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The Bible for Normal People #2
Exodus for Normal People: A Guide to the Story—and History—of the Second Book of the Bible
Behind the scenes of movies like The Ten Commandments, The Prince of Egypt, or Gods and Kings is a complicated, and at times, messy biblical story. In this short guide to the book of Exodus, Biblical scholar Peter Enns doesn't just break down the story for the average person to understand but takes us behind the story—to the history and traditions that led us to the story as we have it today. By asking the important questions like, “What kind of book are we reading?” and taking us along Moses's and the Israelite journey, Enns brings the best in biblical scholarship to us everyday people. And, as we have come to expect from Pete Enns, he does it with his usual humor and wit.
"Pete Enns does it again! In Exodus for Normal People, he provides us with a roadmap for understanding the book of Exodus through the lens of what concerned ancient people. He makes accessible the best of biblical scholarship with humor and insight, reminding us to respect Scripture in all its complexities. A hard task that Pete makes look simple."Richard Rohr, author of The Universal Christ, Falling Upward, and Things Scripture as Spirituality
“Enns is a gem! And actually quite he’s equal parts brilliant and witty, wise and humorous. He’s exactly the kind of guide the rest of us, far more “normal people” need when it comes to the Bible, the Book of Exodus included.”Brent A. Strawn D. Moody Smith Distinguished Professor of Old Testament and Professor of Law, Duke University
"Enns helps readers to understand Exodus as responding to ancient Israel's questions of identity, theology, and history, to raise their own questions, and frequently to laugh out loud."Amy-Jill Levine, Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies, Vanderbilt Divinity School; coauthor of The Meaning of the What the Jewish Scriptures and Christian Old Testament Can Teach Us
"The title says it all—this is a wonderful introduction to the text, themes, and meaning of the Bible's second book for normal people—those who are curious about the Bible, but never dove deeply into the text. In a clever, chatty, and casual style, Pete Enns interprets Exodus as 'mythicized history,' written in 'the religious language of a tribalistic, Iron Age society,' making contemporary biblical scholarship, based on archeology and study of the ancient Near East, interesting and accessible."Marc Brettler, Ph.D, Professor in Judaic Studies, Duke University; author of How to Read the Bible
"Pete Enns is a real scholar who doesn't write like one—thank heavens. He writes with knowledge of the scholarship but in the language of a thoughtful layperson. Reading Enns one feels like the author is having a personal chat with his reader. He is smart, learned, and witty. In a normal."Richard Elliott Friedman, Ph.D, Professor of Jewish Studies, University of Georgia; author of The Exodus and Who Wrote the Bible?
“Entertaining and informative! A seasoned biblical pro—Pete Enns—knows Exodus as well as anyone. Enns communicates one of the most important biblical stories in such a manner that even “normal” people can enter its pages and wrestle with the challenges critical biblical scholarship poses. Moreover, he does so with humor and grace. Thisis a gift!”Emerson Powery, Ph.D. Professor of Biblical Studies, Messiah University
"Pete Enns does it again! In Exodus for Normal People, he provides us with a roadmap for understanding the book of Exodus through the lens of what concerned ancient people. He makes accessible the best of biblical scholarship with humor and insight, reminding us to respect Scripture in all its complexities. A hard task that Pete makes look simple."Richard Rohr, author of The Universal Christ, Falling Upward, and Things Scripture as Spirituality
“Enns is a gem! And actually quite he’s equal parts brilliant and witty, wise and humorous. He’s exactly the kind of guide the rest of us, far more “normal people” need when it comes to the Bible, the Book of Exodus included.”Brent A. Strawn D. Moody Smith Distinguished Professor of Old Testament and Professor of Law, Duke University
"Enns helps readers to understand Exodus as responding to ancient Israel's questions of identity, theology, and history, to raise their own questions, and frequently to laugh out loud."Amy-Jill Levine, Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies, Vanderbilt Divinity School; coauthor of The Meaning of the What the Jewish Scriptures and Christian Old Testament Can Teach Us
"The title says it all—this is a wonderful introduction to the text, themes, and meaning of the Bible's second book for normal people—those who are curious about the Bible, but never dove deeply into the text. In a clever, chatty, and casual style, Pete Enns interprets Exodus as 'mythicized history,' written in 'the religious language of a tribalistic, Iron Age society,' making contemporary biblical scholarship, based on archeology and study of the ancient Near East, interesting and accessible."Marc Brettler, Ph.D, Professor in Judaic Studies, Duke University; author of How to Read the Bible
"Pete Enns is a real scholar who doesn't write like one—thank heavens. He writes with knowledge of the scholarship but in the language of a thoughtful layperson. Reading Enns one feels like the author is having a personal chat with his reader. He is smart, learned, and witty. In a normal."Richard Elliott Friedman, Ph.D, Professor of Jewish Studies, University of Georgia; author of The Exodus and Who Wrote the Bible?
