The Exodus is the story of how Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. It includes the 10 plagues, the first Passover, the parting of the Red Sea, and one very stubborn pharaoh.
Moses is the story’s most recognizable human character, but he wasn’t working alone. His brother Aaron spoke alongside him, and his sister Miriam helped save his life before eventually becoming a leader among the people leaving Egypt.
So let’s walk through the Exodus story, with some extra attention on Miriam and the women whose courage helped make Israel’s rescue possible.
Where Is the Exodus From Egypt Story in the Bible?
The Exodus story begins, fittingly, in the first chapter of Exodus. The Israelites are enslaved in Egypt, and Pharaoh orders that their newborn boys be killed.
One of those babies is Moses. His mother places him in a basket on the Nile, where Pharaoh’s daughter finds him. Moses’ older sister, believed to be Miriam, helps arrange for their own mother to care for him.
Moses eventually grows up and leads the Israelites out of Egypt. The main story stretches through Exodus 15, where Miriam leads the women in singing and dancing after they cross the Red Sea.
A Plot Summary of the Exodus From Egypt Bible Story
- The Israelites are enslaved in Egypt. Pharaoh fears their growing population and orders that every newborn Israelite boy be killed.
- Moses’ family saves his life. His mother places him in a basket on the Nile, and his older sister, believed to be Miriam, watches over him. Pharaoh’s daughter finds Moses and raises him in the royal household.
- God calls Moses to return to Egypt. Years later, God speaks to Moses through the burning bush and sends him to lead the Israelites out of slavery. Moses’ brother Aaron goes with him.
- Pharaoh refuses to release the Israelites. God sends 10 plagues against Egypt, but Pharaoh repeatedly changes his mind about letting the people leave.
- The Israelites celebrate the first Passover. Before the final plague, God tells each Israelite family to mark its doorway with lamb’s blood. Their homes are passed over, while the firstborn sons of Egypt die.
- Pharaoh finally lets the Israelites go. Moses leads them out of Egypt, but Pharaoh soon sends his army after them.
- God parts the Red Sea. The Israelites cross on dry ground. When Pharaoh’s army follows, the water returns and destroys it.
- Miriam leads the people in celebration. After reaching safety, Moses and the Israelites sing to God. Miriam, called a prophet, leads the women in singing, dancing, and playing tambourines.
- The journey continues in the wilderness. The Israelites are free from Egypt, but they still have to learn how to live as a new people and trust God along the way.
Key Bible Verse
Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.” Exodus 15:20-21 NIV
A Deeper Dive Into the Exodus Bible Story
The Exodus is often remembered as a showdown between Moses and Pharaoh. But before Moses ever confronted the king, several women, including Moses' sister Miriam, had already risked their safety to resist Pharaoh’s orders and protect his life.
Accounts of Miriam’s life are few, especially compared to those of her more famous younger brother. But in big ways and small ways, faith and courage and a determination to follow her calling are woven through those accounts.
A Courageous Start
As a girl, Miriam would have had every reason to be afraid. She and her people were enslaved. The pharaoh was calling for the killing of male newborn slaves. Common sense would have told her to stay quiet and keep her head down, or risk death.
Miriam was one of several Hebrew women who defied Pharaoh’s orders to save the lives of others.
But that’s not what Miriam did. Miriam was one of several Hebrew women who defied Pharaoh’s orders to save the lives of others. Under the guidance of her mother, she stepped out in courage and watched over her baby brother. And she seized an opportunity to save her brother when he was discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter.
What drove Miriam to take such a risk? After Miriam’s mother gave birth to Moses, the Book of Exodus tells that she saw he was (depending on your Bible translation) “beautiful,” “special,” or “fine.” And when it comes to the Bible, those kinds of descriptions don’t just get tossed around. That’s how main characters are described. That’s how King David was described.
If Moses’ mother and Miriam registered that there was something different or special about Moses, at the very least, they probably recognized that God made him different. And sensing the work of God in this situation meant that it was extra important to keep him safe.
That’s the kind of faith that would make a young slave follow her calling, defy the pharaoh, and save her brother.
Moses Confronts Pharaoh
Years later, God sent Moses and Aaron to tell Pharaoh to release the Israelites. Pharaoh refused, so Egypt experienced 10 plagues, including polluted water, swarms of insects, darkness, and the death of every firstborn son.
Before the final plague, God told the Israelites to mark their doorframes with lamb’s blood. Their homes were passed over, an event remembered through the Jewish festival of Passover.
