Exodus 3:1-9 ▼

1 Meanwhile, Moses (drawn out) was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro (Reuel), the priest of Midian (strife). He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb (Mount Sinai), the mountain of God {Elohim}.

2 There the angel (Angel) of the LORD {YHWH} appeared to him in a blazing fire from within a bush. Moses saw the bush ablaze with fire, but it was not consumed.

3 So Moses (drawn out) thought, “I must go over and see this marvelous sight. Why is the bush not burning up?”

4 When the LORD {YHWH} saw that he had gone over to look, God {Elohim} called out to him from within the bush, “Moses (drawn out), Moses!” “Here I am,” he answered.

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

6 Then He said, “I am the God {Elohe} of your father, the God of Abraham (father of many), the God of Isaac (he laughs), and the God of Jacob .” At this, Moses (drawn out) hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

7 The LORD {YHWH} said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt (land of bondage). I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.

8 I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians (land of bondage) and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites (merchants), Hittites, Amorites (sayers), Perizzites (villagers), Hivites, and Jebusites (Jerusalemites).

9 And now the cry of the Israelites (God prevails) has reached Me, and I have seen how severely the Egyptians (double straits) are oppressing them.