5. Now I have heard the cries of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are treating as slaves, and I remember my agreement.
6. So tell the people of Israel that I say to them, ‘I am the Lord. I will save you from the hard work the Egyptians force you to do. I will make you free, so you will not be slaves to the Egyptians. I will free you by my great power, and I will punish the Egyptians terribly.
7. I will make you my own people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am the Lord your God, the One who saves you from the hard work the Egyptians force you to do.
8. I will lead you to the land that I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give you that land to own. I am the Lord.’ ”
9. So Moses told this to the Israelites, but they would not listen to him. They were discouraged, and their slavery was hard.
10. Then the Lord said to Moses,
11. “Go tell the king of Egypt that he must let the Israelites leave his land.”
12. But Moses answered, “The Israelites will not listen to me, so surely the king will not listen to me either. I am not a good speaker.”