1Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro1 his father-in-law, the priest of Midian,2 and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb,3 the mountain4 of God.
2There the angel of the Lord1 appeared to him in flames of fire2 from within a bush.3 Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.
3So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
4When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called1 to him from within the bush,2 “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”3
5“Do not come any closer,”1 God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”2
6Then he said, “I am the God of your father,a the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”1 At this, Moses hid2 his face, because he was afraid to look at God.3
7The Lord said, “I have indeed seen1 the misery2 of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned3 about their suffering.4
8So I have come down1 to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land,2 a land flowing with milk and honey3 —the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites4 and Jebusites.5
9And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing1 them.
10So now, go. I am sending1 you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”2
11But Moses said to God, “Who am I1 that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
12And God said, “I will be with you.1 And this will be the sign2 to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, youa will worship God on this mountain.3 ”
13Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’1 Then what shall I tell them?”
14God said to Moses, “I am who I am.a This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am1 has sent me to you.’”
15God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord,a the God of your fathers1 —the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob2 —has sent me to you.’ “This is my name3 forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.4
16“Go, assemble the elders1 of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob2 —appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen3 what has been done to you in Egypt.
17And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt1 into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’2
18“The elders of Israel will listen1 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,2 has met3 with us. Let us take a three-day journey4 into the wilderness to offer sacrifices5 to the Lord our God.’
19But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand1 compels him.
20So I will stretch out my hand1 and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders2 that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.3
21“And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed1 toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed.2
22Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver1 and gold2 and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder3 the Egyptians.”4