Exodus 4-6; Psalms 18 - Prayer Tents

Signs of the Lord’s Power

4But Moses protested again, "What if they won't believe me or listen to me? What if they say, 'The LORD never appeared to you'?"H4872H6030H559H539H8085H6963H559H3068H7200 2Then the LORD asked him, "What is that in your hand?" "A shepherd's staff," Moses replied.H3068H559H3027H559H4294 3"Throw it down on the ground," the LORD told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back.H559H7993H776H7993H776H5175H4872H5127H6440 4Then the LORD told him, "Reach out and grab its tail." So Moses reached out and grabbed it, and it turned back into a shepherd's staff in his hand.H3068H559H4872H7971H3027H270H2180H7971H3027H2388H4294H3709 5"Perform this sign," the LORD told him. "Then they will believe that the LORD, the God of their ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—really has appeared to you."H539H3068H430H1H430H85H430H3327H430H3290H7200 6Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now put your hand inside your cloak." So Moses put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out again, his hand was white as snow with a severe skin disease

.H3068H559H5750H935H3027H2436H935H3027H2436H3318H3027H6879H7950 7"Now put your hand back into your cloak," the LORD said. So Moses put his hand back in, and when he took it out again, it was as healthy as the rest of his body.H559H7725H3027H2436H7725H7725H3027H2436H7725H3318H2436H7725H1320 8The LORD said to Moses, "If they do not believe you and are not convinced by the first miraculous sign, they will be convinced by the second sign.H539H8085H6963H7223H226H539H6963H314H226 9And if they don't believe you or listen to you even after these two signs, then take some water from the Nile River and pour it out on the dry ground. When you do, the water from the Nile will turn to blood on the ground."H539H8147H226H8085H6963H3947H4325H2975H8210H3004H4325H3947H2975H1818H3006 10But Moses pleaded with the LORD, "O Lord, I'm not very good with words. I never have been, and I'm not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled."H4872H559H3068H994H136H376H1697H8032H8543H227H1696H5650H3515H6310H3515H3956 11Then the LORD asked Moses, "Who makes a person's mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the LORD?H3068H559H7760H120H6310H7760H483H2795H6493H5787H3068 12Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say."H3212H6310H3384H1696 13But Moses again pleaded, "Lord, please! Send anyone else."H559H994H136H7971H3027H7971 14Then the LORD became angry with Moses. "All right," he said. "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he speaks well. And look! He is on his way to meet you now. He will be delighted to see you.H639H3068H2734H4872H559H175H3881H251H3045H1696H1696H3318H7125H7200H8055H3820 15Talk to him, and put the words in his mouth. I will be with both of you as you speak, and I will instruct you both in what to do.H1696H7760H1697H6310H6310H6310H3384H6213 16Aaron will be your spokesman to the people. He will be your mouthpiece, and you will stand in the place of God for him, telling him what to say.H1696H5971H6310H430 17And take your shepherd's staff with you, and use it to perform the miraculous signs I have shown you."H3947H4294H3027H6213H226

Moses Returns to Egypt

18So Moses went back home to Jethro, his father-in-law. "Please let me return to my relatives in Egypt," Moses said. "I don't even know if they are still alive." "Go in peace," Jethro replied.H4872H3212H7725H3500H2859H559H3212H7725H251H4714H7200H5750H2416H3503H559H4872H3212H7965 19Before Moses left Midian, the LORD said to him, "Return to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you have died."H3068H559H4872H4080H3212H7725H4714H582H4191H1245H5315 20So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and headed back to the land of Egypt. In his hand he carried the staff of God.H4872H3947H802H1121H7392H2543H7725H776H4714H4872H3947H4294H430H3027 21And the LORD told Moses, "When you arrive back in Egypt, go to Pharaoh and perform all the miracles I have empowered you to do. But I will harden his heart so he will refuse to let the people go.H3068H559H4872H3212H7725H4714H7200H6213H4159H6440H6547H7760H3027H2388H3820H5971H7971 22Then you will tell him, 'This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son.H559H6547H559H3068H3478H1121H1060 23I commanded you, "Let my son go, so he can worship me." But since you have refused, I will now kill your firstborn son!'"H559H1121H7971H5647H3985H7971H2026H1121H1060 24On the way to Egypt, at a place where Moses and his family had stopped for the night, the LORD confronted him and was about to kill him.H1870H4411H3068H6298H1245H4191 25But Moses' wife, Zipporah, took a flint knife and circumcised her son. She touched his feet

