Exodus for Normal People Quotes

“The story of the exodus from Egypt isn’t an expanded version of this scene from Abraham’s story. Rather, the Abraham story was written in light of the exodus story. Just because the Abraham story appears earlier than the exodus story doesn’t mean it was written earlier.”
― Peter Enns, Exodus for Normal People: A Guide to the Story—and History—of the Second Book of the Bible

“Yahweh is worthy of worship To save is to “re-create” God’s mountain God gives lots of commands Israelites rebel against Moses and God”
― Peter Enns, Exodus for Normal People: A Guide to the Story—and History—of the Second Book of the Bible

“This theme has a lot of moving parts. The bottom line is that when God saves Israel, it is an “act of creation”—or perhaps better, “an act of re-creation.” To save is to re-create because to be saved is to start anew.”
― Peter Enns, Exodus for Normal People: A Guide to the Story—and History—of the Second Book of the Bible

“God’s act of salvation in Exodus hearkens back to God’s act of creation in Genesis, when God separated the waters on the second and third days of creation. Saving Israel is a divine act of “re-creation.”
― Peter Enns, Exodus for Normal People: A Guide to the Story—and History—of the Second Book of the Bible

“The exodus, in fact, is really all about getting to Mount Sinai, and how the events there prepare the Israelites for their ultimate destiny—a kingdom in a land of their own.”
― Peter Enns, Exodus for Normal People: A Guide to the Story—and History—of the Second Book of the Bible

“there is no direct evidence whatsoever for an Israelite presence in the land of Egypt at any point in history. The only record we have for such a scenario is the biblical story itself.”
― Peter Enns, Exodus for Normal People: A Guide to the Story—and History—of the Second Book of the Bible

“A myth is a story about the gods at the dawn of time that helps explain why things are the way they are here and now. Ancient people in general were quite keen on seeing the world around them in light of a bigger reality, namely the cosmic realm. Myths connect these two worlds.”
― Peter Enns, Exodus for Normal People: A Guide to the Story—and History—of the Second Book of the Bible

“The point of all this is that the book of Exodus as we know it simply could not be as old as the thirteenth century BCE, and could not have been written by Moses.”
― Peter Enns, Exodus for Normal People: A Guide to the Story—and History—of the Second Book of the Bible

“Forty is a go-to number symbolizing a complete or “right” period of time, and “480” is twelve times forty—twelve likely symbolizing the twelve tribes of Israel. The number is symbolic. It draws on ancient conventions of the symbolic value of round numbers to mark off a sacred moment.”
― Peter Enns, Exodus for Normal People: A Guide to the Story—and History—of the Second Book of the Bible