Exodus3

Moses, tending his flock at Mount Horeb, encounters God in a burning bush that is not consumed. God reveals Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, declaring His awareness of Israel's affliction in Egypt. He commissions Moses to lead His people to a promised land, assuring him of divine presence and power despite Moses' initial reluctance.
Listen to this chapter
0:00 0:00

Moses at the Burning Bush on Horeb

1
Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. ​
2
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. ​
3
And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
4
And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. ​
5
And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. ​
6
Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. ​

God Hears and Commissions Moses

7
And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
8
And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. ​
9
Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
10
Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. ​

Moses’ First Objection: Who Am I?

11
And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? ​
12
And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. ​

The Revelation of the Divine Name: I AM

13
And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? ​
14
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. ​
15
And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. ​

Instructions for the Elders and Prediction of Deliverance

16
Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:
17
And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.
18
And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. ​
19
And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.
20
And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.
21
And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty:
22
But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians. ​

Study Notes for Exodus 3

Verse 1

Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai, identifying the location as the sacred mountain where the covenant would later be established. Moses' forty years as a shepherd prepared him for the solitude and leadership required for his calling.

Verse 2

The 'angel of the LORD' (Heb. malakh YHWH) is often understood here as a physical manifestation of God himself (a theophany). The fire symbolizes God’s holiness and power, while the unconsumed bush symbolizes Israel's oppressed but surviving status.

Verse 4

God only calls out once Moses 'turned aside to see,' demonstrating that divine revelation often requires human attention and intentional response to be fully received.

Verse 5

Removing sandals was a customary sign of respect in the ancient Near East when entering a sacred place or the presence of a superior. This command emphasizes the absolute holiness of the ground touched by God’s immediate presence.

Verse 6

By identifying Himself with the ancestral patriarchs, God establishes continuity with the covenant promises, assuring Moses that the covenant is still active despite Israel's current slavery.

Verse 8

The promise of a 'land flowing with milk and honey' is a common biblical metaphor emphasizing the fertility and abundance of the promised land, contrasting sharply with the harsh conditions of Egypt.

Verse 10

This verse contains the explicit divine commission, shifting Moses from a solitary shepherd to the designated deliverer who will confront the world’s greatest superpower, Pharaoh.

Verse 11

Moses’ first objection is based on his own perceived inadequacy, a humility often displayed by those chosen for prophetic roles. God consistently chooses the seemingly unqualified to accomplish His greatest purposes.

Verse 12

The promise 'Certainly I will be with thee' shifts the focus from Moses' ability to God's presence and power. The token—serving God on Horeb—will be fulfilled when the covenant is established (Exod 19).

Verse 13

Moses' question anticipates the need for a definitive proof of authority for the enslaved Israelites, who would need assurance that this God was superior to the Egyptian deities.

Verse 14

The name 'I AM THAT I AM' (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh) reveals God's essential nature: self-existence, eternal presence, and sovereign action. It is the basis for the covenant name YHWH (the LORD), meaning He is the active, ever-present God.

Verse 15

This verse confirms that the newly revealed, self-existent God (I AM) is the same covenant God of the patriarchs. This name is established as the 'memorial' (or remembrance) by which Israel is to identify and worship Him forever.

Verse 18

The request for a 'three days’ journey' provided a plausible, temporary reason for departure, though God knew Pharaoh would ultimately refuse, necessitating the demonstration of divine power through the plagues.

Verse 22

The instruction to 'spoil the Egyptians' by taking their valuables ensured that Israel was compensated for generations of forced labor, fulfilling the prophecy made to Abraham (Gen 15:14) that his descendants would leave with great possessions.

Use ← → arrow keys to navigate
Settings

Reading Style

Typeface

Font Size 19px

Options