and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months.

“The elders of Israel will listen 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, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God.’

Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword.”

Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.

We must take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, as he commands us.”

So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days.

No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.

The Waters of Marah and Elim

Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water.

If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money.

The Three Annual Festivals

“Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me.

“Three times a year all the men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord.

Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other.

Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand.

The Altar of Burnt Offering

“Build an altar of acacia wood, three cubits high; it is to be square, five cubits long and five cubits wide.

Curtains fifteen cubits long are to be on one side of the entrance, with three posts and three bases,

and curtains fifteen cubits long are to be on the other side, with three posts and three bases.

The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died.

Three times a year all your men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord, the God of Israel.

I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your territory, and no one will covet your land when you go up three times each year to appear before the Lord your God.

Six branches extended from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other.

Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms were on one branch, three on the next branch and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand.

The Altar of Burnt Offering

They built the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, three cubits high; it was square, five cubits long and five cubits wide.

Curtains fifteen cubits long were on one side of the entrance, with three posts and three bases,

and curtains fifteen cubits long were on the other side of the entrance to the courtyard, with three posts and three bases.