Moses was tending the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. Leading the sheep across the wilderness, he came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from within a bush. Moses saw that the bush burned, yet was not consumed.
"I must turn aside and see this marvelous sight," he thought, "why the bush does not burn."
When the Lord saw that he had drawn near, God called to him from the midst of the bush: "Moses! Moses!" And Moses answered, "Here I am."
"Do not come closer," God said. "Remove your sandals, for the place where you stand is holy ground. I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, afraid to look upon God.
Then the Lord spoke: "I have surely seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries under the cruelty of their taskmasters, and I know their suffering. I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians, to bring them into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. Now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen their oppression. Therefore, I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people out of Egypt."
But Moses said, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out?"
God answered, "I will be with you. And this shall be the sign: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this very mountain."
Still Moses asked, "When I go to the Israelites and say, 'The God of your fathers has sent me,' and they ask me, 'What is His name?'—what shall I tell them?"
God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. Tell them: 'I AM has sent me to you.' Say also: 'The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, to be remembered from generation to generation."
Then God commanded, "Go, gather the elders of Israel. Tell them, 'The Lord has appeared to me. He has seen what has been done to you in Egypt, and He promises to bring you into the land of the Canaanites and Hittites and all the nations, a land flowing with milk and honey.' They will listen to you. Then you and the elders must go to Pharaoh and say, 'The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us journey three days into the wilderness to offer sacrifice to our God.'
But I know Pharaoh will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. Therefore I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with wonders. After that, he will let you go. And when you depart, you shall not go empty-handed. Every woman shall ask her neighbor for silver, gold, and clothing, and you will place them upon your sons and daughters. Thus, you will plunder the Egyptians."