creation to Sinai, 420).

48. See Joseph Smith Translation, Exodus 4:24–27, Gospel Library.

49. See Genesis 4:26; 15:7; 28:13.

50. See Joseph Smith Translation, Exodus 6:3 (in Exodus 6:3, footnote c).