Exodus 3

1 And Moses was keeping the flock of Jithro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock far away into the desert, and came to the mountain of God, to Choreb.

Now Moses was still shepherding the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. Moses led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and arrived at Horeb, the mountain of God.

2 And an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a thorn-bush; and he looked, and, behold, the thorn-bush was burning with fire, but the thorn-bush was not consumed.

There the angel of Yahweh appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush. Moses looked, and behold, the bush was burning, but the bush was not burned up.

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

Moses said, “I will turn aside and see this amazing thing, why the bush is not burned up.”

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

When Yahweh saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him out of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses.” Moses said, “Here I am.”

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

God said, “Do not come any closer! Take off your shoes from your feet, for the place where you are standing is ground that is set apart to me.”

6 And 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 up to God.

He added, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses covered his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

7 And the Lord said, I have truly seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard its cry by reason of its taskmasters; yea, I know its sorrows;

Yahweh said, “I have certainly seen the suffering of my people who are in Egypt. I have heard their shouts because of their taskmasters, for I know about their suffering.

8 And I am come down to deliver it out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring it up out of that land unto a land, good and large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Emorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

I have come down to free them from the Egyptians' power and to bring them up from that land to a good, large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey; to the region of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

Now the shouts of the people of Israel have come to me. Moreover, I have seen the oppression caused by the Egyptians.

10 And now then go, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, and thou shalt bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

Now then, I will send you to Pharaoh so that you may bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”

11 And 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?

But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites from Egypt?”

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

God replied, “I will certainly be with you. This will be a sign to you that I have sent you. When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship me on this mountain.”

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

Moses said to God, “When I go to the Israelites and tell them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and when they say to me, 'What is his name?' what should I say to them?”

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

God said to Moses, “I AM THAT I AM.” God said, “You must say to the Israelites, 'I AM has sent me to you.'”

15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The Everlasting One, 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.

God also said to Moses, “You must say to the Israelites, 'Yahweh, 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, and this is how I will be kept in mind for all generations.'

16 Go, and assemble the elders of Israel, and say unto them, The Everlasting One, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, hath appeared unto me, saying, I have surely taken cognizance of you and of that which is done to you in Egypt:

Go and gather the elders of Israel together. Say to them, 'Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me and said, “I have indeed observed you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.

17 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt, unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Emorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.

I have promised to bring you up from the oppression in Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.”'

18 And they will 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, The Everlasting One, the God of the Hebrews hath met with us; and now let us go, we beseech thee, a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.

They will listen to you. You and the elders of Israel must go to the king of Egypt, and you must tell him, 'Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So now let us go three days' journey into the wilderness, in order that we may sacrifice to Yahweh, our God.'

19 But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, unless it happen through a mighty hand.

But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go, unless his hand is forced.

20 And I will stretch out 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.

I will reach out with my hand and attack the Egyptians with all the miracles that I will do among them. After that, he will let you go.

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

I will grant this people favor from the Egyptians, so when you leave, you will not go empty-handed.

22 But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her that sojourneth in her house, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments; and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall empty out Egypt.

Every woman will ask for silver and gold jewels and for clothing from her Egyptian neighbors and any women staying in her neighbors' houses. You will put them on your sons and daughters. In this way you will plunder the Egyptians.”