ent Moses' little sister, pretending not to know him, ran up and
asked the king's daughter if she wished to procure a nurse for him. The
king's daughter replied in the affirmative and permitted her to bring
one; so Moses' own mother was brought and engaged to be his nurse: but
he was not known as her son, but as the adopted son of the king's
daughter. When Moses grew up he was an officer in the king's army; but
because he took the part of his persecuted countrymen he offended the
king, and had to fly from the palace. He then went into another country
and became a shepherd.

During all this time the persecuted Israelites were praying to the true
God to be delivered from the slavery of the Egyptians, who were
idolaters. One day Moses saw a bush burning; and as he came near to look
at it, he heard a voice telling him not to come too near, and bidding
him take off his shoes, for he was on holy ground. (Ex. 3). It was God
who thus appeared and spoke to him, and He ordered him to take off his
shoes as a mark of respect and reverence. When we want to show our
respect for any person or place, we take off our hats; but the people of
that country, instead of their hats, took off their shoes. It was the
custom of the country and did not seem strange to them.

Then God told Moses that He was going to send him to deliver His people
from the Egyptians and lead them back to their own country; and He sent
Aaron, the brother of Moses, with him. Then Moses said to God, the king
of Egypt will not let the people go, and what can I do? God gave Moses
two signs or miracles to show the king, so that he could know that Moses
was really sent by Him. He gave him power to change a rod into a
serpent, and back again into a rod; power also to bring a disease
instantly upon his hand, and to heal it instantly. (Ex. 4). Do these,
said Almighty God, in the presence of the king. Then Moses and Aaron
went to the king and did as God commanded them; and when the rod of
Aaron became a serpent, the king's magicians--that is, men who do
apparently wonderful things by sleight of hand or the power of the
devil--cast their rods upon the ground, and they also became
serpents--not that their rods were changed into serpents, but the devil,
who was helping them, took away instantly their rods and put real
serpents in their place--but Aaron's serpent swallowed them up. (Ex. 7).
After these signs the king would not let the people go with Moses; for
God permitted the