1 These are the names of Yisra’el’s descendants who accompanied Yacob (Jacob) when he moved his household to Egypt:[ref] 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Yehudah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, Benyamin, 4 Dan, Naftali, Gad, and Asher. 5 At that time, Yacob had a total of seventy descendants (including Yosef and his sons who were already in Egypt.)

6 As the years progressed, Yosef and his brothers died—all of that generation, 7 but they’d had many children who went on to have their own children and grandchildren, and so they became a large and powerful group there in Egypt.[ref]

8 Eventually a new king came to power in Egypt who had never known Yosef[ref] 9 and he told his people, “Listen, those descendants of Israel are becoming more numerous and powerful than us. 10 So, let’s deal wisely with them, in case they continue to multiply. Then if war was to break out, they could easily take the other side and fight against us, and then leave our country.”[ref] 11 Then they appointed overseers to work them in slave gangs, and using them as forced labour, they built the store cities at Pithon and Rameses for Far’oh (Pharaoh). 12 However, the more they oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread out, and the more the Egyptians came to dread the Israelis. 13 So they made the Israelis work long, hard hours, 14 and they made their lives bitter with the hard slavery. They were forced to make mortar and bricks, as well as all kinds of slave labour in the fields—all the work they had to do was strenuous and tiring.

15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to Shiphrah and Puah, the two Hebrew midwives, 16 saying, “When you assist the Hebrew women as midwives, as you sit there on your stool, if you see that it’s a male, do something so he’ll die, but if it’s a female, then let her live.” 17 But the midwives were godly women and didn’t do according to what the Egyptian king had instructed them, and they let the boys live. 18 So the king called the midwives back, and he demanded, “Why have you done that and let their sons live?”

19 “Because the Hebrew women aren’t like Egyptian women,” the midwives answered. “They’re more active and give birth before the midwife even gets to them.” 20 So God rewarded the midwives, and meanwhile, the people continued to increase in number and become more powerful, 21 and because the midwives had demonstrated their desire to obey God, he gave them families of their own. 22 Then Far’oh commanded all of his people, “You all need to toss every newborn boy into the river, but you can let the girls live.”[ref]

2 During this period, a man from the tribe of Levi married a woman who was also a Levite, 2 and she conceived and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a healthy boy, she hid him away for three months,[ref] 3 but then she wasn’t able to hide him any longer. So she got a basket made from woven reeds and plastered it with bitumen and pitch. Then she put the baby in it, and floated the basket in the reeds along the riverbank, 4 leaving the baby’s sister to watch from a distance to see what would happen to him.

5 After a while, Far’oh’s daughter came down to the river to wash herself, and she and her young attendants were walking along the riverbank. She saw the container among the reeds and sent one of her slave women to get it. 6 She opened it and saw the baby inside, and wow, he started crying. She felt sorry for him and said, “This baby must be one of the Hebrew children.”

7 Then his sister approached and asked the princess, “Would you like me to go and find a Hebrew woman who’ll be able to breastfeed the baby for you?”

8 “Yes, go,” answered Far’oh’s daughter, and the girl went and got the baby’s mother. 9 “Take this baby,” said the princess, “and breastfeed him for me, and I’ll pay you for doing it.” So the woman took the baby and looked after him. 10 When the boy had grown enough, she brought him back to Far’oh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him ‘Mosheh’[fn] (which means ‘pulled out’) because she said that she’d plucked him out of the river.[ref]

11 Later on when Mosheh was fully grown, he went out to visit the Hebrews and saw their forced labour, and he saw an Egyptian man beating a Hebrew man—one of his own people.[ref] 12 Mosheh looked around to check that no one was watching, then he hit the Egyptian, killing him, then he hid his body in the sand. 13 The next day, he went out again and wow, two Hebrew men were fighting each other, and he said to the man in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?”

14 “Who made you the ruler and judge over us?” the man replied. “Are you planning to kill me like you killed that Egyptian?” Then Mosheh was afraid because he realised that what he’d done had probably become widely known. 15 Indeed, when Far’oh heard about it, he ordered Mosheh to be killed. So Mosheh had to flee from the king and he took off east to live in Midian and he stayed near the well.[ref]

16 The priest there in Midian had seven daughters, and they would come to the well to draw water out and fill up the troughs there so their father’s sheep and goats could drink. 17 Now some male shepherds came along and started to shoo their flock away, but Mosheh got involved and helped them so that their animals could drink. 18 When they got home to their father Reuel, he asked, “How come you got home so early today?”

19 “There was an Egyptian man,” they answered, “who stood up for us against those other shepherds. And he even drew water for us and gave our flock water to drink.”

20 “Where is he now?” he asked them. “What’s this—you mean you all just left him there? Go and get him so we can give him a meal.”

21 Later it turned out that Mosheh was prepared to live with the man, and in due course he gave his daughter Zipporah to Mosheh in marriage. 22 When she gave birth to a son, he named him ‘Gershom’ (which means ‘foreigner’) because he said, “I’ve become a foreigner living in a foreign land.”

23 Eventually Egypt’s king died, but the Israelis groaned from the slavery they were still under and they cried out, and their cry for freedom from slavery went up to God. 24 He heard their groaning and remembered his agreement with Abraham, with Yitshak, and with Yacob,[ref] 25 and he looked down on the Israelis and he was concerned about them.

3 One time Mosheh (Moses) was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Yetro (or Jethro, the priest at Midian), and he led the flock beyond the wilderness and came to a hill. (This was later known as the mountain of God at Horeb). 2 While he was there. Yahweh’s messenger appeared to him in a flame coming from the middle of a bush, and as Mosheh looked, to his surprise he saw that the bush was burning in the fire yet not actually being burnt up.[ref] 3 “I’ve got to go and see this amazing sight,” Mosheh said to himself. “How come the bush isn’t burning up?”

4 When Yahweh saw that he’d left his path in order to look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Mosheh, Mosheh.”

“I’m here,” he replied.

5 “Don’t come any closer,” Yahweh said. “Take off your sandals because the place where you’e standing is HOLY ground. 6 I’m the God of your father and the God of Abraham, Yitshak, and Yacob.” So Mosheh covered hid his face because he was scared to look at God.

7 “I’ve certainly noticed the suffering of my people in Egypt,” Yahweh continued, “I’ve heard their cries as the slave drivers oppress them—I’m unmistakingly aware of their pain. 8 So I’ve come down to set them free from Egyptian control and to bring them up from there to a good and wide land—a land flowing with milk and honey. It’s currently the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 Yes, the cry of the Israelis has now reached me and what’s more, I’ve seen how much the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So go now and I’ll send you to Far’oh (Pharaoh) and bring my people—Yisra’el’s descendants—out from Egypt.”

11 “Who am I, that I should go to Far’oh,” Mosheh asked God, “and that I should be the one to bring out the Israelis out from Egypt?”

12 “I’ll certainly be with you,” God replied, “and this will be your sign so that you’ll know that I have sent you: when you bring the people out from Egypt, you all will serve God on this very hill.”

13 “But listen,” Mosheh told God, “If I’m about to go to the Israelis and if I told them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you.’ then they’d ask me, ‘Oh yeah, what’s his name?’ then what would I tell them?”[ref]

14 “I AM WHO I AM,” God told Mosheh. “You’ll tell them this: ‘I AM sent me to you.’ ”[ref] 15 Then he continued, “This is what you need to tell the Israelis: ‘Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Yitshak, and Yacob, sent me to you. This is my name forever, and this is my memorial from generation to generation.’ 16 Go and gather the Israeli elders, and tell them, ‘Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, appeared to me, the God of Abraham, Yitshak, and Yacob, to say, “I’ve certainly noticed you all and how you’re all being treated in Egypt, 17 and I’ve promised to take you all from your mistreatment in Egypt, away to the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and the Jebusites are currently living—to a land flowing with milk and honey.” ’

18 Then the people will listen to what you tell them, and you and the Israeli elders will go to the Egyptian king and you’ll all tell him, ‘Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So now, please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, so we can sacrifice to Yahweh, our God.’ 19 But I know that the Egyptian king won’t let you go until he’s forced to. 20 So I will use force and I’ll strike Egypt with several supernatural acts, and after those, he’ll let you all go.

21 Then I’ll make the Egyptian people favour you all in such a way that when you go, you won’t leave empty-handed.[ref] 22 For example, an Israeli woman will ask her Egyptian neighbour (or from someone staying where she lives) for gold and silver items and for clothing. Then you’ll put them on your sons and daughters, and in this way you’ll all plunder the Egyptians.”

4 “But listen,” Mosheh responded, “they won’t believe me and won’t listen to what I say, because they’ll say, ‘Yahweh never showed himself to you.’” 2 “Well, what’s that in your hand?” Yahweh asked.

“My shepherd’s staff,” he said. 3 “Throw it on the ground,” Yahweh said. So Mosheh he threw it onto the ground and it became a snake, and he quickly moved back away from it. 4 “Pick it up by its tail.” Yahweh told him. So Mosheh picked it up by the tail and it became a staff in his hand again. 5 “That’s so that they’ll believe that I appeared to you: Yahweh—the God of their ancestors—the God of Abraham, Yitshak, and Yacob.”

6 “Now put your hand on your chest—inside your robe.” Yahweh added. So Mosheh did that, and when he pulled it out again, his hand had gone totally white with disease. 7 Then Yahweh said, “Now, put your hand back in again.” So Mosheh did it again, and when he pulled it out, wow, it had returned to normal. 8 “So, if they don’t believe you, and if the first miracle doesn’t convince them, then they’ll believe that second miracle. 9 And then, even if they don’t believe those two miracles and won’t believe what you tell them, then you should take some water from the river and pour it onto the dry land. Then the water which came from the river will turn into blood there on the dry land.”

10 “Oh my master,” Mosheh responded, “I’m not very good at speaking to others—I never have been and still aren’t. I seem to get tongue-tied easily.”

11 “Who was it that made people’s mouths?” Yahweh said. “Who makes someone mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Isn’t it me, Yahweh? 12 So get going now, and I’ll look after your mouth and show you what you to say.”

13 But Mosheh replied, “Oh master, please send someone else.”

14 Then Yahweh got angry with Mosheh and told him, “Isn’t Aharon (Aaron) a fellow Levite and your brother? I know that he can speak well, and what’s more, he’ll come from Egypt to meet you, and when he does, he’ll be very happy. 15 He’ll become your speaker and you’ll be able to talk to him and tell him what to say. I’ll be helping both of you speak and I’ll teach you both what you should do. 16 So in that way, he’ll be like a mouth for you and speak to the people for you, and you’ll be like God to him. 17 In addition, you’ll have that staff with you in order to do those miracles.”

18 Then Mosheh went back to his father-in-law Yetro (Jethro), and told him, “Can I please leave so I can return to my relatives in Egypt and see whether they’re still alive.”

“Go in peace,” Yetro answered.

19 Meanwhile Yahweh had told Mosheh in Midian, “Leave here and return to Egypt because all those who wanted to kill you are now dead.” 20 Then Mosheh took his wife and sons and put them on a donkey and returned towards Egypt with them, and Mosheh took the staff that God had turned into a snake.

