Joseph was traded as a slave to the Ishmaelites by his jealous brothers. He later became second in command in Egypt. His brothers and their households were saved from the famine by entering Egypt under Joseph's protection.
A new Pharaoh took power in Egypt and saw the Israelites as a threat. He then enslaved the Israelites. God called Moses to deliver His people from the Egyptians through a burning bush. Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go, so God sent ten plagues on Egypt. During the plagues Pharaoh made life more miserable for the Israelites. God promised Moses, "I will bring you into the land I swore with uplifted hands to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession" (Exodus 6.8). In the final plague, Pharaoh's son died so he finally relented and let the Israelites go. Egyptian pursuit was thwarted by God. Moses parted the Red Sea with God's help and the Israelites were able to pass free and clear. The pursuing Egyptians all drowned in the Red Sea. The Israelites wandered through the wilderness. God continually provided food and water. .
When they reached Mount Sinai, God met Moses on the mountain. The people had Aaron make a golden calf for them to worship and say that it brought them out of Egypt. Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt" (Exodus 32.7). God desired to destroy the people, but Moses pleaded with God and He relented. God made a covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai. Then the ten commandments were given again to Moses. The Tabernacle was created to act as the center sanctuary, which included the Ark of the Covenant and the throne of God. There was no image to be made of God inside the tabernacle. God gave various instructions about how to sacrifice and how to live. Throughout their travels, the people were given different visual signs of God's presence through fire and cloud.
