2.24 Groaning, the sound of the oppressed (see Judg 2.18). Remembered. Hebrew does not distinguish “to remember” from “to pay mind to,” which seems more apt in context. Abraham. Cf. Gen 17.7–8. Isaac. Cf. Gen 17.19, 21. Jacob. Cf. Gen 35.11–12; 46.3–4.
2.25 Looked upon, in the sense of “took note.” Took notice. See note on 1.8.
EXODUS 3
Moses at the Burning Bush
1Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. 3Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” 4When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6He said further, “I am the God 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 at God.
7Then the LORD said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. 10So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” 11But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”
The Divine Name Revealed
13But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.”a He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD,b the God of your ancestors, 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 my title for all generations.
16Go and assemble the elders of Israel, and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying: I have given heed to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt. 17I declare that I will bring you up out of the misery of Egypt, to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.’ 18They will listen to your voice; and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; let us now go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’ 19I know, however, that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand.c 20So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders that I will perform in it; after that he will let you go. 21I will bring this people into such favor with the Egyptians that, when you go, you will not go empty-handed; 22each woman shall ask her neighbor and any woman living in the neighbor’s house for jewelry of silver and of gold, and clothing, and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters; and so you shall plunder the Egyptians.”
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a Or I AM WHAT I AM or I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE
b The word “LORD” when spelled with capital letters stands for the divine name, YHWH, which is here connected with the verb hayah, “to be”
c Gk Vg: Heb no, not by a mighty hand
3.1–12 The commissioning of Moses begins with a numinous experience, appropriate to the wonder-working task that awaits him.
3.1 Moses was, lit. “Now Moses, he was,” indicating that the ensuing episode takes place simultaneously with the preceding (2.23–25). Keeping, from the same Hebrew root as shepherd (2.17), a distinctively Hebrew occupation (Gen 46.32–34; 47.3–4). Moses’ future role is betokened: “shepherd” is a metaphor for leader (see Num 27.17; 2 Sam 5.2; Jer 22.22; Ezek 34.2); David too was a shepherd (2 Sam 7.8). Jethro. See note on 2.18. He led, apparently intentionally; see note on 4.18–20. Beyond. The odd Hebrew has “behind.” Horeb, the name of Mount Sinai in a tradition ascribed by scholars to the putative Elohist and Deuteronomic sources, i.e., to traditions in Genesis, Exodus, and Deuteronomy (e.g., 17.6; 33.6; Deut 1.2, 6). Mountain of God, the narrator’s anticipation or a hint of Moses’ knowledge prior to the revelation to follow that it was a holy mountain; see note on 4.18–20.
3.2 Fire, a conventional medium of the divine presence (e.g., Gen 15.17; Judg 13.20); fire will surround the deity in the revelation at Mount Sinai (19.18). A bush, in Hebrew “the bush,” another hint that the site was known to be sacred. The Hebrew term for “bush,” seneh, suggests the mountain’s name, Sinai, Yahweh’s original location according to Deut 33.2; Judg 5.5 and site of the Lord’s appearance before all Israel (chs. 19–20).
3.3 Physical attraction, here visual stimulation, is typical of the numinous experience. Is not burned up, rather “does not burn.”
3.4 The LORD. Although it was an angel that appeared in v. 2, there is no substantive difference between the deity and his agents. Moses, Moses! Doubling the name may serve to reassure that it is not mirage (cf. Gen 22.11; 1 Sam 3.10). Here I am, an obliging gesture on Moses’ part (e.g., Gen 22.1; 1 Sam 3.4).
3.5 No closer. Cf. 19.12, 21–24. Remove…holy ground. Cf. Josh 5.15.
3.6 God of…Jacob. Cf. 2.24. Hid his face, a phrase elsewhere used mostly of God’s shutting out human affairs, e.g., Deut 31.17–18; Ps 44.24; Isa 8.17; Ezek 39.23–24. Afraid to look. Gazing directly into the deity’s face is said to be fatal (see 33.20; cf. Isa 6.5), but seeing an angel or a mitigated divine vision does no harm; see Gen 32.30; Ex 24.11; 33.23; Judg 6.22–23; 13.22–23; cf. Ex. 33.11. Fear, along with fascination (v. 3), characterizes the numinous experience.
3.7–9 An elaboration of 2.23–25.
3.7 Observed, the same Hebrew term rendered looked upon (2.25), looked/look (3.2–3), and saw (3.4). Misery, or “affliction,” cognate to oppress (1.11). Their cry, “outcry,” connoting moral outrage (e.g., Gen 18.21; Isa 5.7). Sufferings, physical pain (e.g., Isa 53.4; Jer 20.15; 51.8).
3.8 Have come down, from God’s abode in the sky (e.g., 19.11, 20; Gen 11.5; 18.21; 28.13; Ps 18.7–20). Milk and honey, the first instance of this cliché for the land of Israel (e.g., 13.5; 33.3; Lev 20.24; Num 13.27; Deut 6.3). Canaanites…Jebusites, six of the indigenous Canaanite peoples, recapitulated in v. 17. Gen 15.19–21 lists ten, but not the Hivites. Hittites, a people originally from Asia Minor who populated Canaan beginning about 1400 BCE. Amorites, a generic term for Western Semites. Jebusites, inhabitants of Jerusalem, conquered by David (2 Sam 5.6–7).
