Moses

Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said, "Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. Come on, and let us deal wisely with them, lest they become too many, and it come to pass that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us."

Therefore they did set over the children of Israel task-masters to afflict them with their burdens. But the more they afflicted them, the more they grew.

And the Egyptians made the lives of the children of Israel bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field.

And the king of Egypt charged all his people, saying, "Every son that is born to the Hebrews ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive."

And there was a woman of the house of Levi who had a son, and when she saw that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could no longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein, and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. And his sister stood afar off to know what would be done to him.

Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river. And her maidens walked along by the river side. And when the daughter of Pharaoh saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children."

SHE LAID IT IN THE FLAGS BY THE RIVER'S BANK.

Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?"

And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go: And the maid went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, "Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages."

And the woman took the child and nursed it. And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses, and she said, "Because I drew him out of the water."

And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, the Hebrews, and looked on their burdens. And he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.

And Moses looked this way and that way; and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together.

And Moses said to him that did the wrong, "Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?"

And the Hebrew said, "Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? Intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian?"

And Moses feared, and said, "Surely this thing is known."

Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.

Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.

And the shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered the flock.

And when they came to their father, he said, "How is it that ye are come so soon to-day?" And they said, "An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock."

And the father said unto his daughters, "And where is he? Why is it that ye have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread."

And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and the man gave Moses his daughter to wife.

And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died. And the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God remembered them.

Now Moses kept the flock of his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back-side of the desert, and came to the mountain of God.

And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. And Moses looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

And Moses said, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt."

And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the midst of the bush, and said, "Moses, Moses."

And he said, "Here am I."

And he said, "Draw not nigh hither, put of thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." Moreover, he said, "I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.

And the Lord said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. Come now, therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."

And Moses said unto God, "Who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?"

And he said, "Certainly I will be with thee and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee. When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God on this mountain."

And Moses said unto God, "Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, 'The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you,' and they shall say to me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say unto them?"

And God said unto Moses, "I AM THAT I AM"; and he said, "Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, 'I AM hath sent me unto you.' And ye shall gather the elders of Israel together and say unto them, 'The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt. And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.' And they shall hearken to thy voice, and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, 'The Lord God of the Hebrews hath met with us. And now, let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.' And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof, and after that, he will let you go. And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, and it shall come to pass that when ye go, ye shall not go empty. But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment. And ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters, and ye shall spoil the Egyptians."

And Moses answered and said, "But behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice, for they will say, 'The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.'"

And the Lord said unto him, "What is that in thine hand?"

And he said, "A rod."

And the Lord said, "Cast it on the ground." And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses fled from before it.

And the Lord said unto Moses, "Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail." And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand.

And the Lord said furthermore unto him, "Put now thine hand into thy bosom: And he put his hand into his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.

And he said, "Put thy hand into thy bosom again," and he put his hand into his bosom and plucked it out, and behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.

And God said, "It shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land, and the water which thou takest out of the river, shall become blood upon the dry land."

And Moses said, "O my Lord, I cannot speak well, for I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue."

And the Lord said unto him, "Who hath made man's mouth? have not I the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say."

And Moses said, "O my Lord, send, I pray thee, not by my hand."

And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, "Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well; and also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee, and when he seeth thee he will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth, and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And Aaron shall be thy spokesman unto the people, and thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs."

Then Moses went and returned to his father-in-law, and said unto him, "Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren Which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive."

And he said, "Go in peace."

And the Lord said to Moses, "Go, return into Egypt, for all the men are dead which sought thy life." Then Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt, and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

And the Lord said unto Moses, "When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in they hand. And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, 'Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my first-born son, and I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me; and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy first-born.'"

And the lord said to Aaron, "Go into the wilderness to meet Moses." And Aaron went to meet him, in the mouth of God, and kissed him. Then Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.

And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. And Aaron spake all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. And the people believed, and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

And afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, 'Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.'

And Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go."

And they said, "The God of the Hebrews hath met with us. Let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert and sacrifice unto the Lord our God."

And the king of Egypt said, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, hinder the people from their works? Get you unto your burdens.

And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, "Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. And they shall make as many bricks as heretofore, for they be idle. Therefore they cry, saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may not listen to foolish words."

And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, "Thus saith Pharaoh, 'I will not give you straw. Go ye, get you straw where you can find it.'" So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble instead of straw. And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, "Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw." And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, "Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to-day, as heretofore?"

Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, "Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, 'Make brick,' and behold, thy servants are beaten, but the fault is in thine own people."

But Pharaoh said, "Ye are idle, ye are idle, therefore ye say, 'Let us go and do sacrifice to the Lord.' Go therefore now and work, for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks."

Then the Israelites met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way as they came forth from Pharaoh, and they said unto them, "The Lord look upon you and judge you, because ye have made us to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants."

