The Burning Bush
God calls Moses and tells his name
This story mentions slavery, a killing in Moses's past, God's warnings of death, and a circumcision. It is told plainly, without graphic detail.
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- A verse number shows the Bible’s exact words.
- An underlined word shows what it means.
Story
What happened?
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Who’s who and what came beforePeople, places, and the story so far. Open it anytime.
Scene Card
Cast
- Moses: An Israelite raised in Pharaoh's palace. Now he is a shepherd in the desert, far from Egypt.
- The LORD: God. LORD in capital letters stands for God's personal name. Jewish readers traditionally don't say it aloud, out of respect.
- Aaron: Moses's older brother. He speaks well, and God sends him to help Moses.
- Jethro: Moses's father-in-law. He is a priest in the land of Midian.
- Zipporah: Moses's wife, Jethro's daughter.
- The Israelites: Also called the Hebrews. The family of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They are slaves in Egypt.
Setting
- Horeb, a mountain in the desert, far from Egypt. Then the road back to Egypt.
When
- More than 3,000 years ago. Moses has lived in Midian a long time.
Before the Story
God's people became slaves. Jacob's family moved to Egypt during a famine, a time when there was not enough food. Years later, a new king was afraid of them. He forced them to build his cities (1:8-11).
One baby boy was saved. Pharaoh ordered every Hebrew baby boy thrown into the Nile River. One mother hid her son in a basket in the reeds. Pharaoh's own daughter found him and raised him. She named him Moses (1:22, 2:1-10). The story Baby Moses tells how it happened.
Moses ran away. As a grown man, Moses killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave. Pharaoh wanted to kill Moses, so Moses ran to the land of Midian. He married Zipporah and became a shepherd there (2:11-22).
Here's what you know that the slaves don't: God has already heard them. "God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant" (2:24). A covenant is a lasting promise God made.
Map of the Story
| Scene | Verses | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. A bush on fire | 3:1-6 | God speaks to Moses from a burning bush |
| 2. "I have heard them" | 3:7-12 | God tells Moses to go to Pharaoh |
| 3. God's name | 3:13-22 | God tells Moses his name and his plan |
| 4. Three signs | 4:1-9 | God gives Moses signs to show the people |
| 5. "Send someone else" | 4:10-17 | Moses says no. God sends Aaron to help |
| 6. Back to Egypt | 4:18-26 | Moses starts home with his family |
| 7. The people believe | 4:27-31 | Aaron meets Moses. The people worship God |
Plain Retelling
Scene 1 of 7A Bush on Fire
Moses was taking care of his father-in-law Jethro's sheep. He led them far into the desert, to Horeb, the mountain of God.
There Moses saw a bush on fire. The Bible says the angel of the LORD appeared in the flames. But the bush did not burn up.
Moses wondered why the bush was not burning up. He went closer to look. Then God called to him from inside the bush, "Moses, Moses!" (3:4).
"Here I am," Moses answered (3:4).
God told him not to come closer. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground" (3:5). Holy means set apart for God.
God said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" (3:6). Moses hid his face. He was afraid to look at God.
Scene 2 of 7"I Have Heard Them"
God said, "I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out" (3:7). Affliction means suffering.
God said, "I have come down to rescue them" (3:8). God would bring them to a good, wide land. It would be "a land flowing with milk and honey" (3:8). This is a comparison. It means a rich land with plenty of food.
Then God said, "I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt" (3:10). Pharaoh was the king of Egypt.
Moses asked, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" (3:11).
God did not answer by praising Moses. God said, "I will surely be with you" (3:12). God gave Moses a sign too. After Moses brought the people out of Egypt, they would all worship God on this same mountain.
Scene 3 of 7God's Name
Moses asked another question. Suppose the people asked him for God's name. What should Moses tell them?
God said, "I AM WHO I AM" (3:14). He told Moses to say, "I AM has sent me to you" (3:14).
God's name, the LORD, is related to the Hebrew words for "I AM." Many readers understand the name to mean that God always is. No one made God. He was always there, and he always will be. God said, "This is My name forever" (3:15).
God told Moses to gather the elders, the older leaders of Israel. Moses was to tell them that God had seen what was done to them in Egypt. God would bring them out of their suffering.
The elders would listen. Then Moses and the elders would go to Pharaoh. They would ask him to let the people travel three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD.
God also told Moses the hard part. Pharaoh would not let them go at first. God would stretch out his hand and strike the Egyptians with all his wonders. "Stretch out his hand" is a comparison. It means God would use his power. After that, Pharaoh would let them go.
God would make the Egyptians kind to the Israelites. The Israelites would not leave with nothing. They would ask the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and clothing.
Halfway thereThis is a good place for a break. Your spot is saved on this device.
Scene 4 of 7Three Signs
Moses still worried. "What if they do not believe me or listen to my voice?" (4:1).
The LORD asked, "What is that in your hand?" (4:2). It was the staff Moses used as a shepherd, a long walking stick.
