Exodus 3

1Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God, unto Horeb.

1Moses was taking care of the sheep and goats belonging to his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

2And the angel of Jehovah appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

2There, the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the middle of a bush. Moses looked and saw that even though the bush was on fire, it did not burn up.

3And Moses said, I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

3Moses thought, 'I will go over and see this amazing sight. Why isn't the bush burning up?'

4And when Jehovah saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

4When the LORD saw that Moses had stopped to look, God called to him from inside the bush, 'Moses! Moses!' And Moses answered, 'Here I am.'

5And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

5'Do not come any closer,' God said. 'Take off your sandals, because the place where you are standing is holy ground.'

6Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

6Then he said, 'I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' At this, Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.

7And Jehovah said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people that are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

7The LORD said, 'I have clearly seen how my people are being mistreated in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.

8and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

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

9And now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: moreover I have seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

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

10Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

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

11And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

11But Moses said to God, 'Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?'

12And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be the token unto thee, that I have sent thee: when thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

12God said, 'I will certainly be with you. And this will be the proof that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will all worship God on this mountain.'

13And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them?

13Moses said to God, 'Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, "The God of your ancestors has sent me to you," and they ask me, "What is his name?" What should I tell them?'

14And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

14God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: "I AM has sent me to you."'

15And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, Jehovah, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

15God also said to Moses, 'Say to 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 is my name forever, the name you shall call me from now on.

16Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, Jehovah, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, hath appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:

16Go, gather the leaders of Israel together and say to them, "The LORD, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have been watching over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.

17and I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.

17I have promised to rescue you from your oppression in Egypt and lead you to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey."

18And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews, hath met with us: and now let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to Jehovah our God.

18The leaders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the leaders must go to the king of Egypt and say to him, "The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Please let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God."

19And I know that the king of Egypt will not give you leave to go, no, not by a mighty hand.

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

20And I will put forth my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.

20So I will reach out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the miracles I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.

21And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty.

21I will cause the Egyptians to look kindly on this people, so that when you leave, you will not go empty-handed.

22But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall despoil the Egyptians.

22Every woman should ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold, and for clothing. You will put these on your sons and daughters. In this way, you will take the wealth of the Egyptians.'