⁸ Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.^{(A) 9} “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous^(B) for us.^{(C) 10} Come, we must deal shrewdly^(D) with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.”^(E)

¹¹ So they put slave masters^(F) over them to oppress them with forced labor,^(G) and they built Pithom and Rameses^(H) as store cities^(I) for Pharaoh. ¹² But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites ¹³ and worked them ruthlessly.^{(J) 14} They made their lives bitter with harsh labor^(K) in brick^(L) and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.^(M)

6 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand^(A) he will let them go;^(B) because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.”^(C)

² God also said to Moses, “I am the Lord.^{(D) 3} I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty,^[a](E) but by my name^(F) the Lord^[b](G) I did not make myself fully known to them. ⁴ I also established my covenant^(H) with them to give them the land^(I) of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners.^{(J) 5} Moreover, I have heard the groaning^(K) of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.^(L)

⁶ “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.^(M) I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem^(N) you with an outstretched arm^(O) and with mighty acts of judgment.^{(P) 7} I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God.^(Q) Then you will know^(R) that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. ⁸ And I will bring you to the land^(S) I swore^(T) with uplifted hand^(U) to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.^(V) I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.’”^(W)

⁹ Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.^(X)

¹⁰ Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹¹ “Go, tell^(Y) Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country.”^(Z)

¹² But Moses said to the Lord, “If the Israelites will not listen^(AA) to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips^[c]?”^(AB)

Family Record of Moses and Aaron

¹³ Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.^(AC)