A modern English translation drawn directly from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Translated word-for-word where possible, by a committee with scholarly oversight.
Uses the same source texts as the ESV, NASB, and most academic Bibles, including the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia and the Nestle-Aland critical edition.
Exodus 3
Exodus 3 is the third chapter of the book of Exodus and the chapter in which the LORD reveals his name to Moses at the burning bush. The 22-verse chapter contains "I AM WHO I AM," one of the most famous lines in the Bible, and the commission that sends Moses back to Egypt.
The chapter opens with Moses shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He leads the flock to the far side of the wilderness and comes to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appears to him in a blazing fire from within a bush. The bush is ablaze, but it is not consumed. Moses turns aside to see why.
When the LORD sees that he has come over to look, God calls to him from within the bush, "Moses, Moses!" Moses answers, "Here I am." God says, "Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Then he says, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Moses hides his face, afraid to look at God.
The LORD tells Moses that he has seen the affliction of his people in Egypt and heard their cry. He has come down to rescue them and bring them up to a good and spacious land flowing with milk and honey. He is sending Moses to Pharaoh.
Moses objects: "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" God answers, "I will surely be with you," and gives him a sign: when he has brought the people out, they will worship God on this mountain.
Moses then asks what to say when the Israelites ask for God's name. God answers, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" He continues, "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."
God then gives Moses his orders. He is to gather the elders of Israel and report what the LORD has said. With them he is to go to the king of Egypt and ask permission for a three-day journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to the LORD. God tells Moses that Pharaoh will refuse unless compelled by a mighty hand. The LORD will strike Egypt with wonders, and after that Pharaoh will release the people. The Israelites will not leave empty-handed: they will ask the Egyptians for silver, gold, and clothing, and they will plunder Egypt.
Verse 1. Meanwhile, 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.
Verse 2. There 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.
Verse 3. So Moses thought, “I must go over and see this marvelous sight. Why is the bush not burning up?”
Verse 4. When 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.
Verse 5. “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”
Verse 6. Then 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.
Verse 7. The 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.
Verse 8. I 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.
Verse 9. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached Me, and I have seen how severely the Egyptians are oppressing them.
Verse 10. Therefore, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt.”
Verse 11. But Moses asked God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
Verse 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.”
Verse 13. Then 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?”
Verse 14. God 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.’”
Verse 15. God 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.
Verse 16. Go, 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.
Verse 17. And 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.’
Verse 18. The 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.’
Verse 19. But I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go unless a mighty hand compels him.
Verse 20. So 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.
Verse 21. And I will grant this people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that when you leave, you will not go away empty-handed.
Verse 22. Every 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.”
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