21 On the way, Yahweh said to Mosheh, “When you return to Egypt, all those miracles that I gave you, you’ll be able to demonstrate them in front of Far’oh (Pharaoh), but as for me, I’m going to make him stubborn so that he won’t let your people leave. 22 But tell Far’oh, ‘Yahweh has stated that Yisra’el is like his oldest son 23 and he asked you to let that son go so that he can serve him. But you refused to let Yisra’el go, so Yahweh will kill your oldest son.’ ”[ref]

24 One night as they were overnighting at a lodging place near the road, Yahweh confronted Mosheh and would have killed him, 25 but his wife Zipporah took a flint knife and cut off her son’s foreskin and threw it at Mosheh’s feet saying, “You’re definitely a bloody husband to me.” 26 (That was referring to circumcision.) So then Yahweh left them alone.

27 Meanwhile Yahweh had told Aharon, “Go out into the wilderness to meet Mosheh.” So he went and met him at the hill of God, and he kissed him. 28 Then Mosheh told Aharon everything that Yahweh had told him and how he had sent him, and all the miracles that he commanded him to demonstrate.

29 Then Mosheh and Aharon went to Egypt and they assembled all the Israeli elders 30 and Aharon told them everything that Yahweh had spoken to Mosheh. Then Mosheh did the miracles in front of them, 31 and the people believed. Then they heard how Yahweh had paid attention to the Israelis and that he had seen their suffering, and they bowed and prostrated themselves in thankfulness.

5 After that, Mosheh and Aharon went in and said to Far’oh, “This is what Israel’s God Yahweh says: ‘Let my people go, so they can celebrate me out in the wilderness.’ ”

2 But the king said, “Who’s this ‘Yahweh’ that I should listen to him telling me to let Israel go? I don’t know Yahweh, and what’s more, I won’t let the Israelis go anywhere.”

3 “The God of us Hebrews has met with us,” they replied, “Please, let us go three days into the wilderness so we can sacrifice to our God Yahweh, because we don’t want him to strike us with the plague or with war.”

4 “Mosheh and Aharon,” the king of Egypt answered, “why are you causing the people to slacken off from their tasks? Get back to your work.” 5 And Far’oh continued, “Listen, there’s many of you and you two have caused them to rest from their duties.”

6 Then on that very same day, Far’oh ordered the people’s slave masters and supervisors, 7 “Don’t give straw to the people to make bricks with as you’ve done up till now. They can go and gather straw for themselves. 8 But keep the same quota of bricks as before—don’t decrease it because they must be idle if they have time to say, ‘Let us go—let us sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Give the men more work so they’ll be too busy to worry about deceptive words.”

10 So the slave masters and supervisors of the people went out and told them all, “The king has said that he won’t give you any more straw, 11 so you’ll all have to go and get your own straw from wherever you can find it, because there’ll be no reduction to your quota.” 12 So the people dispersed throughout all of Egypt to gather stubble for straw, 13 and the taskmasters were hassling them, saying, “Hurry up and finish your day’s work, the same as when you were given straw.” 14 Then the Israeli foremen that Far’oh’s slave masters had appointed were beaten and told, “Why haven’t you met your required brick making quota yesterday or today? It’s just the same as in the past.”

15 So the Israeli foremen went and complained to Far’oh, “Why are you treating your servants like this? 16 We haven’t been given any straw and yet they’re telling us to keep making bricks. And see, we your servants get beaten, but it’s your people’s mistake.”

17 “You’re all lazy—plain lazy!” the king responded. “That’s why you’re saying, ‘Let us go sacrifice to Yahweh.’ 18 So go now! Back to work! And you won’t be given straw, but you still have to meet the quota of bricks.”

19 When the Israeli foremen heard that the quota wasn’t going to be reduced, they realised how serious their problem was, 20 so when they left Far’oh they confronted Mosheh and Aharon who were waiting to meet them, 21 “May Yahweh see what you’ve done and judge you for it because you’ve raised a big stink in Far’oh’s mind and with his servants. Now they have their excuse to kill us!”

22 Then Mosheh went back to Yahweh and asked, “My master, why have you taken it out on our people? Was this why you sent me? 23 Ever since I went to Far’oh to deliver your message, he’s made these people suffer and you clearly haven’t rescued them.”

6 Then Yahweh said to Mosheh, “Now you’ll see what I’ll do to Far’oh. I’ll use my power to force him to let them go, and then using my power again he’ll actually drive them out of his country.”

2 Then God spoke to Mosheh again, “I am Yahweh[ref] 3 and I revealed myself to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Yacob as El Shaddai (God the provider) but they didn’t know me by my name Yahweh. 4 What’s more, I made an agreement with them: to give them the Canaan region—the area which they had been staying in. 5 Furthermore, I’ve heard the complaints from the Israelis who have been enslaved by the Egyptians, and I have remembered my agreement. 6 Therefore, tell the Israelis, ‘I am Yahweh and I will help you escape from the control of the Egyptians and rescue you from their slavery. I’ll buy you out of slavery using my power and by punishing the Egyptians for this injustice. 7 I’ll take you all to be my own people, and I’ll be your God. Then you’ll know that I am Yahweh your God—the one rescuing you all from the Egyptian oppression. 8 Then I’ll take you all to the land that I promised to give to Abraham, to Yitshak, and to Yacob, and I’ll give it to you as your own. I am Yahweh.’ ” 9 So Mosheh passed all that on to the Israelis, but they wouldn’t listen to Mosheh, because they were both discouraged and worn out from the slavery.

10 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, 11 “Go and speak to the Egyptian king Far’oh and tell him that he needs to let the Israelis leave his country.” 12 And Mosheh said in front of Yahweh, “Look, the Israelis haven’t listened to me, so why would Far’oh listen? And I have difficulty speaking.” 13 Then Yahweh spoke to Mosheh and Aharon, and he gave them a command to pass on to the Israelis and to the Egyptian king Far’oh: to take the Israelis out of Egypt.

14 The following were the leaders of the clans:

The sons of Reuben (Yisra’el’s eldest son) were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Karmi, and they headed the clans of Reuben.

15 Simeon’s sons were Yemuel, Yamin, Ohad, Yakin, Zohar, and Shaul—the son of a Canaanite woman, and they headed the clans of Simeon.

16 Levi’s sons were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi was 137 years old when he died.[ref] 17 Gershon’s sons were Libni and Shimei, and they headed their clans. 18 Kohath’s sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath was 133 years old when he died. 19 Merari’s sons were Mahli and Mushi, and all of those headed the clans of Levi. 20 Amram married his aunt Yochebed, and she gave birth to Aharon and Mosheh. Amram lived to be 137 years old. 21 Izhar’s sons were Korah, Nefeg, and Zichri. 22 Uzziel’s sons were Mishael, Elzafan, and Sithri.

23 Aharon married Elisheba, Amminadab’s daughter and the sister of Nahshon, and she gave birth to Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 24 Korah’s sons were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph, and they headed the clans of Korah. 25 Aharon’s son Eleazar took a wife for himself from the daughters of Putiel and she gave birth to Finehas.

All of those headed the clans of Levi.

26 It was to Aharon and Mosheh that Yahweh had said, “Bring the Israelis out of Egypt by their tribes.” 27 They were the ones who spoke to the Egyptian king Far’oh, to bring the Israelis out of Egypt.

28 On the day that Yahweh spoke to Mosheh in Egypt, 29 he said, “I am Yahweh. Tell the Egyptian king Far’oh everything that I tell you.”

30 “Please listen to me,” Mosheh responded. “I’m not a good speaker, so why should Far’oh listen to me?”

7 Yahweh answered, “Listen, I’ve made you like God to Far’oh, and your brother Aharon will be your prophet. 2 You’ll quietly say everything that I tell you to and then your brother Aharon will relay it to Far’oh and tell him that he must let the Israelis leave his country. 3 But I’ll make Far’oh stubborn and so I’ll increase the signs and miracles that I’ll do in Egypt.[ref] 4 Far’oh won’t listen to you so I’ll pressure Egypt, and I’ll use severe judgements to ensure that I bring my armies—my people the Israelis—out Egypt. 5 The Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh when I demonstrate my power to Egypt by taking the Israelis out from the middle of them.” 6 So Mosheh and Aharon did everything that Yahweh told them to do. 7 (Mosheh was eighty and Aharon was eighty-three when they were interacting with Far’oh.)

8 Then Yahweh told Mosheh and Aharon, 9 “When Far’oh tells you to perform a miracle as a sign, then just tell Aharon to take his[fn]staff and throw it down in front of Far’oh so it turns into a snake.” 10 So Mosheh and Aharon went in to Far’oh’s court and did what Yahweh had told them: Aharon threw his staff down in front of Far’oh and his servants and it turned into a snake. 11 Then Far’oh also called for his wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians did the same thing using their magic—12 each of them threw down his staff and they became snakes, except that Aharon’s staff swallowed up their staffs. 13 But Far’oh’s mind was made up and he took no notice of them as Yahweh had said earlier.

14 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “Far’oh is very stubborn and he’s refused to let the people go. 15 So go to Far’oh. Listen, every morning he goes down to the river, so station yourself to meet him on the bank. Take the staff with you that turned into a snake, 16 and tell him, ‘Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, previously sent me to you to say, “Let my people go so they can serve me in the wilderness.” But listen, until now you haven’t done it 17 so Yahweh says, “Now you will know that I am Yahweh because of this: See, I’m about to use my staff to strike the water in the Nile and it will turn to blood[ref] 18 and the fish in the river will die and the river will stink. Then your people will gag to drink the water from the river.” ’

19 “Tell Aharon to take his staff and stretch out his hand over the waters of Egypt: over their streams, their canals, and their pools, and over every reservoir of their water, and the water will become blood. Then there’ll be blood in the entire country—even in wooden or stone containers of water.”

20 So And Mosheh and Aharon did exactly what Yahweh had commanded: Aharon raised the staff and struck the river, while Far’oh and his servants watched, and the entire river turned to blood. 21 Then the fish in the river died and the river stank, so the Egyptians couldn’t drink water from the river, and the blood was all over Egypt. 22 But the Egyptian sorcerers did the same with their magic, and so Far’oh stayed stubborn and wouldn’t listen to them, just as Yahweh had said earlier. 23 The Far’oh turned around and went back to his house, and he put all of that out of his mind. 24 Meanwhile, all the Egyptians dug holes around the river to get water to drink, because river water was undrinkable.

25 So a week went by since Yahweh had struck the river 8 and he said to Mosheh, “Go to Far’oh and tell him, ‘Yahweh says that you must let my people go so they can serve me.[fn] 2 But if you refuse to let them go, then look, I’m about to pound your entire territory with frogs. 3 The frogs will swarm in the river, then they’ll climb out and go into your house and in your bedroom and onto your bed. They’ll go into your servants’ houses and among your people, and in your cooking bowls and into your ovens. 4 They’ll climb on you and on your people and on all your servants.’ ”

5 Then Yahweh said to Mosheh, “Tell Aharon: Hold your staff out over the canals, the streams, and the pools, and cause the frogs to come up onto the land of Egypt.” 6 So Aharon reached out his hand over the Egyptian water supplies and frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 7 But the sorcerers did the same with their magic, and they too brought up frogs over the land of Egypt.

8 Then Far’oh called for Mosheh and Aharon, and told them, “Ask Yahweh to take the frogs away from me and from my people. Then I’ll let your people go, and they can sacrifice to Yahweh.”

9 Mosheh answered, “I’ll pray for you and your servants and your people, praying that the frogs will keep away from you and your homes and only be left in the river. And I’ll give you the honour of specifying when it’ll happen.”

