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Exodus 2:11-3:22
New International Version

Moses Flees to Midian

11 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people(A) were and watched them at their hard labor.(B) He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?”(C)

14 The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us?(D) Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”

15 When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill(E) Moses, but Moses fled(F) from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian,(G) where he sat down by a well. 16 Now a priest of Midian(H) had seven daughters, and they came to draw water(I) and fill the troughs(J) to water their father’s flock. 17 Some shepherds came along and drove them away, but Moses got up and came to their rescue(K) and watered their flock.(L)

18 When the girls returned to Reuel(M) their father, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”

19 They answered, “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”

20 “And where is he?” Reuel asked his daughters. “Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat.”(N)

21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah(O) to Moses in marriage. 22 Zipporah gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom,[a](P) saying, “I have become a foreigner(Q) in a foreign land.”

23 During that long period,(R) the king of Egypt died.(S) The Israelites groaned in their slavery(T) and cried out, and their cry(U) for help because of their slavery went up to God. 24 God heard their groaning and he remembered(V) his covenant(W) with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. 25 So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned(X) about them.

Moses and the Burning Bush

3 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro(Y) his father-in-law, the priest of Midian,(Z) and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb,(AA) the mountain(AB) of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord(AC) appeared to him in flames of fire(AD) from within a bush.(AE) Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called(AF) to him from within the bush,(AG) “Moses! Moses!”

And Moses said, “Here I am.”(AH)

5 “Do not come any closer,”(AI) God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”(AJ) 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father,[b] the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”(AK) At this, Moses hid(AL) his face, because he was afraid to look at God.(AM)

7 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen(AN) the misery(AO) of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned(AP) about their suffering.(AQ) 8 So I have come down(AR) to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land,(AS) a land flowing with milk and honey(AT)—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites(AU) and Jebusites.(AV) 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing(AW) them. 10 So now, go. I am sending(AX) you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”(AY)

11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I(AZ) that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

12 And God said, “I will be with you.(BA) And this will be the sign(BB) to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you[c] will worship God on this mountain.(BC)”

13 Moses said to God, “Suppose 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?’(BD) Then what shall I tell them?”

14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.[d] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am(BE) has sent me to you.’”

15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord,[e] the God of your fathers(BF)—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob(BG)—has sent me to you.’

“This is my name(BH) forever,
    the name you shall call me
    from generation to generation.(BI)

16 “Go, assemble the elders(BJ) of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob(BK)—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen(BL) what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt(BM) into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’(BN)

18 “The elders of Israel will listen(BO) to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews,(BP) has met(BQ) with us. Let us take a three-day journey(BR) into the wilderness to offer sacrifices(BS) to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand(BT) compels him. 20 So I will stretch out my hand(BU) and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders(BV) that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.(BW)

21 “And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed(BX) toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed.(BY) 22 Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver(BZ) and gold(CA) and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder(CB) the Egyptians.”(CC)

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 2:22 Gershom sounds like the Hebrew for a foreigner there.
  2. Exodus 3:6 Masoretic Text; Samaritan Pentateuch (see Acts 7:32) fathers
  3. Exodus 3:12 The Hebrew is plural.
  4. Exodus 3:14 Or I will be what I will be
  5. Exodus 3:15 The Hebrew for Lord sounds like and may be related to the Hebrew for I am in verse 14.
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Exodus 2:11-3:22
New King James Version

Moses Flees to Midian(A)

11 Now it came to pass in those days, (B)when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he (C)killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 And (D)when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men (E)were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, “Why are you striking your companion?”

14 Then he said, (F)“Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?”

So Moses (G)feared and said, “Surely this thing is known!” 15 When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But (H)Moses fled from [a]the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of (I)Midian; and he sat down by (J)a well.

16 (K)Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. (L)And they came and drew water, and they filled the (M)troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 Then the (N)shepherds came and (O)drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and (P)watered their flock.

18 When they came to (Q)Reuel[b] their father, (R)he said, “How is it that you have come so soon today?”

19 And they said, “An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock.”

20 So he said to his daughters, “And where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may (S)eat bread.”

21 Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave (T)Zipporah his daughter to Moses. 22 And she bore him a son. He called his name (U)Gershom,[c] for he said, “I have been (V)a [d]stranger in a foreign land.”

23 Now it happened (W)in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel (X)groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and (Y)their cry came up to God because of the bondage. 24 So God (Z)heard their groaning, and God (AA)remembered His (AB)covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God (AC)looked upon the children of Israel, and God (AD)acknowledged them.

