Exodus Chapter 3
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וּמֹשֶׁ֗ה הָיָ֥ה רֹעֶ֛ה אֶת־צֹ֛אן יִתְר֥וֹ חֹתְנ֖וֹ כֹּהֵ֣ן מִדְיָ֑ן וַיִּנְהַ֤ג אֶת־הַצֹּאן֙ אַחַ֣ר הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר וַיָּבֹ֛א אֶל־הַ֥ר הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים חֹרֵֽבָה׃
Moshe tended the sheep of his father-in-law Yisro, priest of Midian. He led the sheep to the edge of the wilderness and he came to the mountain of God, in the area of Choreiv.
Now Moshe kept the flock of Yitro his father in law, the priest of Midyan: and he led the flock far away into the desert, and came to the mountain of God, to Ḥorev.
And Moses grazed the flock of Yithro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock by way of the wilderness [so that it not graze in others' fields], and he came to [what was later called] the mountain of G-d, to Chorev.
וַ֠יֵּרָ֠א מַלְאַ֨ךְ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֵלָ֛יו בְּלַבַּת־אֵ֖שׁ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַסְּנֶ֑ה וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֤ה הַסְּנֶה֙ בֹּעֵ֣ר בָּאֵ֔שׁ וְהַסְּנֶ֖ה אֵינֶ֥נּוּ אֻכָּֽל׃
An angel of Adonoy appeared to him [Moshe] in the heart of a fire in the midst of a thorn-bush. He looked and behold the bush was on fire, but the bush was not being consumed.
And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, but the bush was not consumed.
And an angel of the L-rd appeared to him in the heart of the fire in the midst of the bush, [G-d "identifying Himself" with the sufferings of Israel]. And he saw, and, behold, the bush was burning with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֔ה אָסֻֽרָה־נָּ֣א וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה אֶת־הַמַּרְאֶ֥ה הַגָּדֹ֖ל הַזֶּ֑ה מַדּ֖וּעַ לֹא־יִבְעַ֥ר הַסְּנֶֽה׃
Moshe said, “I must turn aside and see [investigate] this great sight. Why doesn’t the bush burn?”
And Moshe said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
And Moses said: I will turn away thither and see this great sight, why the bush is not consumed.
וַיַּ֥רְא יְהֹוָ֖ה כִּ֣י סָ֣ר לִרְא֑וֹת וַיִּקְרָא֩ אֵלָ֨יו אֱלֹהִ֜ים מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַסְּנֶ֗ה וַיֹּ֛אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֥ה מֹשֶׁ֖ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃
When Adonoy saw that [Moshe] turned aside to see, Elohim called to him from the midst of the thorn-bush, and said, “Moshe, Moshe.’” He [Moshe] said, “Here I am.”
And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moshe, Moshe. And he said, Here I am.
And the L-rd saw that he had turned aside to see. And G-d called to him from the midst of the bush, and He said: Moses, Moses. And he said: Here I am.
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אַל־תִּקְרַ֣ב הֲלֹ֑ם שַׁל־נְעָלֶ֙יךָ֙ מֵעַ֣ל רַגְלֶ֔יךָ כִּ֣י הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ עוֹמֵ֣ד עָלָ֔יו אַדְמַת־קֹ֖דֶשׁ הֽוּא׃
He [God] said, “Do not come any closer. Take your shoes off your feet, because the place upon which you are standing is holy ground.”
And he said, Do not come near: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place on which thou dost stand is holy ground.
And He said: Do not come near here. Remove your shoes from your feet, for the place that you are standing upon is holy ground.
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אָנֹכִי֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ אֱלֹהֵ֧י אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִצְחָ֖ק וֵאלֹהֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֑ב וַיַּסְתֵּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ פָּנָ֔יו כִּ֣י יָרֵ֔א מֵהַבִּ֖יט אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃
He [God] then said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Avraham, the God of Yitzchok, and the God of Yaakov.” Moshe hid his face, for he was afraid to look at Elohim.