10 “Tomorrow morning,” the king replied.

“Just as you say,” Mosheh responded, “so that you’ll know that there’s no one else like our God Yahweh. 11 Tomorrow the frogs will leave you and go away from your houses, and from your servants and your people. They’ll only be left in the river.” 12 Then Mosheh and Aharon left Far’oh and Mosheh called out to Yahweh concerning the retraction of the frogs that he’d sent against the king. 13 So Yahweh did what Mosheh had requested and the frogs died off from the houses and the courtyards, and from the fields. 14 The people collected them into many piles and the whole country stank. 15 But when Far’oh saw that there was relief from the frogs, he firmed his resolve and didn’t listen to Mosheh and Aharon, just as Yahweh had said previously.

16 Then Yahweh said to Mosheh, “Tell Aharon: Stretch out your staff and strike the dust on the ground, and it will turn into lice[fn] all over Egypt.” 17 So Aharon held out his staff and struck the dust with it, and the dust became lice on the people and on the animals. All over Egypt, the dust turned into lice 18 and the sorcerers tried to do the same with their magic but they were unable to. So there were lice on people and animals 19 and the magicians said to Far’oh, “This is God’s finger.” But Far’oh was stubborn and he didn’t listen to them, just as Yahweh had said previously.[ref]

20 Then Yahweh said to Mosheh, “Get up early in the morning and when you see Far’oh coming down to the river, station yourself in front of him and tell him, ‘Yahweh saw that you must let my people go so they can serve me. 21 Certainly if you don’t release my people immediately, then take note: I’m about to send the swarm[fn] at you and your servants and at your people and into your houses. The Egyptians’ houses will be full of the swarm and even the ground that they’re on. 22 But when it happens, I’ll distinguish the Goshen region where my people live so the swarm won’t be there, so that you’ll be able to see that I’m Yahweh and I’m right here in this land. 23 This sign will happen tomorrow and you’ll see how I plan to set my people free from your people.’ ” 24 So Yahweh did what he’d said and a heavy swarm came to Far’oh’s house and the houses of his servants and all the Egyptians—the country was ruined by the arrival of the swarm.

25 Then Far’oh called for Mosheh and to Aharon and told them, “Go and sacrifice to the God of you all, but here in Egypt.”

26 “It wouldn’t be right to do that,” Mosheh replied, “because our sacrifices to Yahweh our God would be offensive to Egyptians. Listen, if we made sacrifices in front of the Egyptians that are repulsive to them, wouldn’t they throw rocks at us to try to kill us? 27 We need to travel into the wilderness for three days, then we’ll sacrifice to our God Yahweh there, just like he’s telling us to.”

28 So Far’oh relented, “I’ll let you all go into the wilderness and sacrifice to Yahweh your God—except you definitely can’t go very far. Now, ask God for me for the plague to stop.”

29 “Listen, I’m about to leave now,” Mosheh responded, “and I’ll pray to Yahweh and he’ll withdraw the swarm from Far’oh tomorrow, and from his servants and his people. But may Far’oh not be dishonest again and fail to let our people go to sacrifice to Yahweh.”

30 Then Mosheh left Far’oh and prayed to Yahweh 31 and Yahweh did what Mosheh asked him and he withdrew the swarm from Far’oh, and from his servants and his people. Not one remained. 32 But Far’oh changed his mind and remained stubborn and he wouldn’t let the Israelis leave.

9 Then Yahweh said to Mosheh, “Go in to Far’oh and tell him: ‘This is what the God of the Hebrews. Yahweh, says: Let my people go so they can serve me. 2 Certainly if you’re unwilling to release them and if you keep holding onto them, 3 then listen. Yahweh is about to inflict a very serious plague on your livestock which are in the fields—on the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the cattle, and on the flock. 4 But Yahweh will distinguish between the livestock of the Israelis and the Egyptians—none of the Israelis’ animals will die.’ ” 5 Then Yahweh said when it would happen, “Yahweh will do this to Egypt tomorrow.”

6 So the next day Yahweh did what he’d said and all of the livestock of the Egyptians died, yet none at all from the livestock of the Israelis died. 7 Far’oh sent people to investigate, and wow, not even one of the livestock of the Israelis had died. But Far’oh was strong-willed and wouldn’t let the people go.

8 Then Yahweh told Mosheh and Aharon, “Take handfuls of ash out of a furnace, then Mosheh should toss it up in the air in front of Far’oh. 9 It will become a powder over all Egypt and then it will turn into boils—bursting blisters—on people and on animals all over Egypt.” 10 So they took some ash from a furnace, and standing in front of Far’oh, Mosheh tossed it up into the air and it turned into boils with bursting blisters on the people and the animals.[ref] 11 Because of the boils, the sorcerers weren’t even able to stand there with Mosheh because the sorcerers suffered with them along with all the Egyptians. 12 But Yahweh caused Far’oh to remain stubborn and he didn’t listen to them, just as Yahweh had told Mosheh previously.

13 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “Get up early in the morning, and stand in front of Far’oh and say to him, ‘This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go so they can serve me 14 because this time, I’m about to send all my plagues to you and your servants, and your people. You’ll all be deeply distressed by them, in order that you might know that there is no one else like me in all the world. 15 By this time, I could have reached out and struck you and your people with such a plague that you would all have been obliterated from the land. 16 However, I’ve kept you for this reason: to show you my power and in order to proclaim my name all over the world.[ref] 17 You’re still considering yourself to be greater than my people by failing to release them. 18 Now listen: I’m about to cause extremely heavy hail to rain down at this time tomorrow. It’ll be hail like which has never been seen before in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. 19 So send for your livestock and everything you own in the country now, and bring it in under cover because the hail will come down on every person and animal that is found in the countryside and not sheltering under a roof, and they will die.’ ” 20 Some of Far’oh’s servants who believed what Yahweh said, quickly brought their slaves and their livestock back into their houses, 21 but those people who didn’t believe Yahweh just left their slaves and their animals out in the countryside.

22 “Raise your arm up toward the sky,” Yahweh told Mosheh, “and hail will strike all over Egypt—on the people and animals and on every plant in the Egyptian countryside.” 23 So Mosheh lifted his staff to the sky, and Yahweh sent thunder and hail, and lightning caused fires on the land, and so Yahweh rained hail down onto Egypt. 24 There was hail, and also fire coming down in the middle of the hail. It was very heavy, such as had never been in all of Egypt since it became a nation.[ref] 25 The hail struck everything in Egypt—everything that was in the countryside, from people to animals. It also struck every plant and broke every tree out in the countryside. 26 Only in the Goshen region where the Israelis were, was there no hail.

27 Then Far’oh sent for Mosheh and Aharon and told them, “I’ve sinned this time. Yahweh is righteous, and me and my people are guilty. 28 Pray to Yahweh to stop it, because the thunder of God and hail are too much. Then I’ll release you all—you won’t have to remain here.”

29 “As I’m leaving the city,” Mosheh replied, “I’ll spread my palms out to Yahweh. The thunder will stop and the hail won’t continue so that you will be able to see that the earth belongs to Yahweh. 30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you still don’t fear Yahweh God.”

31 (Now the flax and the barley were flattened by the hail because the barley was full grown and starting to fill out and the flax was in bloom. 32 But the wheat and the spelt weren’t destroyed because they come later in the season.)

33 So Mosheh left Far’oh, and as he was leaving the city, he spread his palms out to Yahweh and the thunder and hail ceased, and the rain stopped pouring down on the land. 34 But when Far’oh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he added to his sins and he firmed his resolve—he and his servants. 35 And so Far’oh remained stubborn and didn’t let the Israelis leave, just as Yahweh had said through Mosheh previously.

10 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “Go in to Far’oh because I’ve made him and his servants stubborn in order to be able to demonstrate these miracles of mine among them, 2 and so that in the future you’ll be able to tell your descendants that I made Egypt look foolish, and my miracles which I demonstrated among them—and so that you will know that I am Yahweh.”

3 So Mosheh and Aharon went in to Far’oh and told him, “This is what Yahweh, God of the Hebrews says: how long before you’ll submit to me? Let my people go so they can serve me, 4 because if you refuse to release them, then listen, I’ll bring locusts into your territory tomorrow. 5 They’ll cover the ground so that no one will even be able to see it, and they’ll devour whatever remains after the hail. Plus they’ll devour every tree growing in the countryside. 6 They’ll fill your houses and the houses of all your servants and the houses of all the Egyptians. It’ll be nothing like anything which your parents generation ever saw, nor anything seen by the previous generations from the day they came to be on the earth until today.” Then Mosheh turned around and went out from Far’oh with Aharon.

7 Then Far’oh’s servants asked him, “How much longer is this going to cause trouble for us? Let the men go and they’ll worship their God Yahweh. Don’t you understand yet that Egypt is being destroyed?”

8 So Mosheh and Aharon were brought back to Far’oh, and he told them, “Go and worship your God Yahweh. Who are the ones who’ll be going?”

9 “We’ll take our children and our old folks,” Mosheh answered. “We’ll go with our sons and daughters, and with our flocks and herds, because the festival of Yahweh is for all of us.”

10 “You’d need Yahweh with you if I ever let you and your children go together,” Far’oh responded. “You’re clearly plotting an evil trick! 11 Well that won’t happen! The men may go and worship Yahweh since that’s what you’ve been wanting.” Then he drove them out of the room.

12 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “Extend your hand over Egypt and let the locusts rise up over the land, and let them devour all the plants—everything which the hail had spared.” 13 So Mosheh stretched his staff out over Egypt, and Yahweh sent an east wind over the land all that day and all night. Then morning came, and the east wind had brought the locusts. 14 The locusts covered across all the land of Egypt and came to rest everywhere within the country’s borders. They were extremely numerous—never before were there so many locusts, and it’ll never be repeated again.[ref] 15 The cloud of locusts blocked the sun and prevented people from being able to see very far. They devoured all the plants on the land and all of the fruit on the trees that the hail had left, and no piece of greenery remained on any tree or plant in the entire Egyptian countryside.

16 Far’oh quickly summoned Mosheh and Aharon and said, “I’ve sinned against your God Yahweh and against you. 17 So now just this once, please overlook my sin and pray to your God Yahweh and just let him take this deathly plague away from me.” 18 So Mosheh left Far’oh and went out and prayed to Yahweh, 19 and Yahweh caused a very strong sea wind. The wind carried away the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea—not a single locust remained anywhere in Egyptian territory. 20 But Yahweh caused Far’oh to remain stubborn and he would’t release the Israelis.

21 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “Raise your hand up toward the sky and let it become dark over all Egypt—darkness that can be felt.” 22 So Mosheh stretched his hand out towards the sky, and a thick darkness was in all Egypt for three days.[ref] 23 No one could see anyone else, and for three days no one was able to go anywhere, yet there was light in the region where the Israelis lived.

24 Then Far’oh summoned Mosheh and told him, “Go serve Yahweh. Your children can go with you all, but your flocks and your herds must remain behind.”

25 “On top of that,” Mosheh responded, “you must also give us the sacrifices and offerings to be burnt when we will sacrifice to Yahweh our God. 26 And even our livestock needs to go with us. Not a hoof will be left behind because we’ll choose from them to serve Yahweh our God. You see, we won’t know what we must sacrifice to Yahweh until we arrive there.”