“Entertaining and informative! A seasoned biblical pro—Pete Enns—knows Exodus as well as anyone. Enns communicates one of the most important biblical stories in such a manner that even “normal” people can enter its pages and wrestle with the challenges critical biblical scholarship poses. Moreover, he does so with humor and grace. Thisis a gift!”Emerson Powery, Ph.D. Professor of Biblical Studies, Messiah University
206 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 17, 2021
84 people are currently reading
409 people want to read
About the author
Peter Enns
76 books736 followersPeter Enns is Abram S. Clemens Professor of Biblical Studies at Eastern University, St. Davids, Pennsylvania. He has taught courses at several other institutions including Harvard University, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Princeton Theological Seminary. Enns is a frequent contributor to journals and encyclopedias and is the author of several books, including Inspiration and Incarnation, The Evolution of Adam, and The Bible Tells Me So.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
January 27, 2021
As the title implies, this book is for "Normal People," i.e., not specifically for academics or theology nerds. The foundational approach and assumption made by Pete Enns is the documentary hypothesis (DH) accepted by most credible biblical scholars in understanding in explaining the compilation and editing of the Pentateuch.
For those who are already familiar with DH, there isn't anything terribly surprising with anything in the book. I think the contents are a great introduction and overview in showing how DH (although Pete doesn't identify it as such) explains the duplications, the contradictions, and general confusion that is present in the book of Exodus.
Pete's use of the term "mythicized history" to explain the construct and intent of Exodus is helpful in seeing that the intent of Exodus is not to relate actual, literal history, but rather to communicate applied theology (for post-exilic Jews) using their past as demonstrations of God's faithfulness in spite of continued unfaithfulness of the people. These stories of the past are kernels of historical events in their collective memory, mythicized into a grand narrative.
The light humor and frequent asides break up the writing and keep the reading quick and enjoyable.
For me, I found the occasional charts and diagrams helpful in understanding the structure and patterns of some of the more "strange" (and not so strange) parts of Exodus and getting a better sense of what the editor was attempting to preserve and communicate.
Even though the book is fairly introductory material, it offers a good concise overview that I highly recommend.
For those who are already familiar with DH, there isn't anything terribly surprising with anything in the book. I think the contents are a great introduction and overview in showing how DH (although Pete doesn't identify it as such) explains the duplications, the contradictions, and general confusion that is present in the book of Exodus.
Pete's use of the term "mythicized history" to explain the construct and intent of Exodus is helpful in seeing that the intent of Exodus is not to relate actual, literal history, but rather to communicate applied theology (for post-exilic Jews) using their past as demonstrations of God's faithfulness in spite of continued unfaithfulness of the people. These stories of the past are kernels of historical events in their collective memory, mythicized into a grand narrative.
The light humor and frequent asides break up the writing and keep the reading quick and enjoyable.
For me, I found the occasional charts and diagrams helpful in understanding the structure and patterns of some of the more "strange" (and not so strange) parts of Exodus and getting a better sense of what the editor was attempting to preserve and communicate.
Even though the book is fairly introductory material, it offers a good concise overview that I highly recommend.
November 4, 2021
I am so thankful for scholars like Peter Enns that rigorously study and breakdown ancient texts like the Hebrew Bible. In my faith journey, I came to a point where I was absolutely perplexed by the Bible. "I believe this?!" was a thought that regularly came up in my mind. However, as I have dived into scripture and gained a better understanding of the Hebrew culture, and how scripture was crafted, I have gained such a great appreciation for these ancient texts.
