Exodus Encyclopedia:

A - F

Aaron
     Moses' brother. He helped Moses lead the Israelites, and became the first high priest of Israel.
     Aaron was a Levite, a son of Amram and Jochebed. He had a brother named Moses. (6:20) Moses was three years younger than he. (7:7) Aaron also had a sister named Miriam. (15:20) He married a woman named Elisheba. They had four children: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. (6:23)
     When God told Moses to go back to Egypt and tell the Israelites that God would free them, Moses said "I am not eloquent. I am slow of speech." God said "Your brother Aaron can speak well He will help you." (4:10-17)
     In Egypt, God told Aaron to go into the wilderness, and meet Moses. Aaron did so. Moses Moses told Aaron what God had told him. They gathered the Israelites, and Aaron told them that God would lead them to freedom. (4:27-31)
     When Aaron was 83 years old, he and Moses told the Pharaoh of Egypt to release the Israelites. (7:7) When the pharaoh refused, Moses and Aaron wielded staffs, and God caused the ten plagues. (chapters 7-10)
     Later, during the battle with the Amalekites, Aaron helped Moses hold up his hands so that the Israelites would win. (17:10-13).
     Later, Aaron and his sons Abihu and Nadab were permitted to accompany Aaron and 70 of the elders of Israel to meet God on Mt. Sinai. (24:1,9-11)
     During another time when Moses was on Mt. Sinai, Aaron and Hur presided over the Israelites in Moses' absence. (24:14)
     During another time while Moses was on Mt. Sinai, he had been up on the mountain for a long time. While he was gone, the Israelites told Aaron "We don't know what happened to Moses. Create a god for us." Aaron had the Israelites break off their gold earrings, and give them to him. Aaron melted the earrings, and made a statue of a golden calf. The Israelites worshiped it. They were punished for this. (chapter 32)
     God assigned Aaron and his sons to become the priests of the temple. (28:1-29:37)

Abisaph (The name comes from two Hebrew words: "ab" (which means "father" in English), and "leesof" (which means "gather" in English). "Abisaph" is usually translated as "father has gathered".)
     A Levite. A son of Korath. (6:24)

Abib
     The first month of the Israelites' year. It falls at the beginning of spring. The Exodus took place in Abib, which became the month for celebrating Passover. (13:4)

Abihu
     A child of Aaron by his wife Elisheba. (6:23) He and his brother Nadab were permitted to accompany Aaron and 70 of the elders of Israel to meet God on Mt. Sinai. (24:1,9-11) He and his brothers were appointed to serve as priests with his father. (28:1,40-43)

Abraham
     One of the ancestors of Jacob/Israel. God made a covenant with him. (2:24; 3:6,15-16; 4:5; 6:3,8; 32:13; 33:1)

Ahisamach
     A Danite. The father of Aholiab (also called Oholiab). (31:6; 35:34; 38:23)

Aholiab (also called Oholiab)
     A Danite. The son of Ahisamach. He was a craftsman appointed to aid Bezeleel in constructing the tabernacle and its equipment. (31:1-11; 35:30-35; 38:23)

Amalek
     A country that fought with the Israelites at Rephidim. Joshua led the Israelites. During the battle, every time Moses raised his hands, the Israelites were winning. So he had Aaron and Hur hold up his hands. The Israelites won. After the battle, Moses predicted that they would have more trouble with Amalek. (17:8-16)

Amalekites
     The people of the country of Amalek. (see above)

Amminadab
     The father of Elisheba and Nahshon. (6:23)

Amorites
     A tribe that lives in Canaan. (3:8,17; 13:5; 23:23; 33:2; 34:11)

Amram
     A Levite. The son of Kohath. (6:18) He married his own aunt, Jochebed (Kohath's sister). They had two sons: Moses and Aaron. He lived to be 137. (6:20)
     Although it is never stated, it is assumed that he also had at least one daughter. 2:1-8 mentions that Moses had an older sister who followed the basket with Moses in it down the Nile to the pharaoh's daughter. Later, 15:20-21 mentions that Moses and Aaron had a sister named Miriam. It was never stated that the older sister who followed the basket was actually Miriam or another sister. But apparently Amram had at least one daughter.

