Editing Burning bush (section)

==Biblical narrative==
In the narrative, an [[angel of the Lord]] is described as appearing "in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush",<ref>{{bibleverse||Exodus|3:2|HE}}</ref> and God is subsequently described as calling out from it to Moses, who had been grazing [[Jethro (biblical figure)|Jethro]]'s flocks there.<ref name=Ex3_2/> When Moses starts to approach, God tells Moses to take off his sandals first due to the place being a [[sacred space]].<ref>{{bibleverse||Exodus|3:5|}}</ref>

The voice from the bush, which later self-discloses as [[Yahweh]], reveals himself as "the God of [[Abraham]], the God of [[Isaac]], and the God of [[Jacob]]"<ref name="bibleverse||Exodus|3:6">{{bibleverse||Exodus|3:6|}}</ref> and thus Moses hides his face.<ref name="bibleverse||Exodus|3:6"/>
[[File:Moses_Dura_Europos.jpg|thumb|260x260px|Moses and the burning bush. Painting from [[Dura-Europos synagogue]], third century CE]]
Some [[Old Testament]] scholars regard the account of the burning bush as being spliced together from the [[Yahwist]] and [[Elohist]] texts, with the angel of Yahweh and the removal of sandals being part of the Yahwist version, and the Elohist's parallels to these being God and the turning away of Moses's face, respectively.<ref name=FriedmanSources>{{cite book |last1=Friedman |first1=Richard Elliott |title=The Bible with Sources Revealed |date=16 August 2005 |publisher=HarperOne |isbn=978-0-06-073065-9}}</ref><ref name=ReferenceA>''Jewish Encyclopedia'', ''Book of Exodus''</ref><ref name=Peake/>

The text portrays Yahweh as telling Moses that he is sending him to [[Pharaohs in the Bible#In the Book of Exodus|Pharaoh]] to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, an action that Yahweh decided upon as a result of noticing that the Israelites were being oppressed by the Egyptians.<ref>{{bibleverse||Exodus|3:7|}}</ref> Yahweh tells Moses to tell the elders of the Israelites that Yahweh would lead them into the land of the [[Canaan]]ites, [[Biblical Hittites|Hittite]]s, [[Amorites]], [[Hivites]], and [[Jebusites]],<ref name=Ex3_17>{{bibleverse||Exodus|3:17|}}</ref> a region generally referred to as a whole by the term ''Canaan''; this is described as being a land of "milk and honey".<ref name=Ex3_17/>

Moses asks "When I come 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?’ what shall I say to them?” (Ex 3:13) The voice of God from the bush reveals that he is [[Yahweh]].<ref name=Ex3_14>{{bibleverse||Exodus|3:14|}}</ref> The text [[etymology|derives]] ''Yahweh'' ({{Script/Hebrew|יהוה}}) from the Hebrew word {{lang|he|היה}} ({{IPAc-he|h|a|'|y|a}}) in the phrase {{lang|he|אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה}} "[[I Am that I Am|I Am Who I Am]]".<ref name=Peake/>

According to the narrative, Yahweh instructs Moses to confront the Egyptians and Israelites and briefs the prophet on what is to take place. Yahweh then performs various demonstrative miracles in order to bolster Moses's credibility. Among other things, [[Staff of Moses|his staff]] was transmuted into a snake,<ref>{{bibleverse||Exodus|4:2-4|}}</ref> Moses's hand was temporarily afflicted with "snowy [[tzaraath]]",<ref>{{bibleverse||Exodus|4:6-7|}}</ref> and water was transmuted into blood.<ref name=Ex4_9>{{bibleverse||Exodus|4:9|}}</ref> In the text, Yahweh instructs Moses to take a staff in his hands to perform [[miracle]]s with it,<ref name=Ex4_9/> as if it is a staff given to him rather than his own;<ref name=Peake/> some textual scholars propose that this latter instruction is the Elohist's version of the more detailed earlier description, where Moses uses his staff, which they attribute to the Yahwist.<ref name=ReferenceA/><ref name=Peake/>[[File:Bouts moses.jpg|thumb|right|''Moses and the Burning Bush'', {{Circa|1450}}–1475, attributed to [[Dieric Bouts]]]]

Despite the signs, Moses is described as being very reluctant to take on the role, arguing that he lacked eloquence and that someone else should be sent instead;<ref>{{bibleverse||Exodus|4:10-13|}}</ref> in the text, Yahweh reacts by angrily rebuking Moses for presuming to lecture the one who made the mouth on who was qualified to speak and not to speak. Yet Yahweh concedes and allows [[Aaron]] to be sent to assist Moses since Aaron is eloquent and already on his way to meet Moses.<ref>{{bibleverse||Exodus|4:14|}}</ref> This is the first time in the Torah that Aaron is mentioned and he is described as being Moses's mouthpiece.<ref>{{bibleverse||Exodus|4:15-16|}}</ref>