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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 3

Translation and Transliteration of 

1Now Moshe, tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, drove the flock into the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of Hashem.

v'-ha-na-KHASH ha-YAH a-RUM mi-KOL kha-YAT ha-SA-deh a-SHER a-SA a-do-NAI e-lo-HEEM, va-YO-mer el ha-i-SHA, af KEE-a-MAR e-lo-HEEM, lo to-KHE-lu mi-KOL aytz ha-GAN.

אוְהַנָּחָשׁ֙ הָיָ֣ה עָר֔וּם מִכֹּל֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה אַ֚ף כִּֽי־אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְל֔וּ מִכֹּ֖ל עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן׃

2An angel of Hashem appeared to him in a blazing fire out of a bush. He gazed, and there was a bush all aflame, yet the bush was not consumed.

va-TOM-er ha-i-SHA el ha-NA-khash mi-p'-REE etz-ha-GAN no-KHEL

בוַתֹּ֥אמֶר הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה אֶל־הַנָּחָ֑שׁ מִפְּרִ֥י עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן נֹאכֵֽל׃

3Moshe said, “I must turn aside to look at this marvelous sight; why doesn't the bush burn up?”

u-mi-p'-REE ha-AYTZ a-SHER b'-toKH ha-GAN, a-MAR e-lo-HEEM, lo to-KHE-lu mi-me-NU, v'-lo ti-g'-U BO, pen te-mu-TUN

גוּמִפְּרִ֣י הָעֵץ֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּתוֹךְ־הַגָּן֒ אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים לֹ֤א תֹֽאכְלוּ֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְלֹ֥א תִגְּע֖וּ בּ֑וֹ פֶּן־תְּמֻתֽוּן׃

4When Hashem saw that he had turned aside to look, Hashem called to him out of the bush: “Moshe! Moshe!” He answered, “Here I am.”

vai-YO-mer ha-NA-khash el ha-i-SHA: lo MOT t'-mu-TUN

דוַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַנָּחָ֖שׁ אֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁ֑ה לֹֽא־מ֖וֹת תְּמֻתֽוּן׃

5And He said, “Do not come closer. Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground.

KI yo-DE-a e-lo-HIM, KI b'-YOM a-KHOL-khem mi-ME-nu v'-ni-f'-KHU a-YE-nay-KHEM, vi-h'-yi-TEM k'-e-lo-HIM yo-D'-ay TOV va-RA

הכִּ֚י יֹדֵ֣עַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים כִּ֗י בְּיוֹם֙ אֲכׇלְכֶ֣ם מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְנִפְקְח֖וּ עֵֽינֵיכֶ֑ם וִהְיִיתֶם֙ כֵּֽאלֹהִ֔ים יֹדְעֵ֖י ט֥וֹב וָרָֽע׃

6I am,” He said, “the God of your father, the God of Avraham, the God of Yitzchak, and the God of Yaakov.” And Moshe hid his face, for he was afraid to look at Hashem.

va-TE-ret ha-i-SHA ki TOV ha-ETZ l'-ma-a-KHAL v'-ki ta-a-VA-hu la-EY-na-YIM v'-nekh-MAD ha-ETZ l'-ha-s'KIL va-TI-kakh mi-pir-YO va-TO-khal va-TI-TEYN gam l'-i-SHAH i-MAH va-YO-khal

ווַתֵּ֣רֶא הָֽאִשָּׁ֡ה כִּ֣י טוֹב֩ הָעֵ֨ץ לְמַאֲכָ֜ל וְכִ֧י תַֽאֲוָה־ה֣וּא לָעֵינַ֗יִם וְנֶחְמָ֤ד הָעֵץ֙ לְהַשְׂכִּ֔יל וַתִּקַּ֥ח מִפִּרְי֖וֹ וַתֹּאכַ֑ל וַתִּתֵּ֧ן גַּם־לְאִישָׁ֛הּ עִמָּ֖הּ וַיֹּאכַֽל׃