Ark of the Covenant
     A wooden chest, built by Bezeleel (also called Bezelel) according to god's instructions. It was built for use in the tabernacle. It was also called the ark of the testimony. (25:22)
     The ark was made of acacia wood, and covered with gold. It was 2 1/2 cubits long, 1 1/2 cubits wide, and 1 1/2 cubits high. (25:10-11) (By today's measurements, it would be about 3 1/2 feet long, 2 1/2 feet wide, and 1 1/2 high.) Above it was a cover of gold, and on both sides of it was carved a cherub. (25:17-20) God spoke to Moses from between the cherubim carvings. (25:22)
     Inside the ark, Moses put the stone tablets on which was written the laws given to him by God. (25:21)
     The ark was put inside the tabernacle. (40:21)
     Like the tabernacle and its contents, it was movable. (25:12-14)

Asher
     One of the twelve sons of Jacob/Israel, and the head of one of the subdivisions of the Israelites. He relocated to Egypt along with his brothers before the Book of Exodus takes place. (1:1-4)

Assir
     A Levite. A son of Korath. (6:24)

Baal Zephon
     A place in Egypt. It is located near the last place where the Israelites stopped before they crossed the Red Sea. (14:2,9)

Benjamin
     One of the twelve sons of Jacob/Israel, and the head of one of the subdivisions of the Israelites. He relocated to Egypt along with his brothers before the Book of Exodus takes place. (1:1-3)

Bezeleel (also called Bezelel)
     A Judite. The son of Uri. He was a craftsman appointed to construct the tabernacle and its equipment. (31:2-11; 35:30-35; 36:1-2; 37:1; 38:22)

Bezelel (also called Bezeleel)
     A Judite. The son of Uri. He was a craftsman appointed to construct the tabernacle and its equipment. (31:2-11; 35:30-35; 36:1-2; 37:1; 38:22)

Canaan
     The promised land. God promised the Israelites that they would someday have a nation there. (6:4; 15:15; 16:35) But for now, during the Book of Exodus, the land was lived in by various tribes, including Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. (3:8,17; 13:5; 23:23; 33:2; 34:11)

Canaanites
     The people who live in the land of Canaan. They have various subdivisions, including Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. (3:8,17; 13:5; 23:23; 33:2; 34:11)

Carmi
     A son of Reuben. (6:14)

Census
     The counting of people in tribes. (30:12)

Cherub (plural: cherubim)
     A type of angel. Pictures of cherubim were decorations on the cover of the ark of the covenant (25:18-20; 37:7-9), the curtain of the tabernacle (26:1; 36:8), and the veil (26:31; 36:35) God spoke to Moses between the cherubim of the ark. (25:22)

Dan
     One of the twelve sons of Jacob/Israel, and the head of one of the subdivisions of the Israelites. He relocated to Egypt along with his brothers before the Book of Exodus takes place. (1:1-4) His subdivision of the Israelites was called the Danites.

Danites
     A subdivision of the Israelites that is descended from Dan, one of Jacob/Israel's sons. Ahisamach and Aholiab were Danites. (31:6; 35:34; 38:23)

Day of Atonement
     The annual day of purgation for the tabernacle and its people. Its sacrifices consist solely of sin offerings. (30:10)

Edom
     A tribe that lives near the land of Canaan. (15:15)

Edomites
     The people of the tribe of Edom. (15:15)

Egypt
     The land where the first 12 chapters of the Book of Exodus take place. It was located along the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It was bordered by the Red Sea on the east.
     Before the Book of Exodus began, Jacob/Israel's family relocated to Egypt. The Book of Exodus picks up some years after Genesis ended. Jacob and his sons were now dead. They had left behind descendants. The descendants of Jacob/Israel were called "Israelites" or "Hebrews". The Israelites were many, and Egypt became filled with them.
     Years later, Egypt had a new pharaoh, who didn't know Jacob's nuclear family. He saw that the Israelites were too numerous, and could be a threat. So he made a law that the Israelites were to be slaves. They remained slaves until they were finally freed in chapter 12.

Eleazar
     A child of Aaron by his wife Elisheba. (6:23) He married a daughter of Putiel. They had one child, Phineas (also called Phinehas). (6:25) He and his brothers were appointed to serve as priests with his father. (28:1,40-43)

Eliezer
     The second son of Moses and Zipporah. (18:3-4)

Elisheba
     The daughter of Aminidab. She became Aaron's wife. She bore him Nadab, Abihu, Ithamar, and Eleazar. (6:23)

Elkanah
     A Levite. A son of Korah. (6:24)

Elzaphan
     A Levite. A son of Uzziel. (6:22)

Ephod
     One of the garments worn by the high priest of the tabernacle. (28:4) It was made of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet fine-twisted linen. (28:6)

Etham
     A place where the Israelites camped after leaving Succoth. (13:20)

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