Skip to content
Scripture Mapping

Exodus 3

World English Bible

WEB

1Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to God’s mountain, to Horeb. 2Yahweh’s angel appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the middle of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3Moses said, “I will go now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4When Yahweh saw that he came over to see, God called to him out of the middle of the bush, and said, “Moses! Moses!” He said, “Here I am.” 5He said, “Don’t come close. Take off your sandals, for the place you are standing on is holy ground.” 6Moreover he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God. 7Yahweh said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 8I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey; to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 9Now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to me. Moreover I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10Come now therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12He said, “Certainly I will be with you. This will be the token to you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” 13Moses said to God, “Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and tell 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,” and he said, “You shall tell the children of Israel this: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15God said moreover to Moses, “You shall tell the children of Israel this, ‘Yahweh, 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 my memorial to all generations. 16Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and tell them, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt. 17I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”’ 18They will listen to your voice. You shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt, and you shall tell him, ‘Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to Yahweh, our God.’ 19I know that the king of Egypt won’t give you permission to go, no, not by a mighty hand. 20I will reach out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders which I will do among them, and after that he will let you go. 21I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and it will happen that when you go, you shall not go empty-handed. 22But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her who visits her house, jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and clothing. You shall put them on your sons, and on your daughters. You shall plunder the Egyptians.”

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

Exodus Chapter 3 marks a pivotal moment in the narrative of the Israelites' deliverance from Egypt. The chapter begins with Moses tending to the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, in the wilderness near Mount Horeb, also known as the mountain of God. Here, Moses encounters a remarkable sight: a bush that burns but is not consumed. This miraculous event draws Moses closer, prompting God to call out to him from the midst of the bush, saying, "Moses, Moses!" (Exodus 3:4). This divine encounter emphasizes God's holiness, as He instructs Moses to remove his sandals, for the ground he stands on is holy ground. This moment signifies the sacredness of God's presence and sets the stage for the mission that Moses is about to undertake.

God reveals His identity to Moses as "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14), affirming His eternal and self-sufficient nature. He commissions Moses to return to Egypt and lead the Israelites out of slavery, promising to be with him. God also provides Moses with signs to perform, such as turning his staff into a serpent and his hand becoming leprous, to demonstrate His power and authority. Despite Moses' initial reluctance and feelings of inadequacy, God reassures him that He will equip him for the task ahead. This chapter highlights themes of divine calling, the importance of obedience, and God's unwavering commitment to His people, setting the foundation for the liberation of the Israelites from bondage.

Overall, Exodus 3 serves as a powerful reminder of God's presence in our lives and His ability to use ordinary individuals for extraordinary purposes. It encourages believers to trust in God's plan and to respond to His call with faith and courage. #Moses #BurningBush #IAm #Exodus

Study

14 dimensions

Referenced by

  1. Genesis 16:7v2The Angel of the Lord appears to Hagar in Genesis 16:7, similar to the appearance to Moses in Exodus 3:2, indicating divine intervention and guidance.
  2. Genesis 16:13v14Hagar names God 'El Roi' in Genesis 16:13, acknowledging His seeing her, similar to God's self-revelation as 'I AM' in Exodus 3:14, emphasizing God's presence and awareness.
  3. Genesis 28:16-17v5Jacob's realization of God's presence in Genesis 28:16-17 parallels Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush in Exodus 3:5, where both recognize the holiness of the place.
  4. Genesis 45:9v16Genesis 45:9 has Joseph instructing his brothers to tell their father of his position in Egypt. Similarly, in Exodus 3:16, God instructs Moses to gather the elders of Israel and tell them of God's plan to deliver them from Egypt, showing the continuity of God's communication and deliverance.
  5. Genesis 50:24v16In Genesis 50:24, Joseph speaks of God's promise to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, which is fulfilled in Exodus 3:16-17 when God commissions Moses to lead the people to the Promised Land.
  6. Exodus 5:1v18Exodus 5:1 records Moses and Aaron's first encounter with Pharaoh, where they demand the release of the Israelites to hold a feast to the Lord. This request fulfills the instruction given by God in Exodus 3:18.
  7. Exodus 11:1v19Exodus 11:1 speaks of the final plague that will lead to the Israelites' release, which was foretold in Exodus 3:19-20 when God tells Moses that Pharaoh will not let the people go unless compelled by a mighty hand.
  8. Numbers 13:27v8Numbers 13:27 reports the spies' confirmation of Canaan as a land flowing with milk and honey, fulfilling God's promise in Exodus 3:8 to bring the Israelites to a prosperous land.
  9. Joshua 5:13-15v5In Joshua 5:13-15, Joshua encounters the commander of the Lord's army and is told to remove his sandals, similar to Moses' encounter with God in Exodus 3:5.
  10. Judges 3:9v7In Judges 3:9, the Israelites cry out to the Lord for deliverance, and He raises up Othniel as a deliverer. This mirrors God's response to the cries of the Israelites in Egypt, where He sends Moses to deliver them.
  11. Judges 6:14v10Judges 6:14 shows God commissioning Gideon to save Israel, similar to God's call to Moses in Exodus 3:10 to deliver the Israelites from Egypt. Both leaders are called to deliver their people from oppression.
  12. Ruth 1:6v7Ruth 1:6 mentions the Lord providing food for His people, reminiscent of God's provision and care for the Israelites in Exodus 3:7.
  13. 1 Samuel 3:4v4In 1 Samuel 3:4, the Lord calls Samuel by name, similar to how God calls Moses by name in Exodus 3:4, indicating a personal call to service.
  14. 1 Samuel 9:16v7In 1 Samuel 9:16, God tells Samuel that He has seen the affliction of His people and will send a leader to save them, echoing God's words to Moses in Exodus 3:7-10 about delivering Israel from Egypt.
  15. 1 Samuel 30:18-19v7The recovery of all that was lost in 1 Samuel 30:18-19 reflects God's deliverance and restoration, similar to His promise to deliver Israel from Egypt in Exodus 3:7-8.
  16. Ezra 5:5v12Ezra 5:5 notes that the eye of God was upon the elders of the Jews, similar to Exodus 3:12 where God assures Moses of His presence, indicating divine oversight and support.
  17. Nehemiah 9:9v7Nehemiah 9:9 recalls God's compassion and deliverance of Israel from Egypt, paralleling Exodus 3:7-8 where God sees the affliction of His people and promises to deliver them.
  18. Job 24:12v7Job 24:12 describes the groans of the dying and the cries of the wounded, paralleling Exodus 3:7 where God hears the cries of the Israelites in Egypt, showing God's awareness of human suffering.
  19. Psalms 12:5v7Psalm 12:5 speaks of the Lord's response to the oppression of the poor, similar to Exodus 3:7-8, where God hears the cries of the Israelites and promises deliverance from their oppression in Egypt.
  20. Psalms 105:26v10Psalm 105:26 speaks of Moses and Aaron, whom God sent to lead Israel out of Egypt, as initially called in Exodus 3:10.
  21. Ecclesiastes 4:1v7Ecclesiastes 4:1 observes the oppression and suffering in the world, which echoes God's awareness of the Israelites' suffering in Egypt as described in Exodus 3:7-9.
  22. Isaiah 14:3v7Isaiah 14:3 speaks of the Lord giving rest from sorrow and hard bondage. This is reminiscent of Exodus 3:7-8, where God promises to deliver the Israelites from their oppression in Egypt, highlighting God's compassion and deliverance.
  23. Isaiah 19:19-20v7Isaiah 19:19-20 describes an altar to the Lord in Egypt and God responding to their cries, reminiscent of God hearing the cries of the Israelites in Egypt and sending Moses to deliver them in Exodus 3:7-8.
  24. Isaiah 43:1v7Isaiah 43:1 speaks of God calling Israel by name and redeeming them, echoing God's call to Moses in Exodus 3:7-10 to deliver Israel from Egypt, highlighting God's personal relationship and redemptive action.
  25. Isaiah 63:9v7Isaiah 63:9 highlights God's presence and salvation in the affliction of His people, echoing Exodus 3:7-8 where God sees the affliction of Israel in Egypt and comes down to deliver them.
  26. Amos 7:14-15v1Amos 7:14-15 describes Amos's humble origins and divine calling, paralleling Moses's call from shepherding to leading Israel in Exodus 3:1-10.
  27. Matthew 22:32v6In Matthew 22:32, Jesus quotes Exodus 3:6 to affirm the resurrection, emphasizing that God is the God of the living, not the dead, thus supporting the doctrine of life after death.
  28. Luke 20:37v6In Luke 20:37, Jesus refers to Exodus 3:6 to demonstrate the reality of the resurrection, using God's self-identification as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to show that He is the God of the living.
  29. John 8:58v14In John 8:58, Jesus uses the divine name 'I AM,' directly connecting to Exodus 3:14 where God reveals Himself to Moses as 'I AM WHO I AM,' indicating Jesus' divinity.
  30. Acts 3:13v6Acts 3:13 refers to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, connecting to Exodus 3:6 where God identifies Himself to Moses as the God of the patriarchs, establishing continuity in God's covenantal faithfulness.
  31. Acts 7:30v2Stephen describes the appearance of God to Moses in the burning bush, as originally recorded in Exodus 3:2, emphasizing God's revelation and calling.

Topics in this chapter

Related chapters

Your study

Take it with you

This chapter’s study as a Markdown file. The analysis was written for a notebook originally, so the hashtags arrive as hashtags and the passages as links.

Download the analysisDownload it with your notes and highlights