The Burning Bush

Moses, having won the favor of Jethro — for that was one of Reuel’s names — stayed there and fed his flock. Some time later he took his station at the mountain called Sinai and drove his flocks there to graze. This is the highest of all the mountains in that region and the best for pasture, because the grass there is good; and it had not been grazed before, because of the belief that God lived there, so that the shepherds did not dare to go up onto it. And here a wonderful sign happened to Moses. A fire was feeding on a thornbush, yet the green leaves and the flowers stayed untouched, and the fire did not consume the fruit-bearing branches at all, though the flame was great and fierce. Moses was frightened at this sight, strange as it was to him; but he was still more astonished when the fire uttered a voice, called him by name, and spoke words to him. By these it showed him how bold he had been in venturing into a place where no man had ever come before, because the place was divine. It advised him to move far off from the flame and to be content with what he had seen, and, though he was himself a good man and the descendant of great men, not to pry any further. It foretold besides the glory and honor he would have among men, with God at his side. It also commanded him to go back from there with confidence to Egypt, to be the commander and leader of the body of the Hebrews, and to deliver his own people from the wrongs they were suffering there. God said, “For they will live in this happy land which your forefather Abraham lived in, and will enjoy all good things, with you and your understanding leading them there.” But he charged Moses, when he brought the Hebrews out of the land of Egypt, to come to that place and offer sacrifices of thanksgiving there. Such were the divine oracles delivered out of the fire. [a]

Moses was astonished at what he saw, and much more at what he heard, and he said, “To distrust your power, Master — which I myself worship, and which I know was made plain to my ancestors — would be, I think, too mad a thing for a man of my good sense. But I am still in doubt how I, a private man and one of no ability, could either persuade my own countrymen to leave the country they now live in and follow me to a land I lead them to; or, if they were persuaded, how I could force Pharaoh to let them go, since the Egyptians increase their own wealth and prosperity by the labors and tasks they lay on them.” [c]

But God urged him to be courageous in every circumstance, and promised to be with him: wherever words were needed he would give him the power to persuade, and wherever deeds were needed, the strength. He told him also to take a proof of what God promised by throwing his staff on the ground. When he did so, it crept along and became a serpent, coiled itself round in its folds, and raised its head as if ready to take revenge on anyone who attacked it; and after that it became a staff again, as it was before. Next God told Moses to put his right hand into the fold of his robe. He obeyed, and when he took it out it was white, the color of chalk; but afterward it returned to its usual color. At God’s command he also took some of the water that was near him and poured it on the ground, and saw that its color was that of blood. When Moses marveled at these signs, God urged him to take courage and be assured that he would be his greatest support, and told him to use those signs to win belief among all people, “that you are sent by me and do everything by my commands. So I charge you to make no more delays. Hurry to Egypt; travel night and day, and do not drag out the time, and so make the Hebrews’ slavery and their sufferings last longer.” [d]

Having now seen and heard these wonders, which assured him of the truth of God’s promises, Moses had no room left to disbelieve them. He begged God to grant him that power when he was in Egypt, and asked him to grant him knowledge of his own name: since he had heard and seen him, would he also tell him his name, so that when he offered sacrifice he might call on him by name to be present at his offerings. Then God revealed to him his holy name, which had never been made known to men before — and about which it is not lawful for me to say any more. These signs went with Moses not only then but always, whenever he prayed for them. Of all of them he put the firmest trust in the fire in the bush; and believing that God would be his gracious supporter, he hoped he would be able to deliver his own nation and bring calamities on the Egyptians. [e]