Narrative from the Pentateuch

I frequently recommend reading the story of the exodus through conquest as a kind of connected narrative, trying to learn from the stories. The problem I’ve discovered is that many people skip over the ceremonial and legal parts of the Bible and thus often miss important narrative points that are interleaved with those elements.

Ultimately, I recommend that you read the whole thing, but for those who may prefer to try something a bit lighter, here’s a connected path, with chapters to be skipped in [brackets] along with a summary of what you’re missing there. There will be occasional short genealogies or legal items of just a few verses that I include with the reading.

Genesis

1-4:16 [4:17-22 – Kenite genealogy]
[5 – Patriarchal genealogies]
6-9
[10 – Table of Nations]
11:1-9
[11:10-26 – Second patriarchal genealogy]
11:27-32
12-24
[25:1-18 – Abraham and Keturah + genealogy]
25:19-35:29
[36 – Esau’s genealogy]
37-50

Exodus

1-20 (note that I include the giving of the 10 commandments in the narrative)
[21-24:8 – Law and covenant]
24:9-18
[25-31 – Instructions for the Tabernacle]
32-34
[35-40:33 – Regulations and building the tabernacle]
40:34-38

Leviticus

[1-8 – Instructions for various offerings]
9-10
[11-27 – Various laws, feasts, sacrifices and other regulations]

Numbers

[1-8 – Census, along with various duties and laws]
9-14
[15 – More laws and ceremonial regulations]
16-17
[18-19 – Priestly Responsibilities and the ceremony of the red heifer]
20-25
[26 – New census]
27
[28-30 – Various laws]
31-33
[34-36 – various laws, list of tribal leaders]

Deuteronomy

1-3
[4-30 – repetition of the law]
31-34

I do not mean to imply that the legal and ceremonial sections are less important; far from it. I believe they have great spiritual insights. But those who are just starting to read the Pentateuch might do well to start just a bit lighter.

Let me also recommend my essay Interpreting Stories for use in connection with these narratives.