Peter Enns does a great job at this. He points out that Exodus was likely crafted by a number of writers many years after the events of Exodus occurred. As a result, there are many interesting take-aways and lessons that are brought to light in the Exodus story. To me, a powerful message of Exodus is that the LORD will redeem His people. I also really appreciated the explanation of how the instructions to build the Tabernacle were a "re-telling" of the story of the creation. Like the story of Adam and Eve who fell, the Israelites "fell" when built the golden calf. Regardless, the LORD provided a plan for the redemption of His people. This is particular interesting for me as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, given the unique aspect of our worship in modern-day temples.
Finally, I found one particular passage in the book particularly enlightening that somewhat summarizes the book's approach at understanding Exodus. At the end of the day, it is difficult to understand everything that actually occurred, but that is not necessarily the purpose of Exodus - there is much more for us to gain with its content:
"I don't read the exodus story as literal history but as a genuine [d]epiction of God by people of faith using the only language they have available to them. . . . It was written by real people who thought about the world in certain ways that made sense to them. Our task is to accept the responsibility of connecting that ancient text with our own time and place. This is what it means to 'do theology.'"
Peter Enns does a great job at this. He points out that Exodus was likely crafted by a number of writers many years after the events of Exodus occurred. As a result, there are many interesting take-aways and lessons that are brought to light in the Exodus story. To me, a powerful message of Exodus is that the LORD will redeem His people. I also really appreciated the explanation of how the instructions to build the Tabernacle were a "re-telling" of the story of the creation. Like the story of Adam and Eve who fell, the Israelites "fell" when built the golden calf. Regardless, the LORD provided a plan for the redemption of His people. This is particular interesting for me as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, given the unique aspect of our worship in modern-day temples.
Finally, I found one particular passage in the book particularly enlightening that somewhat summarizes the book's approach at understanding Exodus. At the end of the day, it is difficult to understand everything that actually occurred, but that is not necessarily the purpose of Exodus - there is much more for us to gain with its content:
"I don't read the exodus story as literal history but as a genuine [d]epiction of God by people of faith using the only language they have available to them. . . . It was written by real people who thought about the world in certain ways that made sense to them. Our task is to accept the responsibility of connecting that ancient text with our own time and place. This is what it means to 'do theology.'"
March 26, 2021
Summary: Exodus is mythicized history. There is a kernel of history that the authors build a narrative around to communicate their points. For example, while Israel was probably in Egypt at some point in their history, the authors declare through plagues and deliverance that God is bringing about salvation and a new people out of the chaos. Enns does not deny the possibility of miracles or the events described, but he states the book seems to point to the mythicized history as most plausible.
I have no problem with this idea. While it sounds like heresy, there are an abundance of clues in the text pointing to a creative fabrication in order to make a certain point. For some reason, literal history is a sacred cow. I feel many, and I once held the perspective, that the events had to happen as described in order for what the author was saying to be true. It is not about truth, but style and genre and ways of communicating.
Enns view seems to make sense of many of the Iron Age- tribal, war like views of God depicted in the OT. If the authors were adding to the histories to make a point, it makes sense that their additions would reflect how they saw the world.
What do we make of this as modern day students of the Bible and followers of Jesus? Discernment, Spirit leadings, and an embrace of theological wrestling between aged centuries and cultures and ours today.
One final note, Enns idea about what the Bible and the book of Exodus are is compelling, his commentary over Exodus, however, was weak and void of much striking insight. Lot of fluff.
I have no problem with this idea. While it sounds like heresy, there are an abundance of clues in the text pointing to a creative fabrication in order to make a certain point. For some reason, literal history is a sacred cow. I feel many, and I once held the perspective, that the events had to happen as described in order for what the author was saying to be true. It is not about truth, but style and genre and ways of communicating.
Enns view seems to make sense of many of the Iron Age- tribal, war like views of God depicted in the OT. If the authors were adding to the histories to make a point, it makes sense that their additions would reflect how they saw the world.
What do we make of this as modern day students of the Bible and followers of Jesus? Discernment, Spirit leadings, and an embrace of theological wrestling between aged centuries and cultures and ours today.
One final note, Enns idea about what the Bible and the book of Exodus are is compelling, his commentary over Exodus, however, was weak and void of much striking insight. Lot of fluff.
January 29, 2021
I honestly never thought that I'd be interested in reading a book analyzing Exodus, but E4NP made for a good read thanks to the interesting perspective and sarcastic wit of the author.
In his simple explanation, Pete uses the concept of mythicized history to explain this book of the Bible and made some observations and asked several questions that I had never thought about, three of which are below:
1) Exodus gives us the names of midwives but leaves the Pharaoh anonymous so that history remembers the women while the divine king is forgotten and shamed).
