moses and the burning bush

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The Bible says that when Moses was 80, he was living peacefully as a shepherd in the desert. One day, as he was tending his flock, he heard the voice of God coming from a burning bush. God ordered Moses to go and force the Pharaoh to let his Hebrew people go. At first Moses was afraid, he didn't think he could do this. Then God gave him special powers.

Did Moses hear the voice of God? Clinton Bailey, an expert on Bedouin folklore, believes that such a desert experience is perfectly plausible:

If you have to survive out here in this heat and in this desolation... You're closer to God... And I have seen Bedouin praying on their own in the middle of the desert... and when they do pray you get a connection between themselves and Allah, God, which is very very strong and it's like saying 'You up there, help me out, I've got nothing else down here to keep me going except your providence'.

Whatever happened, this was a turning point for Moses and the Hebrew people. Jews believe that at the moment the Hebrews forged a special and unique relationship with God. In return, God gave them the right to occupy a certain land.

It was the Promised Land: the land we now know as Israel. From that moment on, Moses resolved to lead his people out of Egypt to the land of milk and honey.