Moreover, he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Avraham, the God of Yiżĥaq, and the God of Ya῾aqov. And Moshe hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
And He said: I am the G-d of your father, the G-d of Abraham, the G-d of Isaac, and the G-d of Jacob. And Moses covered his face, for he was afraid to look at G-d.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֔ה רָאֹ֥ה רָאִ֛יתִי אֶת־עֳנִ֥י עַמִּ֖י אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְאֶת־צַעֲקָתָ֤ם שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י נֹֽגְשָׂ֔יו כִּ֥י יָדַ֖עְתִּי אֶת־מַכְאֹבָֽיו׃
Adonoy said, “I have indeed seen the suffering of My people that are in Egypt. I have heard how they cry out because [of the harshness] of their slave-masters, and I am aware of their pain.
And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Miżrayim, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
And the L-rd said: I have seen the afflictions of My people who are in Egypt, and their outcry have I heard under their taskmasters, for I have known [i.e., taken to heart] their tribulations.
וָאֵרֵ֞ד לְהַצִּיל֣וֹ**׀** מִיַּ֣ד מִצְרַ֗יִם וּֽלְהַעֲלֹתוֹ֮ מִן־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַהִוא֒ אֶל־אֶ֤רֶץ טוֹבָה֙ וּרְחָבָ֔ה אֶל־אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ אֶל־מְק֤וֹם הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ וְהַ֣חִתִּ֔י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י וְהַחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִֽי׃
I have descended to free them from the hand of Egypt, and to bring them up from that land to a good, spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey; to the territory of the Canaanites, the Chittites, the Emorites, the Perizites, the Chivites and the Yevusites.
and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of Miżrayim, and to bring them up out of that land to a good land and a large, to a land flowing with milk and honey; to the place of the Kena῾ani, and the Ḥitti, and the Emori, and the Perizzi, and the Ḥivvi, and the Yevusi.
And I went down to save it from the hand of Egypt and to bring it up from that land to a good and broad land, to a land flowing milk and honey, to the place of the Canaani, the Chitti, the Emori, the Perizi, the Chivi, and the Yevussi.
וְעַתָּ֕ה הִנֵּ֛ה צַעֲקַ֥ת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּ֣אָה אֵלָ֑י וְגַם־רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־הַלַּ֔חַץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִצְרַ֖יִם לֹחֲצִ֥ים אֹתָֽם׃
Now, behold, the cry of the B’nei Yisrael has come to Me. I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.
Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Yisra᾽el is come to me: and I have also seen the oppression with which Miżrayim oppresses them.
And now, the outcry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
וְעַתָּ֣ה לְכָ֔ה וְאֶֽשְׁלָחֲךָ֖ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְהוֹצֵ֛א אֶת־עַמִּ֥י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃
Now go. I am sending you to Pharaoh, and you will bring My people, the B’nei Yisrael, out of Egypt.”
Come now therefore, and I will send thee to Par῾o, that thou mayst bring my people the children of Yisra᾽el out of Miżrayim.
And now, go, and I will send you to Pharaoh, and you will take out My people, the children of Israel, from Egypt.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים מִ֣י אָנֹ֔כִי כִּ֥י אֵלֵ֖ךְ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְכִ֥י אוֹצִ֛יא אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃
Moshe said to Elohim, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh? Am I able to bring the B’nei Yisrael out of Egypt?”
And Moshe said to God, Who am I, that I should go to Par῾o, and that I should bring the children of Yisra᾽el out of Miżrayim?
And Moses said to G-d: Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh [i.e., How am I worthy that I should speak with kings], and [how have the Jews merited it] that I should take the children of Israel out of Egypt?
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ כִּֽי־אֶֽהְיֶ֣ה עִמָּ֔ךְ וְזֶה־לְּךָ֣ הָא֔וֹת כִּ֥י אָנֹכִ֖י שְׁלַחְתִּ֑יךָ בְּהוֹצִֽיאֲךָ֤ אֶת־הָעָם֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם תַּֽעַבְדוּן֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים עַ֖ל הָהָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃
He [God] said, “Because I will be with you. This will be the proof that I have sent you—when you bring the people out of Egypt—you will serve Elohim on this mountain.”
And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token to thee, that I have sent thee. When thou hast brought the people out of Miżrayim, you shall serve God upon this mountain.
And He said [(in answer to "Who am I?") It is not you who is the protagonist here,] for I shall be with you, and this [the non-consumed bush] is the sign for you that I have sent you [(and it is in My power to save.) And, in answer to "How have the Jews merited it, etc.", there is a great thing in store for them, viz.:] when you take the people out of Egypt, you will serve G-d on this mountain [and receive the Torah there].