27 But Yahweh caused Far’oh to strengthen his resolve and he wouldn’t agree to let them go. 28 “Get out of here!” Far’oh shouted. “And watch yourself! You’ll never see me again, because if I ever see you again, I’ll have you executed!”

29 “Yes,” Mosheh responded. “It’s just as you say: I’ll never see you again!”

11 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “I’ll send one more plague to Far’oh and Egypt. After that he’ll let you all go from here. What’s more, when he does he’ll actually chase you all right out of here. 2 Go and quietly tell the people that both men and women should ask their Egyptian neighbours for items of gold and silver.” 3 Then Yahweh gave the Israelis favour in the eyes of the Egyptians. What’s more, Mosheh was very prestigious in the eyes of Far’oh’s servants and in the eyes of the Egyptian people.

4 Then Mosheh told Far’oh, “This is what Yahweh says: Sometime around the middle of the night I’ll go out around Egypt, 5 and every oldest son in Egypt will die, from the oldest son of Far’oh who sits on his throne, to the oldest son of the slave girl who lives behind the mill, as well as every oldest male offspring of your livestock. 6 Then there’ll be loud wailing right across Egypt which will be nothing anything that’s ever happened before, and nothing like it will ever happen again. 7 But amongst the Israelis, the dogs won’t growl at any person or animals so that you’ll know that Yahweh distinguishes between Egypt and Israel. 8 Then all your servants will come down to me, and they’ll bow to me, pleading, ‘Go, you and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I’ll leave Egypt.” Then Mosheh left Far’oh in a fiery rage.

9 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “Far’oh refused to listen to you, so that I’m able to multiply my miracles in Egypt.” 10 Mosheh and Aharon had done all those miracles in front of Far’oh but Yahweh had made Far’oh stubborn so he hadn’t let the Israelis leave his country.

12 Then Yahweh told Mosheh and Aharon Egypt,[ref] 2 “This month is to become the beginning of the months for you all—from now on it will be the first month of the new year. 3 Assemble the people and tell them that on the tenth of this month, every man who’s the head of the household must select a lamb or young goat for his family. 4 But if the household’s too small to cook a whole animal, then neighbours can combine and share—budgeting on how much each person eats. 5 You all can choose either a sheep or a goat, but it must be a perfect, one-year-old male—without any defects. 6 You all must take special care of those animals until the fourteenth day of this month, then every Israeli household will slaughter their animal early that evening. 7 Then they must take some of the blood and put it on both doorposts and on the lintel of the houses that they’ll be in when they eat it. 8 They must roast them on the fire and eat the meat that night, along with flat bread and bitter herbs. 9 Don’t eat any of the meat raw and don’t boil it in water—it must be roasted over the fire with its head, legs, and internal organs. 10 Nothing must be left by morning—anything that’s not eaten must be burnt in the fire. 11 And this is how you all must eat it: with your belts fastened on your waists, your sandals on your feet, and your staffs in your hands. You all must eat it in a hurry. It is the Passover to Yahweh.

12 Then during that night, I will move throughout Egypt and I will kill all the oldest males—both people and animals. I will execute judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am Yahweh. 13 That blood on the doorposts and lintel will be your sign on the houses which you are all in. I will see the blood and will pass over above you all, and the plague won’t affect you all with destruction as I strike against Egypt. 14 Then this day will become a memorial for you all, and you’ll celebrate it as a festival to Yahweh for future generations—a statute that you’ll all celebrate forever.[ref]

15 For seven days you all must only eat flat bread made without yeast. Yes, on the first day you all must remove any yeast from your houses, because anyone who eats bread with yeast during those seven days, that person must be permanently driven out of Israel. 16 On the first day, you all must gather for a sacred assembly, and similarly on the seventh day. No work can be done on those days other than meal preparation. 17 You all must regularly observe the Flat Bread Celebration, because on this very day I will have brought your divisions out from Egypt. You all must observe this day throughout future generations—a statute that you’ll all celebrate forever. 18 Starting on 14th of the first month in the evening, you all must eat only flat bread until the 21st day of the month in the evening. 19 For seven days you all must have no yeast in your homes, because anyone who eats bread with yeast in it, that person must be driven out from the Israeli people whether they’re a foreigner or a native. 20 You all mustn’t eat anything made with yeast. Wherever you live, you all must only eat flat bread.

21 Then Mosheh summoned the Israeli elders and told them, “Go ahead and select a lamb or young goat for each family and slaughter it. 22 Then you all must take a bunch of leafy hyssop stalks, and dip it in the basin with the blood from the sacrifice and paint the blood onto the lintel and both doorposts. After that, absolutely no one should go out the door of your houses until morning. 23 Then Yahweh will pass throughout Egypt to strike the Egyptians and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, he’ll ‘pass over’ that doorway and won’t permit ‘the destroyer’ to enter into your houses to strike.[ref] 24 All of you and your descendants must maintain this as a law and celebrate it forever, 25 so when you all enter into the land that Yahweh will give to you just as he promised, then you must observe this ceremony. 26 Then when it occurs, your children will ask, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27 you all must tell them, ‘It’s the sacrifice of ‘pass-over’ to Yahweh, who passed over the houses of the Israelis in Egypt when he struck the Egyptians and rescued our families.’ ”

And the people bowed their heads and prostrated themselves, 28 and the Israelis went and did just as Yahweh had commanded through Mosheh and Aharon.

29 Then, in the middle of the night, Yahweh struck all the oldest males in Egypt, from the oldest son of Far’oh who sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon and all oldest male offspring of the animals.[ref] 30 During the night, all the Egyptians got up, including Far’oh and all his servants. There was tremendous wailing throughout Egypt because it was a very rare house where there wasn’t someone dead. 31 Far’oh called for Mosheh and Aharon in the night and told them, “Pack up and get out from among my people—you two and all the other Israelis. Go and serve Yahweh as you’ve said. 32 Also take your flocks and your herds as you’ve said, and go. And bless me as well.

33 The Egyptians urged the Israelis, hurrying to let them go from the land because they said, “We’re all dying.”

34 So the people carried their bread dough before it could rise. Their bread-making bowls were wrapped in their clothes on their shoulders.

35 The Israelis did everything that Mosheh had instructed them, including asking for items of gold and silver, and clothing from the Egyptians.[ref] 36 Yahweh gave the people favour in the eyes of the Egyptians, so by their requests, they were able to strip the Egyptians of their wealth.

37 Then the Israelis walked from Rameses toward Succoth—about 600,000 strong men on foot, not counting women and children. 38 A large assortment of other people also went with them, along with large numbers of sheep and goats, and cattle.

39 They baked the dough that they brought from Egypt into flat bread since it hadn’t had time to rise,[fn] because they were driven out of Egypt in a hurry and hadn’t had time to prepare food to take.

40 The descendants of Yisra’el (Yacob) had lived in Egypt for 430 years[ref] 41 to the day, because that very day was when all the various divisions of Yahweh’s people left Egypt. 42 It was a time when they stayed awake all night as Yahweh took them out of Egypt—a night to be observed in that same way by every future generation.

43 Then Yahweh told Mosheh and Aharon, “This is the statute of the ‘pass-over’: No foreigners may share in the meal that night, 44 unless it’s a slave that you bought and who’s been circumcised—45 no foreigner or hired helper can join in the meal. 46 Each animal must be eaten in only one house—don’t take any of the meat outside. And don’t break any of the animals bones.[ref] 47 Every Israeli must observe it, 48 and if someone is living among you and wants to join in Yahweh’s ‘pass-over’, then every male in their family must be circumcised. Only then will they be allowed to observe it, and then they should be considered like a native of the land. No uncircumcised person may eat it. 49 This one law will apply to both the natives, and those who live among you all.” 50 All the Israelis followed those instructions that Yahweh had given through Mosheh and Aharon, 51 and so on that very day, Yahweh took all the Israelis out of Egypt grouped by their family divisions.

13 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, 2 “All firstborn offspring are to be consecrated to me—the first product of every womb, whether human or animal, belongs to me.”[ref]

3 Then Mosheh told the people, “Always remember this day, that you went out of Egypt, rescued from slavery, because Yahweh used his power to bring you out from there. And nothing with yeast in it can be eaten when you celebrate this. 4 Today you are leaving in the month of Aviv, 5 and when Yahweh brings you to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and the Jebusites (which he swore to your fathers to give to you—a land flowing with milk and honey) you must observe this ceremony in this same month. 6 You must eat only flat bread for seven days, and then on the seventh day, it will be a festival to honour Yahweh. 7 Again, you must only eat flat bread for seven days—not only that you mustn’t even have any risen bread, nor must you have any yeast within any of your borders. 8 On that festival day, you must tell your children, ‘This is because of what Yahweh did for us when we left Egypt.’ 9 It’ll be like a reminder written on your hand and a prompt in front of your eyes, so that you’ll remember to pass on Yahweh’s instructions because he used his power to bring you out of Egypt. 10 So you must follow those instructions at the appointed time year after year.

11 Later, when Yahweh brings you into the land of the Canaanites as he promised to you and your ancestors, and he gives it to you, 12 then hand over to Yahweh all oldest children, and all the oldest animal offspring that are yours. The males are for Yahweh.[ref] 13 In the case of the oldest donkey foal, you must buy it back by killing a lamb instead of it. If you don’t buy it back, you must kill the donkey by breaking its neck. You must buy back every one of your oldest sons, 14 and in the future when your son asks you, ‘What’s that about?’ then you must tell him, ‘We were enslaved in Egypt, but Yahweh used his incredible power to bring us out. 15 And so it was that when Far’oh was too stubborn to let us go, then Yahweh struck all of the oldest sons and oldest male animals in Egypt. That’s why we offer all the oldest offspring to Yahweh, and why we need to buy back all our oldest sons.’ 16 So you must place a reminder on your hand and hanging on your forehead that Yahweh used his incredible power to bring us out of Egypt.”

17 When Far’oh released the people, God didn’t lead them through the land of the Philistines, although that way was shorter, because he said, “It’s best if the people don’t have to face war immediately, or they might change their minds and then want to return to Egypt.” 18 So God caused the people to take the path going towards the wilderness and the Red Sea.[fn] The Israeli left Egypt in formation as if ready for battle.

19 Mosheh ensured that the bones of Yosef were taken with them, because many years back Yosef had made the Israelis vow, saying, “God will certainly take notice of you all, and you must take my bones up with you from here.”[ref]

20 The people travelled on from Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness. 21 During the day, Yahweh went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to lead them on the way, and at nighttime, he went in a pillar of fire to be light to them, so they could travel both in the daytime and at night. 22 The daytime pillar of cloud and the nighttime pillar of fire didn’t ever leave their place in front of the people.

14 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, 2 “Tell the Israelis that they should turn and camp in front of Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-Zephon. You all are to camp by the sea opposite it. 3 Then Far’oh will say, ‘They are confused and lost—the wilderness has boxed them in.’ 4 I’ll strengthen Far’oh’s resolve and he’ll chase after them. Then because of Far’oh and all his army, I’ll be honoured and the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh.” So the Israelis camped where they were instructed.

