Shmot (Exodus) - Chapter 3

3:1 Now Mosha was keeping the flock of Yethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to God's mountain, to Horeb. 3:2 The angel of Mar-Yah appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3:3 Mosha said, "I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt."

3:4 When Mar-Yah saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the midst of the bush, and said, "Mosha! Mosha!"

He said, "Here I am."

3:5 He said, "Do not come close. Take your sandals off of your feet, for the place you are standing on is holy ground." 3:6 Moreover he said, "I am the God of your father, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Ya'aqub."

Mosha hid his face; for he was afraid to look at God.

3:7 Mar-Yah said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 3:8 I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey; to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Yebusite. 3:9 Now, behold, the cry of the B'nai Yisrael has come to me. Moreover I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 3:10 Come now therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring forth my people, the B'nai Yisrael, out of Egypt."

3:11 Mosha said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the B'nai Yisrael out of Egypt?"

3:12 He said, "Certainly I will be with you. This will be the token to you, that I have sent you: when you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain."

3:13 Mosha said to God, "Behold, when I come to the B'nai Yisrael, and tell them, 'God of your fathers has sent me to you;' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' What should I tell them?"

3:14 God said to Mosha, "I AM WHO I AM," [Heb. Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh] and he said, "You shall tell the B'nai Yisrael this: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" 3:15 God said moreover to Mosha, "You shall tell the B'nai Yisrael this, 'Mar-Yah, God of your fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Ya'aqub, has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations. 3:16 Go, and gather the elders of Yisrael together, and tell them, 'Mar-Yah, God of your fathers, God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Ya'aqub, has appeared to me, saying, "I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt; 3:17 and I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Yebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey."' 3:18 They will listen to your voice, and you shall come, you and the elders of Yisrael, to the king of Egypt, and you shall tell him, 'Mar-Yah, God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us go three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to Mar-Yah, our God.' 3:19 I know that the king of Egypt will not grant you permission to go, no, not by a mighty hand. 3:20 I will put forth my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in its midst, and after that he will let you go. 3:21 I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, and it will happen that when you go, you shall not go empty-handed. 3:22 But every woman shall ask of her neighbour, and of her who visits her house, jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons, and on your daughters. You shall plunder the Egyptians."