2) God rewards the midwives for lying to the Pharaoh. Pete observed that marginalized people had to be "courageously clever" to combat absolute power.
3) The Book of Exodus clearly endorses slavery, from which Pete concludes "theology can never rest on Bible verses. In fact, it never has. Theology has always been more than cutting and pasting passages into our lives. It has been about building a discerning connection between ancient and modern times."
In his simple explanation, Pete uses the concept of mythicized history to explain this book of the Bible and made some observations and asked several questions that I had never thought about, three of which are below:
1) Exodus gives us the names of midwives but leaves the Pharaoh anonymous so that history remembers the women while the divine king is forgotten and shamed).
2) God rewards the midwives for lying to the Pharaoh. Pete observed that marginalized people had to be "courageously clever" to combat absolute power.
3) The Book of Exodus clearly endorses slavery, from which Pete concludes "theology can never rest on Bible verses. In fact, it never has. Theology has always been more than cutting and pasting passages into our lives. It has been about building a discerning connection between ancient and modern times."
November 2, 2023
I can certainly accept Enns basic premise: We need to read the Old Testament through ancient eyes to be able to understand it, yet I found myself unconvinced by some of his other claims.
-First five books were compiled/written 6th century by multiple editors/authors
I certainly find the different literary styles and the repeated but different accounts of events unsettling. Different traditions later compiled are a possible explanation, but it is also true that repetition is common in ancient texts (Karnek Stela and Gabel Stela). Also scholarly writing in Egypt is known to use an older writing style than that which was current. Enns points out the different names for God as an evidence, but the Code of Hammurabi refers to Istar in two different ways.
-Exodus as Mythacized History (Myth used according the scholarly definition of a story of the relationship between gods and men) Exodus has Historical Roots with fictionalized details.
I don’t find this beyond the realm of possibility, but it also seems possible that written and oral records were well kept under the leadership of a literate and conscientious Moses.
Worth a read whether you find Enns’s interpretation compelling or not. The study guide portion’s insights and cross references alone are enough to make me read Exodus through new eyes.
-First five books were compiled/written 6th century by multiple editors/authors
I certainly find the different literary styles and the repeated but different accounts of events unsettling. Different traditions later compiled are a possible explanation, but it is also true that repetition is common in ancient texts (Karnek Stela and Gabel Stela). Also scholarly writing in Egypt is known to use an older writing style than that which was current. Enns points out the different names for God as an evidence, but the Code of Hammurabi refers to Istar in two different ways.
-Exodus as Mythacized History (Myth used according the scholarly definition of a story of the relationship between gods and men) Exodus has Historical Roots with fictionalized details.
I don’t find this beyond the realm of possibility, but it also seems possible that written and oral records were well kept under the leadership of a literate and conscientious Moses.
Worth a read whether you find Enns’s interpretation compelling or not. The study guide portion’s insights and cross references alone are enough to make me read Exodus through new eyes.
January 19, 2025
*3.5 This is another great commentary in the Pete Enns style with all the pluses and minuses that come with that. It’s a great overview of Exodus that hits a lot of the main points. I wish at various points he would have been less joke-y and spend a little more time analyzing, but otherwise it was solid.
March 21, 2025
I read this as a contextual companion alongside a number of other more typical commentaries while preaching a sermon series through Exodus. I really appreciate Enns and his commitment to providing an accessible exploration of scripture that never shies away from intellectual, historical, or literary honesty in order to prop up traditionally accepted biblical themes.
May 13, 2024
I appreciate how hard Pete works to make sure that us “normal people” can access, understand, and appreciate scripture. Gatekeeping scripture is so common as a way to keep us at arms lengths and blindly following our faith leaders. Pete’s work helps us to see that scripture is much deeper and needs more discernment, but we can ALL access it independently, and we shouldn’t allow any of it to be presented at face value.
Some folks might not LIKE the way Pete shares scripture with us, but they certainly cannot claim that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
I hope he keeps writing these for us normal people.
Some folks might not LIKE the way Pete shares scripture with us, but they certainly cannot claim that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
I hope he keeps writing these for us normal people.
