5 Elohim said, "Don't come any closer! Take off your sandals because this place where you are standing is holy ground. 6 I am the Elohim of your ancestors,b the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at Elohim.

7 Yahweh 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."

11 But Moses said to Elohim, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the people of Israel out of Egypt?"

12 Elohim answered, "I will be with you. And this will be the proof that I sent you: When you bring the people out of Egypt, all of you will worship Elohim on this mountain."

13 Then Moses replied to Elohim, "Suppose I go to the people of Israel and say to them, 'The Elohim of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' What should I tell them?"

14 Elohim answered Moses, "Ehyeh Who Ehyeh. This is what you must say to the people of Israel: 'Ehyeh has sent me to you.'"

15 Again Elohim said to Moses, "This is what you must say to the people of Israel: Yahweh Elohim of your ancestors, the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever. This is my title throughout every generation.

16 "Go, assemble the leaders of Israel. Say to them, 'Yahweh Elohim of your ancestors, the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, appeared to me. He said, "I have paid close attention to you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 I promise I will take you away from your misery in Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey."'

18 "The leaders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the leaders must go to the king of Egypt and say to him, 'Yahweh Elohim of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us travel three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to Yahweh our Elohim .' 19 I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go, even if he is forced to. 20 So I will use my power to strike Egypt. After all the miracles that I will do there, he will let you go. 21 I will make the Egyptians kind to the people of Israel so that, when you leave, you will not leave empty-handed.

22 "Every Hebrew woman should ask her Egyptian neighbor and any woman living in her home for silver and gold jewelry and for clothes. Put them on your sons and daughters. This way you will strip Egypt of its wealth."

EHYEH.

I AM.

When Moses first encountered God in the desert, in the figure of a burning bush, he asked God to reveal his name. But the reply he received seemed only to add to the mystery of who God is. Instead of describing himself as the Living God or the Almighty God or the Everlasting God or the Creator God, the Lord instructed Moses, saying, "I Am Who I Am. This is what you must say to the people of Israel: 'l Am has sent me to you'" (Exodus 3:14).The Hebrew word for "I Am" is Ehyeh (eh-YEH), which sounds similar to the word Yahweh, the name for God that appears in the very next sentence. It is a name considered so sacred that even today many Jews do not pronounce it. Though the exact meaning of "I Am Who I Am" is difficult to know with certainty, the Lord may have been revealing himself not only as the God who has always existed but also as the God who is always present with his people and who, indeed, has called them into being.

When Jesus was being attacked by the religious leaders who failed to recognize him as the Messiah, he shocked them not by claiming to be the Messiah but by identifying himself with Yahweh, saying: "Before Abraham was ever born, I am" (John 8:58, emphasis added). In fact, John's Gospel contains several self-descriptions of Jesus introduced by the emphatic Greek expression Ego Eimi (e-GO ay-MEE), "I Am." Here are just a few: I am the bread of life. (6:35) I am the light of the world. (8:12) Before Abraham was ever born, I am. (8:58) In Jesus we have the richest, most vivid picture of God imaginable. No longer does God seem implacably remote, displeased with the world he has made. Instead, he becomes one of us, sharing our weakness and shouldering our burdens.

Praying to Ehyeh If you were to construct a time machine and then set the location to Jerusalem and the date to the 15th of Tishri, in the fall of the year, nearly two thousand years ago, you would find yourself in the midst of one of the world's greatest parties.

Upon your arrival, your eyes would feast on a great, golden city, lit up by the harvest moon. But how could even the most luminous moon make the city and the surrounding hillsides shine so brightly? As you enter the city gates, you make your way through the thronging crowd to discover the source of the light. You are awed by the four giant menorahs that rise above the outside walls of the temple and flood the city with light. Once inside, you hear people singing and laughing, trumpets blasting, flutes playing. And there is dancing. The leading men of the city are performing dramatic torch dances that will continue throughout the night.

Why is everyone so excited? What are they celebrating? If you have done your homework prior to your trip back in time, you will realize that you have walked smack into the middle of the Feast of Tabernacles, the most joyous of Israel's feasts. Also called the Feast of Booths, it is a time to thank God for the harvest. The light and the torches inside the temple remind the partygoers of the pillar of fire that led their forefathers through the desert. The lights also remind them of the fire that came down to consume the sacrifices when Solomon dedicated his temple, also on the Feast of Tabernacles, and the glory of the Lord filled it.

