Exodus A Commentary

Exodus is seen in its relation to the preceding Genesis and to the succeeding three books of the Pentateuch. Unlike Genesis, which dealt with individuals, Exodus is primarily concerned with Israel collectively and with the basic elements of Israel's faith. The author shows that the central motifs are the flight from Egypt, especially the crossing of "the sea", and the theophany and covenant at Sinai. The exegesis deals with the narrative as it appears in its final form but, in order to clarify the story, the author makes constant references to the successive stages in its literary development, and throughout the commentary he distinguishes the literary strands -- notably those know as J, E, and P -- that are woven into the fabric of the book.