5 When the king of Egypt was told that the Israelis had fled, he and his servants started thinking about their own people and they asked, “What have we done by letting the Israeli slaves go free?” 6 Then he hitched up his chariot and took his army with him. 7 He took 600 of the best chariots as well as all the other Egyptian chariots and officersto supervise them. 8 Yahweh strengthened the Egyptian king’s resolve and so Far’oh pursued after the Israelis after they had confidently marched out of Egypt. 9 The Egyptians pursued them and all of Far’oh’s horses and chariots, along with his mounted soldiers and his foot army, overtook them camping above the sea above Pi Hahiroth, across from Baal-Zephon.

10 As the Egyptians approached, the Israelis looked back, and to their horror, saw the army coming after them. They were extremely afraid and cried out to Yahweh. 11 They complained to Mosheh, “Is it because there weren’t any graves in Egypt that you brought us here to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us? Why did you bring us out from Egypt? 12 Isn’t this exactly what we told you in Egypt when we said, ‘Just leave us alone and let us serve the Egyptians’? Because serving the Egyptians sounds a lot better to us than dying out here in the wilderness.”

13 Then Mosheh told the people, “You mustn’t be afraid. Stand still and see how Yahweh saves you all—he’s going to do it today, because any Egyptians that you see today, you’ll never, ever see them again. 14 Yahweh himself will fight for you all—all you need to do is to remain calm.” 15 Then Yahweh scolded Mosheh, “Why are you still here crying out to me? Talk to the Israelis and get them moving forward. 16 As for you, raise your staff and stretch your arm out over the sea and divide it. Then the Israelis will go on onto dry ground through the middle of the sea. 17 Yes, watch me! I’ll strengthen the resolve of the Egyptians and they’ll enter between the sea after them. Then I’ll be honoured because of what will happen to Far’oh and all his army, and his chariots and his horsemen. 18 Because of that, the Egyptians will know that I’m Yahweh.”

19 Then God’s messenger who travelled ahead of the Israelis, moved and went behind them. Also the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and stood behind them 20 and so it was then between the coming Egyptians and the Israelis. Then the cloud became darkness on the Egyptian side, yet it lit up the other side, and no one could approach it all night. 21 Then Mosheh stretched his arm out over the sea and Yahweh sent a strong east wind. It blew all night and divided the sea on each side and dried the strip of land in the middle. 22 So then the Israelis entered through the middle of the sea on dry ground with a wall of water on each side of them.[ref] 23 However, the Egyptians pursued after them. Every one of Far’oh’s horses and chariots and his horsemen also entered into the middle of the sea. 24 By now morning was coming and Yahweh looked down through the pillar of fire and cloud, and he caused confusion for the Egyptian army. 25 He caused the wheels of their chariots to turn unevenly so they became difficult to drive, and the Egyptians complained, “Let’s retreat from following the Israelis, because Yahweh is fighting against Egypt and for them.”

26 On the other side, Yahweh told Mosheh, “Stretch your arm out over the sea and the waters will flow back onto the Egyptians and onto Far’oh’s chariots and his horsemen.” 27 So Mosheh stretched his arm out over the sea, and as the day broke, the sea began to return to its normal place. The Egyptians turned and fled before its impact but Yahweh shook the Egyptians off their horses and chariots in the middle of the sea. 28 So the sea returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen—even Far’oh’s entire army that had entered into the sea after the Israelis. Not even one of the pursuers remained. 29 But the Israelis had walked through the middle of the sea on dry land with a wall of water on each side of them.

30 So Yahweh saved Israel from Egypt’s power that day, and the Israelis saw the Egyptians’ bodies washed up on the shore. 31 All of Israel saw the incredible power that Yahweh had used against the Egyptians, and the people revered Yahweh, and put their trust in him and his servant Mosheh.

15 Then Mosheh and the Israelis sang this song to Yahweh:[ref]

“I will sing to Yahweh because he’s been so successful—

he’s thrown both the horses and their riders into the sea.

2 I will sing about Yahweh, my source of strength,[ref]

and the one who saves me.

I will praise him because he’s my God—

≈he’s my father’s God and I will honour him.

3 Yahweh is a warrior.

Yahweh is his name.

4 He threw Far’oh’s chariots and his army into the sea.

≈His hand-picked officers have been sunk in the sea.

5 The deep waters cover them.

≈They descended into the depths like a stone.

6 Yahweh’s right arm is so powerful.

≈Yahweh’s right arm shattered our enemy.

7 You toss away your adversaries with your great power.

Your burning anger consumes them like straw in a fire.

8 It was your breath that made the waters pile up.

They stood up like a heap.

The deep water seemed like it was solid.

9 Our enemies thought that they could chase after us and overtake us.

They had planned to satisfy themselves by sharing out the plunder.

They were ready to use their swords and swing their arms to destroy us.

10 But you blew with your breath.

The sea covered them.

They sank like lead in that terrible surge.

11 Which other God is like you, Yahweh?

Who else is so powerful and yet sinless,

receiving praises for doing miracles?

12 You stretched out your powerful arm.

The earth swallowed them up.

13 You are leading the people you bought back,

because you committed yourself to love them.

You used your strength to lead them to your sinless home.

14 Other countries have heard, and they tremble.

≈Anguish has struck the inhabitants of Filistia.

15 The chiefs of Edom have panicked.

≈Trembling has seized the leaders of Moab.

≈The inhabitants of Kanaan have melted away.

16 Terror and dread have fallen on them.

After seeing your great power, they’ve stayed as still as stone

until your people have all marched past, Yahweh.

Until the people you bought have all gone past them.

17 Bring them into the land

and establish them on the mountain of your inheritance.

The place you’ve chosen to become your home, Yahweh—

a sanctuary built by your hands, master.

18 Yahweh will reign as king forever and ever.

19 Far’oh’s horse went into the sea, along with his chariots and horsemen,[fn]

and Yahweh brought the water back over them,

after the Israelis had walked through on dry ground in the middle of the sea.”

20 Then Aharon’s sister Miryam who was a prophetess, picked up a tambourine and went outside. All the other women did likewise and followed her out to dance together 21 so Miryam sang this response:

“Sing to Yahweh and tell of his amazing victory—

He tossed the horses and their riders into the sea.”

22 Then Mosheh lead the Israelis away from the Red Sea and they moved into the wilderness at Shur. They went through the wilderness for three days and finally found some water, 23 but it was so bitter that they couldn’t drink it. So they named that place ‘Marah’ (which means ‘bitter’), 24 and the people grumbled about Mosheh saying, “So what will we drink then?” 25 So Mosheh cried out to Yahweh, and Yahweh showed him a tree. When he threw it into the water, the water became safe to drink.

Yahweh made a statue at that place, and a rule, and he tested Mosheh there, 26 saying, “If you carefully listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, and you do what’s right in my eyes, and you listen to my commands and you keep all of my laws, then I won’t inflict you with any of the diseases that I put on the Egyptians, because I’m Yahweh your healer.”

27 Then they moved on and came to Elim where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there by the water.

16 Then they left Elim, and all the Israelis entered into the wilderness at Siyn (between Elim and Sinai) around six weeks after leaving Egypt, 2 and all the Israelis murmured against Mosheh and Aharon there in the wilderness, 3 saying, “If only Yahweh had killed us in Egypt, where we’d be sitting by a pot of meat eating bread until we’re full, because you’ve brought us out into this wilderness to starve us all to death.”

4 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “Just watch me make food rain down from the sky for you all. Then the people will be able to go out every day and gather enough for that day so that I can test them: Will they obey my law or not?[ref] 5 But every Friday they can gather and prepare twice as much as what they gather on the other days.”

6 So Mosheh and Aharon told all the Israelis, “This evening you’ll all know that Yahweh was the one who brought you out from Egypt. 7 In the morning you’ll all see Yahweh’s greatness as he’s heard your murmurings against him. I mean, who are we that you’d murmur against us?” 8 Then Mosheh continued, “So Yahweh wll gives you all meat to eat in the evening and enough bread in the morning to make you all full. Yes, Yahweh has heard your murmurings against him. As for us, we’re insignificant. Your murmuring isn’t against us, but against Yahweh.”

9 Then Mosheh told Aharon, “Summon everyone to come and face Yahweh, because he’s heard their murmurings.” 10 And so while Aharon spoke to all the Israelis, they turned toward the wilderness, and wow, Yahweh’s dazzling brightness appeared in the cloud! 11 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, 12 “I’ve heard the murmurings of the Israelis. Speak to them saying, ‘In the evenings, you’ll all eat meat, and in the mornings you’ll all be satisfied with bread. Then you’ll all know that I’m your God, Yahweh.’”

13 And so that evening, quail appeared and covered the camp. And in the morning, something like dew was lying all around the camp, 14 and when it evaporated, wow, it left behind thin flakes—thin like frost on the ground there in the wilderness. 15 When the Israelis saw it, they asked each other, ‘What is it?’ because they didn’t know what it was.

And Mosheh told them, “It’s the food that Yahweh has given you all to eat.[ref] 16 These are Yahweh’s instructions: Gather enough of it according to how many people you’re feeding—about two litres per person who lives in your tents.”

17 So the Israelis went ahead and gathered it—some collecting a lot, and others, less, 18 but when they measured it out, those who’d collected a lot didn’t have any extra, and those who hadn’t gathered so much still had enough to eat—each person had gathered just enough.[ref] 19 Then Mosheh told them, “Don’t save any of it for tomorrow,” 20 but some of them didn’t take any notice of him and kept it until the next morning. However, by then it was full of maggots and smelt rotten, and Mosheh was very angry at them.

21 So from that day onwards, they gathered it every morning, depending on how many they were feeding, and then when the sun got hot, the rest melted away. 22 On the Friday, they gathered twice as much—around four litres for each person—and all the leaders of the community came and informed Mosheh 23 and he told them, “This is what Yahweh said: Tomorrow is a rest day to be set aside for Yahweh. So bake or cook your food, and keep the left-overs overnight to use in the morning.”[ref] 24 So they did what Mosheh had told them and kept the left-overs until the morning, and it didn’t stink or have any bugs in it. 25 On that Saturday morning, Mosheh told them, “Go ahead and eat the previously cooked food because today is set aside for Yahweh and so you all won’t find any more on the ground—26 you’ll gather it for six days each week, but on the Saturday, there won’t be any.”

27 However, some people did go out to collect it, but they couldn’t find any, 28 and Yahweh said to Mosheh, “For how long will you all keep refusing to obey my commandments and my laws? 29 Listen, Yahweh has given you the Rest Day, so on the Friday he gives you food for two days. On the Saturday, everyone should stay where they are—there’s no need for anyone to go outside searching.” 30 So the people didn’t work on the Saturday.

31 The Israelis named it ‘manna’ (which sounds like Hebrew ‘What is it?’). It was white like coriander seed, and it tasted like wafers with honey.[ref] 32 Then Mosheh said, “This is the procedure that Yahweh has commanded: Keep a full measure of it for preservation for your descendants so that they can see the food which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out from Egypt.” 33 So Mosheh said to Aharon, “Take a jar and fill it with the full two litres of manna. Place it in front of Yahweh for preservation for your descendants.”[ref] 34 So Aharon prepared the jar and kept it (and would eventually place it in the box with the stone tablets.) 35 The Israelis ate manna for forty years, until they eventually left the wilderness and came to the borders of the region of Canaan.[ref] 36 (Two litres is called an ‘omer’ which is a tenth of a ‘efah’.)

17 Then all the Israelis moved on from Siyn in the wilderness, travelling following Yahweh’s instructions. They camped at Refidim but there was no water for the people to drink.[ref] 2 So the people argued with Mosheh again, saying, “Give us water to drink!”

