The great masterpiece of the E narrative is the Joseph story, which is related in greater detail than in J. The underlying motive of the story is that a divine purpose is being realized through the course of human events even though the individuals who are involved in it may not be entirely conscious of it. Moses, according to E, introduced the name of Yahweh to the Hebrew people. Although Yahweh may be regarded as the same god who appeared to the early patriarchs, he was not known by this name until the time of Moses. Not until after Moses returns from a lengthy sojourn in the land of Midian does Yahweh appear to him in a burning bush and call upon him to deliver his own people from the oppression of the Egyptian pharaoh. When Moses protests that he is slow of speech and unable to present his demands before the Egyptian ruler, Aaron, his brother, becomes his spokesman.
The experiences during the march through the wilderness are described at considerable length. When the people are encamped near Mount Sinai, Moses goes up onto the mount and receives the law tablets from Yahweh. The story of Aaron and the golden calf idols is told in a manner that is intended to make idol worship appear ridiculous. Because Moses is not permitted to enter into the land of Canaan, Joshua is chosen to be the leader in Moses' place. An account is given of an important meeting at Shechem, where representatives of the different tribes meet and form themselves into a confederacy. This action introduces the period of the judges, designed as a form of government in which Yahweh rules by communicating his will directly to those who have been appointed to receive it. This type of organization continued until the people clamored for a king to rule over them.
