1. Moses was taking care of the sheep of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. As he led the sheep to the far side of the desert, he came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
2. The Messenger of the Lord appeared to him there as flames of fire coming out of a bush. Moses looked, and although the bush was on fire, it was not burning up.
3. So he thought, “Why isn’t this bush burning up? I must go over there and see this strange sight.”
4. When the Lord saw that Moses had come over to see it, God called to him from the bush, “Moses, Moses!”Moses answered, “Here I am!”
5. God said, “Don’t come any closer! Take off your sandals because this place where you are standing is holy ground.
6. I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.
7. The Lord said, “I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt, and I have heard them crying out because of the slave drivers. I know how much they’re suffering.
8. I have come to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and to bring them from that land to a good land with plenty of room ⌊for everyone⌋. It is a land flowing with milk and honey where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites live.
9. I have heard the cry of the people of Israel. I have seen how the Egyptians are oppressing them.
10. Now, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you can bring my people Israel out of Egypt.”