Moses

1A man from the family of Levi married a woman from the family of Levi.

And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.

NoteLevi was one of the sons of Jacob. His children and grandchildren grew into one big family group of Israel.

2The woman had a baby boy. She saw that he was a fine child. So she hid him for three months.

And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.

NoteThe king of Egypt had ordered that Hebrew baby boys be thrown into the river. That is why this mother hid her son.

3Soon she could not hide him any longer. She got him a basket made of tall river reeds. She covered it with tar and pitch. She put the baby inside. Then she set the basket among the tall grass at the edge of the river.

And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink.

NoteThe river is the Nile, the big river that runs through Egypt. Tar is a thick black goo that keeps water out, like glue that never lets go. Pitch is sticky black stuff much like tar.

4The baby's sister stood far away. She wanted to see what would happen to him.

And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.

5The daughter of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, came down to the river to wash. Her helpers walked along the riverside. She saw the basket in the tall grass. She sent her servant girl to go get it.

And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.

6She opened the basket and saw the child. The baby was crying. She felt sorry for him. She said, "This is one of the Hebrew children."

And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children.

NoteHebrew is another name for the people of Israel. They came from Egypt's neighbor country and lived in Egypt as slaves.

7Then the baby's sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women? She could feed the baby and care for him for you."

Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?

NoteLong ago there was no baby milk in bottles. A baby drank milk from a mother, so only a woman with a baby of her own could feed him.

8Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go." So the girl went and called the baby's own mother.

And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother.

9Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child and care for him for me. I will pay you for your work." So the woman took the baby and fed him and cared for him.

And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.

10The child grew. Then she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses. She said, "I pulled him out of the water."

And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.

NoteThe name Moses sounds like the Hebrew words for pulling something out. His name would remind people of the day he was lifted out of the river.

11Later, when Moses was grown, he went out to his own people. He looked at their hard work. He saw an Egyptian man hitting a Hebrew, one of his own people.

And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.

NoteThe Hebrews were slaves in Egypt. They had to work hard all day making bricks and building, and they were not paid.

12Moses looked this way and that way. He saw that no one was there. So he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

13The next day he went out again. Two Hebrew men were fighting each other. Moses said to the one who was doing wrong, "Why are you hitting the man beside you?"

And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?

14The man said, "Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Do you plan to kill me, the way you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid. He said, "People must know what I did."

And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.

NoteA judge was someone people came to when they argued. The judge decided who was right.

15When Pharaoh heard about this, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses ran away from Pharaoh. He went to live in the land of Midian. There he sat down by a well.

Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.

NoteMidian was a dry land far away, out past the edge of Egypt. Moses had to cross the desert to get there.

16The priest of Midian, the man who led the worship there, had seven daughters. They came and drew water. They filled the water tubs for their father's sheep and goats.

Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.

NoteA well is a deep hole dug down to water underground. In a dry land, the well was the place everyone came to.

17Some shepherds came and chased the girls away. But Moses stood up and helped them. He gave water to their animals.

And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.

18The girls came home to their father Reuel. He said, "How did you get back so early today?"

And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day?

NoteLater in the story this same man is called Jethro. People back then could be known by two names.

19They said, "An Egyptian man saved us from the shepherds. He even drew plenty of water for us and gave it to the animals."

And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.

20He said to his daughters, "So where is he? Why did you leave the man behind? Call him, so he can have something to eat."

And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.

21Moses was glad to stay with the man. The man gave Moses his daughter Zipporah to be his wife.

And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.

NoteIn those days a father chose the man his daughter would marry. Reuel chose Moses for Zipporah.

22She had a son. Moses named him Gershom. He said, "I have been a stranger in a land that is not mine."

And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.

NoteThe name Gershom sounds like the Hebrew words for a stranger there. Moses picked a name that told his own story.

1Moses took care of the sheep of Jethro, his wife's father. Jethro was a priest in the land of Midian. Moses led the sheep far across the desert. He came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

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.

NoteA priest was a man who helped people worship God. Midian was a land far from Egypt, past the desert. Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai. Moses had run away from Egypt and lived here now.

2The angel of the LORD came to Moses in a flame of fire. The fire was inside a bush. Moses looked and saw the bush burning. But the bush did not burn up.

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.

NoteAn angel is a messenger who comes from God. Bushes in the desert are dry, so fire burns them up fast. This bush kept burning and stayed whole, and that is why Moses stopped.

