Study Desk

So the magicians told Pharaoh that the power of God did this. But Pharaoh refused to listen to them. This happened just as the Lord had said.

So Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and told them, "Offer sacrifices to your God here in this country."

But Moses said, "It would not be right to do that. The Egyptians think it is terrible to kill animals as sacrifices for the Lord our God. If we do this here, the Egyptians will see us and throw stones at us and kill us.

Let us go three days into the desert and offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. This is what he told us to do."

So Pharaoh said, "I will let you go and offer sacrifices to the Lord your God in the desert, but you must not go very far. Now, go and pray for me."

Then the Lord told Moses to go to Pharaoh and tell him: "The Lord , the God of the Hebrews, says, ‘Let my people go to worship me!'

Then the Lord said to Moses, "Get up in the morning and go to Pharaoh. Tell him that the Lord , the God of the Hebrews, says, ‘Let my people go to worship me!

This time, I will use my full power against you, your officials, and your people. Then you will know that there is no god in the world like me.

So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh. They told him, "The Lord , the God of the Hebrews, says, ‘How long will you refuse to obey me? Let my people go to worship me!

Then the officials asked Pharaoh, "How long will we be trapped by these people? Let the men go to worship the Lord their God. If you don't let them go, before you know it, Egypt will be destroyed!"

So Pharaoh told his officials to bring Moses and Aaron back to him. Pharaoh said to them, "Go and worship the Lord your God. But tell me, just who is going?"

Pharaoh quickly called for Moses and Aaron. Pharaoh said, "I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you.

Moses said, "No, we will take them all. In fact, you will give us offerings and sacrifices for us to use in worshiping the Lord our God.

Yes, we will take our animals with us to worship the Lord our God. Not one hoof will be left behind. We don't know yet exactly what we will need to worship the Lord . We will learn that only when we get there."

"The Lord will lead you into the land he promised to give you. The Canaanites live there now. But God promised your ancestors that he would give you this land. When that happens,

Pharaoh made the people leave Egypt. God did not let the people take the road leading to the land of the Philistines. That road by the Mediterranean Sea is the shortest way, but God said, "If the people go that way they will have to fight. Then they might change their minds and go back to Egypt."

So God led them another way through the desert by the Red Sea. The Israelites were dressed for war when they left Egypt.

Moses carried the bones of Joseph with him. Before Joseph died, he made the Israelites promise to do this for him. He said, "When God saves you, remember to carry my bones with you out of Egypt."

Then the angel of God moved to the back of the people. (The angel was usually in front of the people, leading them.) So the tall cloud moved from in front of the people and went to the back of the people.

The Lord is my strength. He saves me, and I sing songs of praise to him. He is my God, and I praise him. He is the God of my ancestors, and I honor him.