17. But as the time of the promise drew nigh which God vouchsafed unto Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
18. till there arose another king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.
19. The same dealt craftily with our race, and ill-treated our fathers, that they should cast out their babes to the end they might not live.
20. At which season Moses was born, and was exceeding fair; and he was nourished three months in his father’s house.
21. and when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.
22. And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; and he was mighty in his words and works.
23. But when he was well-nigh forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
24. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, smiting the Egyptian:
25. and he supposed that his brethren understood that God by his hand was giving them deliverance; but they understood not.
26. And the day following he appeared unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?
27. But he that did his neighbor wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?
28. Wouldest thou kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday?
29. And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons.
30. And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush.
31. And when Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord,
32. I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not behold.
33. And the Lord said unto him, Loose the shoes from thy feet: for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
34. I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I am come down to deliver them: and now come, I will send thee into Egypt.
35. This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? him hath God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush.