1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian (A descendant of Abraham, by Keturah. Moses was called in this land-Arabia; Mahomet also arose there): and he led the flock to the backside of the desert (would be on the West side, very fertile. First mention of Dessert of Sinai is in connection with feeding a flock!), and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. (Never used in New Testament. There "the wisdom of Egypt" had to be unlearned and God was made known, Isa.50:4)
e2 g1 3:2. Vision of the Burning Bush.
h1 3:3. Moses' curiosity.
g2 3:4-10. Divine revelation and commission.
h2 3:11. Moses' inquiry "Who am I?"
g3 3:12. Divine assurance.
h3 3:13. Moses' inquiry "Who are You?"
g4 3:14-22. Divine commission.
h4 4:1. Moses' doubt.
g5 4:2-9. Divine assurance.
h5 4:10. Moses inefficiency.
g6 4:11,12. Divine power and inspiration.
h6 4:13. Moses' request.
g7 4:14-17. Divine anger and provision.1491 B.C.
2 And the Angel of the Lord (= then Yahaveh Himself. Genitive of Apposition, v.4, then "God" [v.4]. Cp. Gen. 18:1,13,17,20,22,23; 19:1,24; and cp. Gen. 32:24,30 with Hos.12:3,4) appeared (40 years after) to 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. (Same lesson as "furnace" of Gen. 15:17)
3 And Moses said, "I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt."
4 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called (only here in Exodus) to him out of the midst of the bush, and said, "Moses, Moses." (cp. Gen. 22:11.) And he said, "Here am I."
5 And God said (occ. 4 times in Ex.3:5,6,12,14), "Draw not near to this place: put off your shoes from off your feet, for the place whereon you stand it is holy ground." (= Separated, or set apart for God. Always the rendering of Heb. kadesh-first occ. here-except Ps. 42:4, where it is hagag = holy day; and Deut. 38:8, Ps. 16:2; 86:2; 89:19; 145:17 where hasid = favor or grace. Kadesh must have one identical meaning-as above-in all passages; and does not imply moral quality except when used of God Himself. It is rendered "consecrated", "dedicated", "hallowed", "holiness", "saint", an "sanctuary".)
6 Moreover God said, I (pronoun emphatic) am the God (God, The Creator. Note the 5-fold repetition. Christ founds the doctrine of Resurrection on this verse. See Matt. 22:31,32) of your 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 . (Cp. Acts 7:32.)
7 And the Lord said (Yahaveh, as Covenant God. Heb.'amar, requiring the word spoken. This expression occurs 45 "sundry times" in Exodus, and 10 "divers manners", and cp. Lev. 1:1; 5:14, Num. 3:40 and see 6:10), "I have surely seen (see Gen. 26:28. All begins with God. All is of His grace. Note the 5 statements in vv.7,8; and "My People" cp. Deut. 32:8,9) the affliction of My People which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians (connect this with "serve" in v.12; and connect both with 1 Thess.1:9,10), and to bring them up out of that land to a good land (note 5-fold description of the land and compare it with America today. Do you know what tribe you belong to?) and large, to a land flowing with milk and honey; to the place of the Canaanites (6 nations named. the number of man & Satan), and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel is come to Me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
10 Come now therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring forth My People the sons of Israel out of Egypt."
11 And Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the son of Israel out of Egypt?" (Occupation with self is the cause of all distrust. Note these 4 instances. Cp. 4:1,10-12,12,13. Very different from the Moses of 2:11-14.)
12 And God said, "Certainly I will be with you (here the name of "Yahaveh" is anticipated); and this shall be a token to you, that I have sent you: When you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, you all shall serve God (very emphatic. God Himself = The Triune God. Cp. "deliver", v.8) upon this mountain."
13 And Moses said to God, "Behold, when I come to the sons of Israel, and shall say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you;' and they shall say to me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?"
14 And God said to Moses (this expression occ. twice in Ex. only here in vv.14,15 to Moses), I AM THAT I AM (Heb. 'ehyeh 'asher 'ehyeh. I will be what I will be, or become):" and God said, "Thus shall you say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM (Heb. 'ehyeh = I will be [speaking of Himself]) has sent me to you.' "
15: And God said moreover to Moses, "Thus shall you say to the sons of Israel, 'the Lord (= He will be, spoken of by others. Cp. Rev. 1:4, "which is" = continuance in time present, "which was" = continuance in time past, "which is to come" = continuance forever. The French, "The Eternal", is a much better rendering than Lord, which = Master and Owner. What He be is left to be filled up according to the needs of those whom He is in covenant = He Who becomes Savior, Redeemer, Deliverer, Strengthener, Comforter, &c.) 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 for ever (He changes not. Mal. 3:6. He is therefore Israel's God today, as then), and this is My memorial to all generations.
16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, 'the Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, 'I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:
17 And 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, to a land flowing with milk and honey.' ' '
18 And they shall listen to your voice: and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt, and you all shall say to him, 'the Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us: and now let us go, we beseech you, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.'
19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.
20 And 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.
21 And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when you all go, you all shall not go empty:
22 But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her that sojourns in her house, jewels (or articles) of silver, and jewels (or articles) of gold, and clothing: and you all shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and you all shall spoil the Egyptians."