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Exodus 3:11-4:17
New American Bible (Revised Edition)

11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I[a] that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 God answered: I will be with you; and this will be your sign[b] that I have sent you. When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will serve God at this mountain. 13 “But,” said Moses to God, “if I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what do I tell them?” 14 God replied to Moses: I am who I am.[c] Then he added: This is what you will tell the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.

15 God spoke further to Moses: This is what you will say to the Israelites: The Lord, 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 name forever;(A)
    this is my title for all generations.

16 Go and gather the elders of the Israelites, and tell them, The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has appeared to me and said: I have observed you and what is being done to you in Egypt; 17 so I have decided to lead you up out of your affliction in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey. 18 They will listen to you. Then you and the elders of Israel will go to the king of Egypt and say to him:(B) The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has come to meet us. So now, let us go a three days’ journey in the wilderness to offer sacrifice to the Lord, our God. 19 Yet I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go unless his hand is forced. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wondrous deeds I will do in its midst. After that he will let you go. 21 (C)I will even make the Egyptians so well-disposed toward this people that, when you go, you will not go empty-handed. 22 Every woman will ask her neighbor and the resident alien in her house for silver and gold articles[d] and for clothing, and you will put them on your sons and daughters. So you will plunder the Egyptians.

Chapter 4

1 “But,” objected Moses, “suppose they do not believe me or listen to me? For they may say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’” 2 The Lord said to him: What is in your hand? “A staff,” he answered. 3 God said: Throw it on the ground. So he threw it on the ground and it became a snake,(D) and Moses backed away from it. 4 Then the Lord said to Moses: Now stretch out your hand and take hold of its tail. So he stretched out his hand and took hold of it, and it became a staff in his hand. 5 That is so they will believe that the Lord, the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, did appear to you.

6 Again the Lord said to him: Put your hand into the fold of your garment. So he put his hand into the fold of his garment, and when he drew it out, there was his hand covered with scales, like snowflakes. 7 Then God said: Put your hand back into the fold of your garment. So he put his hand back into the fold of his garment, and when he drew it out, there it was again like his own flesh. 8 If they do not believe you or pay attention to the message of the first sign, they should believe the message of the second sign. 9 And if they do not believe even these two signs and do not listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry land. The water you take from the Nile will become blood on the dry land.(E)

Aaron’s Office as Assistant. 10 Moses, however, said to the Lord, “If you please, my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and tongue.”(F) 11 The Lord said to him: Who gives one person speech? Who makes another mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now go, I will assist you in speaking[e] and teach you what you are to say. 13 But he said, “If you please, my Lord, send someone else!”[f] 14 Then the Lord became angry with Moses and said: I know there is your brother, Aaron the Levite, who is a good speaker; even now he is on his way to meet you. When he sees you, he will truly be glad. 15 You will speak to him and put the words in his mouth. I will assist both you and him in speaking and teach you both what you are to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you: he will be your spokesman,[g] and you will be as God to him.(G) 17 Take this staff[h] in your hand; with it you are to perform the signs.

