1 Moses was a shepherd, looking after the flock of Jethro,* “Jethro”: another name for Reuel. his father-in-law, the Midianite priest. He led the flock far into the wilderness until he came to God's mountain, Mount Horeb.† “Mount Horeb”: another name for Mount Sinai. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from inside a bush. Moses looked carefully and saw that though the bush was on fire, it wasn't being burned up.

3 “Let me go over and take a look,” Moses said to himself. “It's very odd to see a bush that's not burning up.”

4 When the Lord saw that Moses was coming to take a look, God called to him from inside the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

“I'm here,” Moses replied.

5 “Don't come any closer!” God told him. “Take off your sandals because you're standing on holy ground.” 6 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.

7 “I'm completely aware of the misery of my people in Egypt,” the Lord told him. “I have heard them crying out because of their taskmasters. I know how much they're suffering. 8 That's why I have come down to rescue them from Egyptian oppression and to take them up from that country to a productive, wide-open land—a land flowing with milk and honey—where currently the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites are living. 9 Listen! The cries of the Israelites have reached me, and I have seen how badly the Egyptians are mistreating them. 10 Now you must leave, because I'm sending you to Pharaoh to lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”

11 But Moses said to God, “Why me? I'm a nobody! I couldn't go to Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt!”

12 “I'll be with you,” the Lord replied, “and this will be the sign that it is really me who is sending you: when you have led the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.”

13 Then Moses said to God, “Look! If I were to 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?’ —then what should I tell them?”

14 God replied to Moses, “ ‘I Am’ is who I am. Tell the Israelites this: ‘I Am’ has sent me to you.”

15 Then God said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, 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 you are to call me for all generations to come.’

16 Go, and call all the elders of Israel to meet with you. Tell them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, has appeared to me—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He said, “I have paid close attention to what's been happening to you in Egypt. 17 I have decided to take you away from the misery you're having in Egypt and bring you to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

18 “The elders of Israel will accept what you say. Then you must go with them to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews has revealed himself to us. So please let us go three days journey into the desert so we can offer sacrifices to the Lord our God there.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt won't let you go unless he's forced to do so by a power stronger than him.‡ “A power stronger than him”: literally, “a mighty hand.” 20 So I will use my power to inflict§ “Use my power to inflict”: literally, “stretch out my hand and strike.” on Egypt all the terrifying things that I'm about to do to them. After that he'll let you go. 21 I will make the Egyptians treat you well as a people, so when you go you won't leave empty-handed. 22 Every woman* Presumably referring to Israelite women asking their Egyptian neighbors and guests. will ask her neighbor as well as any woman living in her house for silver and gold jewelry and clothing, and put them on your sons and daughters. In this way you will take the wealth of the Egyptians with you.”