Study Desk

So the king commanded all his people, "Every time a boy is born to the Hebrews, you must throw him into the Nile River, but let all the girl babies live."

But after three months she was not able to hide the baby any longer, so she got a basket made of reeds and covered it with tar so that it would float. She put the baby in the basket. Then she put the basket among the tall stalks of grass at the edge of the Nile River.

When the king heard what Moses had done, he tried to kill him. But Moses ran away from the king and went to live in the land of Midian. There he sat down near a well.

Some shepherds came and chased the girls away, but Moses defended the girls and watered their flock.

The girls answered, "The shepherds chased us away, but an Egyptian defended us. He got water for us and watered our flock."

There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire coming out of a bush. Moses saw that the bush was on fire, but it was not burning up.

But Moses said to God, "I am not a great man! How can I go to the king and lead the Israelites out of Egypt?"

"But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go. Only a great power will force him to let you go,

but the Lord said to him, "Reach out and grab the snake by its tail." When Moses reached out and took hold of the snake, it again became a stick in his hand.

But Moses said to the Lord , "Please, Lord, I have never been a skilled speaker. Even now, after talking to you, I cannot speak well. I speak slowly and can't find the best words."

But Moses said, "Please, Lord, send someone else."

The Lord said to Moses, "When you get back to Egypt, do all the miracles I have given you the power to do. Show them to the king of Egypt. But I will make the king very stubborn, and he will not let the people go.

I told you to let my son go so he may worship me. But you refused to let Israel go, so I will kill your firstborn son.'"

But Zipporah took a flint knife and circumcised her son. Taking the skin, she touched Moses' feet with it and said to him, "You are a bridegroom of blood to me."

But the king of Egypt said, "Who is the Lord ? Why should I obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord , and I will not let Israel go."

But the king said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their work? Go back to your jobs!

But they must still make the same number of bricks as they did before. Do not accept fewer. They have become lazy, and that is why they are asking me, ‘Let us go to offer sacrifices to our God.'

Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it. But you must make as many bricks as you made before."

You give us no straw, but we are commanded to make bricks. Our slave masters beat us, but it is your own people's fault."

Now, go back to work! We will not give you any straw, but you must make just as many bricks as you did before."