November 13, 2025
Aside from a few blunders, this is a fantastic introduction to this important book. I will be recommending it to lay members of my church. Enns: we've almost got all of the evangelical out of you😌
October 24, 2021
I read this book along with another, more traditional commentary on Exodus. This book doesn't provide verse-by-verse commentary, but instead provides summaries, themes, and highlights items of interest for people like Enns (a believing biblical scholar, not a pastor.)
I've read previous books by Enns and like his stuff, but the title "Exodus for Normal People" is a bit misleading. The title stems from his podcast, but what Enns likes to focus on would not usually be considered the interest of normal people. Enns focuses a lot of this short book on the confusing and problematic aspects of Exodus, and shows how it was written a very long time after the Exodus events transpired, using multiple, sometimes contradicting traditions as sources. Convincing and interesting, but maybe not for normal people, especially when you consider that some of the traditional exegesis has to be cut to make room for these topics.
Frankly I was a little concerned at the beginning of this book, which had Enns digging in Exodus and uncovering sections that he could connect some of todays front page social justice issues. Hey, he has a podcast, he knows his followers. But he verges on being too on the nose when it came finding excerpts that would address todays issues, and the specificity means that his thoughts might have limited use. Fortunately, once he got into the main text of Exodus, his scholarly ways took over.
Another gripe- he tries to hard to be funny in the text. I don't remember the quip-a-sentence style in "For the Bible Tells Me So." Its odd when juxtaposed with the scholarly investigations into minutia.
I still think this book has a lot of value, you just need to ignore the jokes and the pick up a more detailed commentary if you haven't studied Exodus before.
Final Note: the copies of his book being sold on Amazon as of Sept. 2021 were misprint- and italicized "d" instead shows up as a filled circle. Very annoying.
I've read previous books by Enns and like his stuff, but the title "Exodus for Normal People" is a bit misleading. The title stems from his podcast, but what Enns likes to focus on would not usually be considered the interest of normal people. Enns focuses a lot of this short book on the confusing and problematic aspects of Exodus, and shows how it was written a very long time after the Exodus events transpired, using multiple, sometimes contradicting traditions as sources. Convincing and interesting, but maybe not for normal people, especially when you consider that some of the traditional exegesis has to be cut to make room for these topics.
Frankly I was a little concerned at the beginning of this book, which had Enns digging in Exodus and uncovering sections that he could connect some of todays front page social justice issues. Hey, he has a podcast, he knows his followers. But he verges on being too on the nose when it came finding excerpts that would address todays issues, and the specificity means that his thoughts might have limited use. Fortunately, once he got into the main text of Exodus, his scholarly ways took over.
Another gripe- he tries to hard to be funny in the text. I don't remember the quip-a-sentence style in "For the Bible Tells Me So." Its odd when juxtaposed with the scholarly investigations into minutia.
I still think this book has a lot of value, you just need to ignore the jokes and the pick up a more detailed commentary if you haven't studied Exodus before.
Final Note: the copies of his book being sold on Amazon as of Sept. 2021 were misprint- and italicized "d" instead shows up as a filled circle. Very annoying.
October 6, 2023
Enns is a liberal who hates the God of Scripture and his Word. He doesn’t like the “mean old god” of ancient tribal societies, because God isn’t like that. He loves everyone and would never glory in destroying the Egyptians. Most of this story never really happened. The plagues were just a literary invention, the Red Sea story was added later and is fictitious, the tabernacle was made up by post exhilic priests remembering the glory days of the temple…etc.
Nonetheless, these kinds of commentators also tend to be the best at picking up literary connections and actually make some good points.
- connecting Gershom’s circumcision in Ex. 4 to the Passover.
- seeing the cycle of 3 3s for the first 9 plagues culminating in the “eye for eye” judgment in the tenth.
- recognizing the creation pattern replaying repeatedly in the book, especially with the building of the tabernacle.
- recognizing that Sinai is a microcosm of the world and that the tabernacle is a symbolic “portable Sinai”.
- noticing the relation between the Golden calf incident and the inspection of jealousy in Num. 5.
Good to pick through, but frustrating as well.
Nonetheless, these kinds of commentators also tend to be the best at picking up literary connections and actually make some good points.
- connecting Gershom’s circumcision in Ex. 4 to the Passover.
- seeing the cycle of 3 3s for the first 9 plagues culminating in the “eye for eye” judgment in the tenth.
- recognizing the creation pattern replaying repeatedly in the book, especially with the building of the tabernacle.
