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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Exodus 3:11–15. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
God, having spoken to Moses, allows him also a liberty of speech, which he here improves; and,
I.He objects his own insufficiency for the service he was called to (Exo 3:11):
Who am I? He thinks himself unworthy of the honour, and not par negotio - equal to the task. He thinks he wants courage, and therefore cannot go to Pharaoh, to make a demand which might cost the demandant his head: he thinks he wants skill, and therefore cannot bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt; they are unarmed, undisciplined, quite dispirited, utterly unable to help themselves; it is morally impossible to bring them out.
1.Moses was incomparably the fittest of any man living for this work, eminent for learning, wisdom, experience, valour, faith, holiness; and yet he says, Who am I? Note, The more fit any person is for service commonly the less opinion he has of himself: see Jdg 9:8, etc.
2.The difficulties of the work were indeed very great, enough to startle the courage and stagger the faith of Moses himself. Note, Even wise and faithful instruments may be much discouraged at the difficulties that lie in the way of the church's salvation.
3.Moses had formerly been very courageous when he slew the Egyptian, but now his heart failed him; for good men are not always alike bold and zealous.
4.Yet Moses is the man that does it at last; for God gives grace to the lowly. Modest beginnings are very good presages.
II.God answers this objection, Exo 3:12.
1.He promises him his presence: Certainly I will be with thee, and that is enough. Note, Those that are weak in themselves may yet do wonders, being strong in the Lord and in the power of his might; and those that are most diffident of themselves may be most confident in God. God's presence puts an honour upon the worthless, wisdom and strength into the weak and foolish, makes the greatest difficulties dwindle to nothing, and is enough to answer all objections.
2.He assures him of success, and that the Israelites should serve God upon this mountain. Note,
(1.)Those deliverances are most valuable which open to us a door of liberty to serve God.
(2.)If God gives us opportunity and a heart to serve him, it is a happy and encouraging earnest of further favours designed us.
III.He begs instructions for the executing of his commission, and has them, thoroughly to furnish him.
He desires to know by what name God would at this time make himself known, Exo 3:13.
1.He supposes the children of Israel would ask him, What is his name? This they would ask either,
(1.)To perplex Moses: he foresaw difficulty, not only in dealing with Pharaoh, to make him willing to part with them, but in dealing with them, to make them willing to remove. They would be scrupulous and apt to cavil, would bid him produce his commission, and probably this would be the trial: "Does he know the name of God? Has he the watch-word?" Once he was asked, Who made thee a judge? Then he had not his answer ready, and he would not be nonplussed so again, but would be able to tell in whose name he came. Or,
(2.)For their own information. It is to be feared that they had grown very ignorant in Egypt, by reason of their hard bondage, want of teachers, and loss of the sabbath, so that they needed to be told the first principles of the oracles of God. Or this question, What is his name? amounted to an enquiry into the nature of the dispensation they were now to expect: "How will God in it be known to us, and what may we depend upon from him?"
2.He desires instructions what answer to give them: "What shall I say to them? What name shall I vouch to them for the proof of my authority? I must have something great and extraordinary to say to them; what must it be? If I must go, let me have full instructions, that I may not run in vain." Note,
(1.)It highly concerns those who speak to people in the name of God to be well prepared beforehand.
(2.)Those who would know what to say must go to God, to the word of his grace and to the throne of his grace, for instructions, Eze 2:7; Eze 3:4, Eze 3:10, Eze 3:17.
(3.)Whenever we have any thing to do with God, it is desirable to know, and our duty to consider, what is his name.
IV.God readily gives him full instructions in this matter. Two names God would now be known by: -
1.A name that denotes what he is in himself (Exo 3:14): I am that I am. This explains his name Jehovah, and signifies,
(1.)That he is self-existent; he has his being of himself, and has no dependence upon any other: the greatest and best man in the world must say, By the grace of God I am what I am; but God says absolutely - and it is more than any creature, man or angel, can say - I am that I am. Being self-existent, he cannot but be self-sufficient, and therefore all-sufficient, and the inexhaustible fountain of being and bliss.
(2.)That he is eternal and unchangeable, and always the same, yesterday, today, and for ever; he will be what he will be and what he is; see Rev 1:8.
(3.)That we cannot by searching find him out. This is such a name as checks all bold and curious enquiries concerning God, and in effect says, Ask not after my name, seeing it is secret, Jdg 13:18; Pro 30:4. Do we ask what is God? Let it suffice us to know that he is what he is, what he ever was, and ever will be. How little a portion is heard of him! Job 26:14.
(4.)That he is faithful and true to all his promises, unchangeable in his word as well as in his nature, and not a man that he should lie. Let Israel know this, I AM hath sent me unto you.
