⁴ ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt,^(A) and how I carried you on eagles’ wings^(B) and brought you to myself.^(C)

God’s Angel to Prepare the Way

²⁰ “See, I am sending an angel^(A) ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.^{(B) 21} Pay attention to him and listen^(C) to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive^(D) your rebellion,^(E) since my Name^(F) is in him. ²² If you listen carefully to what he says and do^(G) all that I say, I will be an enemy^(H) to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. ²³ My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites,^(I) and I will wipe them out.

³¹ and in the wilderness. There you saw how the Lord your God carried^(A) you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”^(B)

⁷ The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous^(A) than other peoples, for you were the fewest^(B) of all peoples.^(C)

⁸ But it was because the Lord loved^(A) you and kept the oath he swore^(B) to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand^(C) and redeemed^(D) you from the land of slavery,^(E) from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

¹⁶ Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord.^(A) And he could bear Israel’s misery^(B) no longer.^(C)