Today in the Bible

“The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, `The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God.’ – Exodus 3:18 (NIB)

Afterwards Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: `Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.’”  Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go?  I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go.”  Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us.  Now let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword.” – Exodus 5:1-3 (NIB)

Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God here in the land.”  But Moses said, “That would not be right. The sacrifices we offer the LORD our God would be detestable to the Egyptians. And if we offer sacrifices that are detestable in their eyes, will they not stone us?  We must take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, as he commands us.” – Exodus 8:25-27 (NIB)

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter.  For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”   So God led the people around by the desert road towards the Red Sea.  The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle.

Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear an oath.  He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.”  

After leaving Succoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.  By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.  Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to turn back and camp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea.  They are to camp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon.  Pharaoh will think, `The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’  And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.”  So the Israelites did this.

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, “What have we done?  We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!”  So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. He took six hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them.  The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. – Exodus 13:17-14:8 (NIB)

Did you know that you can view any of our posts whenever you’d like?

Visit our home page at https://todayinthebible.com

where you can find them organized by month

in the “Archives” section on the right side of the page.