“Why are you all quarreling with me?” Mosheh answered. “Why are you all testing Yahweh?”

3 But the people were very thirsty there and they murmured against Mosheh, so he demanded, “Is this why you brought us out of Egypt? To kill me and my sons and my cattle with thirst?” ???

4 Mosheh cried out to Yahweh, asking, “What should I do for these people? It won’t take much more and they’ll stone me.”

5 “Walk on ahead of the people,” Yahweh told Mosheh, “and take some of the Israeli elders with you, and your staff—the one which you struck the river with. Take it in your hand and go. 6 Watch me. I will stand in front of you there on the rock at Horeb (Mt. Sinai). Then you will strike the rock and water will come out of it, and the people will drink.” So Mosheh did that while the Israeli elders watched.

7 Mosheh named that place both ‘Massah’ (which means ‘testing’) and ‘Meribah’ (which means ‘complaining’), because of the conflict among the Israelis and because of how they tested of Yahweh by saying, ‘Is Yahweh among us or not?’

8 Then the Amalek army came and attacked Israel at Refidim, 9 and Mosheh instructed Yehoshua (Joshua), “Choose men for us and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I’ll be stationed on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” 10 So Yehoshua prepared to fight Amalek as Mosheh had told him, and Mosheh, Aharon, and Hur climbed up to the top of the hill. 11 And so it happened that when Mosheh raised his arm, then Israel would be winning, but when he lowered his arm, then Amalek would start winning. 12 However, Mosheh’s arms got tired, so they got a large stone and sat him on it, and Aharon and Hur stood on each side of him holding up his arms, and holding him steady in that position until the sun went down. 13 So this was how Yehoshua defeated Amalek and his army with their swords. 14 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “Write this event in the book and read it aloud to Yehoshua, because I will certainly blot out the memory of Amalek from off the earth.”[ref] 15 Then Mosheh built an altar and he named it ‘Yahweh-nissi’ (which means ‘Yahweh is my banner’), 16 saying, “Because they battled against Yah’s throne, then Yahweh will battle against Amalek from generation to generation.”

18 Now Yetro (Jethro), the priest at Midian and Mosheh’s father-in-law, heard about everything that God had done for Mosheh and for his people the Israelis—that Yahweh had brought the Israelis out of Egypt. 2 (Yetro had been looking after Mosheh’s wife Zipporah and their two sons after he had sent her back[ref] 3 along with their two sons. One was named ‘Gershom’ (which sounds like the Hebrew word for ‘foreigner’) because Mosheh had said, “I’ve been a foreigner living in another country.”[ref] 4 Their other son’s name was ‘Eliezer’ (which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘God helps me’, because Mosheh had said, “God, who my father worshipped, has helped me and stopped the Egyptian king Far’oh from killing me.”)

5 So now Mosheh’s father-in-law brought Mosheh’s wife and sons to the wilderness where the people were camping near the mountain of God. 6 He had sent a message ahead saying, “I, your father-in-law Yetro, am coming to you, as well as your wife and your two sons.” 7 So Mosheh went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him. They asked each other about their welfare, then they went into the tent, 8 and Mosheh related to his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Far’oh and to Egypt on account of Israel, all the hardship that found them along the way, and about how Yahweh had rescued them. 9 Yetro was very happy to hear about all the good things that Yahweh had done for Israel when he had rescued them out from Egyptian control, 10 and he said, “Bless Yahweh, who rescued you from slavery in Egypt, and from Far’oh’s power. 11 Now I can see that Yahweh is greater than all the other gods because of the this result after the Egyptians had acted proudly against you all.” 12 Then Mosheh’s father-in-law Yetro made a burnt offering as well as sacrifices to God, and Aharon and all of the Israeli elders came to eat bread with Mosheh’s father-in-law in God’s presence.

13 The following day, Mosheh sat down to judge the people, and the people stood around him from morning until evening. 14 When his father-in-law noticed everything that he personally did for the people, he asked, “What’s this that you’re doing with the people? Why do you sit there alone, and all the people position themselves around you from morning until evening?”

15 “Because the people come to me to find out what God wants for them,” Mosheh replied to Yetro. 16 “When a difficult situation comes up among them, someone comes to me and I make the judgement between a man and his neighbour. In addition, I help them understand the God’s statutes and laws.”

17 “It’s not a good idea what you’re doing,” said Yetro. 18 “You’re definitely on the road to wear yourself out, plus you’ll also wear out these people who’re with you, because the responsibility is too heavy for you—you can’t just do it alone. 19 Now, listen to this: I’ll advise you and God will be with you. You be before God for the people, and you should bring their disputes to God yourself. 20 You should also teach them the statutes and the laws, and you should teach them the way they should live and the work that they should do. 21 But you yourself should search through all the people to find capable men who’re godly and faithful, and not greedy for dishonest profit. Then appoint the best of them to be over a thousand households, and then others to be over groups of one hundred, fifty, and ten households. 22 They’ll be the ones to judge the people, except that every serious situation they’ll bring to you—they’ll judge every minor situation themselves. Yes, you must lighten this load off yourself, and they’ll share the load with you. 23 If you do that, and if God tells you to proceed, then you’ll be able to endure in the long term, plus all of these people standing around will be able to return to their tents peacefully.”

24 So Mosheh took his father-in-law’s advice and implemented all of his suggestions. 25 He chose capable men from among all the Israelis, and he appointed them as heads over the people: leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, and leaders of tens of households. 26 They became the ones who settled most disputes for the people. They brought the difficult cases to Mosheh, but they judged each minor situation themselves.

27 Then Mosheh bid farewell to Yetro and he returned to his own home.

19 The Israelis entered the Sinai wilderness in the third month after exiting Egypt. 2 After they had departed from Refidim, they had entered the Sinai wilderness and camped there at the base of the mountain. 3 Yahweh called Mosheh from the mountain, so he climbed up and God gave him this message and asked him to pass it on to Yacob’s descendants, the Israelis:

4 “You yourselves saw what I did to the Egyptians—how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you all here to myself. 5 And now, if you all carefully listen to my words and keep my agreement, then your nation will be my possession, separate from all the others, because all the earth is mine,[ref] 6 So you all will be my kingdom of priests and a nation dedicated to me.” (That’s the message to pass on to the Israelis.)[ref] 7 So Mosheh descended again and summoned the Israeli elders, then he passed on that message just as Yahweh had commanded him, 8 and all the people responded together, agreeing, “We’ll do everything that Yahweh has said.” Then Mosheh took the people’s response back to Yahweh 9 and Yahweh told him, “Look, I’ll come to you in a thick cloud so that the people will be able to hear when I speak with you so they’ll also continue to trust you.”

Then Mosheh told Yahweh the people’s words 10 and Yahweh responded, “Go down to the people and purify them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes 11 and be prepared for the third day, because on the third day I will come down to Mount Sinai while all the people watch. 12 Set boundaries for the people all around, and tell them, ‘Don’t climb on the mountain or touch its edge, because anyone who does will definitely be executed.[ref] 13 Anyone who touches the mountain mustn’t be touched by anyone else—they must be executed by throwing rocks at them or shooting them with a bow. No person or animal who touches the mountain can stay alive.’ Only after a long trumpet blast should they start to climb the mountain.” 14 So Mosheh went down the mountain to the people. He purified them and they all washed their clothes, 15 and he told them, “Abstain from sexual relations, and be ready by the third day.”

16 So on the morning of the third day, there was thunder and lightning and a thick cloud on the mountain, and an extremely loud horn blast, and all the people in the camp were trembling.[ref] 17 Then Mosheh led the people out of the camp to go and meet God, and they stationed themselves at the foot of the mountain. 18 Yahweh descended onto Mount Sinai surrounded by fire and the entire mountain smoked. Its smoke went up like the smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. 19 Then it happened after the sound of the horn got extremely loud, that Mosheh was speaking and God was answering him in a voice. 20 Yahweh had descended onto the top of Mount Sinai, and he called Mosheh up to the top of the mountain, so Mosheh ascended. 21 But Yahweh told him, “Go back down and warn the people in case they force their way through to look at me and many of them perish. 22 Also, the priests who come nearer to me, they must be very careful to purify themselves in case I suddenly punish them.” 23 But Mosheh questioned Yahweh, “The people aren’t able to come up on Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us,[ref] ‘Set boundaries all around the mountain to keep it sacred.’ ” 24 “Go back down,” Yahweh responded, “and bring Aharon back up with you. However, the priests and the people must not cross the boundary to come up to me, in case I suddenly punish them.” 25 So Mosheh went down and spoke to the people.

20 Then God gave these instructions to the Israelis: 2 I’m your God Yahweh, who rescued you[fn] from where you were enslaved in Egypt.

3 You mustn’t own any other gods in my sight. 4 You mustn’t make a carved figure for yourself, nor carve a copy of anything in the sky above or in the earth below, or that’s in the water under the earth.[ref] 5 Don’t bow down to idols and don’t serve them, because I, your God Yahweh, am a jealous God. I remember the sins of the fathers and punish the children of even the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,[ref] 6 but I faithfully fulfil my promises to thousands of generations of those who love me and who obey my instructions.

7 You mustn’t wrongly promote the name of Yahweh your God, because I will not leave anyone unpunished who does that.[ref]

8 Keep Saturday different from all the other days—[ref] 9 there’s six days every week for working.[ref] 10 The seventh day is a rest day for Yahweh your God: you mustn’t do any work—not you, or your children, or your male or female servants, or your cattle, or the foreigners live among you—11 because Yahweh made the heavens and earth, the sea, and everything that’s in them in six days. Then he rested on the seventh day, so that’s why he blessed the rest day and made it sacred.[ref]

12 Honour your father and your mother, so that you’ll have a long life on the land that your God Yahweh is about to give you.[ref]

13 You mustn’t murder.[ref]

14 You mustn’t commit adultery.[ref]

15 You mustn’t steal.[ref]

16 You mustn’t lie in court.[ref]

17 You mustn’t covet your neighbour’s house or spouse, or their male or female servants, or their animals, or anything else they own.[ref]

18 All of the people could hear and see the thunder and the lightning, the sound of the horn, and the mountain smoking. They trembled when they saw it, and they remained standing at a distance.[ref] 19 They begged Mosheh, “You be the one to speak to us, and we’ll listen, but don’t let God speak directly to us, in case we die.”

20 “Don’t be afraid,” Mosheh responded, “because God has come to test you so that the fear of him will remain with you so that you all won’t disobey him.” 21 So the people stood at a good distance while Mosheh approached toward the thick darkness where God was.

22 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “This is what you need to tell the Israelis: ‘You yourselves have seen that I, Yahweh, have talked with you from heaven. 23 You all mustn’t make gods out of silver or gold for yourselves to have alongside me. 24 You need to make an altar for me out of dirt, and then you can sacrifice your burnt offerings and peace offerings, and your sheep and cattle, on it. I’ll inform you about every place where I want to be worshippped and I’ll come to you and will bless you there. 25 If you do make me an altar with stones, you mustn’t use cut stones to build it because moving your tools over it will defile it.[ref] 26 And don’t use steps to get up to the altar because you might expose your private parts under your robes.