with the foreskin and said, "Now you are a bridegroom of blood to me."H6855H3947H6864H3772H6190H1121H5060H7272H559H1818H2860 26(When she said "a bridegroom of blood," she was referring to the circumcision.) After that, the LORD left him alone.H7503H559H1818H2860H4139 27Now the LORD had said to Aaron, "Go out into the wilderness to meet Moses." So Aaron went and met Moses at the mountain of God, and he embraced him.H3068H559H175H3212H4057H7125H4872H3212H6298H2022H430H5401 28Moses then told Aaron everything the LORD had commanded him to say. And he told him about the miraculous signs the LORD had commanded him to perform.H4872H5046H175H1697H3068H7971H226H6680 29Then Moses and Aaron returned to Egypt and called all the elders of Israel together.H4872H175H3212H622H2205H1121H3478 30Aaron told them everything the LORD had told Moses, and Moses performed the miraculous signs as they watched.H175H1696H1697H3068H1696H4872H6213H226H5869H5971 31Then the people of Israel were convinced that the LORD had sent Moses and Aaron. When they heard that the LORD was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.H5971H539H8085H3068H6485H1121H3478H7200H6040H6915H7812

Moses and Aaron Speak to Pharaoh

5After this presentation to Israel's leaders, Moses and Aaron went and spoke to Pharaoh. They told him, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Let my people go so they may hold a festival in my honor in the wilderness."H310H4872H175H935H559H6547H559H3068H430H3478H5971H7971H2287H4057

2"Is that so?" retorted Pharaoh. "And who is the LORD? Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I don't know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go."H6547H559H3068H8085H6963H3478H7971H3045H3068H3478H7971

3But Aaron and Moses persisted. "The God of the Hebrews has met with us," they declared. "So let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness so we can offer sacrifices to the LORD our God. If we don't, he will kill us with a plague or with the sword."H559H430H5680H7122H3212H7969H3117H1870H4057H2076H3068H430H6293H1698H2719

4Pharaoh replied, "Moses and Aaron, why are you distracting the people from their tasks? Get back to work!H4428H4714H559H4872H175H6544H5971H4639H3212H5450

5Look, there are many of your people in the land, and you are stopping them from their work."H6547H559H5971H776H7227H7673H5450

Making Bricks without Straw

6That same day Pharaoh sent this order to the Egyptian slave drivers and the Israelite foremen.H6547H6680H3117H5065H5971H7860H559

7"Do not supply any more straw for making bricks. Make the people get it themselves!H3254H5414H5971H8401H3835H3843H8032H8543H3212H7197H8401

8But still require them to make the same number of bricks as before. Don't reduce the quota. They are lazy. That's why they are crying out, 'Let us go and offer sacrifices to our God.'H4971H3843H6213H8032H8543H7760H1639H7503H6817H559H3212H2076H430

9Load them down with more work. Make them sweat! That will teach them to listen to lies!"H5656H3513H582H6213H8159H8267H1697

10So the slave drivers and foremen went out and told the people: "This is what Pharaoh says: I will not provide any more straw for you.H5065H5971H3318H7860H559H5971H559H559H6547H5414H8401

11Go and get it yourselves. Find it wherever you can. But you must produce just as many bricks as before!"H3212H3947H8401H834H4672H3588H1697H5656H1639

12So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt in search of stubble to use as straw.H5971H6327H776H4714H7197H7179H8401

13Meanwhile, the Egyptian slave drivers continued to push hard. "Meet your daily quota of bricks, just as you did when we provided you with straw!" they demanded.H5065H213H559H3615H4639H3117H1697H1961H8401

14Then they whipped the Israelite foremen they had put in charge of the work crews. "Why haven't you met your quotas either yesterday or today?" they demanded.H7860H1121H3478H6547H5065H7760H5221H559H3615H2706H3835H8543H3117H8032H8543

15So the Israelite foremen went to Pharaoh and pleaded with him. "Please don't treat your servants like this," they begged.H7860H1121H3478H935H6817H6547H559H6213H5650

16"We are given no straw, but the slave drivers still demand, 'Make bricks!' We are being beaten, but it isn't our fault! Your own people are to blame!"H8401H5414H5650H559H6213H3843H5650H5221H2398H5971

17But Pharaoh shouted, "You're just lazy! Lazy! That's why you're saying, 'Let us go and offer sacrifices to the LORD.'H559H7503H7503H559H3212H2076H3068

18Now get back to work! No straw will be given to you, but you must still produce the full quota of bricks."H3212H5647H8401H5414H5414H8506H3843

19The Israelite foremen could see that they were in serious trouble when they were told, "You must not reduce the number of bricks you make each day."H7860H1121H3478H7200H7451H559H1639H3843H3117H3117H1697

20As they left Pharaoh's court, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who were waiting outside for them.H6293H4872H175H5324H7125H3318H6547

21The foremen said to them, "May the LORD judge and punish you for making us stink before Pharaoh and his officials. You have put a sword into their hands, an excuse to kill us!"H559H3068H7200H8199H7381H887H5869H6547H5869H5650H5414H2719H3027H2026

22Then Moses went back to the LORD and protested, "Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me?H4872H7725H3068H559H136H7489H5971H7971

23Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!"H935H6547H1696H8034H7489H5971H5337H5971H5337

Promises of Deliverance

6Then the LORD told Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. When he feels the force of my strong hand, he will let the people go. In fact, he will force them to leave his land!"H3068H559H4872H7200H6213H6547H2389H3027H7971H2389H3027H1644H776 2And God said to Moses, "I am Yahweh—'the LORD.'