3Moses said, "I will go over and look at this strange thing. Why does the bush not burn up?"

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

4The LORD saw that Moses came over to look. God called to him from inside the bush. God said, "Moses, Moses." Moses said, "I am here."

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.

5God said, "Do not come any closer. Take your sandals off your feet. The ground where you are standing is holy."

And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

NoteLong ago people took their shoes off to show respect. They did it before going into a very special place. Holy means set apart for God, not like other ground.

6God also said, "I am the God of your father. I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Moses covered his face. He was afraid to look at God.

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.

NoteAbraham, Isaac, and Jacob were Moses' family from long ago. The people of Israel all came from them. Moses covered his face because people believed seeing God was too much for them.

7The LORD said, "I have truly seen how my people hurt in Egypt. I have heard them crying because of the men who force them to work. I know their pain."

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;

NoteThe people of Israel were slaves in Egypt. The King James calls their bosses "taskmasters." These men made the slaves work hard and would not let them rest.

8"I have come down to save them from the Egyptians. I will bring them up out of that land. I will take them to a good, wide land. It is a land full of milk and honey. The Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites live there now."

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.

Note"A land flowing with milk and honey" is a picture, not real rivers. It means good grass for animals and flowers for bees. It is a way of saying the land has plenty of food. The Canaanites and the other names are groups of people who lived there then.

9"Now the cry of the people of Israel has come to me. I have seen how cruelly the Egyptians treat them."

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.

10"So come now. I am sending you to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. You will bring my people Israel out of Egypt."

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

NotePharaoh was the word for the king of Egypt. He was the most powerful man in the whole country.

11Moses said to God, "Who am I to do this? How can I go to Pharaoh and bring Israel out of Egypt?"

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?

12God said, "I will surely be with you. Here is your sign that I sent you. After you bring the people out of Egypt, you will all worship God on this mountain."

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.

NoteThe King James calls it "a token," which means a sign. A sign is something that shows a promise is true. To worship means to thank God and to honor him.

13Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the people of Israel. I will tell them, 'The God of your fathers sent me to you.' Then they may ask me, 'What is his name?' What should I tell them?"

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?

NoteBack then a name told you what a person was like. So asking God's name was asking who he really is.

14God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." God said, "Tell the people of Israel this: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"

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.

Note"I AM WHO I AM" is God telling his own name. In the Hebrew language it sounds like the word for "to be." It means God has always been here and always will be.

15God said more to Moses. "Tell the people of Israel this. The LORD, the God of your fathers, has sent me to you. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This is my name forever. This is how people will remember me for all time."

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.

NoteThe King James prints LORD in big letters. That stands for God's own special name, the one he just told Moses.

16"Go and bring the elders of Israel together. Tell them the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, appeared to you. Tell them he said, 'I have come to help you. I have seen what is being done to you in Egypt.'"

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:

NoteElders were the older men who led the families of Israel. People listened to them and trusted them. When the King James says God has "visited" them, it means he has come to help.

17"'I have promised to bring you out of your suffering in Egypt. I will take you to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. It is a land full of milk and honey.'"

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.

18"The elders will listen to what you say. Then you and the elders will go to the king of Egypt. Tell him, 'The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Please let us go three days into the desert. We want to give offerings there to the LORD our God.'"

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.

NoteHebrews is another name for the people of Israel. To sacrifice meant to give an animal to God as a gift. A three days' journey means walking for three whole days.

19"But I know the king of Egypt will not let you go. Only a strong hand will make him do it."

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

Note"A mighty hand" means very great power. Hand is a way of saying what someone can do.

20"So I will reach out my hand. I will strike Egypt with all my wonders. After that, he will let you go."

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.

NoteWonders are amazing things that only God can do. These are the big troubles God will send on Egypt later.

21"I will make the Egyptians want to be kind to my people. When you leave, you will not go with empty hands."

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:

NoteThe King James says God will give them "favour in the sight of the Egyptians." That means the Egyptians will think well of them. They will want to give them good things.

22"Every woman will ask her neighbor for gifts. She will also ask any woman staying in her house. They will give silver and gold jewelry and clothes. You will put them on your sons and daughters. In this way you will carry away the riches of Egypt."

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.

