This passage outline is essentially the outline the original author might have used as he wrote to his original readers. It’s what he might have jotted down to guide his thoughts as he penned his original manuscript. The language or phrasing of this outline reflects the particulars of the biblical world—names, places, events, and cultural practices: • The reason God did not take Israel on a direct route from Egypt to Canaan was because he knew they would face war on that route and turn back (Exod.