And Moses returned unto the Lord and said, "Lord, wherefore hast thou done evil to this people? Why is it that thou hast sent me? For since I came to pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people, neither halt thou delivered thy people at all."

Then the Lord said to Moses, "Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh, for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of this land."

And Moses encouraged the children of Israel. But they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.

And the Lord said unto Moses, "Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh that he send the children of Israel out of his land. But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, and I shall lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them."

And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, "When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, 'Show a miracle for you.' Then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh,' and it shall become a serpent."

And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh; and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers, and they cast down, every man his rod, and they became serpents, but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. And Pharaoh hardened his heart, and refused to let the people go.

Then the Lord said unto Moses, "Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning. Lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river's brink till he come, and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand. And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, 'The Lord God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness, and behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear. Thus saith the Lord, In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord; behold, I will smit with the rod that is in mine hand up the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood, and the fish that are in the river shall die, and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink of the water of the river.'"

And Aaron lifted up the rod, and smote the waters in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants, and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood, and the fish that were in the river died. And the magicians of Egypt did the same with their enchantments. And Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he turned and went into his house. And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to dink, for they could not drink of the water of the river. And seven days were fulfilled after that the Lord had smitten the river.

And the Lord spake unto Moses, "Go unto Pharaoh and say unto him, 'Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me, and if thou refuse to let them go, behold. I will smite all thy borders with frogs. They shall go up and come into thine house, into thy bed-chamber, and upon thy bed, into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneading troughs.'"

And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.

Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, "Entreat the Lord, that he may take away the frogs from me and from they people, and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the Lord."

And Moses said, "When shall I entreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only?"

And Pharaoh said, "To-morrow."

And Moses said, "Be it according to thy word, that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the Lord our God; and the frogs shall depart, and they shall remain in the river only."

And Moses cried Into the Lord; and the Lord did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields, and they gathered them together upon heaps. But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and would not let the children of Israel go to do sacrifice unto the Lord.

And the Lord said unto Moses, "Say unto Aaron, 'Stretch out thy rod and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.'" And Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and the earth became lice in man and beast. And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God"; but Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them, as the Lord had said.

Then the Lord said unto Moses, "Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh. Lo, he cometh forth to the water, and say unto him, 'Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me, else if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee and upon thy servants, and upon thy people and into thy houses. And I will sever in that day the land in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, to the end that thou mayest know that I am the Lord, and I will put a division between my people and thy people.'"

And the Lord did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into all the land of Egypt.

Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, "Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land."

But Moses said, "We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice there to the Lord our God." And Pharaoh said, "I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness, only ye shall not go very far away. Entreat for me that the flies may be taken away."

And Moses said, "Behold, I go out from thee, and I will entreat the Lord that the swarm of flies may depart. But let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more, in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord."

And Moses entreated the Lord; and he did according to the word of Moses, and removed the swarm of flies. And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.

Then the Lord said unto Moses, "Go in unto Pharaoh and tell him, 'Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me, for if thou refuse to let them go and wilt hold them still, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous disease. And the Lord shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt, and there shall nothing die of all that is the children's of Israel.'" And the Lord appointed a set time, saying, "To-morrow the Lord shall do this thing in the land." And the Lord did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died; but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.

Then Pharaoh sent, and behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

And the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron, "Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward heaven in the sight of Pharaoh, and it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil, breaking forth upon man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt. And Moses and Aaron did so; and the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boil was upon the magicians and upon all the Egyptians. And Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto Moses and Aaron.

And the Lord said unto Moses, "Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, 'Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me, for I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth. Behold, to-morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now. Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle and all that thou hast in the field, for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die."

And he that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh, made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses, and he that regarded not the word of the Lord, left his servants and his cattle in the field.

Then Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground, and the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast, and the hail smote every herb and brake every tree of the field; only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.

And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, "I have sinned this time. Entreat the Lord that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail, and I will let you go, and yet shall stay no longer."

And Moses went out of the city, and spread abroad his hands unto the Lord, and the thunders and hail ceased. And when Pharaoh saw the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, neither would he let the children of Israel go.

And the Lord said unto Moses, "Go in unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, 'Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me. Else if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to-morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast, and they shall cover the face of the earth. And they shall eat that which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field. And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians."

And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, "How long shall this man be a snare unto us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?"

And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh, and he said unto them, "Go, serve the Lord your God; but who are they that shall go?"

And Moses said, "We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go, for we must hold a feast unto the Lord."

And Pharaoh said, "Not so; go now ye that are men, and serve the Lord, for that ye did desire."

And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence. And the Lord said, "Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left."

And Moses stretched forth his rod, and the Lord brought an east wind upon the land, and the east wind brought the locusts: very grievous they were, for they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened. And they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left.