- recognizing that Sinai is a microcosm of the world and that the tabernacle is a symbolic “portable Sinai”.
- noticing the relation between the Golden calf incident and the inspection of jealousy in Num. 5.
Good to pick through, but frustrating as well.
July 28, 2022
Another excellent book in the "for normal people" series, this time looking at the book of Exodus.
Enns brings his usual humour, gentle mockery (including of himself) and insightful biblical scholarship and commentary to one of the best known Old Testament books.
He explains how different authors within the book have been included by the editor to tell a greater narrative, even with at times different perspectives.
Most helpful to me was his explanation of "mythicized history" - ancient stories that are rooted in some way in history but told as story with a focus on meaning, rather than a pure recording of history, free from interpretation.
He differentiates this from historicized myth (or historical fiction).
He brings the stories to life and frees us from the need to be overly literal about every recorded event, while appreciating the stories are told from a people's historical roots, deeply infused with meaning that modern readers too easily miss when we don't go beyond chariots being drowned in the sea because one God is bigger than the others.
Enns brings his usual humour, gentle mockery (including of himself) and insightful biblical scholarship and commentary to one of the best known Old Testament books.
He explains how different authors within the book have been included by the editor to tell a greater narrative, even with at times different perspectives.
Most helpful to me was his explanation of "mythicized history" - ancient stories that are rooted in some way in history but told as story with a focus on meaning, rather than a pure recording of history, free from interpretation.
He differentiates this from historicized myth (or historical fiction).
He brings the stories to life and frees us from the need to be overly literal about every recorded event, while appreciating the stories are told from a people's historical roots, deeply infused with meaning that modern readers too easily miss when we don't go beyond chariots being drowned in the sea because one God is bigger than the others.
June 16, 2022
I have always appreciated Pete Enns and the B4NP, and there is nothing in this book that I specifically disagree with, including the documentary hypothesis and concept of mythicized history. Still, at times I felt the connections between this narrative and other themes in the Bible, especially creation, were a little stretched and overdone.
Overall, this book was not what I expected: I would have liked a more scholarly and thorough approach to Exodus, not necessarily verse by verse, but more than the very broad-brush strokes offered here. Lastly, while I appreciate Pete’s humour and sarcasm, at times it is repetitive and overdone.
All in all, a quick read, and an overview of Exodus written by a man who knows his stuff, and presents enough “fun facts” and passion for the Bible to make the book a nice, light read. The Kindle version is available for a couple of bucks, affordable for all.
Overall, this book was not what I expected: I would have liked a more scholarly and thorough approach to Exodus, not necessarily verse by verse, but more than the very broad-brush strokes offered here. Lastly, while I appreciate Pete’s humour and sarcasm, at times it is repetitive and overdone.
All in all, a quick read, and an overview of Exodus written by a man who knows his stuff, and presents enough “fun facts” and passion for the Bible to make the book a nice, light read. The Kindle version is available for a couple of bucks, affordable for all.
January 31, 2023
My college professor in anatomy and neuroscience introduced me to Pete Enns about 8 years ago. I was struggling holding onto the Christian faith I grew up with, so my professor directed me to some of Enns’ early work. His work, and others like it, have enabled me to continue being a Christian seeker.
This book was an enjoyable read on the topic of the second book of the Old Testament and I gained a greater appreciation for the themes Exodus sets up for the rest of the Bible. I found it a bit frustrating that there weren’t more “answers” from Enns on some of the difficult to swallow depictions of God. But that’s part of his point isn’t it… allowing tension and mystery.
I have my copy of the book all marked up and underlined. So definitely will be revisiting it to further allow the ideas and themes to sink in.
This book was an enjoyable read on the topic of the second book of the Old Testament and I gained a greater appreciation for the themes Exodus sets up for the rest of the Bible. I found it a bit frustrating that there weren’t more “answers” from Enns on some of the difficult to swallow depictions of God. But that’s part of his point isn’t it… allowing tension and mystery.
I have my copy of the book all marked up and underlined. So definitely will be revisiting it to further allow the ideas and themes to sink in.
March 14, 2024
I was a bit worried going into this since Peter Enns is a Christian and the Christian scholars I grew up with were notorious for either making stuff up or being antisemitic (except my one Pastor. Forever grateful for that man). I was pleasantly suprised at how well Exodus was handled. The analyzation of the text had some things I already knew, but did a really good job at drawing parallels I had never thought of on my own - but of course were there for a people who were meant to study this text year after year. I often get frustrated at how Christian and biased Christian teachers/authors are against Judiasm, but there was none of that here (at least as far as I could tell), and that was really refreshing.