Footnotes

  1. 3:11 Who am I: this question is always addressed by an inferior to a superior (to the ruler in 1 Sm 18:18; to God in 2 Sm 7:18 and its parallel, 1 Chr 17:16; 1 Chr 29:14; 2 Chr 2:5). In response to some special opportunity or invitation, the question expresses in a style typical of the ancient Near East the speaker’s humility or gratitude or need of further assistance, but never unwillingness or an outright refusal to respond. Instead the question sets the stage for further support from the superior should that be needed (as here).
  2. 3:12 Sign: a visible display of the power of God. The ancient notion of a sign from God does not coincide with the modern understanding of “miracle,” which suggests some disruption in the laws governing nature. While most any phenomenon can become a vehicle for displaying the purposes and providence of God, here the sign intended to confirm Moses’ commission by God seems to be the burning bush itself. Since normally the giving of such a sign would follow the commission rather than precede it (see Jgs 6:11–24), some see Israel’s service of God at Sinai after the exodus from Egypt as the confirmatory sign, albeit retroactively. It is more likely, however, that its mention here is intended to establish the present episode with Moses alone as a prefigurement of God’s fiery theophany to all Israel on Mount Sinai. Serve God: Hebrew ‘-b-d, “serve,” includes among its meanings both the notion of “serving or working for another” and the notion of “worship.” The implication here is that the Israelites’ service/worship of God is incompatible with their service to Pharaoh.
  3. 3:14 I am who I am: Moses asks in v. 13 for the name of the One speaking to him, but God responds with a wordplay which preserves the utterly mysterious character of the divine being even as it appears to suggest something of the inner meaning of God’s name: ‘ehyeh “I am” or “I will be(come)” for “Yhwh,” the personal name of the God of Israel. While the phrase “I am who I am” resists unraveling, it nevertheless suggests an etymological linking between the name “Yhwh” and an earlier form of the Hebrew verbal root h-y-h “to be.” On that basis many have interpreted the name “Yhwh” as a third-person form of the verb meaning “He causes to be, creates,” itself perhaps a shortened form of a longer liturgical name such as “(God who) creates (the heavenly armies).” Note in this connection the invocation of Israel’s God as “Lord (Yhwh) of Hosts” (e.g., 1 Sm 17:45). In any case, out of reverence for God’s proper name, the term Adonai, “my Lord,” was later used as a substitute. The word Lord (in small capital letters) indicates that the Hebrew text has the sacred name (Yhwh), the tetragrammaton. The word “Jehovah” arose from a false reading of this name as it is written in the current Hebrew text. The Septuagint has egō eimi ho ōn, “I am the One who is” (ōn being the participle of the verb “to be”). This can be taken as an assertion of God’s aseity or self-existence, and has been understood as such by the Church, since the time of the Fathers, as a true expression of God’s being, even though it is not precisely the meaning of the Hebrew.
  4. 3:22 Articles: probably jewelry.
  5. 4:12 Assist you in speaking: lit., “be with your mouth”; cf. v. 15, lit., “be with your mouth and with his mouth.”
  6. 4:13 Send someone else: lit., “send by means of him whom you will send,” that is, “send whom you will.”
  7. 4:16 Spokesman: lit., “mouth”; Aaron was to serve as a mouthpiece for Moses, as a prophet does for God; hence the relation between Moses and Aaron is compared to that between God and his prophet: Moses “will be as God to,” i.e., lit., “will become God for him.” Cf. 7:1.
  8. 4:17 This staff: probably the same as that of vv. 2–4; but some understand that a new staff is now given by God to Moses.
Listen to Exodus 3:11-4:17
Close NASB

Exodus 3:11-4:17
New American Standard Bible

11 But Moses said to God, “(A)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 (B)I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: (C)when you have brought the people out of Egypt, (D)you shall [a]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, “[b](E)I AM WHO [c]I AM”; and He said, “This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘[d]I AM has sent me to you.’” 15 God furthermore said to Moses, “This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘(F)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 [e](G)name for [f]all generations to use to call upon Me. 16 Go and (H)gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘(I)The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has appeared to me, saying, “[g](J)I am indeed concerned about you and what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 So (K)I said, I will bring you up out of the oppression of Egypt to the land of (L)the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, to a land (M)flowing with milk and honey.”’ 18 Then (N)they will [h]pay attention to what you say; and (O)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 (P)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 (Q)will not permit you to go, (R)except [i]under compulsion. 20 So I will reach out with (S)My hand and strike Egypt with all My (T)miracles which I shall do in the midst of it; and (U)after that he will let you go. 21 I will grant this people (V)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 (W)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 (X)plunder the Egyptians.”

Moses Given Signs

4 Then Moses said, “What if they will not believe me or (Y)listen [j]to what I say? For they may say, ‘(Z)The Lord has not appeared to you.’” 2 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” And he said, “(AA)A staff.” 3 Then He said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and (AB)it turned into a serpent; and Moses fled from it. 4 But the Lord said to Moses, “Reach out with your hand and grasp it by its tail”—so he reached out with his hand and caught it, and it turned into a staff in his [k]hand— 5 “so that (AC)they may believe that (AD)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 The Lord furthermore said to him, “Now put your hand inside the fold of your robe.” So he put his hand inside the fold, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was (AE)leprous like snow. 7 Then He said, “Put your hand inside the fold of your robe again.” So he put his hand into the fold again, and when he took it out of the fold, behold, (AF)it was restored like the rest of his flesh. 8 “So if they will not believe you nor [l]pay attention to the [m]evidence of the first [n]sign, they may believe the [o]evidence of the last [p]sign. 9 But if they will not believe even these two [q]signs nor pay attention to what you say, then you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water which you take from the Nile (AG)will turn into blood on the dry ground.”

