Study Desk

Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you.

Now please forgive my sin once more and appeal to the LORD your God, so that He will remove this death from me."

But Moses replied, "You must also provide us with sacrifices and burnt offerings to present to the LORD our God.

Even our livestock must go with us; not a hoof will be left behind, for we will need some of them to worship the LORD our God, and we will not know how we are to worship the LORD until we arrive."

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them along the road through the land of the Philistines, though it was shorter. For God said, "If the people face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt."

So God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the Israelites left the land of Egypt arrayed for battle.

Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear a solemn oath when he said, "God will surely attend to you, and then you must carry my bones with you from this place."

Then the Angel of God, who had gone before the camp of Israel, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from before them and stood behind them,

The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father's God, and I will exalt Him.

saying, "If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His eyes, and pay attention to His commands, and keep all His statutes, then I will not bring on you any of the diseases I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you."

"I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, 'At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.'"

So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with the staff of God in my hand."

Now Moses' father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about all that God had done for Moses and His people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.

The other son was named Eliezer, because Moses had said, "The God of my father was my helper and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh."

Moses' father-in-law Jethro, along with Moses' wife and sons, came to him in the desert, where he was encamped at the mountain of God.

Then Moses' father-in-law Jethro brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God.

"Because the people come to me to inquire of God," Moses replied.

"Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me to judge between one man and another, and I make known to them the statutes and laws of God."

Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their causes to Him.

Furthermore, select capable men from among the people-God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.