INTRODUCTION TO THE
PENTATEUCH
The first five books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) form a complete literary unit called the Pentateuch, meaning “five scrolls.” The five independent books of the Pentateuch were written as an unbroken unity in content and historical sequence, with each succeeding book beginning where the former left off.
The first words of Genesis, “In the beginning God created” (Gen. 1:1) imply the reality of God’s eternal or “before time” existence and announce the spectacular transition to time and space. While the exact date of creation cannot be determined, it certainly would be estimated to be thousands of years ago, not millions. Starting with Abraham (c. 2165–1990 B.C.) in Genesis 11, this book of beginnings spans over 300 years to the death of Joseph in Egypt (c. 1804 B.C.). There is then another gap of almost 300 years until the birth of Moses in Egypt (c. 1525 B.C.; Ex. 2).
Exodus begins with the words, “Now these are the names” (Ex. 1:1), listing those of the family of Jacob who went down to Egypt to be with Joseph toward the end of Genesis (Gen. 46ff.). The second book of the Pentateuch, which records the escape of the Israelites from Egypt, concludes when the cloud which led the people through the wilderness descends upon the newly constructed tabernacle.
The first Hebrew words of Leviticus may be translated, “Now the LORD called to Moses” (Lev. 1:1). From the cloud of God’s presence in the tabernacle of meeting (Lev. 1:1), God summons Moses in order to prescribe to him the ceremonial law which told Israel how they must approach their holy Lord. Leviticus concludes with, “These are the commandments which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel on Mount Sinai” (Lev. 27:34).
Numbers, much like Leviticus, begins with God commissioning Moses at the tabernacle of meeting, this time to take a census in preparation for war against Israel’s enemies. The book’s title in the Hebrew Bible accurately represents the content—“Wilderness.” Due to lack of trust in God, Israel did not want to engage its enemies militarily in order to claim the Promised Land. After forty additional years in the wilderness for their rebellion, Israel arrived on the plains of Moab.
Despite the fact that “It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea” (Deut. 1:2), the journey took Israel forty years because of their rebellion against God. Moses preached the book of Deuteronomy as a sermon on the plains of Moab in preparation for God’s people to enter the land of covenant promise (Gen. 12:1–3). The title Deuteronomy is from the Greek phrase deuteros nomos, meaning “second law.” The book focuses on the restatement and, to some extent, the reapplication of the law to Israel’s new circumstances.
Moses was the human author of the Pentateuch (Ex. 17:14; 24:4; Num. 33:1, 2; Deut. 31:9; Josh. 1:8; 2 Kin. 21:8); thus, another title for the collection is “The Books of Moses.” Through Moses, God revealed Himself, His former works, Israel’s family history, and its role in His plan of redemption for mankind. The Pentateuch is foundational to all the rest of Scripture.
Quoted or alluded to thousands of times in the OT and in the NT, the Pentateuch was Israel’s first inspired body of Scripture. For many years, this alone was Israel’s Bible. Another common title for this section of Scripture is Torah or Law, nomenclature which looks at the didactic nature of these books. The Israelites were to meditate upon it (Josh. 1:8), teach it to their children (Deut. 6:4–8), and read it publicly (Neh. 8:1ff.). Just before his death and Israel’s move into the Promised Land, Moses set forth the process by which public reading would make its way into human hearts and change their relationship with God, and ultimately their conduct: “Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the LORD your God and carefully observe all the words of this law” (Deut. 31:12).
The relationships between the commands is important. The people must: (1) gather to hear the law in order to learn what is required of them and what it has to say about God; (2) learn about the Lord in order to fear Him based on a correct understanding of who He is; and (3) fear God in order to be correctly motivated to obedience and good works. Good works performed for any other reason will be improperly motivated. The priests taught the law to the families (Mal. 2:4–7) and the parents instructed the children within the home (Deut. 6:4ff.). Instruction in the law, in short, would provide the right foundation for the OT believer’s relationship with God.
Because the Israelites’ knowledge of the world in which they lived came through the Egyptians, as well as their ancestors the Mesopotamians, there was much confusion about the creation of the world, how it got to its present state, and how Israel had come into existence. Genesis 1–11 helped Israel understand the origin and nature of creation, human labor, sin, marriage, murder, death, bigamy, judgment, the multiplicity of languages, cultures, etc. These chapters established the worldview which explained the remainder of Israel’s first Bible, the Pentateuch.
The later portion of Genesis explained to Israel who they were, including the purpose God had for them as a people. In Genesis 12:1–3, God had appeared to Abraham and made a threefold promise to give them a land, descendants, and blessing. Years later, in a ceremony typical of Abraham’s culture, God recast the threefold promise into a covenant (Gen. 15:7ff.). The remainder of Genesis treats the fulfillment of all three promises, but focuses especially on the seed or descendants. The barrenness of each of the patriarch’s chosen wives taught Israel the importance of trust and patience in waiting for children from God.
The rest of the Pentateuch looks at the way in which the promises of Genesis 12:1–3 expand in the Abrahamic covenant and achieve their initial stages of fulfillment. Exodus and Leviticus focus more on the blessing of relationship with God. In Exodus, Israel meets the God of their fathers and is led forth by Him from Egypt to the Promised Land. Leviticus underscores the meticulous care with which the people and priests were to approach God in worship and every dimension of their lives. Holiness and cleanness come together in simple and practical ways. Numbers and Deuteronomy focus on the journey to and preparation for the land. The Pentateuch treats many issues related to Israel’s relationship with their God. But the underlying theme of the Pentateuch is the initial, unfolding fulfillments of God’s promises made to Abraham.