7And Hashem continued, “I have marked well the plight of My people in Egypt and have heeded their outcry because of their taskmasters; yes, I am mindful of their sufferings.

va-ti-pa-KAKH-na e-NEI she-NE-hem va-y'-DU kee e-ru-MIM HEM va-yi-t'-PU a-LEH te-E-na va-ya-a-SU la-HEM cha-go-ROT

זוַתִּפָּקַ֙חְנָה֙ עֵינֵ֣י שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיֵּ֣דְע֔וּ כִּ֥י עֵֽירֻמִּ֖ם הֵ֑ם וַֽיִּתְפְּרוּ֙ עֲלֵ֣ה תְאֵנָ֔ה וַיַּעֲשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם חֲגֹרֹֽת׃

8I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians and to bring them out of that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the region of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

vai-yish-M'U et-KOL a-do-NAI e-lo-HEEM mit-ha-LEKH ba-GAN l'-RU-akh ha-YOM, vai-yit-cha-BAY ha-A-dam v'-ish-TO mi-p'-NAY a-do-NAI e-lo-HEEM b'-TOCH aTZ ha-GAN.

חוַֽיִּשְׁמְע֞וּ אֶת־ק֨וֹל יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים מִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ בַּגָּ֖ן לְר֣וּחַ הַיּ֑וֹם וַיִּתְחַבֵּ֨א הָֽאָדָ֜ם וְאִשְׁתּ֗וֹ מִפְּנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים בְּת֖וֹךְ עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן׃

9Now the cry of the Israelites has reached Me; moreover, I have seen how the Egyptians oppress them.

va-YIK-ra a-do-NAI e-lo-HEEM el ha-a-DAM va-YO-mer LO a-y'-KAH

טוַיִּקְרָ֛א יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ אַיֶּֽכָּה׃

10Come, therefore, I will send you to Pharaoh, and you shall free My people, the Israelites, from Egypt.”

vai-YO-mer et-KOL-kha sha-MA-tee ba-GAN va-a-ee-RA kee-e-ROM a-NO-khee va-a-KHA-ve

יוַיֹּ֕אמֶר אֶת־קֹלְךָ֥ שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי בַּגָּ֑ן וָאִירָ֛א כִּֽי־עֵירֹ֥ם אָנֹ֖כִי וָאֵחָבֵֽא׃

11But Moshe said to Hashem, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and free the Israelites from Egypt?”

vai-YO-mer, mee hi-GID l'-KHA, KEE e-ROHM a-TAH, ha-MIN ha-Etz a-SHER tzi-VEE-TEE-kha l'-vil-TEE a-KHOL mi-ME-nu a-KHAL-ta

יאוַיֹּ֕אמֶר מִ֚י הִגִּ֣יד לְךָ֔ כִּ֥י עֵירֹ֖ם אָ֑תָּה הֲמִן־הָעֵ֗ץ אֲשֶׁ֧ר צִוִּיתִ֛יךָ לְבִלְתִּ֥י אֲכׇל־מִמֶּ֖נּוּ אָכָֽלְתָּ׃

12And He said, “I will be with you; that shall be your sign that it was I who sent you. And when you have freed the people from Egypt, you shall worship Hashem at this mountain.”

vai-YO-mer ha-A-dam, ha-i-SHA a-SHER na-TA-ta i-MA-di, HI na-te-NAH-lee min ha-ETZ va-o-KHEL

יבוַיֹּ֖אמֶר הָֽאָדָ֑ם הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתַ֣תָּה עִמָּדִ֔י הִ֛וא נָֽתְנָה־לִּ֥י מִן־הָעֵ֖ץ וָאֹכֵֽל׃

13Moshe said to Hashem, “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?”

vai-YO-mer a-do-NAI e-lo-HEEM la-i-SHA ma-ZOT a-SEET, va-TOM-er ha-i-SHA ha-NA-khash hi-SHEE-a-NEE va-o-KHEL

יגוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים לָאִשָּׁ֖ה מַה־זֹּ֣את עָשִׂ֑ית וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה הַנָּחָ֥שׁ הִשִּׁיאַ֖נִי וָאֹכֵֽל׃

14And Hashem said to Moshe, “Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh”. He continued, “Thus shall you say to the Israelites, ‘Ehyeh sent me to you'”.

vai-YO-mer a-do-NAI e-lo-HEEM el ha-NA-khash: kee a-see-TA zot, a-ROOR a-TAH mi-KOL ha-b'-HE-mah u-mi-KOL kha-YAT ha-sa-DEH, al g'-kho-N'-KHA tay-LEKH, v'-a-FAR to-KHAL kol y'-MAY kha-YE-kha

ידוַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֥ים ׀ אֶֽל־הַנָּחָשׁ֮ כִּ֣י עָשִׂ֣יתָ זֹּאת֒ אָר֤וּר אַתָּה֙ מִכׇּל־הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה וּמִכֹּ֖ל חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה עַל־גְּחֹנְךָ֣ תֵלֵ֔ךְ וְעָפָ֥ר תֹּאכַ֖ל כׇּל־יְמֵ֥י חַיֶּֽיךָ׃

15And Hashem said further to Moshe, “Thus shall you speak to the Israelites: Hashem, the God of your fathers, the God of Avraham, the God of Yitzchak, and the God of Yaakov, has sent me to you: This shall be My name forever, This My appellation for all eternity.

v'-ei-VAH a-SHEET bein-KHA u-vein ha-i-SHAH u-vein zar-a-KHA u-vein zar-AH, HU ye-shu-F'-KHA rosh v'-a-TAH te-shu-FE-nu a-KEV. (S)

טווְאֵיבָ֣ה ׀ אָשִׁ֗ית בֵּֽינְךָ֙ וּבֵ֣ין הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה וּבֵ֥ין זַרְעֲךָ֖ וּבֵ֣ין זַרְעָ֑הּ ה֚וּא יְשׁוּפְךָ֣ רֹ֔אשׁ וְאַתָּ֖ה תְּשׁוּפֶ֥נּוּ עָקֵֽב׃

16“Go and assemble the elders of Yisrael and say to them: Hashem, the God of your fathers, the God of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, has appeared to me and said, ‘I have taken note of you and of what is being done to you in Egypt,

el-ha-i-SHA a-MAR har-BAH ar-BEH i-tse-vo-NEKH v'-he-ro-NEKH b'-e-TSEV te-LE-di va-NIM v'-el-i-SHEKH te-SHU-ka-TEKH v'-HU yim-SHAL-ba-KH

טזאֶֽל־הָאִשָּׁ֣ה אָמַ֗ר הַרְבָּ֤ה אַרְבֶּה֙ עִצְּבוֹנֵ֣ךְ וְהֵֽרֹנֵ֔ךְ בְּעֶ֖צֶב תֵּֽלְדִ֣י בָנִ֑ים וְאֶל־אִישֵׁךְ֙ תְּשׁ֣וּקָתֵ֔ךְ וְה֖וּא יִמְשׇׁל־בָּֽךְ׃

17and I have declared: I will take you out of the misery of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey.'

va-o-MAR a-a-LEH et-KHEM may-o-NEE mitz-RA-yim el E-retz ha-k'-na-a-NEE v'-ha-khee-TEE v'-ha-e-mo-REE v'-ha-p'-ree-ZEE v'-ha-khi-VEE v'-hai-vu-SEE el E-retz za-VAT kha-LAV ud-VASH

יזוּלְאָדָ֣ם אָמַ֗ר כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֘עְתָּ֮ לְק֣וֹל אִשְׁתֶּ֒ךָ֒ וַתֹּ֙אכַל֙ מִן־הָעֵ֔ץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר צִוִּיתִ֙יךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ אֲרוּרָ֤ה הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ בַּֽעֲבוּרֶ֔ךָ בְּעִצָּבוֹן֙ תֹּֽאכְלֶ֔נָּה כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י חַיֶּֽיךָ׃

