1Meanwhile, Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
2There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from within a bush. Moses saw the bush ablaze with fire, but it was not consumed.
3So Moses thought, “I must go over and see this marvelous sight. Why is the bush not burning up?”
4When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from within the bush, “Moses, Moses!” “Here I am,” he answered.
5“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”
6Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
7The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.
8I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
9And now the cry of the Israelites has reached Me, and I have seen how severely the Egyptians are oppressing them.
10Therefore, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt.”
11But Moses asked God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
12“I will surely be with you,” God said, “and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, all of you will worship God on this mountain.”
13Then Moses asked God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ What should I tell them?”
14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
15God also told Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.
16Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me and said: I have surely attended to you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.
17And I have promised to bring you up out of your affliction in Egypt, into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’
18The elders of Israel will listen to what you say, and you must go with them to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’
19But I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go unless a mighty hand compels him.
20So I will stretch out My hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders I will perform among them. And after that, he will release you.
21And I will grant this people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that when you leave, you will not go away empty-handed.
22Every woman shall ask her neighbor and any woman staying in her house for silver and gold jewelry and clothing, and you will put them on your sons and daughters. So you will plunder the Egyptians.”
Exodus 3 Verse Notes
Exod 3:1
The Angel of the Lord as God in Exodus 3
Another example of a divine being becoming human temporarily is found in Exodus 3, where the 'angel of the Lord' appears to Moses. The passage then transitions to refer to this figure as 'the Lord himself,' indicating a continuity or interchangeability between the angel of the Lord and God.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Did Jesus�� Disciples Think He Was God? · watch the clip
Contradictory Names for Moses' Father-in-Law
The Pentateuch contains contradictions, such as the varying names for Moses' father-in-law. Exodus 3:1 identifies him as Jethro, while Numbers 10:29 refers to him as Reuel, indicating different narrative traditions.
Summarized by AI · The Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Literature of Ancient Israel · Lecture 5: The Composition of the Pentateuch · watch the clip
Exod 3:2
Christ as the God of Jewish Scripture
Justin Martyr argues that the active deity in Jewish scriptures, who spoke to Moses and appeared to Abraham and Jacob, is not the high, invisible God, but rather the pre-incarnate Christ. This interpretation allows him to assert that the Septuagint is fundamentally a book of Christian revelation, with Christ as its central figure and author of its prophecies.
Summarized by AI · Ancient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years · Lecture 7: Jews and Heretics | Justin Martyr and Israel · watch the clip
The Angel of the Lord in Exodus 3 is not pre-incarnate Christ
In Exodus 3, the 'angel of the Lord' appears in the burning bush, but the text quickly shifts to Yahweh speaking directly to Moses. Some early Christians, like Justin Martyr, interpreted this 'angel of the Lord' as a pre-incarnate Christ. However, this is a later theological interpretation, not an explicit identification within the Old Testament itself.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · 8 Bible Myths Many Christians Believe · watch the clip
Exod 3:4
The Angel of the Lord in Exodus 3 is not pre-incarnate Christ
In Exodus 3, the 'angel of the Lord' appears in the burning bush, but the text quickly shifts to Yahweh speaking directly to Moses. Some early Christians, like Justin Martyr, interpreted this 'angel of the Lord' as a pre-incarnate Christ. However, this is a later theological interpretation, not an explicit identification within the Old Testament itself.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · 8 Bible Myths Many Christians Believe · watch the clip
Exod 3:6
Jesus's Argument for Resurrection from Exodus 3:6
In Luke 20, Jesus debates the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection, by citing Exodus 3:6. He argues that God's declaration, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,' implies that these patriarchs are still alive, thus proving the resurrection. This interpretation, while not obvious to modern readers, was considered a powerful argument by his contemporaries.
Summarized by AI · Jesus and the Old Testament · Lecture 1: Introduction to Jesus and the Old Testament · watch the clip
Jesus' Creative Citation of Exodus 3:6 for Resurrection
Jesus creatively cites Exodus 3:6 to argue for the resurrection of the dead, a meaning not explicitly present in the original context. He leverages the present tense of 'I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob' to imply their continued aliveness, a grammatical interpretation that would have resonated with ancient Jewish interpretive practices, even if it differs from modern exegetical rules.
Summarized by AI · Jesus and the Old Testament · Lecture 4: Angle 2 | New Testament Authors Passing on Earlier Jewish Traditions · watch the clip
Exod 3:8
Joshua Completes the Exodus Promise
The book of Joshua completes the promise made at the beginning of the Exodus story, where God vowed to rescue the Israelites and bring them into a new land. The conquest of Canaan under Joshua is presented as the fulfillment of this divine pledge. This emphasizes Joshua's role as the one who brings God's long-standing promise to fruition.
