Exodus 3:13-18

Expanded Bible

¹³ Moses said to God, “When I go to the Israelites, I will say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors sent me to you.’ What if the people say, ‘What is his name [^Cnames signified a person’s essence, character, or reputation]?’ What should I tell them?”

¹⁴ Then God said to Moses, “I Am Who I Am” [^CThese Hebrew words are related to the name Yahweh, usually translated “Lord,” and suggest that God eternally lives and is always with his people]. When you go to the people of Israel, tell them, ‘I Am sent me to you.’”

¹⁵ God ·also [or again] said to Moses, “This is what you should tell the people: ‘The Lord is the God of your ·ancestors [fathers]—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He sent me to you.’ This will always be my name, ·by which people from now on will know me [^Lthis is my title for all generations].

¹⁶ “Go and gather the elders of Israel and tell them this: ‘The Lord, the God of your ·ancestors [fathers] Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has appeared to me. He said, I ·care about you, and I have seen [have paid attention to you and to] what has happened to you in Egypt. ¹⁷ I ·promised [^Lsaid] I would take you out of your ·troubles [affliction; or humiliation] in Egypt. I will lead you to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—a ·fertile land [^Lland flowing with milk and honey; 3:8].’

¹⁸ “The elders will listen to you. And then you and the elders of Israel will go to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, ·appeared to [^Lmet with] us. Let us travel three days into the ·desert [wilderness] to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God.’