Study Desk

He said, ‘Tell Joseph that I beg him to please forgive his brothers for the bad things they did to him.' So now Joseph, we beg you, please forgive us for the bad things we did to you. We are the servants of God, the God of your father." That message made Joseph very sad, and he cried.

Then Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. I am not God! I have no right to punish you.

It is true that you planned to do something bad to me. But really, God was planning good things. God's plan was to use me to save the lives of many people. And that is what happened.

When Joseph was near death, he said to his brothers, "My time to die is almost here. But I know that God will take care of you and lead you out of this country. God will lead you to the land he promised to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

Then Joseph asked his people to make a promise. Joseph said, "Promise me that you will carry my bones with you when God leads you out of Egypt."

But the nurses trusted God, so they did not obey the king's command. They let all the baby boys live.

The nurses trusted God, so he was good to them and allowed them to have their own families. The Hebrews continued to have more children, and they became very strong.

A long time passed and that king of Egypt died. But the Israelites were still forced to work very hard. They cried for help, and God heard them.

God heard their painful cries and remembered the agreement he made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

God saw the troubles of the Israelites, and he knew that he would soon help them.

Moses' father-in-law was named Jethro. Jethro was a priest of Midian. Moses took care of Jethro's sheep. One day Moses led the sheep to the west side of the desert. He went to a mountain called Horeb, the mountain of God.

Then God said, "Don't come any closer. Take off your sandals. You are standing on holy ground.

I am the God of your ancestors. I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Moses covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.

But Moses said to God, "I am not a great man! How can I be the one to go to Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt?"

God said, "You can do it because I will be with you. This will be the proof that I am sending you: After you lead the people out of Egypt, you will come and worship me on this mountain."

Then Moses said to God, "But if I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors sent me,' then the people will ask, ‘What is his name?' What should I tell them?"

Then God said to Moses, "Tell them, ‘ I Am Who I Am .' When you go to the Israelites, tell them, ‘ I Am ' sent me to you."

And God said, "Tell the Israelites that you were sent by Yahweh , the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. This will always be my name. It is how I want the people to remember me from now on.

"Now go and call together the elders of the people. Tell them that Yahweh , the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—appeared to you. Give them this message from me: ‘I have been watching over you and have seen what people in Egypt have done to you.

"The elders will listen to you. And then you and the elders will go to the Pharaoh. You will tell him, ‘ Yahweh is the God of the Hebrews. He came to us and told us to travel three days into the desert. There we must offer sacrifices to Yahweh our God.'