Exodus 6:1-7:13 Study Questions - Israel's Deliverance Assured

Exodus Study Section 10: Israel’s Deliverance Assured – Exodus 6:1-7:13

Initial observation

1. Read Exodus 6:2-13 out loud in the group.  Then get the facilitator or some other victim to read 6:14-27 (the genealogy section) out loud.  Finally, read Exodus 6:28 – 7:13 out loud in the group.

2. Underline or highlight frequently used words (or refer to your homework).

3. What words, phrases, or ideas make an impression on you?

In-depth Observation

4. Read and discuss the questions that the group wrote for homework.

5. Reread verse 6:7.  (This would be a good verse to memorize, because it is important throughout the story.)  Read the vocabulary (below) for verses 7 and 8.

6. What does the first half of the verse mean?  (“I will take you as my people, and I will be your God.”)

7.What does it mean for the Israelites to know that God is “the Lord your God”?   (second half of verse 7)

8. Why is the genealogy in the text?

9.  What do the Egyptians need to know, according to verse 7:5?

10. Write down the theme or topic of this section.

11.  Pharaoh’s hardened heart versus free will (verse 7:3) – do we want to discuss this further?

Interpretation and Application:

A. What do you learn about the nature of God from this passage?

B.  What do you learn about the other characters from this passage?

C.  What can we learn from this passage that applies to our own lives?

Vocabulary and notes

Verse 3 “God Almighty”:  Hebrew El Shaddai. The name suggests “One of the Mountains”.

Verse 3: “The Lord”:  Hebrew Yahweh.  Note that in Genesis Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob each use this name for God.  (See Gen 12:8, 26:22, 32:10.)  The Exodus passage seems to know a different tradition.

Verse 6: “burdens”: also could be translated as “forced labor” or “labors”.

Verse 7: “I will take you as my people”:  The relationship between God and Israel is expressed in terms of legal adoption and/or marriage.

Verse 8: “bring you”: like bringing a bride into a new home.