Moses at the Burning Bush(AE)

3 Now Moses was tending the flock of (AF)Jethro his father-in-law, (AG)the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to (AH)Horeb, (AI)the mountain of God. 2 And (AJ)the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this (AK)great sight, why the bush does not burn.”

4 So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called (AL)to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!”

And he said, “Here I am.”

5 Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. (AM)Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” 6 Moreover He said, (AN)“I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for (AO)he was afraid to look upon God.

7 And the Lord said: (AP)“I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry (AQ)because of their taskmasters, (AR)for I know their [e]sorrows. 8 So (AS)I have come down to (AT)deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land (AU)to a good and large land, to a land (AV)flowing with milk and honey, to the place of (AW)the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. 9 Now therefore, behold, (AX)the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the (AY)oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 (AZ)Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”

11 But Moses said to God, (BA)“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

12 So He said, (BB)“I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a (BC)sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

13 Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?”

14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, (BD)‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” 15 Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is (BE)My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’ 16 Go and (BF)gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, (BG)“I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt; 17 and I have said (BH)I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey.” ’ 18 Then (BI)they will heed your voice; and (BJ)you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has (BK)met with us; and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I am sure that the king of Egypt (BL)will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. 20 So I will (BM)stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with (BN)all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and (BO)after that he will let you go. 21 And (BP)I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed. 22 (BQ)But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house, (BR)articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So (BS)you shall plunder the Egyptians.”

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 2:15 the presence of Pharaoh
  2. Exodus 2:18 Jethro, Ex. 3:1
  3. Exodus 2:22 Lit. Stranger There
  4. Exodus 2:22 sojourner, temporary resident
  5. Exodus 3:7 pain
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Exodus 2:11-3:22
New American Standard Bible

11 Now it came about in those days, (A)when Moses had grown up, that he went out to his [a]fellow Hebrews and looked at their [b](B)hard labors; and (C)he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his [c]fellow Hebrews. 12 So he [d]looked this way and that, and when he saw that there was no one around, he (D)struck and killed the Egyptian, and hid [e]his body in the sand. 13 Now he went out (E)the next day, and behold, two Hebrews were [f]fighting with each other; and he said to the [g]offender, “Why are you striking your companion?” 14 But he said, “(F)Who made you a [h]ruler and a judge over us? Do you [i]intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and said, “Surely the matter has become known!”

Moses Escapes to Midian

15 When Pharaoh heard about this matter, he tried to kill Moses. But (G)Moses fled from the presence of Pharaoh and [j]settled in the land of Midian, and he sat down (H)by a well.

16 Now (I)the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and (J)they came to draw water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 Then the shepherds came and drove them away, but (K)Moses stood up and helped them and watered their flock. 18 When they came to their father (L)Reuel, he said, “Why have you come back so soon today?” 19 They said, “An Egyptian saved us from [k]the shepherds, and what is more, he even drew water for us and watered the flock.” 20 So he said to his daughters, “Where is he then? Why is it that you have left the man behind? Invite him [l]to have something to eat.” 21 And (M)Moses was willing to live with the man. And he gave his daughter (N)Zipporah to Moses. 22 Then she gave birth to (O)a son, and he named him [m]Gershom, for he said, “I have been (P)a stranger in a foreign land.”

23 Now it came about in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel (Q)groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and (R)their cry for help because of their bondage ascended to God. 24 So (S)God heard their groaning; and God remembered (T)His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 And (U)God saw the sons of Israel, and God [n]took notice of them.

The Burning Bush

3 Now Moses was pasturing the flock of his father-in-law (V)Jethro, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the [o]west side of the wilderness and came to (W)Horeb, the (X)mountain of God. 2 Then (Y)the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of [p]a (Z)bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not being consumed. 3 So Moses said, “(AA)I must turn aside and see this [q]marvelous sight, why the bush is not burning up!” 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, (AB)God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then He said, “Do not come near here; (AC)remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 And He said, “(AD)I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” (AE)Then Moses hid his face, for he was (AF)afraid to look at God.

7 And the Lord said, “I have certainly (AG)seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their outcry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings. 8 So I have come down (AH)to rescue them from the [r]power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a (AI)good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of (AJ)the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 9 And now, behold, (AK)the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them.

The Mission of Moses

10 And now come, and I will send you to Pharaoh, (AL)so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “(AM)Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 And He said, “Assuredly (AN)I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: (AO)when you have brought the people out of Egypt, (AP)you shall [s]worship God at this mountain.”