Then Pharaoh called for Moses in haste and said, "I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you. Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin, only this once, and entreat the Lord your God." And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the Lord. And the Lord turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts and cast them into the Red Sea. But Pharaoh hardened his heart, and would not let the children of Israel go.

And the Lord said unto Moses, "Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt."

And Moses stretched forth his hand, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days, but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

"Then Pharaoh called unto Moses and said, Go Ye, serve the Lord, only let your flocks and your herds stay; let your little ones also go with you."

And Moses said, "Our cattle also shall go us, for thereof must we take to serve the Lord our God."

But Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not them go; and Pharaoh said to Moses, "Get thee from me; take heed to thyself, see my face no more, for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die."

And Moses said, "Thou hast spoken well; I will see thy face again no more."

And the Lord said to Moses, "Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt; afterward he will let you go. Speak to the people that they borrow of their neighbour, jewels of silver and jewels of gold."

And Moses said, "Thus saith the Lord, 'About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, and there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt.' And the Egyptians shall come and bow themselves unto me, saying, 'Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee:'

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, "This shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'In the tenth day of this month they shall take every man a lamb, a lamb for an house. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side-posts and on the upper door-post of the houses, and they shall eat the flesh. And thus shall ye eat it: with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand. Ye shall eat it in haste, it is the Lord's Passover. For l will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the first-born in the land. And when I see the blood upon the houses, I will pass over your and the plague shall not smite you.'"

And it came to pass at midnight the Lord smote all the first born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne, unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants, and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead.

And Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, "Rise up, and get you forth, and go serve the Lord, and take your flocks and herds, and bless me also." And the Egyptians made haste to send them out of the land, for they said, "We be all dead men."

And when Pharaoh had let the people go, God led them through the wilderness to the Red Sea. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light.

And Pharaoh's heart was turned, and he said, "Why have we let Israel go?" And he made ready his chariots, and he took his people with him, and he pursued after the children of Israel.

And when the children of Israel saw Pharaoh nigh, they were sore afraid, and they said unto Moses, "Wherefore halt thou brought us into the wilderness to die?"

And Moses said, "Fear not, the Lord shall fight for you."

And the Lord said unto Moses, "Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward; but stretch thou thy rod over the sea and divide it, and the children of Israel shall pass over on dry ground." And Moses did so; and the Lord caused a strong east wind to divide the waters, and the children of Israel went through the waters on dry ground. And when the Egyptians went in after them, the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out thine hand over the sea": and the waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen and all the host of Pharaoh. Thus the Lord saved Israel out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians, and the people believed the Lord and his servant Moses.

So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea into the wilderness; and they found no water. And when they came to water it was bitter; therefore they could not drink, and the people murmured against Moses. And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet.

Then the children of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin; and they murmured there and said, "Would to God we were in Egypt, where we did eat bread to the full. For ye have brought us to this wilderness to kill us with hunger."

And the Lord said unto Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, and on the sixth day they shall bring in twice as much as they gather daily." And the Lord said, "At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread."

And it came to pass that at even the quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay round about the host, and when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost; and when the children of Israel saw it, they said, "It is manna, for they wist not what it was." And Moses said to them, "This is the bread which the Lord hath given you."

And the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, and they pitched where there was no water to drink. And the people did chide with Moses, and said, "Give us water to drink."

And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, "What shall I do unto this people? They be almost ready to stone me."

And the Lord said, "Take thy rod and smite upon the rock, and there shall come water out of it that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of all the people, and the people drank of the water.

In the third month the children of Israel were come to the desert of Sinai; and there Israel camped before Mount Sinai, and Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountains. And the Lord said unto Moses, "Go unto the people, and let them cleanse themselves, and let them wash their clothes. And thou shalt set bounds round the mount, that no one may go up unto it: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai. Whosoever toucheth the mount shall surely be put to death." And on the third day Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God.

And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. And God spake to the people, and all the people saw the thunderings and lightnings and the mountain smoking, and when the people saw it, they removed and stood far off, and they said unto Moses, "Speak thou with us, and we will hear, but let not God speak with us lest we die."

And the Lord said unto Moses, "Come up to me in the mount and be there. And I will give thee tables of stone and commandments which I have written, that thou mayest teach them."

And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount, and Moses went into the midst of the cloud: and he was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

And when God had made an end of communing with Moses upon Mount Sinai, he gave unto him two tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

And when the people saw that Moses stayed in the mount, they went to Aaron and said, "Make us gods which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, we know not what has become of him."

And Aaron said unto them, "Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me."

And the people did so, and brought the golden earrings to Aaron, and he received them at their hand, and he made them into a molten calf. And Aaron built an altar before it, and said, "To-morrow is a feast to this Lord." And the people rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings.

