And 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.
What does Exodus 3:14 mean?
Formerly Moses thought himself able to deliver Israel, and set himself to the work too hastily. Now, when the fittest person on earth for it, he knows his own weakness.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Exodus 3:11-15 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Exodus 3:14
I am that I am - That is, "I am what I am." The words express absolute, and therefore unchanging and eternal Being. The name, which Moses was thus commissioned to use, was at once new and old; old in its connection with previous revelations; new in its full interpretation, and in its bearing upon the covenant of which Moses was the destined mediator.
Key words
- Moses
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And God said unto Moses, I am that I am,.
- said
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And God said unto Moses, I am that I am,.
Context in Exodus 3
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Exodus 3 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as Israel’s oppression and the call of Moses. Exodus tells the story of Israel’s rescue from Pharaoh, the revelation of the divine name, the covenant at Sinai, and the tabernacle where God chooses to dwell among his people. Read this chapter with the wider themes of redemption, Passover, and covenant in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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Central texts on sin, grace, faith, Christ’s saving work, and the Bible’s announcement that salvation is received rather than achieved.