Exodus 3

King James Version

Full text for Exodus Chapter 3

1¶ Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, [even] to Horeb.

2And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush [was] not consumed.

3And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

4And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here [am] I.

5And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest [is] holy ground.

6Moreover he said, I [am] the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

7¶ And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which [are] in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

8And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

9Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

10Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

11¶ And Moses said unto God, Who [am] I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

12And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this [shall be] a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

13And Moses said unto God, Behold, [when] I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What [is] his name? what shall I say unto them?

14And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

15And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this [is] my name for ever, and this [is] my memorial unto all generations.

16¶ Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and [seen] that which is done to you in Egypt:

17And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.

18And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.

19And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.

20And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.

21And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty:

22But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put [them] upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Moses, tending his flock at Mount Horeb, encounters God in a burning bush that is not consumed. God reveals Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, declaring His awareness of Israel's affliction in Egypt. He commissions Moses to lead His people to a promised land, assuring him of divine presence and power despite Moses' initial reluctance.

Medium Summary

While shepherding his father-in-law Jethro's flock at Mount Horeb, Moses witnesses a miraculous sight: a bush burning with fire yet remaining unconsumed. As he approaches, the LORD calls to him from the bush, instructing him to remove his shoes as the ground is holy. God identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, revealing His intention to deliver the afflicted Israelites from Egyptian bondage and bring them to a fertile land. Despite Moses' initial protestations of inadequacy, God assures him of His presence and power. When Moses inquires about God's name, the LORD declares Himself as "I AM THAT I AM," and "The LORD God of your fathers." God then outlines the plan for Moses to gather the elders, confront Pharaoh, and lead the people, foretelling Pharaoh's resistance and God's ultimate display of wonders to secure their release and provide spoils.

Long Summary

Exodus chapter 3 opens with Moses tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, leading them to Mount Horeb, identified as the mountain of God. There, the angel of the LORD appears to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush, which burns without being consumed. Moses, drawn by this unusual sight, turns aside to investigate, prompting God to call out to him from the bush. God commands Moses to remove his shoes, declaring the ground holy, and then identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, causing Moses to hide his face in fear. The LORD reveals His profound awareness of the suffering and oppression of the children of Israel in Egypt, stating His intention to descend and deliver them from bondage. He declares His plan to bring them to a good, large land, flowing with milk and honey, inhabited by various Canaanite tribes. Subsequently, God commissions Moses to be His instrument in this deliverance, sending him to Pharaoh to bring forth the Israelites. Moses expresses deep humility and inadequacy, questioning his own ability to undertake such a monumental task. God reassures him, promising His unwavering presence and providing a future sign: that after leading the people out, they would serve God upon that very mountain. Moses then seeks to know God's name, anticipating the Israelites' inquiry. In response, God reveals His eternal and self-existent nature with the declaration, "I AM THAT I AM," instructing Moses to tell the people that "I AM" has sent him, further clarifying His identity as "The LORD God of your fathers." God then provides specific instructions for Moses: to gather the elders of Israel, inform them of God's visitation and His promise of deliverance to the promised land. He also details the encounter with Pharaoh, instructing Moses and the elders to request a three-day journey into the wilderness for sacrifice. Finally, God foretells Pharaoh's stubborn refusal, stating that only by a "mighty hand" will he release them, and promises to perform wonders in Egypt, ensuring that the Israelites will leave with favor and spoils from the Egyptians.

Core Concepts

  • The Burning BushA miraculous manifestation where God appears to Moses in a bush consumed by fire yet not destroyed, symbolizing God's presence and power. It serves as the initial point of divine revelation and commissioning for Moses.
  • Holy GroundUpon Moses' approach to the burning bush, God commands him to remove his shoes, declaring the place holy. This signifies the sacredness of God's presence and the reverence required in His presence.
  • God's Self-Revelation (I AM THAT I AM)When Moses asks for God's name, God reveals Himself as "I AM THAT I AM." This name emphasizes God's eternal, self-existent, and unchanging nature, signifying His absolute being.
  • Divine CommissioningGod calls Moses, who is tending sheep, to be His chosen instrument to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. This highlights God's sovereign choice and His use of ordinary individuals for extraordinary purposes.
  • Promise of DeliveranceGod explicitly states His awareness of Israel's affliction and His intention to bring them out of Egypt to a "land flowing with milk and honey." This establishes God's faithfulness to His covenant and His active intervention in human history.
  • Pharaoh's Resistance and God's WondersGod foretells that Pharaoh will not willingly release the Israelites, necessitating God's display of "wonders" and a "mighty hand." This sets the stage for the plagues and demonstrates God's supreme power over earthly rulers.
  • Spoiling the EgyptiansGod promises that the Israelites will leave Egypt not empty-handed but will "spoil the Egyptians" by borrowing jewels of silver, gold, and raiment from their neighbors. This illustrates God's provision and recompense for the Israelites' long servitude.