God told Moses to throw it down. It turned into a snake, and Moses ran from it. Then God told Moses to grab it by the tail. It turned back into a staff. God said these signs would help the people believe that the LORD had appeared to Moses.
Next, God told Moses to put his hand inside his cloak. When Moses took it out, his hand was white with a skin disease. He put his hand back in. When he took it out again, it was healed.
God gave him a third sign. If the people still did not believe, Moses should pour water from the Nile River on the ground. The water would turn into blood.
Scene 5 of 7"Send Someone Else"
Moses tried again. "I am slow of speech and tongue" (4:10). Moses said he had never been a good speaker.
God answered, "Who gave man his mouth? Or who makes the mute or the deaf, the sighted or the blind? Is it not I, the LORD?" (4:11).
God said, "I will help you as you speak, and I will teach you what to say" (4:12).
Then Moses asked plainly. "Please, Lord, send someone else" (4:13).
God was angry with Moses. But God did not give up on Moses. God sent help instead. Aaron, Moses's brother, was a good speaker. Aaron was already on his way to meet Moses. God said Aaron would be glad to see Moses.
Moses would tell Aaron what to say. Aaron would speak to the people. God promised to help them both. God also told Moses to take his staff so he could do the signs with it.
Scene 6 of 7Back to Egypt
Moses went back to Jethro. Moses asked Jethro to let him return to his people in Egypt. Moses wanted to see if they were still alive. "Go in peace," Jethro said.
God told Moses that the men who wanted to kill him were dead. So Moses put his wife and sons on a donkey. He took the staff of God in his hand, and they headed for Egypt.
God told Moses to do all the wonders in front of Pharaoh. God warned Moses again that Pharaoh would say no. God said, "I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go" (4:21). A hard heart is a comparison. It means Pharaoh's mind would not change.
God gave Moses a message for Pharaoh. "Israel is My firstborn son" (4:22). Pharaoh must let God's son go, so that Israel could worship God. If Pharaoh refused, God would kill Pharaoh's own firstborn son.
On the way, they stopped at a place for the night. There, something strange and frightening happened. The Bible tells it in only three short verses. The LORD met Moses and was about to kill him.
Zipporah took a knife made of flint, a hard stone. She circumcised their son. Circumcision means cutting away a small piece of skin from a boy's private parts. God had told Abraham's family to do this for their baby boys. It was the sign of God's covenant with them (Genesis 17:10-12).
Zipporah touched the skin to Moses's feet. She said, "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me" (4:25). Then the LORD let Moses alone.
Scene 7 of 7The People Believe
Meanwhile, God told Aaron to go and meet Moses in the desert. Aaron found Moses at the mountain of God. Aaron kissed his brother.
Moses told Aaron everything God had said. Moses also told Aaron about the signs God had commanded him to do.
In Egypt, the brothers gathered all the elders of Israel. Aaron spoke everything the LORD had told Moses. Moses did the signs in front of the people.
And the people believed. They heard that the LORD had seen their suffering. So they bowed down and worshiped.
God had heard their groaning. Now the slaves heard that God had heard them.
Meaning
What does it mean?
Read It
What Does This Mean?
| The text says | It means |
|---|---|
| "Holy ground" (3:5) | God was there, so the place was special. Taking off sandals showed respect. |
| "I have heard them crying out" (3:7) | God noticed the slaves' pain. He did not stay far away. |
| "I have come down to rescue them" (3:8) | God does not only feel sorry. He comes to act. |
| "I will surely be with you" (3:12) | Moses asked, "Who am I?" God answered with who he is. God's presence was the answer. |
| "I AM WHO I AM" (3:14) | God depends on no one. He always was and always will be. |
| "This is My name forever" (3:15) | God gives his name so people can call on him. He wants to be known. |
| "Israel is My firstborn son" (4:22) | God claims the slaves as his own family. Pharaoh does not own them. |
Back Then
"Pharaoh" was a title, like "king." The Bible doesn't give this Pharaoh's name. (Easton's Bible Dictionary)
Horeb is the name of a range of mountains. Mount Sinai was one of its peaks. (Easton's Bible Dictionary) Later, God made his covenant with Israel at Horeb (Deuteronomy 5:2).
The Midianites lived mostly in the desert north of Arabia. Their flocks grazed on the Sinai Peninsula. They were nomads, people who move from place to place. (Easton's Bible Dictionary)
Taking off sandals was a sign of respect near a very holy place or person. (Smith's Bible Dictionary)
Literal Reader Alert
Was it an angel or God in the bush? The Bible says both. The angel of the LORD appeared in the fire (3:2). Then God himself spoke from the bush (3:4). Christians have read "the angel of the LORD" in different ways. Many say this was God showing himself in a way people could see. It's okay to notice things like this. Careful readers have asked about it for centuries.
