Exodus 3

Chapter 3

Moses and the Burning Bush

1 One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro,t the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai,t the mountain of God.2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up.

3 “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.”

4 When the LORD saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
“Here I am!” Moses replied.
5 “Do not come any closer,” the LORD warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.

6 I am the God of your fathert—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.
7 Then the LORD told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering.8 So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.9 Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them.

10 Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”

11 But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?”

12 God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.”

13 But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?”
14 God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.t Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.”

15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh,t the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.
This is my eternal name,
my name to remember for all generations.16 “Now go and call together all the elders of Israel. Tell them, ‘The LORD, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me. He told me, “I have been watching closely, and I see how the Egyptians are treating you.

17 I have promised to rescue you from your oppression in Egypt. I will lead you to a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.”’

18 “The elders of Israel will accept your message. Then you and the elders must go to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So please let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD, our God.’
19 “But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand forces him.t20 So I will raise my hand and strike the Egyptians, performing all kinds of miracles among them. Then at last he will let you go.21 And I will cause the Egyptians to look favorably on you. They will give you gifts when you go so you will not leave empty-handed.

22 Every Israelite woman will ask for articles of silver and gold and fine clothing from her Egyptian neighbors and from the foreign women in their houses. You will dress your sons and daughters with these, stripping the Egyptians of their 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