Study Desk

but their descendants, the Israelites, had many children and became so numerous and strong that Egypt was filled with them.

But the more the Egyptians oppressed the Israelites, the more they increased in number and the farther they spread through the land. The Egyptians came to fear the Israelites

"When you help the Hebrew women give birth," he said to them, "kill the baby if it is a boy; but if it is a girl, let it live."

But the midwives were God-fearing and so did not obey the king; instead, they let the boys live.

Finally the king issued a command to all his people: "Take every newborn Hebrew boy and throw him into the Nile, but let all the girls live."

But when she could not hide him any longer, she took a basket made of reeds and covered it with tar to make it watertight. She put the baby in it and then placed it in the tall grass at the edge of the river.

When the king heard about what had happened, he tried to have Moses killed, but Moses fled and went to live in the land of Midian. One day, when Moses was sitting by a well, seven daughters of Jethro, the priest of Midian, came to draw water and fill the troughs for their father's sheep and goats.

But some shepherds drove Jethro's daughters away. Then Moses went to their rescue and watered their animals for them.

Years later the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites were still groaning under their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry went up to God,

There the angel of the Lord appeared to him as a flame coming from the middle of a bush. Moses saw that the bush was on fire but that it was not burning up.

But Moses said to God, "I am nobody. How can I go to the king and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"

But Moses replied, "When I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors sent me to you,' they will ask me, ‘What is his name?' So what can I tell them?"

But I will use my power and will punish Egypt by doing terrifying things there. After that he will let you go.

Then Moses answered the Lord , "But suppose the Israelites do not believe me and will not listen to what I say. What shall I do if they say that you did not appear to me?"

But Moses said, "No, Lord , don't send me. I have never been a good speaker, and I haven't become one since you began to speak to me. I am a poor speaker, slow and hesitant."

But Moses answered, "No, Lord, please send someone else."

Again the Lord said to Moses, "Now that you are going back to Egypt, be sure to perform before the king all the miracles which I have given you the power to do. But I will make the king stubborn, and he will not let the people go.

I told you to let my son go, so that he might worship me, but you refused. Now I am going to kill your first-born son.'"

But still require them to make the same number of bricks as before, not one brick less. They don't have enough work to do, and that is why they keep asking me to let them go and offer sacrifices to their God!

He says that you must go and get it for yourselves wherever you can find it, but you must still make the same number of bricks."