Now imagine that the seven-day feast is over. You're so taken with this light-filled experience that you can't quite bring yourself to depart. On the very next day, you find yourself listening in on a tense exchange. Some Pharisees are talking to a young rabbi from Galilee. His name is Jesus. And here's what the rabbi is saying: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will have a life filled with light and will never live in the dark." It's a stunning statement, especially right after the Feast of Tabernacles. You realize why the Pharisees are so upset. The conversation continues. There is talk of Abraham. And then you hear it, Jesus' shocking statement: "Before Abraham was ever born, I am."

The people of Jesus' day knew exactly who he was claiming to be. Some picked up stones to throw at him while others became believers. Two thousand years later, the choice is ours to make-reject his claims or embrace him as the great "I Am," the light of the world, which the darkness cannot overcome.

Jesus, you are the light that shines on all those living in darkness and in the shadow of death. Shine your light on us now, Lord, and guide our feet into the path of peace.

Promises Associated with the Name EHYEH.

I am the one who brings people back to life, and I am life itself. (John 11:25) I am the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6) I am the true vine, and my Father takes care of the vineyard. (John 15:1)

4 1 "They will never believe me or listen to me!" Moses protested. "They will say, 'Yahweh didn't appear to you.'"

2 Then Yahweh asked him, "What's that in your hand?"

He answered, "A shepherd's staff."

3 Yahweh said, "Throw it on the ground."

When Moses threw it on the ground, it became a snake, and he ran away from it.

4 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Reach out and grab the snake by its tail." He reached out and grabbed it, and it turned back into a staff as he held it. 5 The LORD explained, "This is to convince the people that Yahweh Elohim of their ancestors, the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, appeared to you."

6 Yahweh said to him, "Put your hand inside your shirt." So Moses did this, and when he took his hand out, it had a skin disease. It looked as flaky as snow. 7 "Now put your hand back inside your shirt," Yahweh said. Moses put it back, and when he took it out this time, it was healthy again like the rest of his body.

8 Then the LORD said, "If they won't believe you or pay attention to the first miraculous sign, they may believe the second. 9 But if they won't believe these two miraculous signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile River and pour it on the ground. The water you take from the Nile will turn into blood on the ground."

10 Moses said to Yahweh, "Please, Adonay , I'm not a good speaker. I've never been a good speaker, and I'm not now, even though you've spoken to me. I speak slowly, and I become tongue-tied easily."

11 Yahweh asked him, "Who gave humans their mouths? Who makes humans unable to talk or hear? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? It is I, Yahweh! 12 Now go, and I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."

13 But Moses said, "Please, Adonay , send someone else."

14 Then Yahweh became angry with Moses and asked, "What about your brother Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He's already on his way to meet you, and he will be very glad to see you. 15 You will speak to him and tell him what to say. I will help both of you speak, and I will teach you both what to do. 16 Aaron will speak to the people for you. He will be your spokesman, and you will be like Elohim. 17 Take that shepherd's staff with you, and use it to do the miraculous signs."

Moses Returns to Egypt 18 Then Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro. Moses said to him, "Please let me go back to my own people in Egypt. I would like to see if they're still alive."

Jethro said to Moses, "You may go."

19 Now, Yahweh had said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, because all the men who wanted to kill you are dead."

20 So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and started out for Egypt. He also brought with him the staff Elohim had told him to take.

21 Yahweh said to Moses, "When you get back to Egypt, see that you show Pharaoh all the amazing things that I have given you the power to do. But I will make him stubborn so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then tell Pharaoh, 'This is what Yahweh says: Israel is my firstborn son. 23 I told you to let my son go so that he may worship me. But you refused to let him go. So now I'm going to kill your firstborn son.'"

24 Along the way they stopped for the night. Yahweh met Moses and tried to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin, and touched Moses' feet with it. She said, "You are a bridegroom of blood to me!" 26 So Yahweh let him alone. It was because of the circumcision that she said at that time, "You are a bridegroom of blood!"

Moses and Aaron Tell the People What the LORD Said 27 Meanwhile, Yahweh had told Aaron to meet Moses in the desert.

When Aaron met Moses at the mountain of Elohim , he kissed him. 28 Moses told Aaron everything Yahweh had sent him to say and all the miraculous signs Yahweh had commanded him to do.

29 Then Moses and Aaron went to Egypt and assembled all the leaders of the people of Israel. 30 Aaron told them everything Yahweh had said to Moses. He also did the miraculous signs for the people, 31 and the people believed them. When they heard that Yahweh was concerned about the people of Israel and that he had seen their misery, they knelt, bowing with their faces touching the ground.