NoteThe King James says the women will "borrow." The old word really means ask for. These were gifts to keep, not things to give back. "Jewels" here means jewelry, and "raiment" means clothes. To "spoil the Egyptians" means to carry their riches away.

1Moses answered, "But they will not believe me. They will not listen to me. They will say, 'The LORD did not show himself to you.'"

And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.

NoteThe King James writes LORD in big letters here. That stands for God's own special name.

2The LORD said to him, "What is that in your hand?" Moses said, "A rod."

And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.

NoteA rod was a long walking stick. A shepherd used one to guide his sheep and to drive off wild animals.

3God said, "Throw it on the ground." Moses threw it down. It turned into a snake. Moses ran away from it.

And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.

NoteSome snakes in that land were very dangerous. That is why Moses ran.

4The LORD said, "Reach out your hand and grab it by the tail." Moses reached out and caught it. In his hand it turned back into a stick.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:

5God said, "Do this so the people will believe that I showed myself to you. I am the LORD, the God their fathers knew, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.

NoteAbraham was Isaac's father. Isaac was Jacob's father. All the people of Israel came from this one family long ago.

6The LORD said something more to him. "Put your hand inside your coat." Moses did. When he pulled it out, his hand was sick and white as snow.

And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.

NoteThe King James says "bosom." That means the front of his coat, near his chest. His hand turned white with a skin sickness called leprosy. People with it had to stay away from others.

7God said, "Put your hand back inside your coat." Moses did. When he pulled it out, his hand was well again, like the rest of his skin.

And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.

8God said, "They may not believe you or trust the first sign. Then they will believe the second sign."

And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.

NoteA sign is something amazing that God does. It shows people that he really sent this person.

9"They may not believe either sign, or listen to you. Then take water from the river. Pour it on the dry ground. That water will turn into blood on the ground."

And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.

NoteThe river is the Nile. It is the big river in Egypt. People drank from it and washed in it every day.

10Moses said, "Please, Lord, I am not good with words. I never was. I still am not, even now that you have talked to me. I speak slowly, and words come out hard."

And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

NoteThe King James says Moses was not "eloquent." That word means good at talking to people.

11The LORD said to him, "Who made a person's mouth? Who makes someone unable to speak or to hear? Who makes someone able to see, or not see? I do. I am the LORD."

And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?

NoteThe King James uses the word "dumb" here. Long ago that word meant someone who cannot speak.

12"So go now. I will help you when you speak. I will teach you what to say."

Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

13Moses said, "Please, Lord, send somebody else instead of me."

And he said, O my LORD, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.

14Then the LORD grew angry with Moses. He said, "What about your brother Aaron, from the family of Levi? I know he speaks well. He is already on his way to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad."

And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.

NoteThe King James says God's anger was "kindled." To kindle means to start a fire. Aaron came from the family of Levi, one of Jacob's twelve sons.

15"You will talk to him and tell him what to say. I will help you both speak. I will teach you both what to do."

And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.

16"He will speak to the people for you. He will be like a mouth for you. And you will be like God to him."

And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.

NoteThis does not mean Moses became God. It means Moses would give Aaron the words, the way God gave words to Moses.

17"Take this stick in your hand. You will do the signs with it."

And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.

18Moses went back to Jethro, his wife's father. He said, "Please let me go back to my own people in Egypt. I want to see if they are still alive." Jethro said, "Go in peace."

And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.

NoteJethro was the father of Moses' wife. Moses had lived with Jethro's family for many years.

19The LORD had said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt. All the men who wanted to kill you are dead."

And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.

NoteLong before this, Moses hurt an Egyptian man and ran away. The king wanted him caught. Now those men were dead.

20Moses took his wife and his sons. He put them on a donkey. They started back to the land of Egypt. Moses carried God's stick in his hand.

And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

NoteThis is the same walking stick from before. It is called God's stick because God did wonders with it.

21The LORD said to Moses, "When you get back to Egypt, do every wonder I gave you power to do. Do them in front of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. But I will make his heart hard. He will not let the people go."

And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.

NoteA wonder is something amazing that only God can do. A hard heart means the king would not change his mind.

22"Say to Pharaoh, 'This is what the LORD says. Israel is my son, my oldest son.'"

And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:

NoteIsrael was Jacob's other name. His family grew into a whole people called Israel.

23"'I told you to let my son go so he can serve me. You said no. So I will kill your son, your oldest son.'"

And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.

