1 Now Moses H4872 kept H1961 H7462 the flock H6629 of Jethro H3503 his father in law, H2859 the priest H3548 of Midian: H4080 and he led H5090 the flock H6629 to the backside H310 of the desert, H4057 and came H935 to the mountain H2022 of God, H430 even to Horeb. H2722
2 And the angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 appeared H7200 unto him in a flame H3827 of fire H784 out of the midst H8432 of a bush: H5572 and he looked, H7200 and, behold, the bush H5572 burned H1197 with fire, H784 and the bush H5572 was not consumed. H398
3 And Moses H4872 said, H559 I will now turn aside, H5493 and see H7200 this great H1419 sight, H4758 why H4069 the bush H5572 is not burnt. H1197
4 And when the LORD H3068 saw H7200 that he turned aside H5493 to see, H7200 God H430 called H7121 unto him out of the midst H8432 of the bush, H5572 and said, H559 Moses, H4872 Moses. H4872 And he said, H559 Here am I.
5 And he said, H559 Draw not nigh H7126 hither: H1988 put off H5394 thy shoes H5275 from off thy feet, H7272 for the place H4725 whereon H834 thou standest H5975 is holy H6944 ground. H127
6 Moreover he said, H559 I am the God H430 of thy father, H1 the God H430 of Abraham, H85 the God H430 of Isaac, H3327 and the God H430 of Jacob. H3290 And Moses H4872 hid H5641 his face; H6440 for he was afraid H3372 to look H5027 upon God. H430
7 And the LORD H3068 said, H559 I have surely H7200 seen H7200 the affliction H6040 of my people H5971 which are in Egypt, H4714 and have heard H8085 their cry H6818 by reason H6440 of their taskmasters; H5065 for I know H3045 their sorrows; H4341
8 And I am come down H3381 to deliver H5337 them out of the hand H3027 of the Egyptians, H4714 and to bring H5927 them up out of that land H776 unto a good H2896 land H776 and a large, H7342 unto a land H776 flowing H2100 with milk H2461 and honey; H1706 unto the place H4725 of the Canaanites, H3669 and the Hittites, H2850 and the Amorites, H567 and the Perizzites, H6522 and the Hivites, H2340 and the Jebusites. H2983
9 Now therefore, behold, the cry H6818 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 is come H935 unto me: and I have also seen H7200 the oppression H3906 wherewith the Egyptians H4714 oppress H3905 them.
10 Come H3212 now therefore, and I will send H7971 thee unto Pharaoh, H6547 that thou mayest bring forth H3318 my people H5971 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 out of Egypt. H4714
11 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto God, H430 Who am I, that I should go H3212 unto Pharaoh, H6547 and that I should bring forth H3318 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 out of Egypt? H4714
12 And he said, H559 Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token H226 unto thee, that H3588 I have sent H7971 thee: When thou hast brought forth H3318 the people H5971 out of Egypt, H4714 ye shall serve H5647 God H430 upon this mountain. H2022
13 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto God, H430 Behold, when I come H935 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and shall say H559 unto them, The God H430 of your fathers H1 hath sent H7971 me unto you; and they shall say H559 to me, What is his name? H8034 what shall I say H559 unto them?
14 And God H430 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 I AM H1961 THAT I AM: H1961 and he said, H559 Thus shalt thou say H559 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 I AM hath sent H7971 me unto you.
15 And God H430 said H559 moreover H5750 unto Moses, H4872 Thus shalt thou say H559 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 The LORD H3068 God H430 of your fathers, H1 the God H430 of Abraham, H85 the God H430 of Isaac, H3327 and the God H430 of Jacob, H3290 hath sent H7971 me unto you: this is my name H8034 for ever, H5769 and this is my memorial H2143 unto all H1755 generations. H1755
16 Go, H3212 and gather H622 the elders H2205 of Israel H3478 together, H622 and say H559 unto them, The LORD H3068 God H430 of your fathers, H1 the God H430 of Abraham, H85 of Isaac, H3327 and of Jacob, H3290 appeared H7200 unto me, saying, H559 I have surely H6485 visited H6485 you, and seen that which is done H6213 to you in Egypt: H4714
17 And I have said, H559 I will bring H5927 you up out of the affliction H6040 of Egypt H4714 unto the land H776 of the Canaanites, H3669 and the Hittites, H2850 and the Amorites, H567 and the Perizzites, H6522 and the Hivites, H2340 and the Jebusites, H2983 unto a land H776 flowing H2100 with milk H2461 and honey. H1706
18 And they shall hearken H8085 to thy voice: H6963 and thou shalt come, H935 thou and the elders H2205 of Israel, H3478 unto the king H4428 of Egypt, H4714 and ye shall say H559 unto him, The LORD H3068 God H430 of the Hebrews H5680 hath met H7136 with us: and now let us go, H3212 we beseech thee, three H7969 days' H3117 journey H1870 into the wilderness, H4057 that we may sacrifice H2076 to the LORD H3068 our God. H430
19 And I am sure H3045 that the king H4428 of Egypt H4714 will not let H5414 you go, H1980 no, not by a mighty H2389 hand. H3027
20 And I will stretch out H7971 my hand, H3027 and smite H5221 Egypt H4714 with all my wonders H6381 which I will do H6213 in the midst H7130 thereof: and after H310 that he will let you go. H7971
21 And I will give H5414 this people H5971 favour H2580 in the sight H5869 of the Egyptians: H4714 and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, H3212 ye shall not go H3212 empty: H7387
22 But every woman H802 shall borrow H7592 of her neighbour, H7934 and of her that sojourneth H1481 in her house, H1004 jewels H3627 of silver, H3701 and jewels H3627 of gold, H2091 and raiment: H8071 and ye shall put H7760 them upon your sons, H1121 and upon your daughters; H1323 and ye shall spoil H5337 the Egyptians. H4714
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 3
Commentary on Exodus 3 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 3
Ex 3:1-22. Divine Appearance and Commission to Moses.
