Exodus 3

Moses and the Burning Bush

1 Meanwhile, Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 Then the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire within a bush. As Moses looked, he saw that the bush was on fire but was not consumed.

3 So Moses thought: I must go over and look at this remarkable sight. Why isn't the bush burning up?

4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from the bush, "Moses, Moses!"
"Here I am," he answered.
5 "Do not come closer," He said. "Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."

6 Then He continued, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.
7 Then the Lord said, "I have observed the misery of My people in Egypt, and have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I know about their sufferings. 8 I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and to bring them from that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey-the territory of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 9 The Israelites' cry for help has come to Me, and I have also seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them.

10 Therefore, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you may lead My people, the Israelites, out of Egypt."

11 But Moses asked God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"

12 He answered, "I will certainly be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will all worship God at this mountain."

13 Then Moses asked God, "If I go to the Israelites and say to them: The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, 'What is His name?' what should I tell them?"
14 God replied to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you."

15 God also said to Moses, "Say this to the Israelites: Yahweh, 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 name forever; this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.
16 "Go and assemble the elders of Israel and say to them: Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has appeared to me and said: I have paid close attention to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 And I have promised you that I will bring you up from the misery of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites-a land flowing with milk and honey.

18 They will listen to what you say. Then you, along with the elders of Israel, must go to the king of Egypt and say to him: Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us go on a three-day trip into the wilderness so that we may sacrifice to Yahweh our God.
19 "However, I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go, unless [he is forced] by a strong hand. 20 I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My miracles that I will perform in it. After that, he will let you go. 21 And I will give these people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that when you go, you will not go empty-handed.

22 Each woman will ask her neighbor and any woman staying in her house for silver and gold jewelry, and clothing, and you will put them on your sons and daughters. So you will plunder the Egyptians."

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