I'll be continuing to read up on Biblical scholarship, as well as checking out the other Bible for Normal People books.
I'll be continuing to read up on Biblical scholarship, as well as checking out the other Bible for Normal People books.
May 13, 2025
I really like Peter Enns' books - they make me think in more broad terms about the Bible and the actual possibilities it presents (and therefore, God's unlimited and infinite capabilities and power).
I find it hilarious that other reviewers scoff at Enn's humor throughout this book! I found it funny and was chuckling to myself at work while listening to this. Humor is seriously needed if Exodus is to be practically told to "normal people." After all, God wasn't an entirely serious and straight-faced person (Jesus joked, too).
This was fascinating. difficult to follow as an audiobook so I'd recommend the paperback. Definitely not very helpful for "normal people", but rather for "curious new Christians" or "questioning people who may have previously considered themselves Christian."
I find it hilarious that other reviewers scoff at Enn's humor throughout this book! I found it funny and was chuckling to myself at work while listening to this. Humor is seriously needed if Exodus is to be practically told to "normal people." After all, God wasn't an entirely serious and straight-faced person (Jesus joked, too).
This was fascinating. difficult to follow as an audiobook so I'd recommend the paperback. Definitely not very helpful for "normal people", but rather for "curious new Christians" or "questioning people who may have previously considered themselves Christian."
April 19, 2021
If you're read Pete Enns' other books, you already know his writing style and his general philosophy about the Bible, namely that it reflects a human understanding of God from the time it was written or edited rather than unchangeable truth. If you like his other writings you'll like this book, and if you don't you won't.
What I appreciated most about this book was his framing of salvation as being connected with re-creation. That has given me plenty to think about and something I will look for when I read Scripture. And I enjoyed how Enns made Exodus interesting — will he be able to do the same with Numbers and Deuteronomy? If anyone can, he can.
What I appreciated most about this book was his framing of salvation as being connected with re-creation. That has given me plenty to think about and something I will look for when I read Scripture. And I enjoyed how Enns made Exodus interesting — will he be able to do the same with Numbers and Deuteronomy? If anyone can, he can.
December 31, 2024
Not much to say that I didn't say for Genesis4NP .
It is so impressive to find a fun and widely accessible way to connect to Exodus which is real hard to do in its back half. Enns admits that it is where most people stop in their daunting "read-throughs" of the Bible, and if not there, then when the same things come up in the following two books.
Where Genesis4NP didn't touch too much upon source criticism, this was something Exodus4NP dipped its toes into in a very effective way. It is always something interesting to point to, and that, alongside the rule to always relate the story to its intended audiences, is really the force behind making Exodus something worth reading about.
It is so impressive to find a fun and widely accessible way to connect to Exodus which is real hard to do in its back half. Enns admits that it is where most people stop in their daunting "read-throughs" of the Bible, and if not there, then when the same things come up in the following two books.
Where Genesis4NP didn't touch too much upon source criticism, this was something Exodus4NP dipped its toes into in a very effective way. It is always something interesting to point to, and that, alongside the rule to always relate the story to its intended audiences, is really the force behind making Exodus something worth reading about.
January 9, 2025
The Pentateuch (especially Exodus) is the part of the Bible that always leads to more confusion than explanation of God's character for me. Why would God call the Israelites out of slavery and then give them instructions relating to slave ownership? Why isn't there historical evidence that the Israelites wandered the wilderness for 40 years?
Enns does an excellent job of acknowledging the issues that us 21st century readers have with this complex book of the Bible. It by no means settles every question you could have about Exodus, rather, it is a jumping off point for truly understanding the book in its cultural and historical context.
Enns does an excellent job of acknowledging the issues that us 21st century readers have with this complex book of the Bible. It by no means settles every question you could have about Exodus, rather, it is a jumping off point for truly understanding the book in its cultural and historical context.
January 19, 2025
Written from a mainstream christian perspective by a scholar who is particlary respected on Exodus.
Written in a conversational style - this is a easy reading introduction to non-evangelical, academic understandings of Exodus.
You will probably really like it, if you are new to biblical study, or an evangelical open to being challanged on what the bible really says.