NoteThe oldest son had a special place in a family. Everyone honored him most.

24On the way, they stopped at a place to sleep. There the LORD met Moses and was about to kill him.

And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.

25Then Zipporah took a sharp stone. She cut the skin off her son, the way God's people did. She touched it to Moses' feet. She said, "You are a husband of blood to me."

Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.

NoteZipporah was the wife of Moses. She used a sharp stone as a knife. Cutting a little skin from a baby boy was a mark that his family belonged to God. It was called circumcision.

26So the LORD let him go. She had said "husband of blood" because of that cutting.

So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.

Note"Husband of blood" was something she said in that moment. Nobody today knows exactly what she meant.

27The LORD said to Aaron, "Go out to the dry, empty land to meet Moses." Aaron went. He met Moses at God's mountain and kissed him.

And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.

NoteGod's mountain is the same mountain where God spoke to Moses from the burning bush. Back then, family and friends kissed on the cheek to say hello.

28Moses told Aaron everything the LORD had said when he sent him. He told him about all the signs God said to do.

And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.

29Then Moses and Aaron went and called together all the leaders of the people of Israel.

And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:

NoteThe elders were the older men that each family trusted. They spoke for everybody.

30Aaron told them every word the LORD had said to Moses. He also did the signs where the people could see.

And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.

31The people believed. They heard that the LORD had come to help them. He had seen how much they were hurting. So they bowed their heads low and worshiped.

And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

NoteBowing your head low, or lying face down, was how people showed great respect.

1Later Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. They said, "The LORD, the God of Israel, says this: Let my people go. They must hold a feast for me out in the empty desert."

And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.

NotePharaoh was the title of Egypt's king, like saying "the king." The people of Israel were slaves in Egypt then. Slaves are people forced to work for no pay. When you see LORD in big letters, it stands for God's own special name. A feast is a big happy meal held to honor someone.

2Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD? Why should I obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD. I will not let Israel go."

And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

NoteEgypt's kings prayed to many different gods. Pharaoh is saying this God is a stranger to him.

3They said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us walk three days into the desert. There we will give gifts to the LORD our God. If we do not, he may send sickness or war against us."

And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.

Note"Hebrews" was another name for the people of Israel. To sacrifice means to give God a gift, often an animal. "Three days' journey" means as far as a person can walk in three days. The old word "pestilence" means a sickness that spreads to many people.

4The king of Egypt said, "Moses and Aaron, why are you stopping the people from working? Get back to your own work."

And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.

NoteIn 1611, "let" could mean to hold someone back. That is the opposite of what "let" means today. "Burdens" means heavy, hard work.

5Pharaoh said, "Look how many of these people there are now. And you are making them stop working."

And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.

Note"Behold" is an old word that simply means "look."

6That same day Pharaoh gave orders to the bosses over the workers. He also spoke to the helpers who worked under them.

And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

Note"Taskmasters" were Egyptians who made the slaves work. Their "officers" were Israelite men picked to watch the other workers.

7"Do not give the people straw for making bricks anymore. Now let them go and find their own straw."

Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.

NoteBricks were made from wet mud shaped into blocks and dried in the sun. Bits of straw were mixed in so the blocks would not crumble.

8"But make them turn in the same number of bricks as before. Do not let them make even one less. They are lazy. That is why they cry out, 'Let us go and give gifts to our God.'"

And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.

NoteHere "the tale of the bricks" means the number of bricks, not a story. "Ought" is an old word for "anything." "Idle" means lazy, not busy.

9"Pile more work on the men. Keep them busy. Then they will not listen to lies."

Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.

Note"Vain words" means empty words that are not worth listening to.

10So the bosses and their helpers went out to the people. They said, "Pharaoh says this: I will not give you straw anymore."

And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.

11"Go and get straw wherever you can find it. But you must still make just as many bricks."

Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.

12So the people spread out all over Egypt. They gathered dry, leftover stalks from the fields instead of straw.

So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.

NoteStubble is the short, dry stalks left in a field after the grain is cut. It broke apart easily, so it worked poorly in bricks.

13The bosses kept pushing them. They said, "Finish your work each day, just like when we gave you straw."

And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.

Note"Hasted them" means hurried them along and would not let them rest.

14Pharaoh's bosses had put some Israelite men in charge of the workers. Those men were beaten. They were asked, "Why didn't you make enough bricks yesterday and today?"

