¹⁰ So now, go. I am sending^(A) you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”^(B)

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

²¹ The Lord said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders^(A) I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart^(B) so that he will not let the people go.^(C)

²² Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son,^(A)

⁵ “This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe^(A) that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

⁶ Then the Lord said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous^[a]—it had become as white as snow.^(B)

⁷ “Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored,^(C) like the rest of his flesh.

⁸ Then the Lord said, “If they do not believe^(D) you or pay attention to the first sign,^(E) they may believe the second. ⁹ But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood^(F) on the ground.”

¹⁰ Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”^(G)

¹¹ The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute?^(H) Who gives them sight or makes them blind?^(I) Is it not I, the Lord? ¹² Now go;^(J) I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”^(K)

¹³ But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”^(L)

¹⁴ Then the Lord’s anger burned^(M) against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet^(N) you, and he will be glad to see you. ¹⁵ You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth;^(O) I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. ¹⁶ He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth^(P) and as if you were God to him.^{(Q) 17} But take this staff^(R) in your hand^(S) so you can perform the signs^(T) with it.”

Moses Returns to Egypt

¹⁸ Then Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Let me return to my own people in Egypt to see if any of them are still alive.”

Jethro said, “Go, and I wish you well.”