Moses

Moses and his brother Aaron acted as emissaries for God, leading Israel out of Egypt and to the land God had promised. When Moses spoke with God, he used many names.

Adonay (Exod. 4:10) Elohim (Exod. 5:3) Yahweh (Exod. 15:1) Ruach Elohim (Exod. 35:31) Ruach (Num. 11:29) Esh Oklah (Deut. 4:24) El Kanna (Deut. 4:24) Ab (Deut. 32:6) Elyon (Deut. 32:8)

Moses and Aaron Confront Pharaoh 5 1 Later Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what Yahweh Elohim of Israel says: Let my people go into the desert to celebrate a festival in my honor."

2 Pharaoh asked, "Who is Yahweh? Why should I obey him and let Israel go? I don't know Yahweh, and I won't let Israel go."

3 They replied, "The Elohim of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us travel three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to Yahweh our Elohim. If we don't go, he may kill us with a plague or a war."

4 The king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why are you distracting the people from their work? Get back to work!" 5 Then Pharaoh added, "Look how many people there are in the land! Do you want them to quit working?"

Pharaoh Increases the Israelites' Labor 6 That same day Pharaoh gave these orders to the slave drivers and foremen: 7 "Don't give the people any more straw to make bricks as you have been doing. Let them gather their own straw, 8 but insist that they make the same number of bricks they were making before. Making fewer bricks will not be acceptable. They're lazy! That's why they're crying, 'Let us go offer sacrifices to our Elohim .' 9 Make the work harder for these people so that they will be too busy to listen to lies."

10 The slave drivers and foreman went out and said to them, "This is what Pharaoh says: I'm no longer giving you straw. 11 Get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work load will not be reduced one bit."

12 So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 13 The slave drivers kept hurrying them. They said, "Finish the same amount of work each day, just as when you had straw."

14 Pharaoh's slave drivers had placed Israelite foremen in charge of the people. The slave drivers beat the foremen and said, "You didn't finish all the bricks you were ordered to make yesterday or today. Why didn't you make as many as you used to?"

15 Then the Israelite foremen complained to Pharaoh. They asked, "Why are you treating us this way? 16 We're given no straw, and yet we're told to make bricks. We're being beaten, but your men are at fault."

17 "You're lazy! Just plain lazy!" Pharaoh answered. "That's why you keep saying, 'Let us go offer sacrifices to Yahweh.' 18 Now get back to work! You won't be given any straw, but you must still make the same number of bricks."

19 The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, "Don't make fewer bricks each day than you're supposed to."

20 As they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting for them. 21 So they said, "May Yahweh see what you have done and judge you! You have made Pharaoh and his officials hate us. You have given them an excuse to kill us."

22 Moses went back to Yahweh and asked, "Why have you brought this trouble on your people? Why did you send me? 23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak for you, he has treated your people cruelly, and you have done nothing at all to rescue your people."

6 1 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. I will show him my power, and he will let my people go. I will show him my power, and he will throw them out of his country."

The LORD Tells Moses to Speak to Pharaoh Again 2 Elohim spoke to Moses, "I am Yahweh. 3 I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as El Shadday , but I didn't make myself known to them by my name, Yahweh. 4 I even made a promisea to give them Canaan, the land where they lived as foreigners. 5 Now I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians hold in slavery, and I have remembered my promise.

6 "Tell the Israelites, 'I am Yahweh. I will bring you out from under the oppression of the Egyptians, and I will free you from slavery. I will rescue you with my powerful arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 Then I will make you my people, and I will be your Elohim. You will know that I am Yahweh your Elohim , who brought you out from under the forced labor of the Egyptians. 8 I will bring you to the land I solemnly swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you as your own possession. I am Yahweh.'"

9 Moses reported this to the Israelites. But they would not listen to him because they were so discouraged by their back-breaking work.

10 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, 11 "Go tell Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) to let the Israelites leave his country."

12 But Moses protested to Yahweh, "The Israelites wouldn't listen to me. Why would Pharaoh listen to me? I'm such a poor speaker."

13 Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh (the king of Egypt). He commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

Aaron and Moses' Ancestry-Genesis 46:9-11 14 These were the heads of the families: The sons of Reuben, Israel's firstborn, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

These were the families descended from Reuben.

15 The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. These were the families descended from Simeon.

16 These are the names of the sons of Levi listed in birth order: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years.

17 The sons of Gershon listed by their families were Libni and Shimei.

18 The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years.

19 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi.

These were the families descended from Levi listed in birth order.

20 Amram married his father's sister Jochebed. She gave birth to Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.