Summarized by AI · The Rise and Fall of Biblical Israel: The Books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings · Lecture 2: Joshua and the Conquest of Canaan | Too Good to Be True · watch the clip
Herem as a conceptual necessity to explain the absence of Canaanites
While the 'herem' (genocide) described in Joshua never historically occurred for Israel, it served as a conceptual necessity for the Deuteronomistic historian. Faced with traditions of numerous pre-Israelite inhabitants in Canaan (e.g., the seven nations in the Pentateuch) and the reality of their absence during the text's writing, the authors concluded that Joshua must have wiped them out. To mitigate the moral problem, they attributed the command to God, threatening Israel with destruction if they disobeyed, as illustrated by Achan's punishment in Joshua 7.
Summarized by AI · The Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Literature of Ancient Israel · Lecture 12: Joshua and Judges · watch the clip
Exod 3:13-15
Revelation of God's Name: Yahweh
When Moses asked God what name he should tell the Israelites sent him, God replied, 'I am who I am,' and instructed Moses to say, 'I am has sent me' and 'Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This passage in Exodus 3:13-15 is understood as God revealing his personal name, Yahweh, which is linked to the verb 'to be' and is represented by the tetragrammaton (YHWH) in Hebrew.
Summarized by AI · Finding Moses: What Scholars Know About the Exodus and the Jewish Law · Lecture 2: The Early Life of Moses · watch the clip
Divine Name Revelation in Exodus 3
The Elohist (E) source, as seen in Exodus 3:13-15, depicts God revealing his proper name, Yahweh, to Moses for the first time, instructing him to use it when speaking to the Israelites. This marks a pivotal moment in the E narrative where the divine name becomes known.
Summarized by AI · The Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Literature of Ancient Israel · Lecture 5: The Composition of the Pentateuch · watch the clip
Contradictory Accounts of God's Name Revelation
Exodus 3 and Exodus 6 present two distinct accounts of Moses learning God's name, Yahweh. In Exodus 3, God reveals his name as 'I Am Who I Am' and then Yahweh, the God of the ancestors. In Exodus 6, God explicitly states he was known to the patriarchs as El Shaddai but not by his name Yahweh, implying this is the first revelation of the name. These contradictions point to different source traditions within the Pentateuch.
Summarized by AI · The Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Literature of Ancient Israel · Lecture 7: The Exodus, or Not · watch the clip
Exod 3:14
God's self-introduction to Moses
Philo identified God as "ho on" (the being), drawing from the Septuagint's translation of God's self-revelation to Moses in Exodus. This philosophical designation aligns with the concept of a radically transcendent and immaterial God.
Summarized by AI · Ancient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years · Lecture 15: Christian Paideia | Origen of Alexandria on God and the Universe · watch the clip
God's Self-Revelation to Moses
In Exodus, when God appears to Moses at the burning bush, he famously declares, 'Ehye asher ehye,' which translates to 'I am who I am.' This Hebrew phrase is deliberately enigmatic, suggesting God's self-sufficiency and perhaps a refusal to be fully defined.
Summarized by AI · Judaism Before Jesus · Lecture 16: The Egyptian Diaspora · watch the clip
Jesus' 'I Am' Statement and Claim to Divinity in John
In John 8:58, Jesus declares, 'Before Abraham was, I am,' echoing God's self-identification to Moses in Exodus 3. This statement, along with his assertion 'I and the Father are one' (John 10:30) and 'If you have seen me, you have seen the Father' (John 14:9), leads his Jewish opponents to accuse him of blasphemy and attempt to stone him, indicating they understood these as claims to divinity.