10 Then Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, (AH)I have never been [r]eloquent, neither [s]recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am [t]slow of speech and [u]slow of tongue.” 11 But the Lord said to him, “Who has made the human mouth? Or (AI)who makes anyone unable to speak or deaf, or able to see or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now then go, and (AJ)I Myself will be with your mouth, and (AK)instruct you in what you are to say.” 13 But he said, “Please, Lord, now send the message by [v]whomever You will.”

Aaron to Be Moses’ Mouthpiece

14 Then the anger of the Lord burned against Moses, and He said, “Is there not your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that [w]he speaks fluently. And moreover, behold, (AL)he is coming out to meet you; when he sees you, he will be [x]overjoyed. 15 So you are to speak to him and (AM)put the words in his mouth; and I Myself will be with your mouth and his mouth, and I will instruct you in what you are to do. 16 (AN)He shall speak for you to the people; and he will be as a mouth for you and you will be as God to him. 17 And you shall take in your hand (AO)this staff, (AP)with which you shall perform the signs.”

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 3:12 Or serve
  2. Exodus 3:14 Related to the name of God, YHWH, rendered Lord, which is derived from the verb HAYAH, to be
  3. Exodus 3:14 Related to the name of God, YHWH, rendered Lord, which is derived from the verb HAYAH, to be
  4. Exodus 3:14 Related to the name of God, YHWH, rendered Lord, which is derived from the verb HAYAH, to be
  5. Exodus 3:15 I.e., name used in prayer, vows, and ceremony
  6. Exodus 3:15 Lit generation of generation
  7. Exodus 3:16 Lit Visiting I have visited
  8. Exodus 3:18 Lit hear your voice
  9. Exodus 3:19 Lit by a strong hand
  10. Exodus 4:1 Lit to my voice
  11. Exodus 4:4 Lit palm
  12. Exodus 4:8 Lit listen to
  13. Exodus 4:8 Lit voice
  14. Exodus 4:8 I.e., confirming miracle
  15. Exodus 4:8 Lit voice
  16. Exodus 4:8 I.e., confirming miracle
  17. Exodus 4:9 I.e., confirming miracles
  18. Exodus 4:10 Lit a man of words
  19. Exodus 4:10 Lit yesterday
  20. Exodus 4:10 Lit heavy
  21. Exodus 4:10 Lit heavy
  22. Exodus 4:13 Lit the hand You send
  23. Exodus 4:14 Lit speaking he speaks
  24. Exodus 4:14 Lit joyful in his heart
Listen to Exodus 3:11-4:17
Close ESV

Exodus 3:11-4:17
English Standard Version

11 But Moses said to God, (A)“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, (B)“But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, (C)you shall serve God on this mountain.”

13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.”[a] And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: (D)‘I am has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord,[b] the (E)God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is (F)my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. 16 Go and (G)gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, (H)“I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt, 17 and I promise that (I)I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land (J)flowing with milk and honey.”’ 18 And (K)they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders of Israel (L)shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has (M)met with us; and now, please let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt (N)will not let you go unless compelled (O)by a mighty hand.[c] 20 So (P)I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with (Q)all the wonders that I will do in it; (R)after that he will let you go. 21 And (S)I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, 22 but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for (T)silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So (U)you shall plunder the Egyptians.”

Moses Given Powerful Signs

4 Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’” 2 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, (V)“A staff.” 3 And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. 4 But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— 5 “that they may (W)believe that the Lord, (X)the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” 6 Again, the Lord said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.”[d] And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was (Y)leprous[e] like snow. 7 Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, (Z)it was restored like the rest of his flesh. 8 “If they will not believe you,” God said, “or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign. 9 If they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and the water that you shall take from the Nile (AA)will become blood on the dry ground.”

