Exodus 3:13-22

God’s special name

13 But Moses said to God, "If I now come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' they are going to ask me, ‘What's this God's name?' What am I supposed to say to them?"
14 God said to Moses, "I Am Who I Am. So say to the Israelites, ‘I Am has sent me to you.'"
15 God continued, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your ancestors, Abraham's God, Isaac's God, and Jacob's God, has sent me to you.' This is my name forever; this is how all generations will remember me.
16 “Go and get Israel's elders together and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me. The LORD said, "I've been paying close attention to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt.
17 I've decided to take you away from the harassment in Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land full of milk and honey."
18 They will accept what you say to them. Then you and Israel's elders will go to Egypt's king and say to him, "The LORD, the Hebrews' God, has met with us. So now let us go on a three-day journey into the desert so that we can offer sacrifices to the LORD our God."
19 However, I know that Egypt's king won't let you go unless he's forced to do it.
20 So I'll use my strength and hit Egypt with dramatic displays of my power. After that, he'll let you go.
21 "I'll make it so that when you leave Egypt, the Egyptians will be kind to you and you won't go away empty-handed.
22 Every woman will ask her neighbor along with the immigrant in her household for their silver and their gold jewelry as well as their clothing. Then you will put it on your sons and daughters, and you will rob the Egyptians.'"

Exodus 3:13-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 2

In this chapter we are informed how that the Lord appeared to Moses in a bush on fire, but not consumed, Ex 3:1-6, declared unto him that he had seen and observed the afflictions of the children of Israel, and was determined to deliver them, Ex 3:7-9, that he gave him a call to be the deliverer of them, answered his objections to it, and instructed him what he should say, both to the elders of Israel and to Pharaoh, Ex 3:10-18, and assured him, that though at first Pharaoh would refuse to let them go, yet after many miracles wrought, he would be willing to dismiss them, when they should depart with great substance, Ex 3:19-22.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or I Will Be Who I will Be.
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