Exodus3
New American Standard
1Now Moses was pasturing the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
2Then the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not being consumed.
3So Moses said, “I must turn aside and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burning up!”
4When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”
5Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”
6And He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
7And the Lord said, “I have certainly seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their outcry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings.
8So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
9And now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them.
10And now come, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.”
11But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?”
12And He said, “Assuredly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain.”
13Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?”
14And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
15God furthermore said to Moses, “This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is the name for all generations to use to call upon Me.
16Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has appeared to me, saying, “I am indeed concerned about you and what has been done to you in Egypt.
17So I said, I will bring you up out of the oppression of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”’
18Then they will pay attention to what you say; and you with the elders of Israel will come to the king of Egypt, and you will say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So now, please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’
19But I know that the king of Egypt will not permit you to go, except under compulsion.
20So I will reach out with My hand and strike Egypt with all My miracles which I shall do in the midst of it; and after that he will let you go.
21I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed.
22But every woman shall ask her neighbor and the woman who lives in her house for articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and you will put them on your sons and daughters. So you will plunder the Egyptians.”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Exodus 3.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: God appears to Moses in a burning bush. (1–6). God sends Moses to deliver Israel. (7–10). The name Jehovah. (11–15). The deliverance of the Israelites promised. (16–22).
vv1-6
The years of the life of Moses are divided into three forties; the first forty he spent as a prince in Pharaoh's court, the second as a shepherd in Midian, the third as a king in Jeshurun. How changeable is the life of man! The first appearance of God to Moses, found him tending sheep. This seems a poor employment for a man of his parts and education, yet he rests satisfied with it; and thus learns meekness and contentment, for which he is more noted in sacred writ, than for all his learning. Satan loves to find us idle; God is pleased when he finds us employed. Being alone, is a good friend to our communion with God. To his great surprise, Moses saw a bush burning without fire to kindle it. The bush burned, and yet did not burn away; an emblem of the church in bondage in Egypt. And it fitly reminds us of the church in every age, under its severest persecutions kept by the presence of God from being destroyed. Fire is an emblem, in Scripture, of the Divine holiness and justice, also of the afflictions and trials with which God proves and purifies his people, and even of that baptism of the Holy Ghost, by which sinful affections are consumed, and the soul changed into the Divine nature and image. God gave Moses a gracious call, to which he returned a ready answer. Those that would have communion with God, must attend upon him in the ordinances wherein he is pleased to manifest himself and his glory, though it be in a bush. Putting off the shoe was a token of respect and submission. We ought to draw nigh to God with a solemn pause and preparation, carefully avoiding every thing that looks light and rude, and unbecoming his service. God does not say, I was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but I am. The patriarchs still live, so many years after their bodies have been in the grave. No length of time can separate the souls of the just from their Maker. By this, God instructed Moses as to another world, and strengthened his belief of a future state. Thus it is interpreted by our Lord Jesus, who, from hence, proves that the dead are raised, Lu 20:37. Moses hid his face, as if both ashamed and afraid to look upon God. The more we see of God, and his grace, and covenant love, the more cause we shall see to worship him with reverence and godly fear.
vv7-10
God notices the afflictions of Israel. Their sorrows; even the secret sorrows of God's people are known to him. Their cry; God hears the cries of his afflicted people. The oppression they endured; the highest and greatest of their oppressors are not above him. God promises speedy deliverance by methods out of the common ways of providence. Those whom God, by his grace, delivers out of a spiritual Egypt, he will bring to a heavenly Canaan. (Ex 3:11-15)
vv11-15
Formerly Moses thought himself able to deliver Israel, and set himself to the work too hastily. Now, when the fittest person on earth for it, he knows his own weakness. This was the effect of more knowledge of God and of himself. Formerly, self-confidence mingled with strong faith and great zeal, now sinful distrust of God crept in under the garb of humility; so defective are the strongest graces and the best duties of the most eminent saints. But all objections are answered in, Certainly I will be with thee. That is enough. Two names God would now be known by. A name that denotes what he is in himself, I AM THAT I AM. This explains his name Jehovah, and signifies, 1. That he is self-existent: he has his being of himself. 2. That he is eternal and unchangeable, and always the same, yesterday, to-day, and for ever. 3. That he is incomprehensible; we cannot by searching find him out: this name checks all bold and curious inquiries concerning God. 4. That he is faithful and true to all his promises, unchangeable in his word as well as in his nature; let Israel know this, I AM hath sent me unto you. I am, and there is none else besides me. All else have their being from God, and are wholly dependent upon him. Also, here is a name that denotes what God is to his people. The Lord God of your fathers sent me unto you. Moses must revive among them the religion of their fathers, which was almost lost; and then they might expect the speedy performance of the promises made unto their fathers.
Key Words
הָיָה: to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
רָעָה: to tend a flock; i.e. pasture it; intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule; by extension, to associate with (as a friend)
צֹאן: a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men)
חָתַן: to give (a daughter) away in marriage; hence (generally) to contract affinity by marriage
יִתְרוֹ: Jethro, Moses' father-in-law
כֹּהֵן: literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)
מִדְיָן: Midjan, a son of Abraham; also his country and (collectively) his descendants
נָהַג: to drive forth (a person, an animal or chariot), i.e. lead, carry away; reflexively, to proceed (i.e. impel or guide oneself); also (from the panting induced by effort), to sigh
אַחַר: properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)
Cross References
Exodus 3Stephen's inspired rehearsal of Moses' life explicitly recounts this appearance of the Angel in Sinai's desert.
Supported by Matthew Poole, Calvin
Jesus quotes verse 6 here to prove the resurrection of the dead to the Sadducees.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Direct historical fulfillment of God's promise that Israel would receive favor and spoil the Egyptians.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The literal execution of the command for women to borrow jewels of silver, gold, and raiment.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Moses' final blessing invokes the favor of 'him that dwelt in the bush' as a lasting memorial.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Jesus claims the divine name 'I AM' from verse 14, asserting His self-existent deity.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Fulfillment of the ancient Abrahamic covenant promise that Israel would come out with great substance.
Supported by JFB, Matthew Poole
The direct narrative statement that God gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians.
The repeated instruction from God to Moses immediately prior to the final plague of Egypt.
The burning lamp and smoking furnace in Abraham's vision parallel the burning, unconsumed bush.
Supported by JFB
Explains that God is 'not ashamed to be called their God' because He prepared their city.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Stephen's speech directly quotes God's declaration that He has 'seen the affliction of my people'.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Provides the immediate direct answer to Moses' question in verse 13 regarding God's name.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Poetic celebration of God bringing Israel out of Egypt specifically with silver and gold.
Parallels the warning to set bounds and keep distance at holy Mount Sinai.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Elijah wraps his face in his mantle at Horeb, mimicking Moses hiding his face in fear.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The historical transition showing God remembering His covenant when Israel cried under taskmasters.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Joseph's dying prophecy that God will surely 'visit' you is fulfilled in the word spoken here.
Supported by JFB
Fulfills God's warning in verse 19, where Pharaoh defiantly asks, 'Who is the Lord?'
Supported by Matthew Henry
Legal parallel where Hebrew masters are commanded not to let their departing servants go empty.
Samuel summarizes God sending Moses and Aaron to bring the fathers out of Egypt.
Supported by Calvin
Historical reflection on God making Israel to be pitied by their captors throughout their history.