H430H1696H4872H559H3068 3I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El-Shaddai—'God Almighty'

—but I did not reveal my name, Yahweh, to them.H7200H85H3327H3290H410H7706H8034H3068H3045 4And I reaffirmed my covenant with them. Under its terms, I promised to give them the land of Canaan, where they were living as foreigners.H6965H1285H5414H776H3667H776H4033H1481 5You can be sure that I have heard the groans of the people of Israel, who are now slaves to the Egyptians. And I am well aware of my covenant with them.H8085H5009H1121H3478H834H4714H5647H2142H1285 6"Therefore, say to the people of Israel: 'I am the LORD. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment.H3651H559H1121H3478H3068H3318H5450H4714H5337H5656H1350H5186H2220H1419H8201 7I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt.H3947H5971H430H3045H3068H430H3318H5450H4714 8I will bring you into the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you as your very own possession. I am the LORD!'"H935H776H5375H3027H5414H85H3327H3290H5414H4181H3068 9So Moses told the people of Israel what the LORD had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery.H4872H1696H1121H3478H8085H4872H7115H7307H7186H5656 10Then the LORD said to Moses,H3068H1696H4872H559 11"Go back to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and tell him to let the people of Israel leave his country."H935H1696H6547H4428H4714H1121H3478H7971H776 12"But LORD!" Moses objected. "My own people won't listen to me anymore. How can I expect Pharaoh to listen? I'm such a clumsy speaker!

"H4872H1696H6440H3068H559H1121H3478H8085H6547H8085H589H6189H8193 13But the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them orders for the Israelites and for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. The LORD commanded Moses and Aaron to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt.H3068H1696H4872H175H6680H1121H3478H6547H4428H4714H3318H1121H3478H776H4714

The Ancestors of Moses and Aaron

14These are the ancestors of some of the clans of Israel: The sons of Reuben, Israel's oldest son, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. Their descendants became the clans of Reuben.H7218H1H1004H1121H7205H1060H3478H2585H6396H2696H3756H4940H7205 15The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul. (Shaul's mother was a Canaanite woman.) Their descendants became the clans of Simeon.H1121H8095H3223H3226H161H3199H6714H7586H1121H3669H4940H8095 16These are the descendants of Levi, as listed in their family records: The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. (Levi lived to be 137 years old.)H8034H1121H3878H8435H1648H6955H4847H8141H2416H3878H3967H7970H7651H8141 17The descendants of Gershon included Libni and Shimei, each of whom became the ancestor of a clan.H1121H1648H3845H8096H4940 18The descendants of Kohath included Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. (Kohath lived to be 133 years old.)H1121H6955H6019H3324H2275H5816H8141H2416H6955H3967H7970H7969H8141 19The descendants of Merari included Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites, as listed in their family records.H1121H4847H4249H4187H4940H3878H8435 20Amram married his father's sister Jochebed, and she gave birth to his sons, Aaron and Moses. (Amram lived to be 137 years old.)H6019H3947H3115H1733H802H3205H175H4872H8141H2416H6019H3967H7970H7651H8141 21The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zicri.H1121H3324H7141H5298H2147 22The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.H1121H5816H4332H469H5644 23Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she gave birth to his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.H175H3947H472H1323H5992H269H5177H802H3205H5070H30H499H385 24The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. Their descendants became the clans of Korah.H1121H7141H617H511H23H4940H7145 25Eleazar son of Aaron married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she gave birth to his son, Phinehas. These are the ancestors of the Levite families, listed according to their clans.H499H175H1121H3947H1323H6317H802H3205H6372H7218H1H3881H4940 26The Aaron and Moses named in this list are the same ones to whom the LORD said, "Lead the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt like an army."H1931H175H4872H834H3068H559H3318H1121H3478H776H4714H6635 27It was Moses and Aaron who spoke to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, about leading the people of Israel out of Egypt.H1992H1696H6547H4428H4714H3318H1121H3478H4714H4872H175 28When the LORD spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt,H3117H3068H1696H4872H776H4714 29he said to him, "I am the LORD! Tell Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, everything I am telling you."H3068H1696H4872H559H3068H1696H6547H4428H4714H1696 30But Moses argued with the LORD, saying, "I can't do it! I'm such a clumsy speaker! Why should Pharaoh listen to me?"H4872H559H6440H3068H6189H8193H6547H8085

