Exodus, Book of

The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Pentateuch and the narrative of Israel's birth as a nation — from the oppression in Egypt through the ten plagues, the Passover, the Red Sea crossing, the covenant at Sinai, and the construction of the tabernacle. The Hebrew name is Shemot ("names"), from its opening words; the Greek name Exodus ("departure") reflects its central event. Its two major sections are the narrative of redemption (chapters 1–18) and the giving of the law and building of the tabernacle (chapters 19–40). The Decalogue (chapters 20), the book of the covenant (chapters 20–23), and the detailed instructions for the tabernacle (chapters 25–31, 35–40) together constitute a foundational document for Israel's worship, ethics, and national identity. Galatians 3:17 notes that the law came 430 years after the Abrahamic promise, a figure deriving from the Exodus chronology (Exodus 12:40–41).