10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but (AB)I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and (AC)I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” 13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 14 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, (AD)he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 (AE)You shall speak to him and (AF)put the words in his mouth, and (AG)I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. 16 (AH)He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and (AI)you shall be as God to him. 17 And take in your hand (AJ)this staff, with which you shall do the signs.”

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 3:14 Or I am what I am, or I will be what I will be
  2. Exodus 3:15 The word Lord, when spelled with capital letters, stands for the divine name, YHWH, which is here connected with the verb hayah, “to be” in verse 14
  3. Exodus 3:19 Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew go, not by a mighty hand
  4. Exodus 4:6 Hebrew into your bosom; also verse 7
  5. Exodus 4:6 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13
Close NRSVCE

Exodus 3:11-4:17
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”

The Divine Name Revealed

13 But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.”[a] He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord,[b] 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 name forever,
and this my title for all generations.

16 Go and assemble the elders of Israel, and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying: I have given heed to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 I declare that I will bring you up out of the misery of Egypt, to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.’ 18 They will listen to your voice; and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; let us now go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’ 19 I know, however, that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand.[c] 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders that I will perform in it; after that he will let you go. 21 I will bring this people into such favor with the Egyptians that, when you go, you will not go empty-handed; 22 each woman shall ask her neighbor and any woman living in the neighbor’s house for jewelry of silver and of gold, and clothing, and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters; and so you shall plunder the Egyptians.”

Moses’ Miraculous Power

4 Then Moses answered, “But suppose they do not believe me or listen to me, but say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’” 2 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” 3 And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw the staff on the ground, and it became a snake; and Moses drew back from it. 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Reach out your hand, and seize it by the tail”—so he reached out his hand and grasped it, and it became a staff in his hand— 5 “so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”

6 Again, the Lord said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” He put his hand into his cloak; and when he took it out, his hand was leprous,[d] as white as snow. 7 Then God said, “Put your hand back into your cloak”—so he put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored like the rest of his body— 8 “If they will not believe you or heed the first sign, they may believe the second sign. 9 If they will not believe even these two signs or heed you, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.”

10 But Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who gives speech to mortals? Who makes them mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak.” 13 But he said, “O my Lord, please send someone else.” 14 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “What of your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he can speak fluently; even now he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you his heart will be glad. 15 You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do. 16 He indeed shall speak for you to the people; he shall serve as a mouth for you, and you shall serve as God for him. 17 Take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs.”

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 3:14 Or I am what I am or I will be what I will be
  2. Exodus 3:15 The word “Lord” when spelled with capital letters stands for the divine name, YHWH, which is here connected with the verb hayah, “to be”
  3. Exodus 3:19 Gk Vg: Heb no, not by a mighty hand
  4. Exodus 4:6 A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain
Listen to Exodus 3:11-4:17
Close NIV

Exodus 3:11-4:17
New International Version

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

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

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?’(E) Then what shall I tell them?”

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

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

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

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

18 “The elders of Israel will listen(P) 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,(Q) has met(R) with us. Let us take a three-day journey(S) into the wilderness to offer sacrifices(T) to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand(U) compels him. 20 So I will stretch out my hand(V) and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders(W) that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.(X)

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

Signs for Moses

4 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen(AE) to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”

2 Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

“A staff,”(AF) he replied.

3 The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.”

Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake,(AG) and he ran from it. 4 Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. 5 “This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe(AH) 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[d]—it had become as white as snow.(AI)

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,(AJ) like the rest of his flesh.

8 Then the Lord said, “If they do not believe(AK) you or pay attention to the first sign,(AL) 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(AM) 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.”(AN)

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

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

14 Then the Lord’s anger burned(AT) 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(AU) you, and he will be glad to see you. 15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth;(AV) 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(AW) and as if you were God to him.(AX) 17 But take this staff(AY) in your hand(AZ) so you can perform the signs(BA) with it.”

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 3:12 The Hebrew is plural.
  2. Exodus 3:14 Or I will be what I will be
  3. Exodus 3:15 The Hebrew for Lord sounds like and may be related to the Hebrew for I am in verse 14.
  4. Exodus 4:6 The Hebrew word for leprous was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
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