1. Now Moses kept the flock—This employment he had entered on in furtherance of his matrimonial views (see on Ex 2:21), but it is probable he was continuing his service now on other terms like Jacob during the latter years of his stay with Laban (Ge 30:28).
he led the flock to the backside of the desert—that is, on the west of the desert [Gesenius], assuming Jethro's headquarters to have been at Dahab. The route by which Moses led his flock must have been west through the wide valley called by the Arabs, Wady-es-Zugherah [Robinson], which led into the interior of the wilderness.
Mountain of God—so named either according to Hebrew idiom from its great height, as "great mountains," Hebrew, "mountains of God" (Ps 36:6); "goodly cedars," Hebrew, "cedars of God" (Ps 80:10); or some think from its being the old abode of "the glory"; or finally from its being the theater of transactions most memorable in the history of the true religion to Horeb—rather, "Horeb-ward."
Horeb—that is, "dry," "desert," was the general name for the mountainous district in which Sinai is situated, and of which it is a part. (See on Ex 19:2). It was used to designate the region comprehending that immense range of lofty, desolate, and barren hills, at the base of which, however, there are not only many patches of verdure to be seen, but almost all the valleys, or wadys, as they are called, show a thin coating of vegetation, which, towards the south, becomes more luxuriant. The Arab shepherds seldom take their flocks to a greater distance than one day's journey from their camp. Moses must have gone at least two days' journey, and although he seems to have been only following his pastoral course, that region, from its numerous springs in the clefts of the rocks being the chief resort of the tribes during the summer heats, the Providence of God led him thither for an important purpose.
2, 3. the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire—It is common in Scripture to represent the elements and operations of nature, as winds, fires, earthquakes, pestilence, everything enlisted in executing the divine will, as the "angels" or messengers of God. But in such cases God Himself is considered as really, though invisibly, present. Here the preternatural fire may be primarily meant by the expression "angel of the Lord"; but it is clear that under this symbol, the Divine Being was present, whose name is given (Ex 3:4, 6), and elsewhere called the angel of the covenant, Jehovah-Jesus.
out of the midst of a bush—the wild acacia or thorn, with which that desert abounds, and which is generally dry and brittle, so much so, that at certain seasons, a spark might kindle a district far and wide into a blaze. A fire, therefore, being in the midst of such a desert bush was a "great sight." It is generally supposed to have been emblematic of the Israelites' condition in Egypt—oppressed by a grinding servitude and a bloody persecution, and yet, in spite of the cruel policy that was bent on annihilating them, they continued as numerous and thriving as ever. The reason was "God was in the midst of them." The symbol may also represent the present state of the Jews, as well as of the Church generally in the world.
4. when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see—The manifestations which God anciently made of Himself were always accompanied by clear, unmistakable signs that the communications were really from heaven. This certain evidence was given to Moses. He saw a fire, but no human agent to kindle it; he heard a voice, but no human lips from which it came; he saw no living Being, but One was in the bush, in the heat of the flames, who knew him and addressed him by name. Who could this be but the Divine Being?
5. put off thy shoes—The direction was in conformity with a usage which was well known to Moses, for the Egyptian priests observed it in their temples, and it is observed in all Eastern countries where the people take off their shoes or sandals, as we do our hats. But the Eastern idea is not precisely the same as the Western. With us, the removal of the hat is an expression of reverence for the place we enter, or rather of Him who is worshipped there. With them the removal of the shoes is a confession of personal defilement and conscious unworthiness to stand in the presence of unspotted holiness.
6-8. I am the God … come down to deliver—The reverential awe of Moses must have been relieved by the divine Speaker (see Mt 22:32), announcing Himself in His covenant character, and by the welcome intelligence communicated. Moreover, the time, as well as all the circumstances of this miraculous appearance, were such as to give him an illustrious display of God's faithfulness to His promises. The period of Israel's journey and affliction in Egypt had been predicted (Ge 15:13), and it was during the last year of the term which had still to run that the Lord appeared in the burning bush.
10-22. Come now therefore, and I will send thee—Considering the patriotic views that had formerly animated the breast of Moses, we might have anticipated that no mission could have been more welcome to his heart than to be employed in the national emancipation of Israel. But he evinced great reluctance to it and stated a variety of objections [Ex 3:11, 13; 4:1, 10] all of which were successfully met and removed—and the happy issue of his labors was minutely described.