2.A name that denotes what he is to his people. Lest that name I AM should amuse and puzzle them, he is further directed to make use of another name of God more familiar and intelligible: The Lord God of your fathers hath sent me unto you (Exo 3:15): Thus God had made himself know to him (Exo 3:6), and thus he must make him known to them,
(1.)That he might revive among them the religion of their fathers, which, it is to be feared, was much decayed and almost lost. This was necessary to prepare them for deliverance, Psa 80:19.
(2.)That he might raise their expectations of the speedy performance of the promises made unto their fathers. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, are particularly named, because with Abraham the covenant was first made, and with Isaac and Jacob often expressly renewed; and these three were distinguished from their brethren, and chosen to be the trustees of the covenant, when their brethren were rejected. God will have this to be his name for ever, and it has been, is, and will be, his name, by which his worshippers know him, and distinguish him from all false gods; see Kg1 18:36. Note, God's covenant-relation to his people is what he will be ever mindful of, what he glories in, and what he will have us never forget, but give him the glory of: if he will have this to be his memorial unto all generations, we have all the reason in the world to make it so with us, for it is a precious memorial.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
For God and Lord is a name of majesty, a name of power, even as God himself says, “The Lord is my name,” and as in another place the prophet declares, “The Lord almighty is his name.” He is God, therefore, and Lord, either because his rule is over all or because he beholds all things and is feared by all without exception.
What does it mean then that later on he gave himself another name, where it says, “And the Lord said to Moses, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob: this is my name forever”? How is it that there I am called this name that shows “I am,” and lo and behold here is another name: “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob”? It means that while God is indeed unchangeable, he has done everything out of mercy, and so the Son of God himself was prepared to take on changeable flesh and thereby to come to man’s rescue while remaining what he is as the Word of God. Thus he who is clothed himself with mortal flesh, so that it could truly be said, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”
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Summary
Exodus 3:15 marks a pivotal moment in biblical history, where God definitively reveals His eternal, covenantal name, YHWH (translated "The LORD"), to Moses at the burning bush. This revelation solidifies His identity as the faithful, self-existent God who established an everlasting covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, thereby assuring the children of Israel of His enduring presence, unwavering commitment, and certain deliverance from Egyptian bondage.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is the culmination of a profound divine encounter at Mount Horeb. It immediately follows God's initial self-identification to Moses as "I AM WHO I AM" in Exodus 3:14, which established His absolute sovereignty and self-existence. Moses, anticipating the Israelites' skepticism and their demand for the name of the God who sent him (Exodus 3:13), receives a more specific, relational name in verse 15. While "I AM" speaks to God's being, "YHWH" (The LORD) speaks to His active, covenantal relationship with His people, providing the concrete identity by which He desires to be known and remembered through all generations. This revelation transforms Moses's understanding of God and empowers his mission.
Historical & Cultural Context
In the ancient Near East, names were not merely labels but were believed to encapsulate the essence, character, and authority of the person or deity. To know someone's name, especially a deity's, was to gain insight into their power and nature, and often to gain a measure of influence or access. For the enslaved Israelites, who had endured generations of oppression in Egypt, knowing the specific name of their ancestral God was crucial. It differentiated Him from the myriad of Egyptian deities and provided a tangible point of reference for their faith and hope. The declaration of "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" firmly rooted this revelation in their historical and covenantal heritage, assuring them that the God who was now appearing to Moses was the same faithful God who had made promises to their forefathers.
Key Themes
Exodus 3:15 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Exodus and the broader Pentateuch. It underscores the theme of Divine Self-Revelation, demonstrating God's initiative in making Himself known to humanity, not as an abstract force but as a personal, relational being. The emphasis on "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" highlights Covenantal Continuity and Faithfulness, assuring Israel that God's promises made to the patriarchs centuries earlier are still valid and will be fulfilled through their deliverance. This verse also establishes the Significance of God's Name, revealing that His name is intrinsically linked to His character, power, and eternal presence, serving as a "memorial" for all generations. This concept of God's enduring name is echoed throughout the Old Testament, such as in Psalm 135:13, which proclaims, "Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations."
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This is the Tetragrammaton, YHWH (H3068), the Jewish national name of God, signifying "the self-Existent or Eternal." Its connection to the verb "to be" (from which "I AM" derives) emphasizes God's absolute being, His eternality, and His active, unchanging presence. It is the personal, covenantal name by which God relates to His people, distinguishing Him from all other gods.
This word means "a memento," "recollection," or "commemoration." It implies more than just a name to be remembered; it signifies the very essence of God's character, His redemptive acts, and His covenant faithfulness by which He is known and worshipped through history. It is a designation by which God ensures He will be perpetually remembered.
This term refers to "a revolution of time," "an age or generation," or "posterity." Its use here, in the phrase "unto all generations," emphasizes the eternal and unchanging nature of God's name and His covenant. It signifies that God's identity and His promises are not temporary but endure throughout all time, from one generation to the next, without end.
