Exodus 3

1Moses’ father in law was named Jethro. Jethro was a priest of Midian. Moses took care of Jethro’s sheep. Moses led the sheep to the backside of the desert. He went to a mountain called Horeb, the mountain of God.

2On that mountain, Moses saw the angel of the Lord in a burning bush. Moses saw that the bush was on fire, but it was not being destroyed.

3Moses said to himself: I will go closer to the bush and see why the bush could continue burning without being burned up.

4When the Lord saw Moses coming to look, God called to Moses from inside the bush and said: Moses, Moses. Moses said: Here I am.

5The Lord said to Moses: Do not come closer. Take off your shoes because the place that you are standing on is holy ground.

6I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Moses covered his face because Moses was afraid to look at God.

7Then the Lord said to Moses: I have surely seen the troubles my people have suffered in Egypt. I have heard their cry because of their slave drivers, and I know their suffering.

8I have come down to rescue my people from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey — the home of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

9The cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians treat them.

10So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh, to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.

11Moses said to God: I am not an important man. I can not go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt.

12God answered Moses: I will be with you. And this will be the sign that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.

13Then Moses said to God: When I go to the Israelites and tell them, The God of your ancestors has sent me to you, they will ask, What is his name? What should I tell them?

14Then God said to Moses: My name is I Am Who I Am. You must tell the Israelites: I Am has sent me to you.

15God also said to Moses: You must 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 will always be my name. It is how I want the Israelites to remember me from now on.

16Go and gather the elders of Israel together and tell them: The Lord, the God of your ancestors — the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — has appeared to me and said: I have surely visited you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.

17God said: I have decided to bring you up out of the troubles you are suffering in Egypt, into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites — a land flowing with milk and honey.

18The leaders of Israel will listen to you, Moses. Then you, Moses and the leaders must go to the king of Egypt and tell him: The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has talked to us. We beg you, King, let us go into the desert 3 days journey. We want to sacrifice offerings to the Lord our God.

19I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand forces him.

20So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders I will do there. After that, the king will let you go.

21I will make the people of Egypt friendly towards children of Israel, and the people of Egypt will give the children of Israel many gifts when you go.

22Every woman of Israel will ask her Egyptian neighbor, and any woman living in her house, for silver jewelry, gold jewelry, and fine clothing. Then you will put these things on your sons and daughters. In this way you will plunder the Egyptians.