18[For the choir director: A psalm of David, the servant of the LORD. He sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. He sang.] I love you, LORD; you are my strength.H5329H1732H5650H3068H1696H3068H1697H7892H3117H3068H5337H3709H341H3027H7586H559H7355H3068H2391 2The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.H3068H5553H4686H6403H410H6697H2620H4043H7161H3468H4869 3I called on the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.H7121H3068H1984H3467H341 4The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me.H2256H4194H661H5158H1100H1204 5The grave

wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path.H2256H7585H5437H4170H4194H6923 6But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.H6862H7121H3068H7768H430H8085H6963H1964H7775H935H6440H241 7Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the mountains shook; they quaked because of his anger.H776H1607H7493H4146H2022H7264H1607H2734 8Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from him.H5927H6227H639H784H6310H398H1513H1197 9He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.H5186H8064H3381H6205H7272 10Mounted on a mighty angelic being

, he flew, soaring on the wings of the wind.H7392H3742H5774H1675H3671H7307 11He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dark rain clouds.H7896H2822H5643H5521H5439H2824H4325H5645H7834 12Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him and rained down hail and burning coals

.H5051H5645H5674H1259H1513H784 13The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded amid the hail and burning coals.H3068H7481H8064H5945H5414H6963H1259H1513H784 14He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies; his lightning flashed, and they were greatly confused.H7971H2671H6327H7232H1300H2000 15Then at your command, O LORD, at the blast of your breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.H650H4325H7200H4146H8398H1540H1606H3068H5397H7307H639 16He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters.H7971H4791H3947H4871H7227H4325 17He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me.H5337H5794H341H8130H553 18They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the LORD supported me.H6923H3117H343H3068H4937 19He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me.H3318H4800H2502H2654 20The LORD rewarded me for doing right; he restored me because of my innocence.H3068H1580H6664H1252H3027H7725 21For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not turned from my God to follow evil.H8104H1870H3068H7561H430 22I have followed all his regulations; I have never abandoned his decrees.H4941H5493H2708 23I am blameless before God; I have kept myself from sin.H8549H8104H5771 24The LORD rewarded me for doing right. He has seen my innocence.H3068H7725H6664H1252H3027H5869 25To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity.H2623H2616H8549H1399H8552 26To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the wicked you show yourself hostile.H1305H1305H6141H6617 27You rescue the humble, but you humiliate the proud.H3467H6041H5971H8213H7311H5869 28You light a lamp for me. The LORD, my God, lights up my darkness.H215H5216H3068H430H5050H2822 29In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall.H7323H1416H430H1801H7791 30God's way is perfect. All the LORD's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.H410H1870H8549H565H3068H6884H4043H2620 31For who is God except the LORD? Who but our God is a solid rock?H433H1107H3068H6697H2108H430 32God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect.H410H247H2428H5414H1870H8549 33He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights.H7737H7272H355H5975H1116 34He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.H3925H3027H4421H7198H5154H5181H2220 35You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great.H5414H4043H3468H3225H5582H6037H7235 36You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping.H7337H6806H7166H4571 37I chased my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until they were conquered.H7291H341H5381H7725H3615 38I struck them down so they could not get up; they fell beneath my feet.H4272H3201H6965H5307H7272 39You have armed me with strength for the battle; you have subdued my enemies under my feet.H247H2428H4421H3766H6965 40You placed my foot on their necks. I have destroyed all who hated me.H5414H6203H341H6789H8130 41They called for help, but no one came to their rescue. They even cried to the LORD, but he refused to answer.H7768H3467H3068H6030 42I ground them as fine as dust in the wind. I swept them into the gutter like dirt.H7833H6083H6440H7307H7324H2916H2351 43You gave me victory over my accusers. You appointed me ruler over nations; people I don't even know now serve me.H6403H7379H5971H7760H7218H1471H5971H3045H5647 44As soon as they hear of me, they submit; foreign nations cringe before me.H8088H241H8085H1121H5236H3584 45They all lose their courage and come trembling from their strongholds.H1121H5236H5034H2727H4526 46The LORD lives! Praise to my Rock! May the God of my salvation be exalted!H3068H2416H1288H6697H430H3468H7311 47He is the God who pays back those who harm me; he subdues the nations under meH410H5414H5360H1696H5971 48and rescues me from my enemies. You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies; you save me from violent opponents.H6403H341H7311H6965H5337H2555H376 49For this, O LORD, I will praise you among the nations; I will sing praises to your name.H3034H3068H1471H2167H8034 50You give great victories to your king; you show unfailing love to your anointed, to David and all his descendants forever.H1431H3444H4428H6213H2617H4899H1732H2233H5704H5769