And the Lord said to Moses, "Go, get thee down, for the people have made a calf and are worshipping it." And Moses turned and went down from the mount, and the two tables of stone were in his hand. And Joshua, Moses' servant. heard the noise of the people as they shouted, and he said unto Moses, "There is a noise of war in the camp."

But Moses said, "The noise of them that sing do I hear."

And it came to pass as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing; and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables of stone out of his hands and brake them. And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and cast it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it. And the Lord punished the people because they made the calf.

AND MOSES TURNED AND WENT DOWN FROM THE MOUNT AND THE TWO TABLES OF STONE WERE IN HIS HAND.

And the Lord said unto Moses, "Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest." And Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights, and he did neither eat bread nor drink water. And when he came down from the mount, Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw that the skin of his face shone, they were afraid to come nigh him. And Moses called unto them, and talked with them, and till he had done speaking with them, Moses put a veil on his face.

And Moses said, "This is the thing which the Lord commanded. 'Thou shalt make a tabernacle according to the pattern that I shall tell thee, and in it thou shalt put an ark of wood, which thou shalt overlay with pure gold, and thou shalt put the mercy-seat above upon the ark, and in the ark thou shalt put the tables of stone, and there will I meet with thee from above the mercy-seat.'"

And the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sinai, and pitched their camp near to the land of Canaan. And the Lord said, "Send men that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel."

And Moses sent twelve men to spy out the land, and said unto them, "Get you up and see the land what it is, and the people that dwell therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many, and what the land is, whether it be good or bad, and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether tents or strongholds, also whether there is wood therein or not. And bring of the fruit of the land." Now this was the time of the first-ripe grapes.

And the spies came to the land, and cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff, and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs, and they returned from searching the land after forty days. And they came to Moses and all the people, and showed them the fruit of the land, and they told Moses and said, "We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey, and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled and very great."

And Caleb, one of the spies, quieted the people and said to Moses, "Let us go up at once and possess it, for we are well able to overcome it." But the men that went up with him said, "We be not able to go up against the people, for all the people we saw in the land are men of a great stature, and there we saw giants, and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight."

Then all the children of Israel lifted up their voices and wept, and murmured against Moses, and said, "Would God we had died in Egypt," or "Would God we had died in this wilderness." And they said one to another, "Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt."

And the Lord said to Moses, "How long shall I bear with this people, which murmur against me? Say unto them, 'Ye shall not come into the land which I promised to give you, but ye shall die in the wilderness, and your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years.'" And those men that did bring up the evil report of the land died by the plague before the Lord; but Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh died not.

Then came the children of Israel again into the desert of Sin; and there was no water in the desert, and the people rose up against Moses and said, "Would God we had died when our brethren died. Why hast thou brought us to this evil place? It is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates, neither is there any water to drink."

And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the people, and fell upon their faces before the Lord. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, "Take thy rod, and gather the people together, and speak unto the rock before their eyes, and it shall give forth water, and thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink."

And Moses took the rod, and said unto the people, "Hear now, ye rebels, must we fetch you water out of this rock?" And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice, and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the rock was called Meribah.

And the Lord spake unto Moses, "Because ye obeyed me not, but struck the rock, therefore ye shall not bring this people into the land which I have given them." And the Lord said, "Aaron also shall die, for he also rebelled against my word at the rock Meribah. Take Aaron and his son, and bring them up unto the mount, and strip Aaron of his garments and put them upon his son, and Aaron shall die there." And Moses did so, and Aaron died there on the top of the mount, and all the children of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.

And the people were discouraged because of the way, and they spake against God and against Moses, "Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness. For there is no bread, neither is there any water, and our soul loatheth this light bread." And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against thee. Pray unto the Lord that he take away the serpents from us." And Moses prayed for the people.

And the Lord said unto Moses, "Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole; and it shall come to pass that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it shall live." And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole; and it came to pass that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

And the Lord said unto Moses, "Get thee up into this mount, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel, and when thou hast seen it thou also shalt die as Aaron thy brother, for ye rebelled against me at the waters of Meribah." And Moses said, "Let the Lord set a man over the congregation, which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd."

And the Lord said, "Take Joshua the son of Nun, and lay thy hand upon him, and set him before the priest and before all the congregation, and give him charge in their sight." And Moses did as the Lord commanded.

And Moses went up from the plains unto the mountain, and the Lord showed him all the land, and the Lord said, "This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, 'I will give it unto thy children.' I have caused thee to see it, but thou shalt not go over thither."

So Moses the servant of the Lord died there, according to the word of the Lord. And the Lord buried him in the valley, but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.

And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eye was not dim, nor was his strength abated.

And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains for thirty days; so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.