A critique on historicity, while Enns talks of "historical kernal" and "cultural memory" which is a thouroughly mainstream position; for further study he recommends Hoffmeier’s book, which is defintly right of center, and out of step with well established academic consensus.
Written in a conversational style - this is a easy reading introduction to non-evangelical, academic understandings of Exodus.
You will probably really like it, if you are new to biblical study, or an evangelical open to being challanged on what the bible really says.
A critique on historicity, while Enns talks of "historical kernal" and "cultural memory" which is a thouroughly mainstream position; for further study he recommends Hoffmeier’s book, which is defintly right of center, and out of step with well established academic consensus.
May 7, 2024
This book was not as good as Genesis for Normal People, perhaps just because the flow of Exodus (particularly after the parting of the Red Sea) is a bit more convoluted than the flow of Genesis. This made for a reading/explanation that is less linear and just a bit harder to follow at times. I really did value the information that the book gave and I enjoy Peter Enns’ writing style a lot. I feel like I understand more about Exodus. I definitely came away from each reading session struck by something new or interesting and I can’t ask for much else from a book.
May 15, 2024
I love Peter Enns's writing style. His sarcastic wit, sometimes tongue-in-cheek style, and genuine and loving nature remind me of my dad. Through his writing, I gain insight into scripture while feeling like I'm receiving wisdom from my father. Unlike my dad, who would be 105 now, Enns is my contemporary, which adds a unique and relatable perspective. Enns' work through The Bible for Normal People https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com is an excellent resource for Christian readers seeking to approach scripture with a fresh perspective.
May 2, 2025
Read this for bible study, one chapter a week. We had thought we’d move faster as the chapters are relatively short, but Enns packs a lot to ponder and discuss into each chapter, sparking lots of interesting and thoughtful conversations. Enns’ writing is definitely aimed at at those who aren’t up for scholarly exegesis, yet he thoroughly explains the complexities of the text, the fact that there was probably more than one author, and may have been written in more than one time period. His humor keeps the book moving at a good clip.
April 8, 2024
I binge read all the audiobooks in this series that I could get access to, and I really wish they had more. The only thing that I don't like about these is they will 1-3 times in the book slip in a subtle woke comment, and it just ruins the entire book and damages their credibility. It's probably the one thing that makes me debate if I would collect physical copies of these books, especially since I put copious notes in my journaling bible from these books.
April 30, 2024
Some of this was explained well and some of it went over my head. I’m sure that’s because the book is meant to be “short and sweet”. I needed elaboration on some of the concepts because the history is complicated. It’s a tough book of the Bible to tackle so I’m glad I read this, but I don’t know that I would recommend it for answers. It leans more into history and culture than commentary in my opinion.
3.5
3.5
March 29, 2021
I love the way Pete Enns writes. Packed with information in a scholarly way and yet dumbed down for this common layperson to grasp. This quote stood out as a good way to understand how Exodus (and other ancient books - Bible or not) are to be read: "Logical consistency or getting the facts straight was not high priority for the ancient scribe -- but honoring a diverse religious tradition was."
December 5, 2023
Reality vs metaphors and symbolism
He we face what the original text says in the closer real time frame. We have the tabernacle and the previous " tent of meeting " to guide Moses and later Joshua.
Here we have the real story of the creation of Israel that that drives Judaism and Christianity today.
Like Genesis ,worth reading together to see the whole story
He we face what the original text says in the closer real time frame. We have the tabernacle and the previous " tent of meeting " to guide Moses and later Joshua.
Here we have the real story of the creation of Israel that that drives Judaism and Christianity today.
Like Genesis ,worth reading together to see the whole story
October 19, 2025
Enns has a wonderful way of making the biblical world come alive, without taking away from the hard questions that brush up against our modern sensibilities. He goes through exodus in the way the actual story is laid out, not just by chapters, which may seem small but it is incredibly helpful for getting the flow of the exodus story. Will be returning to this in the future.
April 25, 2021
Great short super readable introduction to book of Exodus. Pete Enns digs in and shows things from the text that most if us miss. Things like, multiple accounts of the same story, parallels between creation and the exodus etc. Recommended.
February 2, 2022
One of the finer points of this book that the casual reader might miss is that Pete believes Exodus to have been compiled from various sources. It is a subtle point, but if you read carefully you may find it.
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