Exodus 3: The burning bush and the name of God
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
While Moses is looking after Jethro's flock at Horeb, the angel of Yahweh appears to him in a bush that burns without burning up. God speaks from the bush, says he has seen his people's suffering, and sends Moses to bring them out of Egypt. Moses objects, and God answers him, gives him his name, and tells him what to say and what will happen.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. Moses and God speak back and forth. Moses speaks in verses 3, 4, 11 and 13, and God's own words are in 17 of the 22 verses. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to God’s mountain, to Horeb.
In plain English: Moses was looking after the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness (literally: behind the wilderness) and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
Good to know: Exodus calls this mountain Horeb here. The mountain where God speaks to all Israel is called Mount Sinai in . Many readers take them to be the same mountain.
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2Yahweh’s angel appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the middle of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
In plain English: The angel of Yahweh appeared to him in a flame of fire from the middle of a bush. Moses looked, and the bush was burning with fire, but it was not burned up.
The Hebrew word: "Angel" is malak, which means a messenger.
How it is translated: This Bible says "angel" in about half of its 196 verses and "messenger" in almost half.
Church tradition: Some churches read "the angel of Yahweh" as a messenger who speaks for God. Others read him as God himself appearing. In this chapter the angel of Yahweh appears in the bush in verse 2. In Yahweh sees that Moses has come over, and God calls to him from the bush. The text does not say which reading is right.
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3Moses said, “I will go now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.”
In plain English: Moses said, "I will go over and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up."
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4When Yahweh saw that he came over to see, God called to him out of the middle of the bush, and said, “Moses! Moses!” He said, “Here I am.”God speaks
In plain English: When Yahweh saw that Moses had come over to look, God called to him from the middle of the bush: "Moses! Moses!" Moses said, "Here I am."
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5He said, “Don’t come close. Take off your sandals, for the place you are standing on is holy ground.”God speaks
In plain English: God said, "Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, because the place where you are standing is holy ground."
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6Moreover he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.God speaks
In plain English: He also said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
Good to know: Jesus quotes this verse in when he answers a question about the resurrection of the dead.
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7Yahweh said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said, "I have surely seen how my people in Egypt are suffering. I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, and I know their sorrows.
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8I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and large 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.God speaks
In plain English: I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and wide land, a land flowing with milk and honey: the place of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
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9Now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to me. Moreover I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.God speaks
In plain English: Now the cry of the Israelites has come to me, and I have seen how cruelly the Egyptians oppress them.
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10Come now therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”God speaks
In plain English: So come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you can bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt."
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11Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
In plain English: Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"
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12He said, “Certainly I will be with you. This will be the token to you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”God speaks
In plain English: God said, "I will certainly be with you. This will be the sign (or token) to you that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will serve God on this mountain."
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13Moses said to God, “Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what should I tell them?”
In plain English: Moses said to God, "When I come to the Israelites and tell them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' they will ask me, 'What is his name?' What should I tell them?"
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14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM,” and he said, “You shall tell the children of Israel this: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”God speaks
In plain English: God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM" (or: I WILL BE WHO I WILL BE). He said, "This is what you will tell the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
The Hebrew words: "I AM WHO I AM" is ehyeh asher ehyeh. Ehyeh comes from the verb "to be" and can mean "I am" or "I will be".
What changes: Read as "I will be who I will be", the name points forward: God will show who he is as things happen. uses the same word: "I will be with you".
Church tradition: Many churches connect "I AM" with Jesus' words in : "before Abraham came into existence, I AM." The Exodus text does not mention Jesus.
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15God said moreover to Moses, “You shall tell the children of Israel this, ‘Yahweh, 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 my memorial to all generations.God speaks
In plain English: God also said to Moses, "This is what you will tell the Israelites: 'Yahweh, 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 how I am to be remembered from one generation to the next.
Good to know: "Yahweh" is the name behind "the LORD" in most English Bibles. It is close in sound to ehyeh in . The text does not spell out the link.
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16Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and tell them, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt.God speaks
In plain English: Go and gather the elders of Israel and tell them, 'Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has appeared to me and said, "I have surely visited you (taken notice of you), and I have seen what is being done to you in Egypt.
The Hebrew word: "Visited" is pakad, which can mean to visit, to look after, or to take notice of someone. The Hebrew repeats the verb: "visiting, I have visited".
How it is translated: In its 269 verses this Bible says "visit" in about 1 in 6, "punish" in about 1 in 7, and "appoint" in about 1 in 14.
Good to know: Joseph used the same repeated verb when he was dying: "God will surely visit you" ().
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17I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction 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.”’God speaks
In plain English: I have said, I will bring you up out of the suffering in Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey."'
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18They will listen to your voice. You shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt, and you shall tell him, ‘Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to Yahweh, our God.’God speaks
In plain English: God goes on speaking to Moses: "They will listen to you. You and the elders of Israel will go to the king of Egypt and tell him, 'Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Please let us go a three-day journey into the wilderness, so that we can sacrifice to Yahweh our God.'
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19I know that the king of Egypt won’t give you permission to go, no, not by a mighty hand.God speaks
In plain English: I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go, not even by a mighty hand (or: not unless a mighty hand forces him).
The Hebrew words: The Hebrew says only "and not by a mighty hand". It can be read two ways: "not even by a mighty hand", or "not unless a mighty hand forces him".
What changes: Read the second way, the king lets the people go only when God's strong hand makes him. says a strong hand will make Pharaoh let them go.
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20I will reach out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders which I will do among them, and after that he will let you go.God speaks
In plain English: I will reach out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders I will do among them. After that he will let you go.
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21I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and it will happen that when you go, you shall not go empty-handed.God speaks
In plain English: I will give this people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians. When you leave, you will not go empty-handed.
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22But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her who visits her house, jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and clothing. You shall put them on your sons, and on your daughters. You shall plunder the Egyptians.”God speaks
In plain English: Every woman will ask her neighbor, and any woman staying in her house (a guest or a foreigner living there), for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. You will put them on your sons and daughters, and you will plunder (or: strip) the Egyptians."
The Hebrew words: "Ask" is shaal, and "plunder" is natsal, which means to snatch away.
How it is translated: For shaal this Bible says "ask" in about 2 of every 3 of its 157 verses, and "borrow" in only 3. For natsal it says "deliver" in about 4 of every 5 of its 194 verses, and "plunder" in only 6. In this Bible says "deliver" for the same word: God comes down to deliver his people from the Egyptians.
What changes: Some Bibles, like the King James, say "borrow". Read that way, the women would be asking to borrow the jewelry and clothing, not asking to be given it. and tell how it happened.
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