After that final plague, Pharaoh allowed the Israelites to leave. Then he changed his mind and sent his army after them.
Miriam Celebrates at the Red Sea
With Pharaoh’s army behind them and the Red Sea ahead, the Israelites appeared trapped. God parted the water, allowing them to cross on dry ground. When the Egyptian army followed, the water returned.
Moses led the people in a song of praise. Then Miriam, identified as a prophet, took a tambourine and led the women in singing and dancing.
This is Miriam’s most prominent moment in the Exodus. She helped protect Moses near the beginning of the story, then helped the people celebrate their freedom at its end.
Why Is the Story of the Exodus in the Bible?
The liberation of the Hebrews from Egypt was one of the major events in the history of their people. Think of it as their nation’s ancient independence day. As a result, the author of the Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament) took great care in recording the events of the Exodus and including many details—details that are often left out of other stories in the Bible.
Miriam is not the main character of the Exodus, but she still had an important role to play. Her inclusion showcases how God worked through a variety of people (some of them in dire circumstances) to bring about His will and rescue the Hebrews.
What Does the Story of Miriam and the Exodus Teach Us?
1. God Can Work Through Anyone
Lowly female slaves—one of them a child—shouldn’t have posed a threat to the mighty pharaoh of Egypt. But when Miriam and her mother made the faithful decision to keep Moses safe, their choice kicked off a series of events that God would use to free His people.
God can work through anyone. And all we have to do is remain attentive to the faithful steps He calls us to take today.
God can work through anyone. And all we have to do is remain attentive to the faithful steps He calls us to take today. When we follow Him, there’s no telling what kind of impact our obedience might have—both in the present and for generations to come.
2. Faith Is an Important Part of Courageous Leadership
Being willing to speak out, take action, and lead others is an admirable trait. But none of us possesses perfect judgment. Left to our own intuition, we’ll always get things wrong now and then. And when we allow our intuition to influence our actions and leadership, rather than looking to God and what He’s calling us to do next? There’s a good chance we’ll get ourselves into trouble eventually—just like Miriam did later in life.
Our courage and leadership will have the greatest impact and be the biggest blessing for ourselves and others when we’re careful to look to God and search for His will in the situations we face.
Why Does the Story of the Exodus Still Matter Today?
No one lives a carefree life. We all face challenges and struggles, and in many parts of the world, people have to grapple with hardships not so different from those Miriam and her people experienced thousands of years ago.
Miriam’s story shows us what it looks like to persevere, even in the face of hardship. It shows us that God doesn’t expect us, as Christians, to keep our heads down and just survive. No matter our circumstances, there are faithful steps we can all take to partner with God and share His love with the world around us.
Our obedience might not cause our situation to change for the better immediately. But we can trust that God always hears us and is always with us, and that our courageous leadership is never wasted. And one day, we’ll get to see the fruits of our faithful labor and celebrate, just like Miriam did with her people.
Common Questions About Miriam and the Exodus
1. Between Miriam, Moses, and Aaron, who was youngest and who was oldest?
Exodus 7:7 tells us that Aaron was three years older than Moses. While the Bible doesn’t specifically tell us where Miriam lands in the birth order of these three siblings, we know she was older than Moses. Jewish tradition states that Miriam was four years older than Aaron and seven years older than Moses.
2. What happened to Miriam between Exodus 2 and Exodus 15?
The Bible doesn’t tell us, but we can assume that while Moses was growing up in the household of Pharaoh’s daughter and in exile as an adult, Miriam would have remained with her people, one of a nation slaves, calling out to God for deliverance.
3. Was Miriam really a prophet? I thought only men were prophets.
Miriam was really a prophet, according to Exodus 15:20. This meant she would have spoken God’s word to His people in some capacity. Other female prophets mentioned in the Bible include Deborah, Huldah, Noadiah, and Anna.
4. Both Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses. Why was she the only one who was punished?
This is a fair question, but no one really knows the answer. It could be that Miriam was the primary instigator of the criticism (she is listed first in the biblical account). It could also have something to do with Aaron being the high priest. Priests were required to be ceremonially clean before offering sacrifices to God. Contracting leprosy would have made Aaron unclean, which would have been majorly problematic for both him and the Israelite people.
Reflect or Discuss
- What kind of leader has God called you to be?
- How has God called you to be courageous? What would it look like to live that courage out?
- How could you take faithful steps to partner with God and share His love with others this week?
Want to see how this story fits into the bigger picture?
Start with the Old Testament story guide.