Exodus 3:13

13 Moses said to God, "When I go to the Israelites, I will say to them, 'The God of your fathers sent me to you.' What if the people say, 'What is his name?' What should I tell them?"

Exodus 3:13 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 3:13

And Moses said unto God
Having received full satisfaction to his objection, taken from his own unfitness for such a service, and willing to have his way quite clear unto him, and his commission appear firm and valid to his people, he proceeds to observe another difficulty that might possibly arise: when I come unto the children of Israel:
out of Midian into Egypt; and shall say unto them, the God of your fathers hath sent me unto you;
with a message to them to receive him as his ambassador and their deliverer: and they shall say unto me, what is his name?
a question it was probable they would ask, not through ignorance, since in their distress they had called upon the name of the Lord, and cried unto him for help and deliverance; but either to try Moses, and what knowledge he had of God: or there being many names by which he had made himself known; and especially was wont to make use of a new name or title when he made a new appearance, or any eminent discovery of himself, they might be desirous of knowing what was the present name he took: what shall I say unto them?
what name shall I make mention of?

Exodus 3:13 In-Context

11 But Moses said to God, "I am not a great man! How can I go to the king and lead the Israelites out of Egypt?"

12 God said, "I will be with you. This will be the proof that I am sending you: After you lead the people out of Egypt, all of you will worship me on this mountain."

13 Moses said to God, "When I go to the Israelites, I will say to them, 'The God of your fathers sent me to you.' What if the people say, 'What is his name?' What should I tell them?"

14 Then God said to Moses, "I am who I am. When you go to the people of Israel, tell them, 'I am sent me to you.'"

15 God also said to Moses, "This is what you should tell the people: 'The Lord is the God of your ancestors -- the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He sent me to you.' This will always be my name, by which people from now on will know me.