16 “Go and agather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘bThe Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “1cI am indeed concerned about you and what has been done to you in Egypt.

17 “So aI said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of bthe Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, to a land cflowing with milk and honey.” ’

18 “aThey will 1pay heed to what you say; and byou with the elders of Israel will come to the king of Egypt and you will say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So now, please, let us go a cthree days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’

19 “But I know that the king of Egypt awill not permit you to go, bexcept 1under compulsion.

20 “So I will stretch out aMy hand and strike Egypt with all My bmiracles which I shall do in the midst of it; and cafter that he will let you go.

21 “I will grant this people afavor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed.

22 “But every woman ashall ask of her neighbor and the woman who lives in her house, articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and you will put them on your sons and daughters. Thus you will bplunder the Egyptians.”