Exodus 3:8-20

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).

13 Moses said to God, Lo! I shall go to the sons of Israel, and I shall say to them, [The] God of your fathers sent me to you; (and) if they shall say to me, What is his name, what shall I say to them?

14 The Lord said to Moses, I am that I am. (And) The Lord said, Thus thou shalt say to the sons of Israel, He that is, sent me to you.

15 And again God said to Moses, Thou shalt say these things to the sons of Israel, The Lord God of your fathers, God of Abraham, and God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, sent me to you; this name is to me without end, and this is my memorial in generation and into generation. (And then God said to Moses, Thou shalt say this to the Israelites, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, sent me to you; this is my name forever, and this is my title for all generations.)

16 Go thou, gather thou the elder men, that is, (the) judges, of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, The Lord God of your fathers appeared to me, (the) God of Abraham, and God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, and he said, I visiting have visited you, and I have seen all things that befelled to you in Egypt;

17 and I said, that I should lead out you from the affliction of Egypt (and I have decided that I will lead you out of your afflictions in Egypt), into the land of Canaanites, and of Hittites, and of Amorites, and of Perizzites, and of Hivites, and of Jebusites, to the land flowing with milk and honey.

18 And they shall hear thy voice; and thou shalt enter, and the elder men of Israel, to the king of Egypt, and thou shalt say to him, The Lord God of Hebrews hath called us; we shall go the way of three days into wilderness, that we offer to our Lord God. (And they shall hear thy voice; and then thou, and the elders of Israel, shall go to the king of Egypt, and thou shalt say to him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath called us; let us make journey for three days into the wilderness, so that we can offer our sacrifices to the Lord our God.)

19 But I know, that the king of Egypt shall not deliver you that ye go, but by strong hand; (But I know, that the king of Egypt shall not let you go, unless compelled by a strong hand;)

20 for I shall hold forth mine hand, and I shall smite Egypt in all my marvels which I shall do in the midst of them; after these things he shall deliver you. (and so I shall stretch forth my hand, and I shall strike Egypt with all the miracles which I shall do in their midst; and then after these things he shall let you go.)

Exodus 3:8-20 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.