Moses: Required reading for fifth grade public school students in Texas

Bible readings from the New International Reader's Version

Exodus 3

Exodus 14

Here are the corresponding episodes in the Bible in Fewer Words podcast.

Episode 24: A burning bush and some magic tricks

(Exodus 3-4:17)

3 ¹ One day when Moses was watching his father-in-law's sheep, he came to God's mountain, Horeb.

² And the angel of God appeared to him in a burning bush.

⁴ God called out from the bush, saying,

Moses, Moses. ⁵ Take your shoes off because you're standing on holy ground.

I'm your father's God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

⁷ I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their cry.

⁸ I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians and bring them to a land flowing with milk and honey, which is now occupied by other people.

¹⁰ So I'm going to send you to Pharaoh, so that you can lead my people out of Egypt.

¹³ Moses said to God, "When the Israelites ask me what your name is, what should I tell them?"

¹⁴ God said,

I AM THAT I AM.

¹⁶ Say to the Israelites,

I AM has sent me. He appeared to me and said,

I have seen what was done to you in Egypt.

¹⁷ I will bring you out of Egypt and into a land flowing with milk and honey.

²⁰ I'll smite Egypt with all my wonders. Then the Pharaoh will let you go.

²¹ And when you leave Egypt, you won't go away empty.

²² You will steal from your Egyptian neighbors -- jewels, silver, gold, and clothing.

God teaches Moses some magic tricks

4 ¹ Moses said to God, "They won't believe that you appeared to me."

^2-3 God said, "Throw your rod on the ground."

Moses threw his rod on the ground, and his rod became a snake. Moses ran away from it.

⁴ God said, "Grab the snake by the tail."

Moses grabbed the snake, and it became a rod.

⁵ God said, "This will make them believe that I appeared to you."

⁶ Then God said, "Put your hand on your chest."

Moses put his hand on his chest, and his hand became leprous.

⁷ God said, "Put your hand on your chest again."

Moses put his hand on his chest again, and his hand was cured.

^8-9 God said,

If they won't believe after these two things, take water from the river and pour it on the ground.

It'll turn to blood.

Who made men's mouths?

Who made blind and deaf people? Wasn't it me?

¹² Go. I'll be with your mouth; I'll teach you what to say.

¹³ Moses said, "Please God, send someone else."

¹⁴ God became angry at Moses, and said,

Isn't Aaron your brother? I know that he can speak well.

^15-16 He'll be your spokesman. He'll be your mouth, and you'll be like God to him.

¹⁷ Be sure to take your rod with you.

Episode 30: The Lord took off their chariot wheels

(Exodus 13-15)

Every firstborn man or beast belongs to God

13 ¹ God said to Moses,

^{2, 12} Every firstborn man or beast must be consecrated to me. It is mine.

¹³ Every firstborn donkey must be redeemed with a lamb. If you don't redeem it, you must break its neck. And you must redeem all your male firstborn children.

¹⁴ When your son asks you why you're doing this, say to him, Because when God brought us out of Egypt, he killed all of their firstborn sons and animals. So I sacrifice to God all of my firstborn animals, and I redeem all my firstborn children.

^{9, 16} It will be a sign on your hand and a memorial between your eyes, so God's law will be in your mouth.

Through the wilderness of the Red Sea

¹⁷ God led the people through "the wilderness of the Red Sea" to avoid crossing the land of the Philistines.

²¹ He went before the Israelites in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

The Red Sea crossing

14 ^5-6 When the Pharaoh heard that the Israelites left, he got his chariot ready to follow them. ⁷ He took 600 chariots and chased after them. ²¹ When the Israelites arrived at the Red Sea, Moses parted the sea and the Israelites walked across on dry land.

^24-25 God saw the Egyptians pursue them, so he removed their chariot wheels.

²⁶ Then he said to Moses,

Stretch out your hand out over the sea to make the waters come down to drown all of the Egyptians.

^27-28 So Moses stretched out his hand, and the sea returned to drown the Egyptian army.

²⁹ But the Israelites walked safely on dry land to the other side of the sea.

The Song of Moses

15 ³ The LORD is a man of war.

⁶ Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces.

⁸ You make great floods with a blast from your nostrils.

¹⁰ You drown people by blowing with your wind, etc.

The waters of Marah

²² The Israelites resumed their journey but had no water to drink. ²³ After three days without water, they came to Marah, where there was water. But it was too bitter to drink.

²⁴ So they murmured against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" ²⁵ Moses cried to God, and God showed him how to throw a tree into the water to make it taste sweet.

Questions for Students

1. In Exodus 3:22, God tells Moses to steal jewels, silver, gold, and clothing from the Egyptians. But in Exodus 20:15, God tells us not to steal. So is it okay to steal when God tells you too?
2. In Exodus 13:12-13 God says that every male firstborn donkey must be redeemed. And that if you don't redeem it by sacrificing a lamb, you must break its neck. God says that every firstborn son must be redeemed in the same way. So does that mean parents must break the neck of their first born son if they don't redeem him by sacrificing a lamb?
3. Exodus 14:24-25 says that God took of the wheels of the Egyptian chariots. Did he do that himself or did he have someone else do it for him?