And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?

Note"The children of Israel" means the whole people of Israel. They all came from one family long before.

15So the Israelite leaders went to Pharaoh and begged him. They said, "Why are you treating us this way?"

Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?

Note"Cried unto" here means begged, not cried tears. They call themselves "thy servants" to sound polite to the king.

16"No one gives us straw. Yet they still tell us, 'Make bricks!' Now we are being beaten. But the fault belongs to your own people."

There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.

Note"The fault is in thine own people" means the Egyptians are the ones doing wrong.

17Pharaoh said, "You are lazy! You are lazy! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and give gifts to the LORD.'"

But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD.

Note"Ye are idle" means "you are lazy." Pharaoh says it twice to be mean.

18"Now go and work. No one will give you straw. But you must still hand over the same number of bricks."

Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.

NoteAgain "the tale of bricks" means the full number of bricks.

19The Israelite leaders saw they were in real trouble. They had been told they could not make fewer bricks.

And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task.

Note"In evil case" means in very bad trouble. "Minish" is an old word for make smaller.

20They left Pharaoh and found Moses and Aaron waiting for them on the way.

And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:

21They said, "May the LORD see what you did and judge you. You made Pharaoh and his men hate us. Now they have a reason to kill us."

And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

NoteThe words say the men made their "savour" hated. Savour means smell. It is a way of saying Pharaoh now hates them. "To put a sword in their hand" means to give them a reason to kill.

22Moses went back to the LORD. He said, "Lord, why have you brought trouble on these people? Why did you even send me?"

And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, LORD, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?

Note"Evil entreated" does not mean asking. It means treated badly.

23"Ever since I spoke to Pharaoh for you, he has hurt them more. And you have not saved your people at all."

For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

Note"To speak in thy name" means to talk as God's messenger. "Delivered" means rescued or set free.

1Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you will see what I do to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. My strong hand will make him let my people go. He will even push them out of his land."

Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.

NotePharaoh was not a name. It was the word for the king of Egypt. A "strong hand" means great power. God is talking about the mighty things he will do.

2God also spoke to Moses. He said, "I am the LORD.

And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD:

NoteIn the King James Bible, LORD in big letters stands for God's own special name. It was the name God told his people to use.

3I let Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob see me as God Almighty. But they did not know me by my name, the LORD.

And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

Note"God Almighty" means the God who can do anything. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were the great-grandfathers of these people, long, long ago.

4I also made a covenant with them. I said I would give them the land of Canaan. They lived there as strangers, far from home.

And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.

NoteA covenant is a very strong promise between two sides. Canaan was the land God promised to give them. They only stayed there like visitors. The land was not theirs yet.

5I have heard the people of Israel groaning. The Egyptians are keeping them as slaves. I have remembered my promise.

And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.

NoteSlaves were people forced to work hard for someone else. They were not paid, and they were not allowed to leave.

6So tell the people of Israel this: I am the LORD. I will take Egypt's heavy loads off your backs. I will set you free from being slaves. I will save you with my strong arm and with mighty acts of judging.

Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:

NoteThe old word "redeem" means to buy someone back. It is like paying money to set a person free. A "stretched out arm" is a picture of strong power. "Judgments" means punishing people for the wrong they did.

7I will make you my own people. I will be your God. Then you will know I am the LORD your God. I am the one who lifts Egypt's heavy loads off you.

And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

8I will bring you into the land I promised long ago. I promised it to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you to keep. I am the LORD."

And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.

NoteThe King James word "heritage" means something passed down in a family. The land would belong to their children and grandchildren too.

9Moses told all this to the people of Israel. But they would not listen to him. They were worn out with sadness and cruel, hard slave work.

And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.

NoteThe King James says "anguish of spirit." That means their hearts were crushed with sadness and worry.

10Then the LORD spoke to Moses. He said,

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

11"Go and tell Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to let the people of Israel leave his land."

Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.

12But Moses said to the LORD, "Look, the people of Israel have not listened to me. So why would Pharaoh listen to me? I am not good at speaking."

And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?

NoteThe King James says Moses had "uncircumcised lips." That was an old way of saying his mouth did not work well for speaking.

13Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron. He gave them a job to do. They were to speak to the people of Israel and to Pharaoh, king of Egypt. They were to bring the people of Israel out of Egypt.

And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

NoteA "charge" here means a job that someone is given to do.