Exodus 3

Moses at the Burning Bush

1 Moses was taking care of the sheep of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. As he led the sheep to the far side of the desert, he came to Horeb, the mountain of God.2 The Messenger of the Lord appeared to him there as flames of fire coming out of a bush. Moses looked, and although the bush was on fire, it was not burning up.

3 So he thought, “Why isn’t this bush burning up? I must go over there and see this strange sight.”
4 When the Lord saw that Moses had come over to see it, God called to him from the bush, “Moses, Moses!”Moses answered, “Here I am!”5 God said, “Don’t come any closer! Take off your sandals because this place where you are standing is holy ground.

6 I am the God of your ancestors,t the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.
7 The Lord said, “I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt, and I have heard them crying out because of the slave drivers. I know how much they’re suffering.8 I have come to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and to bring them from that land to a good land with plenty of room for everyone. It is a land flowing with milk and honey where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites live.9 I have heard the cry of the people of Israel. I have seen how the Egyptians are oppressing them.

10 Now, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you can bring my people Israel out of Egypt.”
11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the people of Israel out of Egypt?”12 God answered, “I will be with you. And this will be the proof that I sent you: When you bring the people out of Egypt, all of you will worship God on this mountain.”13 Then Moses replied to God, “Suppose I go to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ What should I tell them?”14 God answered Moses, “I Am Who I Am. This is what you must say to the people of Israel: ‘I Am has sent me to you.’ ”15 Again God said to Moses, “This is what you must say to the people of Israel: The Lord God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever. This is my title throughout every generation.16 “Go, assemble the leaders of Israel. Say to them, ‘The Lord God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, appeared to me. He said, “I have paid close attention to you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.

17 I promise I will take you away from your misery in Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.” ’
18 “The leaders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the leaders must go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us travel three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God.’19 I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go, even if he is forced to.20 So I will use my power to strike Egypt. After all the miracles that I will do there, he will let you go.

21 I will make the Egyptians kind to the people of Israel so that, when you leave, you will not leave empty-handed.
22 “Every Hebrew woman should ask her Egyptian neighbor and any woman living in her home for silver and gold jewelry and for clothes. Put them on your sons and daughters. This way you will strip Egypt of its wealth.”

Exodus 3

1 Now Mosess was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desertt and came to the mountain of God, to Horeb.s2 The angel of the Lords appearedt to him int a flame of fire from within a bush.s He lookedt – andt the bush was ablaze with fire, but it was not being consumed!t3 So Moses thought,t “I will turn aside to seet this amazingt sight. Why does the bush not burn up?”t4 When the Lordt saw thatt he had turned aside to look, God called to him from within the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!”s And Mosest said, “Here I am.”5 Godt said, “Do not approach any closer!s Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holys ground.”t

6 He added, “I am the God of your father,s the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to lookt at God.
7 The Lord said, “I have surely seent the affliction of my people who are in Egypt. I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.s8 I have come downs to deliver themt from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a land that is both good and spacious,t to a land flowing with milk and honey,t to the region of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.t9 And now indeedt the cryt of the Israelites has come to me, and I have also seen how severely the Egyptians oppress them.t

10 So now go, and I will send youts to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”
11 Moses saidt to God,s “Who am I, that I should got to Pharaoh, or that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

12 He replied,t “Surely I will be with you,ts and this will be the signs to you that I have sent you: When you bring the people out of Egypt, you and they will servets God on this mountain.”

13 Moses saidt to God, “Ift I go to the Israelites and tell them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’s – what should I sayt to them?”
14 God said to Moses, “I am that I am.”t And he said, “You must say thist to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

15 God also said to Moses, “You must say this to the Israelites, ‘The Lords – the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob – has sent me to you. This is my names forever, and this is my memorial from generation to generation.’t
16 “Go and bring togethert the elders of Israel and tell them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers,s appearedt to me – the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – saying, “I have attended carefullyts to you and to what has been donet to you in Egypt,

17 and I have promisedt that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites,t to a land flowing with milk and honey.”’
18 “The elderst will listent to you, and then you and the elders of Israel must go to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has mett with us. So now, let us gots three days’ journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrificet to the Lord our God.’19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go,t not even under force.s

20 So I will extend my hands and strike Egypt with all my wonderst that I will do among them, and after that he will release you.s
21 “I will grant this people favor witht the Egyptians, so that whent you depart you will not leave empty-handed.

22 Everyt woman will ask her neighbor and the one who happens to be stayingt in her house for items of silver and goldt and for clothing. You will put these articles on your sons and daughters – thus you will plunder Egypt!”s