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֗ים הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֣י בָא֮ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וְאָמַרְתִּ֣י לָהֶ֔ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וְאָֽמְרוּ־לִ֣י מַה־שְּׁמ֔וֹ מָ֥ה אֹמַ֖ר אֲלֵהֶֽם׃
Moshe said to Elohim, “Behold, when I come to the B’nei Yisrael and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers sent me to you,’ they will say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?”
And Moshe said to God, Behold, when I come to the children of Yisra᾽el, and shall say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say to them?
And Moses said to G-d: Behold, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them: "The G-d of your fathers sent me to you," and they say to me: "What is His name?" what shall I tell them?
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כֹּ֤ה תֹאמַר֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה שְׁלָחַ֥נִי אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃
Elohim said to Moshe, “Eh’yeh Asher Eh’yeh;” and He said, “This is what you must say to the B’nei Yisrael, ‘Eh’yeh sent me to you.’”
And God said to Moshe, Eheye Asher Eheye (I will ever be what I now am): and he said, Thus shalt thou say to the children of Yisra᾽el, Eheye (I Am) has sent me to you.
And G-d said to Moses: I shall be [with them in this affliction] as I shall be [with them in the bondage of the other kingdoms. (Moses replied: "Sufficient the suffering unto its time!")] And He [in accord] said: Thus shall you say to the children of Israel: "I shall be" sent me to you.
וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ ע֨וֹד אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה כֹּֽה־תֹאמַר֮ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ יְהֹוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֗ם אֱלֹהֵ֨י אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִצְחָ֛ק וֵאלֹהֵ֥י יַעֲקֹ֖ב שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם זֶה־שְּׁמִ֣י לְעֹלָ֔ם וְזֶ֥ה זִכְרִ֖י לְדֹ֥ר דֹּֽר׃
Elohim continued talking to Moshe, “This is what you must say to the B’nei Yisrael, ‘Adonoy, the God of your fathers, the God of Avraham, the God of Yitzchok, and the God of Yaakov, sent me to you. This is My eternal Name, and this is how I am to be mentioned for all generations.’”
And God said moreover to Moshe, Thus shalt thou say to the children of Yisra᾽el, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Avraham the God of Yiżĥaq, and the God of Ya῾aqov, has sent me to you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial to all generations.
And G-d said further to Moses: Thus shall you say to the children of Israel: The L-rd, the G-d of your fathers, the G-d of Abraham, the G-d of Isaac, and the G-d of Jacob, sent me to you. This [the Tetragrammaton] is My name forever (leolam) [written as "le'alem" ("to be concealed," i.e., not to be pronounced)], and this ["A-do-nai"] is My remembrance [i.e., pronunciation] from generation to generation.
לֵ֣ךְ וְאָֽסַפְתָּ֞ אֶת־זִקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֤ אֲלֵהֶם֙ יְהֹוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ נִרְאָ֣ה אֵלַ֔י אֱלֹהֵ֧י אַבְרָהָ֛ם יִצְחָ֥ק וְיַעֲקֹ֖ב לֵאמֹ֑ר פָּקֹ֤ד פָּקַ֙דְתִּי֙ אֶתְכֶ֔ם וְאֶת־הֶעָשׂ֥וּי לָכֶ֖ם בְּמִצְרָֽיִם׃
“Go, gather the elders of Yisrael, and say to them, ‘Adonoy, the God of your fathers appeared to me—the God of Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaakov—saying, “I have indeed been mindful of you, regarding that which is being done to you in Egypt.
Go, and gather the elders of Yisra᾽el together, and say to them, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Avraham, of Yiżĥaq, and of Ya῾aqov, has appeared to me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Miżrayim:
Go and gather the elders [i.e., the dignitaries] of Israel, and say to them: The L-rd, the G-d of your fathers, has appeared to me — the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — saying: I have remembered you ("pakod, etc.") and what has been done to you in Egypt.
וָאֹמַ֗ר אַעֲלֶ֣ה אֶתְכֶם֮ מֵעֳנִ֣י מִצְרַ֒יִם֒ אֶל־אֶ֤רֶץ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ וְהַ֣חִתִּ֔י וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י וְהַחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִ֑י אֶל־אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ׃
I have said, I will bring you up out of the suffering of Egypt, to the land of the Canaanites, the Chittites, the Emorites, the Perizites, the Chivites and the Yevusites; to a land flowing with milk and honey.’”
and I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Miżrayim to the land of the Kena῾ani, and the Ḥitti, and the Emori, and the Perizzi, and the Ḥivvi, and the Yevusi, to a land flowing with milk and honey.