Did Moses have a disability? The Bible doesn't say exactly. Moses said he was "slow of speech and tongue" (4:10). Some readers think he stuttered. Others think he meant he was not a good speaker. God answered, "Who gave man his mouth? Or who makes the mute or the deaf, the sighted or the blind? Is it not I, the LORD?" (4:11). God is saying that no person's body is outside his care. He made Moses, and he chose Moses as he was. God did not take away Moses's trouble with speaking. He gave him a helper, Aaron. The Bible never says Moses's speech was a punishment. Jesus also said a man's blindness was not caused by sin (John 9:3).
Why did the LORD almost kill Moses? This is one of the most puzzling parts of Exodus (4:24-26). Christians have struggled with this passage for a long time. The Bible gives very few details. It does not say how it happened, and it does not say why. It says Zipporah circumcised their son, and then the LORD let Moses alone. One likely reason: Moses's son did not have the sign of God's covenant (Genesis 17:10-14). Moses was about to lead Abraham's family, but his own son did not have the family's sign. Zipporah's words are hard to understand too. A bridegroom is a man on his wedding day. The Bible says she called Moses a "bridegroom of blood" because of the circumcision (4:26). Nobody knows exactly what she meant. It's okay to notice things like this. Careful readers have asked about it for centuries.
Is God waiting to hurt me for a mistake? No. This story does not teach that. Right before this, God promised Moses, "I will surely be with you" (3:12). And God let Moses live. Luther taught that when God seems hidden or frightening, we should look to Jesus. Jesus shows us who God is. "God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him" (John 3:17). Jewish families still circumcise their baby boys as the sign of God's covenant. Christians receive a different sign. In Baptism, God claims us as his own (Colossians 2:11-12). If this story brings up big feelings, talk with a parent, pastor, or trusted adult.
Did God really warn that Pharaoh's son would die? Yes (4:23). It's okay to feel sad or upset about it. The warning comes true later. The story The Passover talks about it more. It is one of the hardest parts of the Bible.
Did God make Pharaoh say no? God said he would harden Pharaoh's heart (4:21). The next story, The Ten Plagues, shows that the Bible says it both ways. Pharaoh also hardened his own heart. Pharaoh was still responsible for what he did.
How People Feel
| Who | Feeling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Moses | Curious | A bush was on fire but did not burn up (3:3) |
| Moses | Afraid | He was near God and hid his face (3:6) |
| Moses | Not good enough | He asked, "Who am I?" and "Send someone else" (3:11, 4:13) |
| Aaron | Glad | God said Aaron would be glad to see his brother (4:14) |
| The Israelites | Thankful | They heard that God had seen their suffering, and they worshiped (4:31) |
For you
What does it mean for me?
Your Turn
Where are you in this story today? Tap one.
Making excuses, like Moses
Moses said, "Send someone else." God didn't pick someone else. He sent help, and he promised to be with Moses.
Not good at talking
God did not wait for Moses to be a great speaker. He gave him Aaron. Needing help is not failing. God works through people together.
Crying out, like the slaves
God said, "I have heard them crying out." He hears you too, even when your prayer is only a groan.
Wondering who God is
God told Moses his name so people could call on him. You can call on him too.
You Might Have Heard
"God only uses people who are brave and gifted."
What's true: God gives people gifts, and he does use them. Aaron could speak well, and God used that.
What the story is mainly about: God chose a shepherd who was afraid and hid his face. This shepherd said, "Send someone else." God's answer was never "You can do it." It was "I will surely be with you" (3:12). The power in this story belongs to God.
Where Jesus is: Jesus spoke about this very bush. He said God told Moses, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" (Mark 12:26). Then Jesus said God "is not the God of the dead, but of the living" (Mark 12:27). Christians also hear God's name from the bush when Jesus says, "before Abraham was born, I am" (John 8:58).
Good News
God heard slaves who could barely pray. He came down to rescue them. He did not wait for them to be strong.
God called Moses as he was, with his fears and his slow speech. He did not first make Moses brave. He promised to be with him. The same God comes to us in Jesus. He does not wait for us to be ready.
God does not ask, "Are you good enough?" He says, "I will surely be with you."
Big Idea
God heard his people crying, told Moses his name, and sent him with a promise: "I will surely be with you."
If this story brings up big feelings, talk with someone you trust, like a parent, pastor, or counselor.
For leaders and parentsLuther, church readings, and notes for teaching.
From Luther
In the Small Catechism (1529), Luther explains the Second Commandment, about God's name. He says we should not misuse God's name. Instead, we should "call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks." (Small Catechism, Concordia Triglotta English, 1921) At the bush, God gave Moses his name. God wants his people to call on him.
In Church
Many churches follow the Revised Common Lectionary. In Year A, it offers Exodus 3:1-15 in late summer, on Lectionary 22 (Proper 17). Churches that read through Exodus in those weeks hear it then. Roman Catholic churches read Exodus 3 on the Third Sunday of Lent in Year C.
We quote Luther for what he got right about grace. He also wrote terrible things about Jewish people. Read our note on that.
Memorize
How do I keep it?
One line from this story to learn by heart. Practice a little now. It will come back later so it sticks.
I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’
How did that feel?