Exodus 3:7-22
Expanded Bible
7 The Lord said, “I have seen the ·troubles [affliction; or humiliation] my people have suffered in Egypt, and I have heard their cries ·when the Egyptian slavemasters hurt them [L before their foremen/taskmasters]. I ·am concerned about [L know] their pain, 8 and I have come down to ·save [rescue; deliver] them from the Egyptians. I will bring them out of that land and lead them to a good land with lots of room—a ·fertile land [L land flowing with milk and honey; C an image of abundant fertility]. It is the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 9 I have heard the cries of the people of Israel, and I have seen the way the Egyptians have ·made life hard for [oppressed] them. 10 So now I am sending you to ·the king of Egypt [L Pharaoh]. Go! Bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt!”
11 But Moses said to God, “·I am not a great man! How can I go to the king [L Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh] and ·lead [bring] the Israelites out of Egypt?”
12 God said, “I will be with you. This will be the ·proof [sign] that I am sending you: After you lead the people out of Egypt, all of you will ·worship me [L serve God] on this mountain.”
13 Moses said to God, “When I go to the Israelites, I will say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors sent me to you.’ What if the people say, ‘What is his name [C names signified a person’s essence, character, or reputation]?’ What should I tell them?”
14 Then God said to Moses, “I Am Who I Am” [C These Hebrew words are related to the name Yahweh, usually translated “Lord,” and suggest that God eternally lives and is always with his people]. When you go to the people of Israel, tell them, ‘I Am sent me to you.’”
15 God ·also [or again] said to Moses, “This is what you should tell the people: ‘The Lord is the God of your ·ancestors [fathers]—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He sent me to you.’ This will always be my name, ·by which people from now on will know me [L this is my title for all generations].
16 “Go and gather the elders of Israel and tell them this: ‘The Lord, the God of your ·ancestors [fathers] Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has appeared to me. He said, I ·care about you, and I have seen [have paid attention to you and to] what has happened to you in Egypt. 17 I ·promised [L said] I would take you out of your ·troubles [affliction; or humiliation] in Egypt. I will lead you to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—a ·fertile land [L land flowing with milk and honey; 3:8].’
18 “The elders will listen to you. And then you and the elders of Israel will go to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, ·appeared to [L met with] us. Let us travel three days into the ·desert [wilderness] to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God.’
19 “But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go. Only ·a great power will force him to let you go [L by a strong hand], 20 so I will ·use my great power against Egypt [L stretch forth my hand]. I will strike Egypt with all the ·miracles [wonders] that will happen in that land. After I do that, he will let you go. 21 I will cause the Egyptians to ·think well of [be favorable toward] the Israelites. So when you leave, ·they will give gifts to your people [L you will not leave emptyhanded; 12:35–36]. 22 Each woman should ask her Egyptian neighbor and any Egyptian woman living in her house for gifts—silver, gold, and clothing. You should put those gifts on your ·children [L sons and daughters] when you leave Egypt. In this way you will ·take with you the riches of [plunder] the Egyptians.”
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Exodus 3:7-22
New American Standard Bible
7 And the Lord said, “I have certainly (A)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 (B)to rescue them from the [a]power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a (C)good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of (D)the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 9 And now, behold, (E)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, (F)so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “(G)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 (H)I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: (I)when you have brought the people out of Egypt, (J)you shall [b]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, “[c](K)I AM WHO [d]I AM”; and He said, “This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘[e]I AM has sent me to you.’” 15 God furthermore said to Moses, “This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘(L)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 [f](M)name for [g]all generations to use to call upon Me. 16 Go and (N)gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘(O)The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has appeared to me, saying, “[h](P)I am indeed concerned about you and what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 So (Q)I said, I will bring you up out of the oppression of Egypt to the land of (R)the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, to a land (S)flowing with milk and honey.”’ 18 Then (T)they will [i]pay attention to what you say; and (U)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 (V)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 (W)will not permit you to go, (X)except [j]under compulsion. 20 So I will reach out with (Y)My hand and strike Egypt with all My (Z)miracles which I shall do in the midst of it; and (AA)after that he will let you go. 21 I will grant this people (AB)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 (AC)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 (AD)plunder the Egyptians.”
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- Exodus 3:8 Lit hand
- Exodus 3:12 Or serve
- Exodus 3:14 Related to the name of God, YHWH, rendered Lord, which is derived from the verb HAYAH, to be
- Exodus 3:14 Related to the name of God, YHWH, rendered Lord, which is derived from the verb HAYAH, to be
- Exodus 3:14 Related to the name of God, YHWH, rendered Lord, which is derived from the verb HAYAH, to be
- Exodus 3:15 I.e., name used in prayer, vows, and ceremony
- Exodus 3:15 Lit generation of generation
- Exodus 3:16 Lit Visiting I have visited
- Exodus 3:18 Lit hear your voice
- Exodus 3:19 Lit by a strong hand
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
