I've read the first 15 chapters of Exodus now - familiar story (reinforced by the Hollywood movie 'The Ten Commandments'), but it is holding my interest. Some observations:
- Moses father-in-law is referred to by two different names. Was this a mistake in copying ancient manuscripts, perhaps from different sources? Or did he, like Jacob/Israel, have two different names that could be used at different times.
- The strange incident related in Exodus 4: 24-26. It doesn't seem to make sense. God has chosen and called Moses. Moses obeys and follows God's directions, setting off for Egypt to confront the Pharaoh. When he stops for the night, God confronts him and threatens to kill him. He is saved when his wife Zipporah circumsizes their son and throws it down at Moses feet. Nothing further is said about this matter at this time. I did look this up in several on-line commentaries. They all seem to agree that God is angry because Moses failed to have his younger son circumsized as required by all Hebrews. God spares his life when Zipporah does it for him.
And who is this younger son? In my reading thus far I've only found reference to the birth of one son, but it does mention that Moses took his wife and sons (plural) with him when he started toward Egypt. The commentaries all seem to think that he may have been born within weeks, or even days, of the family setting out.
- later I found myself searching for information about the time the horse was domesticated. While other animals (sheep, goats, donkey) are mentioned, there is no mention of horses until the Egyptians pursued the Hebrews with horses and chariots. Yes, I found that horses had been domesticated and used for both riding on and hauling carts by the time of the Exodus.
Where will this exercise lead me next?