Exodus 3:2-12

2 Forsooth the Lord appeared to him there in a flame of fire from the middle of a bush, and Moses saw that the bush burnt, and it was not burnt up (but it did not burn up).
3 Therefore Moses said, I shall go and see this great sight, (and) why the bush is not burnt (up).
4 Soothly the Lord saw that Moses went to see, and he called (to) him from the midst of the bush, and said, Moses! Moses! Which answered, I am present (Who answered, I am here).
5 And the Lord said, Nigh thou not hither, but (first) unbind thou the shoes of thy feet, for the place in which thou standest is holy land (for the place where thou standest is holy ground).
6 And the Lord said, I am (the) God of thy father(s), (the) God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob. Moses hid his face, for he durst not look against God (for he dared not look at God).
7 To whom the Lord said, I saw the affliction of my people in Egypt, and I heard the cry thereof, for the hardness of them that be sovereigns of the works (and I heard their cry, for the hardness of those who be their taskmasters). And I knew the sorrow of the people,
8 and I came down to deliver them from the hands of (the) Egyptians, and lead out of that land into a good land and broad (and to lead them out of that land into a good and broad land), into a land that floweth with milk and honey, to the places of Canaanites, and of Hittites, of Amorites, and of Perizzites, and of Hivites, and of Jebusites.
9 Therefore the cry of the sons of Israel came to me, and I saw the torment of them, by which they be oppressed of the Egyptians (And so the cry of the Israelites came to me, and I saw their torment, and how they were oppressed by the Egyptians.)
10 But come thou, I shall send thee to Pharaoh, that thou lead out my people, the sons of Israel, from Egypt. (But come thou, I shall send thee to Pharaoh, so that thou can lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.)
11 And Moses said to him, Who am I, that I go to Pharaoh, and lead out the sons of Israel from Egypt? (And Moses said to him, Who am I, that I go to Pharaoh, and lead out the Israelites from Egypt?)
12 And the Lord said to Moses, I shall be with thee, and thou shalt have this sign, that I have sent thee; when thou hast led out my people from Egypt, thou shalt offer to God on this hill (when thou hast led my people out of Egypt, thou shalt worship God here on this mountain).

Exodus 3:2-12 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.