Summarized by AI · Paul and Jesus: The Great Divide · Lecture 1: Who Was Jesus According to Jesus? · watch the clip
Jesus' Divine Identity in John vs. Synoptics
The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) do not portray Jesus as explicitly declaring himself God or equal to God. Instead, he teaches about the Kingdom of God and refers to himself as the Son of Man. In contrast, the Gospel of John presents Jesus' entire ministry as focused on his divine identity, with statements like 'before Abraham was, I am' and 'I and the Father are one,' which his Jewish opponents understood as claims to divinity.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Is the Trinity Really in the Bible? · watch the clip
Jesus' Divine Claims in John
In John, Jesus frequently makes explicit divine claims about himself, unlike in the Synoptics. Examples include stating 'Before Abraham was, I am' (John 8:58), using God's name from Exodus 3, and declaring 'I and the Father are one' (John 10:30). He also tells Philip, 'If you've seen me, you have seen the Father' (John 14:9), all of which assert his divinity.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · John the Maverick Gospel · watch the clip
Jesus's 'I Am' Claim in John 8
In John 8, Jesus declares to his enemies, 'Before Abraham was, I am.' This statement is understood by his audience as a claim to divinity, leading them to pick up stones to stone him. The phrase 'I am' echoes God's self-revelation to Moses in Exodus 3, where God identifies himself as 'I AM WHO I AM,' signifying Jesus's assertion of pre-existence and divine identity.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Did Jesus Actually Claim to be God? · watch the clip
Meaning of Yahweh: 'He causes to be'
If the name is Yahweh, it likely means "He causes to be" or "He brings into being." This interpretation aligns with the verb of being, from which the name appears to derive. While this is a plausible meaning for a deity's name, it is distinct from the phrase "Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh" found in Exodus 3:14.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · God’s Real Name Isn’t in Your Bible · watch the clip
Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh is not God's name
The phrase "Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh" ("I am what I am" or "I will be what I will be") in Exodus 3:14 is not God's proper name, despite its frequent emphasis in interpretation. This phrase appears only once in the Bible and is never referenced again as significant, unlike Yahweh, which is used extensively. Furthermore, in the very next verse (Exodus 3:15), God explicitly states, "Call me Yahweh. That's my name forever," indicating Yahweh as the true and enduring name.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · God’s Real Name Isn’t in Your Bible · watch the clip
Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh as a divine joke
The phrase "Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh" in Exodus 3:14 is likely a humorous, exasperated response from God to Moses's delaying tactics. Instead of a deep mystical revelation, it functions as a pun on Yahweh, essentially meaning, "Call me whatever you want; I'll be what I'll be." God then immediately provides the actual name, Yahweh, in the following verse, suggesting the earlier phrase was a lighthearted dismissal rather than a profound theological statement.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · God’s Real Name Isn’t in Your Bible · watch the clip
Exod 3:15
Yahweh: God's obscured proper name
God's proper name, Yahweh, is not found in most English Bibles, where it is typically translated as "LORD" (all caps). This practice originated in early Judaism, where the divine name was considered too sacred to pronounce, leading to the substitution of "Adonai" (Lord) when reading. The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, also replaced Yahweh with "kurios" (Lord), demonstrating this tradition's ancient roots.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · God’s Real Name Isn’t in Your Bible · watch the clip
Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh is not God's name
The phrase "Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh" ("I am what I am" or "I will be what I will be") in Exodus 3:14 is not God's proper name, despite its frequent emphasis in interpretation. This phrase appears only once in the Bible and is never referenced again as significant, unlike Yahweh, which is used extensively. Furthermore, in the very next verse (Exodus 3:15), God explicitly states, "Call me Yahweh. That's my name forever," indicating Yahweh as the true and enduring name.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · God’s Real Name Isn’t in Your Bible · watch the clip
Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh as a divine joke
The phrase "Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh" in Exodus 3:14 is likely a humorous, exasperated response from God to Moses's delaying tactics. Instead of a deep mystical revelation, it functions as a pun on Yahweh, essentially meaning, "Call me whatever you want; I'll be what I'll be." God then immediately provides the actual name, Yahweh, in the following verse, suggesting the earlier phrase was a lighthearted dismissal rather than a profound theological statement.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · God’s Real Name Isn’t in Your Bible · watch the clip
Pronunciation of God's Name in the Masoretic Text
A prominent example of the ketiv-qere tradition in the Masoretic Text is the four-letter name of God (YHWH). While written as YHWH, the marginal notes instruct readers to pronounce it as 'Adonai' (Lord). This practice explains why modern Bibles translate YHWH as 'Lord,' reflecting the ancient Jewish tradition of not vocalizing the divine name.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Who Really Chose the Books of the Hebrew Bible? · watch the clip
Exod 3:18
Pharaoh's Initial Demand: A Three-Day Sacrifice
Moses and Aaron's initial request to Pharaoh was not for the permanent liberation of the Israelites, but for a temporary release of three days to go into the wilderness and offer sacrifices to Yahweh. This limited demand highlights the gradual escalation of the conflict between God and Pharaoh.
Summarized by AI · Finding Moses: What Scholars Know About the Exodus and the Jewish Law · Lecture 3: The Exodus · watch the clip
