Exodus

One day, while Moses was taking care of the sheep for his father-in-law Jethro (the priest of Midian), he led the flock to the far side of the desert. He eventually came to Horeb, which is known as the mountain of God.

There, the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire coming out of a [1] (bush). Moses looked closely and noticed that even though the bush was burning with fire, it was not being destroyed.

Moses thought to himself, "I must go over and see this amazing sight. I want to know why the bush isn't burning up."

When the LORD saw that Moses was coming closer to look, God called out to him from the middle of the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses answered, "Here I am."

God said, "Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, because the ground you are standing on is holy ground."

Then He said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Moses covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.

the LORD said, "I have certainly seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their cruel slave drivers, and I am well aware of their suffering."

"I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and to lead them out of that land into a good, large land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey, the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites."

"The cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen how terribly the Egyptians are oppressing them."

"So now, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you can lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt."

But Moses said to God, "Who am I to go to Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt?"

God promised, "I will certainly be with you. This will be the proof that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will all worship Me on this very mountain."

Moses asked God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is His name?' What should I tell them?"

God said to Moses, "[2] (I AM WHO I AM). Tell the Israelites this: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"

God also said to Moses, "Tell 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, the name by which I am to be remembered for all generations."

"Go now and gather the leaders of Israel together. Tell them, 'the LORD, the God of your ancestors, appeared to me and said: I have been watching over you and have seen what is being done to you in Egypt.'"

"And I have promised to rescue you from your suffering in Egypt and bring you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey."

"The leaders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the leaders must go to the king of Egypt and say to him, 'the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now, please let us travel three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God.'"

"But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a powerful hand forces him to."

"So I will reach out my hand and strike Egypt with all the miracles I will perform there. After that, he will let you go."

"I will also ensure that the Egyptians look upon you with favour. When you finally leave, you will not go empty-handed."

"Every woman will ask her neighbour and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold, and for fine clothes. You will put them on your sons and daughters, and in this way, you will take the wealth of the Egyptians with you."