Exodus 3

Moses at the Burning Bush

1 Now Moses was tending the flock of *Ex. 4:18Jethro his father-in-law, *Ex. 2:16the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to *Ex. 17:6; 1 Kin. 19:8Horeb, *Ex. 18:5the mountain of God. 2 And *Deut. 33:16; Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37; Acts 7:30the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, "I will now turn aside and see this *Acts 7:31great sight, why the bush does not burn."

4 So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called *Ex. 4:5; Deut. 33:16to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!"

And he said, "Here I am."

5 Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. *Josh. 5:15; Acts 7:33Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground." 6 Moreover He said, *Gen. 28:13; Ex. 3:16; 4:5; (Matt. 22:32; Mark 12:26, 27; Luke 20:37, 38); Acts 7:32"I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for *1 Kin. 19:13he was afraid to look upon God.

7 And the Lord said: *Ex. 2:23–25; Neh. 9:9; Ps. 106:44"I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry *Ex. 1:11because of their taskmasters, *Gen. 18:21; Ex. 2:25for I know their sorrows. 8 So *Gen. 15:13–16; 46:4; 50:24, 25I have come down to *Ex. 6:6–8; 12:51deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to *Num. 13:27; Deut. 1:25; 8:7–9; Josh. 3:17a good and large land, to a land *Ex. 3:17; 13:5; Jer. 11:5; Ezek. 20:6flowing with milk and honey, to the place of *Gen. 15:19–21; Josh. 24:11the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. 9 Now therefore, behold, *Ex. 2:23the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the *Ex. 1:11, 13, 14oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 *Gen. 15:13, 14; Ex. 12:40, 41; (Mic. 6:4); Acts 7:6, 7Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."

11 But Moses said to God, *Ex. 4:10; 6:12; 1 Sam. 18:18"Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?"

12 So He said, *Gen. 31:3; Ex. 4:12, 15; 33:14–16; Deut. 31:23; Josh. 1:5; Is. 43:2; Rom. 8:31"I will certainly be with you. And this shallbe a *Ex. 4:8; 19:3sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain."

13 Then Moses said to God, "Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?"

14 And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, *(Ex. 6:3; John 8:24, 28, 58; Heb. 13:8; Rev. 1:8; 4:8)‘I AM has sent me to you.’ " 15 Moreover God said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is*Ps. 30:4; 97:12; 102:12; 135:13; (Hos. 12:5)My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’ 16 Go and *Ex. 4:29gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, *Gen. 50:24; Ex. 2:25; 4:31; Ps. 33:18; Luke 1:68"I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt; 17 and I have said *Gen. 15:13–21; 46:4; 50:24, 25I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey." ’ 18 Then *Ex. 4:31they will heed your voice; and *Ex. 5:1, 3you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has *Num. 23:3, 4, 15, 16met with us; and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I am sure that the king of Egypt *Ex. 5:2will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. 20 So I will *Ex. 6:6; 9:15stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with *Deut. 6:22; Neh. 9:10; Ps. 105:27; 135:9; Jer. 32:20; Acts 7:36all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and *Ex. 11:1; 12:31–37after that he will let you go. 21 And *Ex. 11:3; 12:36; 1 Kin. 8:50; Ps. 105:37; 106:46; (Prov. 16:7)I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed. 22 *Ex. 11:2But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house, *Ex. 33:6articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So *Job 27:17; Prov. 13:22; (Ezek. 39:10)you shall plunder the Egyptians."