 3:17   Out of the misery of Egypt

The Hebrew word for ‘Egypt,’ Mitzrayim (מצרים), is connected to two Hebrew words which offer insight into the nature of that country. The name Mitzrayim is related to the Hebrew word tzara (צרה), meaning ‘tragedy’ or ‘distress.’ This connection teaches that Egypt was a land of suffering for the Children of Israel, who suffered in slavery for hundreds of years before being redeemed by the Almighty. And the word Mitzrayim (מצרים) is also connected to the word tzar (צר), meaning ‘narrow.’ On a metaphorical level, a person is enslaved when he feels constricted and limited, and thereby unable to actualize his unique potential.

18They will listen to you; then you shall go with the elders of Yisrael to the king of Egypt and you shall say to him, ‘Hashem, the God of the Hebrews, manifested Himself to us. Now therefore, let us go a distance of three days into the wilderness to sacrifice to Hashem our God.'

v'-KOTZ v'-dar-DAR tatz-MEE-akh lakh v'-a-KHAL-ta et-AYT es-EV ha-sa-DEH

יחוְק֥וֹץ וְדַרְדַּ֖ר תַּצְמִ֣יחַֽ לָ֑ךְ וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ אֶת־עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃

19Yet I know that the king of Egypt will let you go only because of a greater might.

b'-ZE-at a-PE-kha TO-khal LE-khem, ad shu-VE-kha el ha-a-da-MA, kee mi-ME-nah lu-ka-KH'-ta, kee-a-FAR a-TA, v'-el-a-FAR TA-shuv.

יטבְּזֵעַ֤ת אַפֶּ֙יךָ֙ תֹּ֣אכַל לֶ֔חֶם עַ֤ד שֽׁוּבְךָ֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה כִּ֥י מִמֶּ֖נָּה לֻקָּ֑חְתָּ כִּֽי־עָפָ֣ר אַ֔תָּה וְאֶל־עָפָ֖ר תָּשֽׁוּב׃

20So I will stretch out My hand and smite Egypt with various wonders which I will work upon them; after that he shall let you go.

vai-YIK-ra ha-A-dam SHEM ish-TO kha-VAH, KEE hee ha-YI-tah EM kol-KHAI

כוַיִּקְרָ֧א הָֽאָדָ֛ם שֵׁ֥ם אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ חַוָּ֑ה כִּ֛י הִ֥וא הָֽיְתָ֖ה אֵ֥ם כׇּל־חָֽי׃

21And I will dispose the Egyptians favorably toward this people, so that when you go, you will not go away empty-handed.

vai-YA-as a-do-NAI e-lo-HEEM l'-a-DAM u-l'-ish-TO k'-to-NOT ohr va-yal-bi-SHEM

כאוַיַּ֩עַשׂ֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים לְאָדָ֧ם וּלְאִשְׁתּ֛וֹ כׇּתְנ֥וֹת ע֖וֹר וַיַּלְבִּשֵֽׁם׃

22Each woman shall borrow from her neighbor and the lodger in her house objects of silver and gold, and clothing, and you shall put these on your sons and daughters, thus stripping the Egyptians.”

vai-YO-mer a-do-NAI e-lo-HEEM, HEN ha-a-DAM ha-YA k'-a-KHAD mi-ME-nu la-DA-at TOV va-RA, v'-a-TAH pen-yish-LAKH ya-DO v'-la-KAKH gam me-ETZ ha-KHA-yim v'-a-KHAL va-KHAI l'-o-LAM

כבוַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֗ים הֵ֤ן הָֽאָדָם֙ הָיָה֙ כְּאַחַ֣ד מִמֶּ֔נּוּ לָדַ֖עַת ט֣וֹב וָרָ֑ע וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ פֶּן־יִשְׁלַ֣ח יָד֗וֹ וְלָקַח֙ גַּ֚ם מֵעֵ֣ץ הַֽחַיִּ֔ים וְאָכַ֖ל וָחַ֥י לְעֹלָֽם׃