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Moses and the Burning Bush

One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro,[a] the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai,[b] the mountain of God. 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. “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.”

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.

“Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. I am the God of your father[c]—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.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:1a Moses’ father-in-law went by two names, Jethro and Reuel.
  2. 3:1b Hebrew Horeb, another name for Sinai.
  3. 3:6 Greek version reads your fathers.

God Calls Moses at the Burning Bush

Now Moses was pasturing the flock of (A)Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the [a]west side of the wilderness and came to (B)Horeb, the (C)mountain of God. (D)And the angel of [b]Yahweh appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of the (E)bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. So Moses said, “[c](F)I must turn aside now and see this [d]marvelous sight. Why is the bush not burned up?” And Yahweh saw that he turned aside to look, so (G)God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Do not come near here. (H)Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said also, “(I)I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” (J)Then Moses hid his face, for he was (K)afraid to look at God.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 3:1 Or rear part
  2. Exodus 3:2 The personal covenant name of God, a form of I AM WHO I AM, cf. Ex 3:14-15
  3. Exodus 3:3 Lit Let me turn
  4. Exodus 3:3 Lit great