2. But the Lord said to Moses, “What is that you have in your hand?” Moses answered, “It is my walking stick.”
3. Then God said, “Throw your walking stick on the ground.” So Moses threw his walking stick on the ground, and it became a snake. Moses ran from it,
4. but the Lord said to him, “Reach out and grab the snake by its tail.” When Moses reached out and caught the snake’s tail, the snake became a walking stick again.
5. Then God said, “Use your stick in this way, and the people will believe that you saw the Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”
6. Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will give you another proof. Put your hand under your robe.” So Moses opened his robe and put his hand inside. Then he brought his hand out of the robe and it was changed. His hand was covered with spots that were white like snow.
7. Then God said, “Now put your hand into your robe again.” So Moses put his hand into his robe again. Then he brought his hand out, and his hand was changed. Now his hand was good again, as it was before.
8. Then God said, “If the people don’t believe you when you use your walking stick, then they will believe you when you show them this sign.
9. If they still refuse to believe after you show them both of these signs, then take some water from the Nile River. Pour the water on the ground, and as soon as it touches the ground, it will become blood.”
10. Then Moses said to the Lord, “But, Lord, I am telling you, I am not a good speaker. I have never been able to speak well. And that hasn’t changed since you started talking to me. I am still not a good speaker. You know that I speak slowly and don’t use the best words.”
11. Then the Lord said to him, “Who made a person’s mouth? And who can make someone deaf or not able to speak? Who can make a person blind? Who can make a person able to see? I am the one. I am the Lord.
12. So go. I will be with you when you speak. I will give you the words to say.”
13. But Moses said, “My Lord, I beg you to send someone else, not me.”