17 “But as the time of the promise that God had made to Abraham was drawing near, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt 18 until another king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. 19 This man deceitfully took advantage of our* people and* mistreated our ancestors, ⌊causing them to abandon their infants⌋g so that they would not be kept alive. 20 At this time Moses was born, and he was beautiful to God. ⌊He⌋h was brought up for three months in his* father’s house, 21 and when* he was abandoned, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up and brought him up ⌊as her own son⌋.i 22 And Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was powerful in his words and deeds.

23 “But when ⌊he was forty years old⌋,j it entered in his heart to visit his brothers, the sons of Israel. 24 And when he* saw one of them being unjustly harmed, he defended him* and ⌊avenged⌋k the one who had been oppressed by* striking down the Egyptian. 25 And he thought his* brothers would understand that God was granting deliverance to them by his hand, but they did not understand. 26 And on the following day, he made an appearance to them while they* were fighting and was attempting to reconcile* them in peace, saying, ‘Men and brothers, why are you doing wrong to one another?’ 27 But the one who was doing wrong to his* neighbor pushed him aside, saying, ‘Who appointed you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 You do not want to do away with me ⌊the same way⌋l you did away with the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’m 29 And at this statement, Moses fled and became a foreigner in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.

30 “And when* forty years had been completed, an angel appeared to him in the desert of Mount Sinai in the flame of a burning bush. 31 And when* Moses saw it,* he was astonished at the sight, and when* he approached to look at it,* the voice of the Lord came: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob!’n So Moses began trembling and* did not dare to look at it.* 33 And the Lord said to him, ‘Untie the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. 34 ⌊I have certainly seen⌋o the mistreatment of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.’p 35 This Moses whom they had repudiated, saying, ‘Who appointed you a ruler and a judge?’q—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer with ⌊the help⌋r of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years.