And I have said that I will bring you up from the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaani, the Chitti, the Emori, the Perizi, the Chivi, and the Yevussi to a land flowing milk and honey.
וְשָׁמְע֖וּ לְקֹלֶ֑ךָ וּבָאתָ֡ אַתָּה֩ וְזִקְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֗יִם וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֤ם אֵלָיו֙ יְהֹוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י הָֽעִבְרִיִּים֙ נִקְרָ֣ה עָלֵ֔ינוּ וְעַתָּ֗ה נֵֽלְכָה־נָּ֞א דֶּ֣רֶךְ שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְנִזְבְּחָ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
They will listen to your voice. You and the elders of Yisrael will come to the king of Egypt, and say to him, ‘Adonoy, God of the Hebrews happened to meet with us. Now we request that you let us go into the wilderness for three days, to bring an offering [sacrifice] to Adonoy, our God.’
And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Yisra᾽el, to the king of Miżrayim, and you shall say to him, The Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us: and now let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.
And they will hearken to your voice, [this formula ("pakod, etc.") having been handed down to them as a "password" from Jacob and Joseph (Genesis 50:24-25)], and you and the elders of Israel shall come to the king of Egypt and say to him: The L-rd, the G-d of the Hebrews, has visited us; and now, let us go, we pray you, a distance of three days in the desert, and we shall sacrifice to the L-rd our G-d.
וַאֲנִ֣י יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֠י לֹֽא־יִתֵּ֥ן אֶתְכֶ֛ם מֶ֥לֶךְ מִצְרַ֖יִם לַהֲלֹ֑ךְ וְלֹ֖א בְּיָ֥ד חֲזָקָֽה׃
I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go [on this journey], but not because of his strong hand.
And I know that the king of Miżrayim will not let you go, if not by a mighty hand.
And I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go, if not by [My manifesting] a strong hand.
וְשָׁלַחְתִּ֤י אֶת־יָדִי֙ וְהִכֵּיתִ֣י אֶת־מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּכֹל֙ נִפְלְאֹתַ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֖ה בְּקִרְבּ֑וֹ וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵ֖ן יְשַׁלַּ֥ח אֶתְכֶֽם׃
I will then send forth my hand, and strike Egypt with all My wondrous deeds that I will perform in their midst. Then he [Pharaoh] will send you out.
And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Miżrayim with all my wonders which I will do in their midst: and after that he will let you go.
And I will stretch out My hand and I will smite Egypt with all of My wonders which I shall do in its midst, and then he will send you out.
וְנָתַתִּ֛י אֶת־חֵ֥ן הָֽעָם־הַזֶּ֖ה בְּעֵינֵ֣י מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהָיָה֙ כִּ֣י תֵֽלֵכ֔וּן לֹ֥א תֵלְכ֖וּ רֵיקָֽם׃
I will give this people grace in the eyes of the Egyptians; and when you go, you will not leave empty handed.
And I will give this people favour in the sight of Miżrayim: and it shall come to pass, that, when you go, you shall not go empty:
And I will put the favor of this people in the eyes of Egypt; and when you go, you will not go empty-handed.
וְשָׁאֲלָ֨ה אִשָּׁ֤ה מִשְּׁכֶנְתָּהּ֙ וּמִגָּרַ֣ת בֵּיתָ֔הּ כְּלֵי־כֶ֛סֶף וּכְלֵ֥י זָהָ֖ב וּשְׂמָלֹ֑ת וְשַׂמְתֶּ֗ם עַל־בְּנֵיכֶם֙ וְעַל־בְּנֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְנִצַּלְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־מִצְרָֽיִם׃
Every woman shall borrow from her neighbor, and from the woman living in her house, articles of silver and gold, and clothing. You shall put them on your sons and daughters, and thus you will divest Egypt of its wealth.”
but every woman shall ask of her neighbour, and of her that sojourns in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and garments: and you shall put them on your sons, and on your daughters; and you shall despoil Miżrayim.
And a woman shall ask of her neighbor and of the woman who lives in her house articles of silver and articles of gold and garments, and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters, and you shall empty out Egypt.