Verse Breakdown
"And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel,"
This introductory clause emphasizes the divine authority behind the message. God is directly commissioning Moses as His messenger to the people of Israel, ensuring that the following revelation comes with the full weight of divine command. The word "moreover" (H5750, ʻôwd) indicates a continuation and amplification of the previous revelation in Exodus 3:14, moving from the abstract "I AM" to the specific, relational name.
"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 the core of God's self-identification. The name "The LORD" (YHWH) is immediately linked to the patriarchal covenant. By identifying Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God establishes an undeniable continuity with their history and promises. This declaration assures the Israelites that the God who is now intervening is not a new or foreign deity, but the same faithful God who initiated their lineage and made specific, enduring promises to their ancestors, promises He is now poised to fulfill.
"this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations."
This concluding declaration underscores the eternal and immutable nature of God's revealed name. "For ever" (H5769, ʻôwlâm) signifies an unending duration, while "memorial" (H2143, zêker) implies that this name encapsulates His character, His deeds, and His covenant relationship, serving as the permanent means by which He is to be remembered, invoked, and worshipped by His people throughout all time. It is a testament to His unchanging faithfulness across every era.
Literary Devices
Exodus 3:15 employs several powerful literary devices. Repetition is prominent in the phrase "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob," which serves to emphasize the continuity of God's covenant faithfulness across generations and firmly roots the present divine action in historical precedent. This Anaphora (repetition at the beginning of successive clauses) creates a rhythmic and memorable declaration, underscoring the unwavering nature of God's identity. The verse also utilizes Emphasis through its declarative tone and the definitive statements "this is my name for ever" and "this is my memorial unto all generations," highlighting the eternal and unchanging nature of God's self-revelation. The entire passage functions as a form of Divine Speech Act, where God's words not only convey information but also perform an action—the act of self-revelation and the establishment of an enduring covenantal identity.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Exodus 3:15 is a foundational theological statement, revealing God's character as both transcendent and immanent, eternal and intimately involved in human history. It establishes that God is not a generic deity but a personal, covenant-keeping God who actively intervenes to fulfill His ancient promises. The revelation of YHWH as His eternal name signifies His absolute sovereignty, self-existence, and unchanging faithfulness, assuring His people that He is the reliable and ever-present One who will bring about their salvation. This verse firmly grounds the entire narrative of the Exodus in God's prior redemptive history, demonstrating the continuity of His divine plan across generations.
Reflection and Application
Exodus 3:15 invites us into a deeper understanding of who God is and how He relates to His people. In a world constantly shifting and filled with uncertainty, the revelation of God's name as "The LORD" (YHWH) and His declaration that this is His "name for ever" and "memorial unto all generations" offers profound comfort and stability. It assures us that the God we worship today is the same faithful, powerful, and covenant-keeping God who delivered Israel from slavery. He is not a distant, abstract concept, but a personal God who remembers His promises and actively works in the lives of His children. For believers, this means we can trust in His unchanging character, rely on His enduring presence, and find hope in His unwavering commitment to His redemptive plan for us. Our worship is enriched by knowing the One who is, who was, and who is to come, the self-existent One who has chosen to reveal Himself and enter into relationship with us.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of God calling Himself "The LORD" (YHWH) in this verse?
The name YHWH (often transliterated as Yahweh, and translated as "The LORD" in all caps in the KJV) is God's personal, covenantal name, distinct from generic titles like Elohim ("God"). Its significance is profound: it is derived from the Hebrew verb "to be," connecting directly to God's earlier declaration "I AM WHO I AM" in Exodus 3:14. This name signifies God's absolute self-existence, eternality, and active presence. When God reveals this name, He is declaring Himself as the One who always was, is, and will be—the faithful, unchanging fulfiller of His promises. It is the name by which He enters into a unique, enduring relationship with His people, distinguishing Himself as the only true God who acts powerfully in history to save and sustain.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Exodus 3:15, with its profound revelation of God's eternal and covenantal name, YHWH, finds its ultimate and most complete fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself, in His earthly ministry, made astonishing claims that directly echoed the divine "I AM" of the Old Testament. In John 8:58, Jesus declared, "Before Abraham was, I am," directly identifying Himself with the eternal, self-existent God who spoke to Moses at the burning bush. He is the very embodiment of God's enduring presence and faithfulness, the One through whom God's ancient covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are perfectly realized. The God who delivered Israel from physical bondage in Egypt through the power of His name is revealed in Christ as the God who delivers humanity from the spiritual bondage of sin and death, establishing a new and eternal covenant sealed by His own blood (Luke 22:20). Jesus is the visible manifestation of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), the "Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End" (Revelation 21:6), whose name is indeed "for ever" and whose "memorial" endures "unto all generations."