Moses and the Burning Bush

3 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro^(A) his father-in-law, the priest of Midian,^(B) and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb,^(C) the mountain^(D) of God. ² There the angel of the Lord^(E) appeared to him in flames of fire^(F) from within a bush.^(G) Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. ³ So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

⁴ When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called^(H) to him from within the bush,^(I) “Moses! Moses!”

And Moses said, “Here I am.”^(J)

⁵ “Do not come any closer,”^(K) God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”^{(L) 6} Then he said, “I am the God of your father,^[a] the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”^(M) At this, Moses hid^(N) his face, because he was afraid to look at God.^(O)

⁷ The Lord said, “I have indeed seen^(P) the misery^(Q) of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned^(R) about their suffering.^{(S) 8} So I have come down^(T) to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land,^(U) a land flowing with milk and honey^(V)—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites^(W) and Jebusites.^{(X) 9} And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing^(Y) them. ¹⁰ So now, go. I am sending^(Z) you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”^(AA)

¹¹ But Moses said to God, “Who am I^(AB) that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

¹² And God said, “I will be with you.^(AC) And this will be the sign^(AD) to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you^[b] will worship God on this mountain.^(AE)”

¹³ Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’^(AF) Then what shall I tell them?”

¹⁴ God said to Moses, “I am who I am.^[c] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am^(AG) has sent me to you.’”

¹⁵ God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord,^[d] the God of your fathers^(AH)—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob^(AI)—has sent me to you.’

¹⁶ “Go, assemble the elders^(AL) of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob^(AM)—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen^(AN) what has been done to you in Egypt. ¹⁷ And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt^(AO) into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’^(AP)

¹⁸ “The elders of Israel will listen^(AQ) to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews,^(AR) has met^(AS) with us. Let us take a three-day journey^(AT) into the wilderness to offer sacrifices^(AU) to the Lord our God.’ ¹⁹ But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand^(AV) compels him. ²⁰ So I will stretch out my hand^(AW) and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders^(AX) that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.^(AY)

²¹ “And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed^(AZ) toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed.^{(BA) 22} Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver^(BB) and gold^(BC) and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder^(BD) the Egyptians.”^(BE)

The Call of Jeremiah

⁴ The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

⁶ “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak;^(F) I am too young.”^(G)

⁷ But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. ⁸ Do not be afraid^(H) of them, for I am with you^(I) and will rescue^(J) you,” declares the Lord.^(K)

⁹ Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched^(L) my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth.^{(M) 10} See, today I appoint you over nations^(N) and kingdoms to uproot^(O) and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”^(P)

⁴ I looked, and I saw a windstorm^(A) coming out of the north^(B)—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal,^{(C) 5} and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures.^(D) In appearance their form was human,^{(E) 6} but each of them had four faces^(F) and four wings. ⁷ Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze.^{(G) 8} Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands.^(H) All four of them had faces and wings, ⁹ and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.^(I)

¹⁰ Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.^{(J) 11} Such were their faces. They each had two wings^(K) spreading out upward, each wing touching that of the creature on either side; and each had two other wings covering its body. ¹² Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went.^{(L) 13} The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals^(M) of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning^(N) flashed out of it. ¹⁴ The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.^(O)

¹⁵ As I looked at the living creatures,^(P) I saw a wheel^(Q) on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. ¹⁶ This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz,^(R) and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. ¹⁷ As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction^(S) as the creatures went. ¹⁸ Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes^(T) all around.

¹⁹ When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. ²⁰ Wherever the spirit would go, they would go,^(U) and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. ²¹ When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.^(V)

²² Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault,^(W) sparkling like crystal, and awesome. ²³ Under the vault their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. ²⁴ When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing^(X) waters, like the voice^(Y) of the Almighty,^[a] like the tumult of an army.^(Z) When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

²⁵ Then there came a voice from above the vault over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. ²⁶ Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne^(AA) of lapis lazuli,^(AB) and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man.^{(AC) 27} I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.^{(AD) 28} Like the appearance of a rainbow^(AE) in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.^(AF)

This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory^(AG) of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown,^(AH) and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Ezekiel’s Call to Be a Prophet

2 He said to me, “Son of man,^[b](AI) stand^(AJ) up on your feet and I will speak to you.^(AK)” ² As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me^(AL) to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

³ He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day.^{(AM) 4} The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn.^(AN) Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’^{(AO) 5} And whether they listen or fail to listen^(AP)—for they are a rebellious people^(AQ)—they will know that a prophet has been among them.^{(AR) 6} And you, son of man, do not be afraid^(AS) of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns^(AT) are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.^{(AU) 7} You must speak^(AV) my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.^{(AW) 8} But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel^(AX) like that rebellious people;^(AY) open your mouth and eat^(AZ) what I give you.”

⁹ Then I looked, and I saw a hand^(BA) stretched out to me. In it was a scroll,^{(BB) 10} which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.^(BC)

3 And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.” ² So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.

³ Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate^(BD) it, and it tasted as sweet as honey^(BE) in my mouth.

⁴ He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them.^{(BF) 5} You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language,^(BG) but to the people of Israel— ⁶ not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you.^{(BH) 7} But the people of Israel are not willing to listen^(BI) to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate.^{(BJ) 8} But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are.^{(BK) 9} I will make your forehead^(BL) like the hardest stone, harder than flint.^(BM) Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.^(BN)”

¹⁰ And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart^(BO) all the words I speak to you. ¹¹ Go^(BP) now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’^(BQ) whether they listen or fail to listen.^(BR)”

¹² Then the Spirit lifted me up,^(BS) and I heard behind me a loud rumbling sound as the glory of the Lord rose from the place where it was standing.^{[c] 13} It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures^(BT) brushing against each other and the sound of the wheels beside them, a loud rumbling sound.^{(BU) 14} The Spirit^(BV) then lifted me up^(BW) and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the Lord^(BX) on me. ¹⁵ I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Aviv near the Kebar River.^(BY) And there, where they were living, I sat among them for seven days^(BZ)—deeply distressed.

Ezekiel’s Task as Watchman

¹⁶ At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me:^{(CA) 17} “Son of man, I have made you a watchman^(CB) for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.^{(CC) 18} When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,^(CD)’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for^[d] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.^{(CE) 19} But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn^(CF) from their wickedness^(CG) or from their evil ways, they will die^(CH) for their sin; but you will have saved yourself.^(CI)

²⁰ “Again, when a righteous person turns^(CJ) from their righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block^(CK) before them, they will die. Since you did not warn them, they will die for their sin. The righteous things that person did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.^{(CL) 21} But if you do warn the righteous person not to sin and they do not sin, they will surely live because they took warning, and you will have saved yourself.^(CM)”

²² The hand of the Lord^(CN) was on me there, and he said to me, “Get up and go^(CO) out to the plain,^(CP) and there I will speak to you.” ²³ So I got up and went out to the plain. And the glory of the Lord was standing there, like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River,^(CQ) and I fell facedown.^(CR)

²⁴ Then the Spirit came into me and raised me^(CS) to my feet. He spoke to me and said: “Go, shut yourself inside your house.^{(CT) 25} And you, son of man, they will tie with ropes; you will be bound so that you cannot go out among the people.^{(CU) 26} I will make your tongue stick to the roof^(CV) of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, for they are a rebellious people.^{(CW) 27} But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’^(CX) Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse; for they are a rebellious people.^(CY)