Exodus 3

1 Moses was shepherding the sheep of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. He led the flock out beyond the wilderness and came to the mountain of Horeb. 2 And a messenger of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the bush. Moses saw that the bush was burning with fire, and the bush was not burning up. [a] 3 So Moses said, “I will go over and look at this great sight — why the bush is not burning up.” 4 And when the Lord saw that he was coming over to look, the Lord called to him out of the bush: “Moses! Moses!” And he said, “What is it?” 5 And he said, “Do not come near here. Take the sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 And he said to him, “I am the God of your father — the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” And Moses turned his face away, for he was afraid to look straight at God.

7 And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen — I have truly seen — the affliction of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their cry against their work-drivers. I know what they are suffering. 8 And I have come down to rescue them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them out of that land into a good and wide land, a land flowing with milk and honey — into the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. 9 And now — look — the cry of the children of Israel has come to me, and I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 So come now: I am sending you to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and you will bring my people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt.” 11 And Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt?” 12 And God said to Moses, “I will be with you. And this is the sign for you that I am the one sending you: when you have brought my people out of Egypt, you will all serve God on this mountain.” [b]

13 And Moses said to God, “Look — I will go to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ What am I to say to them?” 14 And God said to Moses, “I am the one who is.” And he said, “This is what you will say to the children of Israel: ‘The one who is has sent me to you.’” [c] 15 And God said to Moses again, “This is what you will say to the sons of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers — the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob — has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and my memorial from generation to generation. 16 Go, then, and gather the council of elders of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, has appeared to me — the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob — saying: I have surely watched over you, and I have seen all that has happened to you in Egypt. [d] 17 And I said: I will bring you up out of the affliction of the Egyptians into the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, into a land flowing with milk and honey.’ 18 And they will listen to your voice. Then you and the elders of Israel will go in to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and you will say to him: ‘The God of the Hebrews has called us. Let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to our God.’ 19 But I know that Pharaoh, king of Egypt, will not let you go — not unless a strong hand forces him. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all my wonders, which I will work among them; and after that he will send you out. 21 And I will give this people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians. When you make your escape, you will not go away empty-handed. 22 Every woman will ask her neighbor and the woman lodging with her for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, and you will put them on your sons and on your daughters — and you will strip the Egyptians of their spoil.” †