23
“When Moses was 40 years old, he decided to visit his family, the Israelites.
24
He saw one of them being wronged so he came to his rescue and evened the score by killing the Egyptian.
25
He expected his own kin to understand that God was using him to rescue them, but they didn't.
26
The next day he came upon some Israelites who were caught up in an argument. He tried to make peace between them by saying, ‘You are brothers! Why are you harming each other?'
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The one who started the fight against his neighbor pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who appointed you as our leader and judge?
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Are you planning to kill me like you killed that Egyptian yesterday?'
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When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he lived as an immigrant and had two sons.
30
“Forty years later, an angel appeared to Moses in the flame of a burning bush in the wilderness near Mount Sinai.
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Enthralled by the sight, Moses approached to get a closer look and he heard the Lord's voice:
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‘I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Trembling with fear, Moses didn't dare to investigate any further.
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The Lord continued, ‘Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.