21 These are the rules that you must present to them:

Hebrew slaves

2 If you buy a Hebrew slave, he should serve for six years, then in the seventh year he must be set free without having to pay you anything.[ref] 3 If he came by himself, he can go free by himself. If he’s married with a wife, then his wife must be set free with him. 4 If his master gave him a wife and she bore him sons or daughters, then the wife and her children are her master’s, and only the husband must be set free. 5 But if he plainly says, “I love my master, my wife, and my children so I voluntarily choose not to be set free,” 6 then his master must take him to the place of worship. He must bring him to a door or to a doorpost, and his master must bore a hole his ear with an awl. Then he must serve him for life.

7 And if a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she won’t be sent away after six years like the male slaves. 8 If the man who bought her wanted her to become his slave-wife, but later he isn’t pleased with her behaviour, he must allow her to be bought back by her relatives. He has no authority to sell her on to outsiders, because that would break the understanding of proper treatment of her. 9 Or if he selected her to become his son’s slave-wife, then he must treat her like a daughter would expect to be treated. 10 If he go on to take another slave-wife, he mustn’t reduce the first one’s food or clothing, or her marital rights, 11 but if he doesn’t provide these three things to her, then she can go free without having to pay anything.

12 Whoever strikes someone and that person dies, must definitely be put to death.[ref] 13 But if it wasn’t premeditated—if God had let it happen as an accident—then I’ll assign a place where the one who hit them can flee to.[ref] 14 However, if someone had schemed to trap and kill their neighbour, then even if the killer clings to my altar, you must take them for execution.

15 Anyone who strikes their father or mother must certainly be put to death.

16 Anyone who abducts another person—either to sell or to keep as a slave—that person must certainly be put to death.[ref]

17 Anyone who curses their father or mother must certainly be put to death.[ref]

18 If two people fight and one hits their neighbour with a stone or with their fist, and the injured one doesn’t die but is bedridden, 19 if that person eventually rises and can walk about outside using a staff, then the person who struck them is free, other than reimbursing the costs of their lost work and their medical expenses.

20 If a master hits their male or female slave with a staff and the slave dies, then the death must certainly be avenged. 21 However, if the slave is able to stand within a couple of days, then the owner won’t be punished because the slave is their property.

22 If two people fight together and strike a pregnant woman and cause her to deliver the baby, if there’s no serious injury, then he must certainly be fined whatever the husband of the woman demands and the judges allow. 23 But if there’s serious injury, then you must give a life for a life, 24 an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot,[ref] 25 a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, and a bruise for a bruise.

26 If a master hits their male or female slave’s eye and damages it, they must let the slave go free in compensation for the eye. 27 Or if the master knocks out a tooth of a male or female slave, they must let the slave go free in compensation for the tooth.

28 If a bull gores a man or a woman and they die, the bull must certainly be killed by throwing rocks at it. The owner of the animal is to be considered innocent, but its meat mustn’t be eaten. 29 But if the bull had a habit of goring in the past and its owner was warned but didn’t keep it fenced in, and it kills a man or a woman, then the bull must be killed by throwing rocks at it and its owner must also be put to death. 30 If a ransom payment is demanded instead, the owner may buy back their life by paying the full amount demanded. 31 Those rules also apply if the bull gores a person’s son or daughter. 32 If the bull gores a male or female slave, its owner must give thirty silver shekels to the slave owner and the bull must be killed by throwing rocks at it.

33 If someone uncovers a pit for storage, or digs a new one and leaves it uncovered, and a cow or a donkey falls into it, 34 the owner of the pit must pay compensation. The pit owner must pay in cash, but the dead animal will then belong to them. 35 If one person’s bull attacks someone else’s bull and it dies, then they should sell the live animal and divide the money as well as dividing up the dead animal. 36 But if it was known that the bull had a habit of goring in the past and its owner hadn’t kept it fenced in, then that owner must certainly give a live bull for the dead one, but the dead animal will become theirs.

22 If someone steals a cow or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it, he must compensate five cattle for the cow or four sheep for the sheep.

2 (If a thief is discovered at night while breaking in, and is struck and dies, no one should be charged for murder. 3 But if it’s daylight already, then that person is guilty of murder.)

A thief who’s caught must make restitution, but if they’re unable to pay, then the thief must be sold to cover it. 4 If a thief is found in the possession of a stolen animal, be it a cow or a donkey or a sheep, then they must pay back another matching animal as well.[fn]

5 If a person releases their livestock to graze their own field or vineyard, and it ends up grazing in the someone else’s field, the owner of the animal must compensate from the best of their field and from the best of their vineyard.

6 If a fire breaks out and spreads in the bush, and grain that’s already stacked or is still in the field gets burnt up, the person who started the fire must certainly pay compensation.

7 If anyone gives their neighbour money or goods for safekeeping, and if it is stolen from the neighbour’s house, if the thief is found, they must pay double in compensation. 8 If the thief can’t be found, then the owner of the house must be brought to the judges for God’s decision as to whether or not they have improperly handled their neighbour’s property.

9 Concerning every other squabble about any cattle or a donkey or sheep, or about clothing or any lost property that’s under dispute, both parties must go to the judges for God’s decision—anyone who God declares to be guilty must pay his neighbour double as compensation.

10 If anyone gives their neighbour a donkey or a cow or a sheep or any animal to look after, and it dies or is injured or disappears without anyone seeing, 11 both of them must declare in front of Yahweh as to whether or not they improperly handled their neighbour’s property. The owner must accept the sworn statement and no compensation is required, 12 but if it was truly stolen from the neighbour, they must pay compensation to the owner. 13 If it was truly killed by a some other animal, the neighbour must bring the remains as evidence, and no compensation is required.

14 If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbour and it gets injured or dies without the owner being with it, the person who borrowed it must pay compensation, 15 but if its owner was there with it, no compensation is required—if it was for hire, then that was included in its hiring fee.

16 If a man entices a young woman who’s not engaged, and sleeps with her, he must certainly pay the bride price to her father for her to become his wife.[ref] 17 If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, the man must still pay the normal bride price in cash.

18 You must execute any woman who practices sorcery.[ref]

19 Anyone who has sex with an animal must be executed.[ref]

20 You must execute anyone who offers a sacrifice to any god other than Yahweh.[ref]

21 You mustn’t disadvantage or oppress any foreigner staying in your country, because you were foreigners staying in the land of Egypt.[ref] 22 You mustn’t mistreat any widow or any fatherless child, 23 because if you do and they ask me to help them, I’ll help them 24 and get angry. I’ll cause you all to die in battle, and your wives will become widows and your children will become fatherless.

25 If you loan money to any my people who’re poor, you mustn’t act like an impartial creditor to them—you mustn’t charge them interest.[ref] 26 If you actually take the your neighbour’s cloak as a security, you must return it to them by sunset,[ref] 27 because it’s their only covering. What else could they cover themselves with when they try to sleep? If they cry out to me, I’ll act on it, because I’m compassionate.

28 You mustn’t insult God, and don’t curse your leaders.[ref]

29 You mustn’t fail to give me the best parts of the grain that you harvest, or the best olive oil or wine that you produce.

You must give your firstborn sons to me, 30 plus you must do the same with your cattle and your sheep and goats. The young must stay seven days with their mothers, then you must give them to me on the eighth day.

31 You must be different from others because you’re dedicated to me. So you mustn’t eat the meat of animals that are mauled in the countryside—throw it to the dogs instead.[ref]

23 You mustn’t present a false statement. Don’t conspire with a wicked person to give false evidence.[ref] 2 Don’t just follow the crowd into doing what’s wrong, and don’t just say what others say in court if it’s untrue, 3 and don’t automatically favour the poor in court either.[ref]

4 If you come across your enemy’s cow or donkey going astray, you must certainly take it back to them.[ref] 5 If you see that the donkey of someone who hates you has fallen to the ground under its load, you mustn’t just walk way—you must certainly help them with it.

6 You mustn’t deny justice to the poor in their lawsuits.[ref] 7 Stay far way from deceptive words. You mustn’t kill innocent or honest people because I won’t allow wicked people to be declared innocent. 8 You mustn’t accept bribes, because bribes stop people from being unbiased and they undermine the words of honest people.

9 You mustn’t oppress foreigners since you yourselves know how that feels because you all were foreigners in Egypt.[ref]

10 You should plant your land and gather its produce for six years,[ref] 11 but in the seventh year you must let the harvest drop and just leave it there and allow the poor people to eat it. Then the animals in the countryside can eat the reminder. You must also do that to your vineyards and your olive orchards.

12 Six days You should work for six days, then on the seventh day you must rest so that your cow and your donkey can rest, and the children of your slaves and the foreigner staying in your land can be refreshed.[ref]

13 Take careful notice of everything that I’ve told you all. You all mustn’t invoke other gods—in fact don’t even mention their names.

14 You must celebrate me three times every year. 15 1/ You must observe the Flat Bread Celebration. You must eat unleavened bread for seven days as I commanded you, in late March or early April because that’s when you came out from Egypt. You mustn’t come without an offering.[ref]

16 2/ You must observe the Spring Harvest Celebration, bringing the first portion of your harvests from what you planted.

3/ You must observe the Finished Harvest Celebration at the end of the year, after you’ve finished harvesting everything you planted. 17 So all your males must gather in front of the master Yahweh three times each year.

18 You mustn’t sacrifice the blood of my sacrifices together with bread that’s been risen, and all the fat must be burnt during the night so that none remains in the morning.

19 You must bring the best of the firstfruits of your harvests to the house of Yahweh your God.

You mustn’t boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.[ref]

20 Listen, I’m about to send a messenger in front of you to guard you on the way, and to take you to the place that I have prepared. 21 Stay behind him and listen to what he says. Don’t annoy him because he won’t put up with disobedience because he represents my authority. 22 But if you take careful notice of his words and do everything that I say, then I’ll be an enemy to your enemies and I’ll be against those who’re against you. 23 My messenger will go ahead of you and take you to face the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and then I’ll annihilate them. 24 You mustn’t serve or bow down to their gods, and you mustn’t do what those people do, because you must completely overthrow them and completely smash their sacred stone pillars. 25 You all must worship your God Yahweh, and he’ll bless your food and your water. I’ll keep sickness away from you 26 and there won’t be any miscarriages or women in your land that can’t conceive. I’ll ensure that you live your full number of days.

27 I’ll go ahead of you and will terrify and confuse all of the people groups whose lands you’ll enter, and I’ll cause them to flee from you in battle. 28 I’ll send hornets ahead of you and they’ll drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites before you get there. 29 I won’t drive them out more than a year ahead of you in case the area becomes desolate and the wild animals proliferate too much in the countryside. 30 I’ll drive them out little by little ahead of you until your numbers increase and you take over the land. 31 Then I’ll help you establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates river, because I’ll help you defeat the existing inhabitants of the land and so you’ll drive them right out. 32 You mustn’t make any agreement with those people or with their gods. 33 They mustn’t live in your land, in case they cause you to sin against me. Their gods would certainly become a trap for you, and then you’d end up worshipping them.

24 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “Come up the mountain to me—you, Aharon, Nadab, Abihu and seventy of the Israeli elders, and you must stay at a distance to worship. 2 Then Mosheh alone must approach me, but the others mustn’t come near, and also the people mustn’t come up with him.”

