éxodo

Éxodo is the Spanish title for the biblical book Exodus. It is the second book of the Torah and of the Christian Old Testament in many traditions. The book narrates the Israelites’ enslavement in Egypt, their liberation under Moses, and the journey toward the Promised Land, including the covenant at Sinai.

The central narrative follows Moses, born in Egypt, who confronts Pharaoh, leads the Israelites through a series of divine plagues, the Passover liberation, and crossing the Red Sea. In the wilderness, the people receive manna, water from the rock, and guidance. At Mount Sinai, the Law is given, including the Ten Commandments, along with detailed instructions for building the Tabernacle and for priestly duties. The episode of the Golden Calf interrupts the revelation and leads to further instructions and a renewed covenant.

Traditional Jewish and Christian traditions attribute authorship to Moses, but modern biblical scholarship regards Exodus as a composite text derived from multiple sources and later redacted, with material likely compiled and edited during the first millennium BCE, with final form by the Persian or Hellenistic periods.

The book frames liberation from oppression as a divine act and establishes the covenant relationship between God and Israel, including legal and ritual obligations, the Tabernacle, and the itinerant identity of the people. Exodus profoundly influences religious practice, liturgy, and art of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and it is closely associated with the festival of Passover.