Exodus begins where the Hebrews grow from a family into a nation, and it ends on the first day of the new year following the exodus from Egypt as the sanctuary is erected and the divine Presence takes up Its abode in the Israelites' midst. The opening section and the closing section look as if they were composed after the subdivision to serve as prologue and epilogue, marking the book as a distinct subunit within the Torah. Thematically, the book marks the transition from God's promises of progeny, land, and a permanent relationship with Israel to the fulfillment of these promises, beginning with the Israelites' phe­nomenal growth, the exodus, and the covenant at Sinai.