3 So Mosheh went and explained to the people everything that Yahweh had said, including all the regulations. Then all of the people answered in unison, “We’ll do everything that Yahweh has told us to do.” 4 So Mosheh wrote down everything that Yahweh had instructed. Then he got up early in the morning and built an altar at the bottom of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel, 5 and he sent some young men to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice some bulls as peace offerings to Yahweh. 6 Mosheh took half of the blood from the sacrifices and put it into basins. He sprinkled the other half of the blood onto the altar. 7 Then he took the scroll with the agreement written on it and read it out loud to the people, and they responded, “We’ll obey everything that Yahweh has instructed.”

8 Then Mosheh took the blood in the bowls and sprinkled it onto the people, telling them, “Look. This is the blood confirming the agreement that Yahweh has made with you according to what you just heard.”[ref]

9 Then Mosheh, Aharon, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy Israeli elders climbed up the mountain 10 and they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a tile made of sapphire that looked so pure that it was as clear as the sky. 11 Those Israeli leaders saw God and yet they weren’t harmed by him.. Then they ate and drank together.

12 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, and I will give you some stone slabs with the rules and regulations that I have written on them so you can to teach them to the people.” 13 So Mosheh and his assistant Yehoshua set off, and Mosheh climbed up God’s mountain. 14 He had already told the elders, “Wait for us down here in this place until we return here to you all. And see, Aharon and Hur are with you—any leader judging matters requiring more wisdom can approach them for help.”

15 Then Mosheh went to the base of the mountain and a cloud covered over it. 16 Yahweh’s radiance settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days, then on the seventh day he called to Mosheh from within the cloud. 17 The appearance of Yahweh’s radiance was like a roaring fire on the top of the mountain from what the Israelis below could see. 18 Then Mosheh entered into the cloud and continued up the mountain, and he remained up there for forty full days.[ref]

25 Yahweh told Mosheh, 2 “Tell the Israelis that they should raise funds for me. You should collect a contribution from every family that’s willing to donate. 3 You should accept contributions of gold, silver, or bronze, 4 as well as yarn dyed blue, purple, or crimson, plus finely-spun linen and spun goat hair, 5 and red-dyed ram skins, fine leather, and acacia timber. 6 Also lamp oil, spices for making anointing oil and fragrant incense, 7 onyx and other gemstones for setting into the apron and the breastplate. 8 Then they should make me a residence so I can live in it among them, 9 according to the patterns that I’ll show you for the residence and for all of its utensils. You all must make all of it exactly to plan.

10 They must make a wooden chest from acacia wood. It should be 125cm long, with the width and the height being 75cm. 11 It must be overlaid with pure gold sheeting on the outside and the inside, and have a gold moulding fitted all around it. 12 Four gold rings must be cast and attached to the four feet—two rings on each side. 13 Make two carrying poles from acacia wood and overlay them with gold sheeting. 14 Those poles will be inserted through the rings on the sides of the chest so it can be picked up and carried on them. 15 The poles must be kept in the rings on the chest—they mustn’t be removed. 16 The two stone slabs that I’ll give you with our agreement inscribed on them must be placed inside the chest.

17 You must make a lid the same length and width as the chest. It must be made of pure gold and will be known as ‘the atonement platform’.[ref] 18 Then make a pair of winged-creatures from gold that’s hammered from the two ends of the atonement platform. 19 Yes, make one winged-creature from each end of the gold lid material. 20 Their up-lifted wings should spread out covering the atonement platform and they should be facing each other across the top of the platform. 21 When I give you the stone slabs, put them inside the box and then fasten the atonement platform on top to form the lid. 22 Then I’ll meet with you there, and from the atonement platform between the two winged-creatures and above the stone slabs, I’ll be able to tell you my commands to pass on to the Israelis.

23 You must make a table from acacia wood: one metre long, 500cm wide, and 750cm high. 24 Overlay it with pure gold and have a gold moulding fitted all around it. 25 Make an 8cm wide rim around it and fit a gold moulding onto the rim. 26 Make four gold rings and attach them near the legs on the four corners of the table 27 near the rim. The rings are so poles can be inserted in order to carry the table. 28 Make two poles out of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold for carrying the table. 29 In addition, make the necessary plates and pans, and pitchers and bowls from pure gold to be used for pouring out the offerings. 30 You must keep sacred bread on the table continually in front of me.[ref]

31 You must make a lampstand from pure gold. The base and shaft are to be hammered out of one piece of gold as well as its cups and decorative buds and flowers. 32 There must be six branches extending from the shaft—three on each side. 33 Three cups shaped like almond flowers must be on each branch along with a bud and petals. 34 The centre shaft must have four cups like almond flowers along with a bud and petals. 35 For each of the three pairs of branches (one branch out each side in each pair), make a bud on the centre shaft so each pair of branches appear to be growing out of it. 36 These buds and their branches must all be hammered out from that single piece of pure gold. 37 Make seven lamps and set them up on it to give light out from the front of it, 38 and make all the utensils and dishes for the lamps from pure gold. 39 This can all be made from 35kg of pure gold 40 and be sure to make it all like the pattern that you’re being shown on the mountain.[ref]

26 You must make my residence with ten fabric panels formed by a skilled craftsman. They must be made from twisted finely-spun linen, with winged-creatures embroidered on them using blue, purple, and scarlet thread. 2 The hanging panels must all be the same size: 14.5m long and two metres wide. 3 Five of the panels will be coupled together as one set and the other five as another. 4 For each set, make loops of blue cloth and fasten them along the outer edge of each of the end panels—5 place fifty loops on the end of each set so that the loops are opposite each other. 6 You’ll also need to make fifty gold clips to join the two sets together to make a single walled structure.

7 You must make eleven panels with goats’ hair to form a tent over the residence. 8 Each of the eleven panels must be the same size: 15m long and two metres wide. 9 You must join five panels into a set, and six panels into the other set so that the sixth panel can be doubled over at the front of the tent. 10 You must make 50 loops to go onto the end of one set, and another 50 for the edge of the other set. 11 You’ll also need to make fifty bronze clips to join the two sets together to make the tent cover. 12 Let the extra half panel hang over the back of the residence. 13 The half metre of extra length on each side that extends beyond the linen sets will hang evenly over the sides.

14 You must make a covering of rams hides dyed red to go over the tent, then another covering sea-cow hides to go over that.

The wooden frames

15 You must make frames for my residence from acacia wood. They’ll stand upright 16 and each one must be five metres high and 0.75m wide. 17 Each frame must have two protrusions so it can be connected to the frame next to it. 18 Assemble twenty frames for the south side of the residence 19 along with forty silver bases to go underneath them—two bases supporting each frame, and each frame having two protrusions at the bottom to go into the bases. 20 For the north side, assemble twenty frames 21 along with forty silver bases—two under each frame. 22 For the rear of the residence facing west, assemble six frames 23 plus two extra frames for bracing the two back corners—24 they must be joined on at the bottom and then both of them have their tops attached to a ring. 25 Then assemble eight frames with their sixteen silver bases—two bases supporting each frame.

26 Make crossbars from acacia wood—five of them to go across the frames on the northern side, 27 five for the south side, and five for the frames at the rear of the residence on the western side. 28 The middle crossbar in the centre of the frames will go right through from one end to the other. 29 Overlay the frames and the crossbars with gold, and make the rings for holding the crossbars with gold. 30 Then you must assemble my residence exactly as per the plan that you were shown on the mountain.

The curtain

31 You must have a skillful workman make a curtain from twisted finely-spun linen, with winged-creatures embroidered on them using blue, purple, and scarlet thread. 32 Hang it from gold clips on four pillars made from acacia wood overlaid with gold on four silver bases. 33 Hang the curtain under the clips, then bring the box that contains the agreement inside the curtain. That curtain will separate for you between the sacred section and the very sacred interior.[ref] 34 Install the atonement platform as the lid on the box there in the very sacred interior. 35 Set the table up outside the curtain on the north side, with the lampstand on the south side opposite the table.

36 Then make a curtain out of twisted finely-spun linen for the entrance of the tent. It should be embroidered with blue, purple and scarlet yarn. 37 Make five pillars for the curtain from acacia wood overlaid with gold. The hooks on them must be made of gold, and their five bases must be cast with bronze.

27 Make an altar from acacia wood that’s 2.5m square and 1.5m high 2 and as part of that same piece of wood, include a carved projection like a horn on each of the top corners of the altar. Overlay the altar with bronze. 3 Make pots for the ashes out of bronze, along with the necessary shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks, and fire-trays. 4 Then make a bronze grating for it with four rings of bronze on the four corners. 5 Fit it down onto a ledge inside the altar so that it sits inside the altar about halfway up. 6 Also, make poles from acacia wood for the altar and overlay them with bronze. 7 They’ll be able to be put into rings on two sides of the altar for carrying it. 8 The altar should be hollow in the middle and made from wooden planks just like you were shown on the mountain.

9 Make curtains of twisted finely-spun linen to form a courtyard around the residence. The south side will require fifty metres of curtain 10 with twenty bronze posts and their twenty bases. The hooks on the posts and the clips must be made of silver. 11 Similarly on the north side, another fifty metres of curtain with twenty posts and their bases and their hooks and clips. 12 The west side will require twenty-five metres of curtain with ten posts and bases. 13 The east side of the courtyard must also be twenty-five metres wide. 14 Only side side of the gate, the curtain will be 7.5m long with three posts and bases, 15 and the same on the other side. 16 The entrance curtain must be made of twisted finely-spun linen. It’ll be ten metres wide and hang on four posts with their bases, and must be embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. 17 All the posts for the courtyard must have silver decorations around them, as well as their silver hooks and bronze bases. 18 So the courtyard will be fifty metres by twenty-five metres and the curtain enclosure will be 2.5m high. All the curtains will be made of finely-spun linen, and the bases under all the posts will be bronze. 19 All the equipment for the operation of the residence and all the tent pegs and pegs for the courtyard must be made of bronze.

20 Order the Israelis to bring you pure, pressed olive oil for the lamps so they can be kept burning continually. 21 In the outer portion of the sacred tent (outside the curtain where the sacred box is kept), Aharon and his sons must attend to the lampstand in front of Yahweh from evening to morning. This regulation will apply continually to all future generations of Israelis.

28 Now, have your brother Aharon and his sons brought to you from among the Israelis. Aharon, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar will become my priests. 2 Make sacred clothes for Aharon—they must be uniquely beautiful 3 so speak to all the skilled craftsmen who’ve been given the spirit of wisdom, and they can make Aharon’s clothes to dedicate him as my priest. 4 These are the clothes that they’ll need to make: a small bag to hang around the neck and an apron, a robe and a tunic of woven work, and a turban and a sash. They must make those sacred clothes for your brother Aharon and for his sons to serve as my priests. 5 The skilled craftsmen must be given gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely-spun linen.

6 They must make the sacred apron from twisted finely-spun linen with gold, blue, purple, scarlet yarn embroidered onto it by a skilled craftsman. 7 It should have two shoulder pieces attached to the top two corners so it can be fastened. 8 Then the waistband for the apron shall be made with similar workmanship from twisted finely-spun linen with gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarn skillfully embroidered onto it. 9 Then get two onyx stones and engrave the names of Yisra’el’s twelve sons onto them—10 six names on one stone and six on the other, in their birth order. 11 A stone craftsman with experience at making signet rings should do the engravings, and then mount the two stones in decorative gold settings. 12 ◙ 13 ◙ 14 ◙

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