13 Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” 14 And God said to Moses, “[t](AQ)I AM WHO [u]I AM”; and He said, “This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘[v]I AM has sent me to you.’” 15 God furthermore said to Moses, “This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘(AR)The Lord, 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, and this is the [w](AS)name for [x]all generations to use to call upon Me. 16 Go and (AT)gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘(AU)The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has appeared to me, saying, “[y](AV)I am indeed concerned about you and what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 So (AW)I said, I will bring you up out of the oppression of Egypt to the land of (AX)the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, to a land (AY)flowing with milk and honey.”’ 18 Then (AZ)they will [z]pay attention to what you say; and (BA)you with the elders of Israel will come to the king of Egypt, and you will say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So now, please let us go a (BB)three days’ journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt (BC)will not permit you to go, (BD)except [aa]under compulsion. 20 So I will reach out with (BE)My hand and strike Egypt with all My (BF)miracles which I shall do in the midst of it; and (BG)after that he will let you go. 21 I will grant this people (BH)favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed. 22 But every woman (BI)shall ask her neighbor and the woman who lives in her house for articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and you will put them on your sons and daughters. So you will (BJ)plunder the Egyptians.”

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 2:11 Lit brothers
  2. Exodus 2:11 Lit burdens
  3. Exodus 2:11 Lit brothers
  4. Exodus 2:12 Lit turned
  5. Exodus 2:12 Lit him
  6. Exodus 2:13 Or quarreling
  7. Exodus 2:13 Or the guilty one
  8. Exodus 2:14 Lit man, a ruler
  9. Exodus 2:14 Lit say
  10. Exodus 2:15 Lit dwelt
  11. Exodus 2:19 Lit the hand of the
  12. Exodus 2:20 Lit that he may eat bread
  13. Exodus 2:22 Cf. Heb ger sham, a stranger there
  14. Exodus 2:25 Lit knew them
  15. Exodus 3:1 Or rear part
  16. Exodus 3:2 Lit the
  17. Exodus 3:3 Lit great
  18. Exodus 3:8 Lit hand
  19. Exodus 3:12 Or serve
  20. Exodus 3:14 Related to the name of God, YHWH, rendered Lord, which is derived from the verb HAYAH, to be
  21. Exodus 3:14 Related to the name of God, YHWH, rendered Lord, which is derived from the verb HAYAH, to be
  22. Exodus 3:14 Related to the name of God, YHWH, rendered Lord, which is derived from the verb HAYAH, to be
  23. Exodus 3:15 I.e., name used in prayer, vows, and ceremony
  24. Exodus 3:15 Lit generation of generation
  25. Exodus 3:16 Lit Visiting I have visited
  26. Exodus 3:18 Lit hear your voice
  27. Exodus 3:19 Lit by a strong hand
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Exodus 2:11-3:22
New Living Translation

Moses Escapes to Midian

11 Many years later, when Moses had grown up, he went out to visit his own people, the Hebrews, and he saw how hard they were forced to work. During his visit, he saw an Egyptian beating one of his fellow Hebrews. 12 After looking in all directions to make sure no one was watching, Moses killed the Egyptian and hid the body in the sand.

13 The next day, when Moses went out to visit his people again, he saw two Hebrew men fighting. “Why are you beating up your friend?” Moses said to the one who had started the fight.

14 The man replied, “Who appointed you to be our prince and judge? Are you going to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?”

Then Moses was afraid, thinking, “Everyone knows what I did.” 15 And sure enough, Pharaoh heard what had happened, and he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in the land of Midian.

When Moses arrived in Midian, he sat down beside a well. 16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters who came as usual to draw water and fill the water troughs for their father’s flocks. 17 But some other shepherds came and chased them away. So Moses jumped up and rescued the girls from the shepherds. Then he drew water for their flocks.

18 When the girls returned to Reuel, their father, he asked, “Why are you back so soon today?”

19 “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds,” they answered. “And then he drew water for us and watered our flocks.”

20 “Then where is he?” their father asked. “Why did you leave him there? Invite him to come and eat with us.”

21 Moses accepted the invitation, and he settled there with him. In time, Reuel gave Moses his daughter Zipporah to be his wife. 22 Later she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom,[a] for he explained, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”

23 Years passed, and the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites continued to groan under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. 24 God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act.[b]

Moses and the Burning Bush

3 One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro,[c] the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai,[d] 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 father[e]—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.[f] 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,[g] 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, ‘Yahweh, 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.[h] 20 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.”

