Exodus

Describes how Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt and slavery, and how they receive laws from God.

Chapter 3

1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

*Moses took care of Jethro's sheep, who was a priest from a place called Midian. He guided the sheep to a remote part of the desert and went to a special mountain named Horeb that belonged to God.

2 And the angel of the LORD 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.

*The angel appeared to him in a fire coming from a burning bush. The bush was on fire but was not destroyed.

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

*Moses said, "I'll step aside to see what's causing this big fire without the bush getting burned."

4 And when the LORD 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.

*And when the Lord saw Moses looking at the burning bush, God spoke to him from inside the bush and said, "Moses, Moses." Moses replied, "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.

*He said, "Don't come closer. Remove your shoes from your feet because the ground you're standing on is holy."

6 Moreover 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.

*He also said, "I'm the God of your dad, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Moses covered his face because he was scared to see God.

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

*And God said, I have truly seen the suffering of my people in Egypt, and have heard their cries because of their oppressors. I understand their pain.

8 And 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 Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

*I have come to rescue them from the Egyptians and take them to a great land with lots of good things; a land where milk and honey flow. This is where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites live.

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, see, the children of Israel's cry has reached me, and I have witnessed the cruel treatment the Egyptians are inflicting on them.

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

*"So come here now, and I'll send you to Pharaoh to get 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?

*Moses asked God, "Why me? Why should I go to Pharaoh and free the Israelites from Egypt?"

12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a 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.

*He promised, "I'll definitely be with you. This will show you that I sent you: When you take the people out of Egypt, you'll worship God on this mountain."

13 And 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?

*Moses asked God, "When I go to the Israelites and tell them that God sent me, and they ask me for His name, what should I say?"

14 And 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.

*And God told Moses, "I am who I am." He then said, "Tell the people of Israel that I sent me to you."

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

*And God told Moses, "Tell the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your ancestors - the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - has sent me. This is my eternal name, and I will be remembered by all generations.'"

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

*"Go tell the older people of Israel to come together. Tell them that the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, appeared to me. He said that he has definitely cared for you and noticed what happened 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 Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.

*I said I'll take you from tough times in Egypt to a land with lots of good things like milk and honey, where Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites live.

18 And 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, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.

*And they will listen to your words. Then you and the leaders of Israel should go to the king of Egypt. Tell him, "The Lord, God of the Hebrew people, has spoken to us. Please let us go for three days into the desert to worship Him."

19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.

*I'm certain the Egyptian king won't let you go, he definitely won't use a strong hand to do it.

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 show my power in Egypt with amazing acts, then I will free you.

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

*I will make the people favored by the Egyptians, and when you leave, you won't be empty-handed.

22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, 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 spoil the Egyptians.

*Every woman should borrow silver and gold jewelry, along with clothes, from her neighbors and visitors. Use these items to dress your children, and take valuable things from the Egyptians.

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