Exodus study section
Exodus maps & timelines
Exodus moves from Egypt through the Red Sea and the wilderness to Mount Sinai. These places and dates anchor the story in real geography and history.
Geographic context
Key Locations in Exodus:
- Egypt (Goshen) - The land of Israel’s slavery in the eastern Nile delta
- Pithom and Rameses - The store cities the Hebrew slaves were forced to build
- Midian - Where Moses fled and met God at the burning bush
- The Red Sea (Sea of Reeds) - Where God parted the waters and drowned Pharaoh’s army
- Marah and Elim - Early wilderness stops: bitter water made sweet, then twelve springs and seventy palms
- Wilderness of Sin - Where God rained down manna and quail
- Rephidim - Water struck from the rock and the battle with Amalek
- Mount Sinai (Horeb) - Where God gave the law, sealed the covenant, and filled the tabernacle with His glory
The route of the exodus
Exodus moves from the Nile delta, through the Red Sea, across the wilderness of the Sinai peninsula, to the mountain of God. The stages below trace that route; detailed to-scale maps will follow in a later pass.
Egypt (Goshen)
The land of Israel’s slavery, and the store cities of Pithom and Rameses they built.
The Red Sea
Where God parted the waters, brought Israel through on dry ground, and drowned Pharaoh’s army.
Marah and Elim
The first wilderness stops: bitter water made sweet, then twelve springs and seventy palms.
Wilderness of Sin
Where God rained down manna each morning and quail at evening.
Rephidim
Water struck from the rock, and the battle with Amalek while Moses’ hands were held up.
Mount Sinai (Horeb)
Where God descended in fire, gave the law, sealed the covenant, and filled the tabernacle with His glory.
Timeline of major events
| Event | Approximate Date | Exodus Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Israel enslaved in Egypt | c. 1876-1446 BC | 1:8-14 |
| Birth of Moses | c. 1526 BC | 2:1-10 |
| Moses flees to Midian | c. 1486 BC | 2:11-25 |
| The burning bush and call of Moses | c. 1446 BC | 3:1-4:17 |
| The ten plagues on Egypt | c. 1446 BC | 7:14-12:30 |
| The Passover | c. 1446 BC | 12:1-30 |
| The exodus from Egypt | c. 1446 BC | 12:31-42 |
| Crossing the Red Sea | c. 1446 BC | 14:1-31 |
| Manna, quail, and water in the wilderness | c. 1446 BC | 16:1-17:7 |
| Arrival at Mount Sinai | c. 1446 BC (third month) | 19:1-2 |
| The Ten Commandments | c. 1446 BC | 20:1-17 |
| The covenant confirmed in blood | c. 1446 BC | 24:1-18 |
| The golden calf | c. 1446 BC | 32:1-35 |
| The covenant renewed | c. 1446 BC | 34:1-35 |
| The tabernacle erected and filled with glory | c. 1445 BC (first month, second year) | 40:1-38 |