Footnotes

  1. 2:22 Gershom sounds like a Hebrew term that means “a foreigner there.”
  2. 2:25 Or and acknowledged his obligation to help them.
  3. 3:1a Moses’ father-in-law went by two names, Jethro and Reuel.
  4. 3:1b Hebrew Horeb, another name for Sinai.
  5. 3:6 Greek version reads your fathers.
  6. 3:14 Or I will be what i will be.
  7. 3:15 Yahweh (also in 3:16) is a transliteration of the proper name YHWH that is sometimes rendered “Jehovah”; in this translation it is usually rendered “the Lord” (note the use of small capitals).
  8. 3:19 As in Greek and Latin versions; Hebrew reads will not let you go, not by a mighty hand.
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Exodus 2:11-3:22
The Message

11-12 Time passed. Moses grew up. One day he went and saw his brothers, saw all that hard labor. Then he saw an Egyptian hit a Hebrew—one of his relatives! He looked this way and then that; when he realized there was no one in sight, he killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand.

13 The next day he went out there again. Two Hebrew men were fighting. He spoke to the man who started it: “Why are you hitting your neighbor?”

14 The man shot back: “Who do you think you are, telling us what to do? Are you going to kill me the way you killed that Egyptian?”

Then Moses panicked: “Word’s gotten out—people know about this.”

* * *

15 Pharaoh heard about it and tried to kill Moses, but Moses got away to the land of Midian. He sat down by a well.

16-17 The priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came and drew water, filling the troughs and watering their father’s sheep. When some shepherds came and chased the girls off, Moses came to their rescue and helped them water their sheep.

18 When they got home to their father, Reuel, he said, “That didn’t take long. Why are you back so soon?”

19 “An Egyptian,” they said, “rescued us from a bunch of shepherds. Why, he even drew water for us and watered the sheep.”

20 He said, “So where is he? Why did you leave him behind? Invite him so he can have something to eat with us.”

21-22 Moses agreed to settle down there with the man, who then gave his daughter Zipporah (Bird) to him for his wife. She had a son, and Moses named him Gershom (Sojourner), saying, “I’m a sojourner in a foreign country.”

* * *

23 Many years later the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned under their slavery and cried out. Their cries for relief from their hard labor ascended to God:

24 God listened to their groanings.

God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

25 God saw what was going on with Israel.

God understood.

* * *

3 1-2 Moses was shepherding the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the west end of the wilderness and came to the mountain of God, Horeb. The angel of God appeared to him in flames of fire blazing out of the middle of a bush. He looked. The bush was blazing away but it didn’t burn up.

3 Moses said, “What’s going on here? I can’t believe this! Amazing! Why doesn’t the bush burn up?”

4 God saw that he had stopped to look. God called to him from out of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

He said, “Yes? I’m right here!”

5 God said, “Don’t come any closer. Remove your sandals from your feet. You’re standing on holy ground.”

6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father: The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.”

Moses hid his face, afraid to look at God.

7-8 God said, “I’ve taken a good, long look at the affliction of my people in Egypt. I’ve heard their cries for deliverance from their slave masters; I know all about their pain. And now I have come down to help them, pry them loose from the grip of Egypt, get them out of that country and bring them to a good land with wide-open spaces, a land lush with milk and honey, the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

9-10 “The Israelite cry for help has come to me, and I’ve seen for myself how cruelly they’re being treated by the Egyptians. It’s time for you to go back: I’m sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the People of Israel, out of Egypt.”

11 Moses answered God, “But why me? What makes you think that I could ever go to Pharaoh and lead the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

12 “I’ll be with you,” God said. “And this will be the proof that I am the one who sent you: When you have brought my people out of Egypt, you will worship God right here at this very mountain.”

13 Then Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the People of Israel and I tell them, ‘The God of your fathers sent me to you’; and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ What do I tell them?”

14 God said to Moses, “I-AM-WHO-I-AM. Tell the People of Israel, ‘I-AM sent me to you.’”

15 God continued with Moses: “This is what you’re to say to the Israelites: ‘God, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob sent me to you.’ This has always been my name, and this is how I always will be known.

16-17 “Now be on your way. Gather the leaders of Israel. Tell them, ‘God, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, appeared to me, saying, “I’ve looked into what’s being done to you in Egypt, and I’ve determined to get you out of the affliction of Egypt and take you to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, a land brimming over with milk and honey.”’

18 “Believe me, they will listen to you. Then you and the leaders of Israel will go to the king of Egypt and say to him: ‘God, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness where we will worship God—our God.’

19-22 “I know that the king of Egypt won’t let you go unless forced to, so I’ll intervene and hit Egypt where it hurts—oh, my miracles will send them reeling!—after which they’ll be glad to send you off. I’ll see to it that this people get a hearty send-off by the Egyptians—when you leave, you won’t leave empty-handed! Each woman will ask her neighbor and any guests in her house for objects of silver and gold, for jewelry and extra clothes; you’ll put them on your sons and daughters. Oh, you’ll clean the Egyptians out!”

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