Exodus 3:13

13 ait Moses ad Deum ecce ego vadam ad filios Israhel et dicam eis Deus patrum vestrorum misit me ad vos si dixerint mihi quod est nomen eius quid dicam eis

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 dixit Moses ad Deum quis ego sum ut vadam ad Pharaonem et educam filios Israhel de Aegypto
12 qui dixit ei ero tecum et hoc habebis signum quod miserim te cum eduxeris populum de Aegypto immolabis Deo super montem istum
13 ait Moses ad Deum ecce ego vadam ad filios Israhel et dicam eis Deus patrum vestrorum misit me ad vos si dixerint mihi quod est nomen eius quid dicam eis
14 dixit Deus ad Mosen ego sum qui sum ait sic dices filiis Israhel qui est misit me ad vos
15 dixitque iterum Deus ad Mosen haec dices filiis Israhel Dominus Deus patrum vestrorum Deus Abraham Deus Isaac et Deus Iacob misit me ad vos hoc nomen mihi est in aeternum et hoc memoriale meum in generationem et generatione
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.