3.9 Seen, the same Hebrew term rendered observed in v. 7. Oppress, different from the term in 1.11–12; used twice in the Hebrew phrasing, it has the root sense of “press” cf. 22.20; 23.9.
3.10 So. The Hebrew is stronger: “Now then.” Send. This verb defines the prophet’s role as a messenger from God. Pharaoh. Moses may not know the pharaoh; the one he knew has died (2.23; see note on 4.18–20). Bring…out, the causative verb “to have them go out,” the etymology of “exodus,” a theme word of the narrative and a term by which the delivering Lord will be identified (e.g., 6.6–7; 20.2).
3.11 A pragmatic concern or a display of Moses’ famed modesty (Num 12.3). Moses plays the reluctant prophet (c
f. Judg 6.15; Isa 6.8; Jer 1).
3.12 The deity echoes Moses’ language. Although not reflected in the English, the Hebrew particle “that, indeed” is used twice by Moses in v. 11 and twice by God in this verse. Sign, a key term throughout this and the ensuing narrative. Signs authenticate those who perform them and demonstrate the Lord’s power.
3.13–22 The Lord is revealed as the God of Israel’s ancestors, and the exodus is previewed.
3.13 Ask, the same Hebrew verb rendered say here twice.
3.14 I AM WHO I AM, on the basis of 33.19 (I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious…), “I will be whatever I will be.” The name puns on the divine name Yahweh and in the present context would seem to connote “being there” for Moses and the Israelites. The mystery in which the Lord surrounds his name may be of a piece with the coy refusals of divine beings to reveal their names in Gen 32.29; Judg 13.17–18.
3.15 The speech is punctuated by a couplet in parallelism, adding drama and/or solemnity. My title, the name by which I shall be invoked or memorialized; cf. 20.24, where cause my name to be remembered uses the same Hebrew root; cf. 23.13.
3.16 Moses will convince his people only after the Lord has performed wonders.
3.18 The ruse will not fool Pharaoh (5.1–4; 8.21–24; 10.8–11). Sacrifice. The term in Hebrew connotes slaughtering an animal, part of which is offered to the deity; it lacks the English word’s connotation of surrender.
3.19 Let…go, not the same Hebrew verb as in v. 20 and in the recurrent liberation formula usually rendered let go (e.g., 4.23; 5.1; 7.16). The latter are from the root “to send.” Compelled, added for clarity. Mighty hand. The difficult, textually uncertain Hebrew leaves open whether God will force Pharaoh’s hand (cf. 13.9) or whether Pharaoh will force Israel out (cf. 6.1).
3.20 Stretch out…hand, lit. “send (the) hand,” an idiom for inflicting harm (e.g., 1 Sam 22.17; Esth 2.21). Strike, translated beat in (see note on) 2.11. Wonders, a term used within the exodus story only here and in 34.10 but commonly in later texts referring to the exodus (e.g., Judg 6.13; Pss 78.4, 11; 106.22; Mic 7.15). Let you go. See note on 3.19.
3.21 The Israelites will not leave empty-handed, the way Jacob (Israel) left Laban (Gen 31.42); when the Israelites become autonomous, they must not “release” their slaves (Deut 15.13) or worship God (23.15; 34.20; Deut 16.16) empty-handed. Cf. Gen 15.14.
3.22 Plunder, lit. “stripping,” divine compensation for Egypt’s exploitation of the Hebrews; cf. Gen 12.16; 20.14–16. The “borrowing” is effected in 12.35–36, echoing the terms of vv. 21–22 here but in reverse (chiastic) order, indicating completion of the thematic unit (see notes on 4.30–31; 6.26–27; 17.7). Later Jewish traditions suggest that the women do the borrowing because they want to dress their children in the Egyptians’ clothes and jewels.
EXODUS 4
Moses’ Miraculous Power
1Then Moses answered, “But suppose they do not believe me or listen to me, but say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you.’” 2The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” 3And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw the staff on the ground, and it became a snake; and Moses drew back from it. 4Then the LORD said to Moses, “Reach out your hand, and seize it by the tail”—so he reached out his hand and grasped it, and it became a staff in his hand—5“so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”
6Again, the LORD said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” He put his hand into his cloak; and when he took it out, his hand was leprous,a as white as snow. 7Then God said, “Put your hand back into your cloak”—so he put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored like the rest of his body—8“If they will not believe you or heed the first sign, they may believe the second sign. 9If they will not believe even these two signs or heed you, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.”
10But Moses said to the LORD, “O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” 11Then the LORD said to him, “Who gives speech to mortals? Who makes them mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? 12Now go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak.” 13But he said, “O my Lord, please send someone else.” 14Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said, “What of your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he can speak fluently; even now he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you his heart will be glad. 15You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do. 16He indeed shall speak for you to the people; he shall serve as a mouth for you, and you shall serve as God for him. 17Take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs.”
Moses Returns to Egypt
18Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro and said to him, “Please let me go back to my kindred in Egypt and see whether they are still living.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19The LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt; for all those who were seeking your life are dead.” 20So Moses took his wife and his sons, put them on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt; and Moses carried the staff of God in his hand.
21And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 22Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD: Israel is my firstborn son. 23I said to you, “Let my son go that he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; now I will kill your firstborn son.’”
24On the way, at a place where they spent the night, the LORD met him and tried to kill him. 25But Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched Moses’b feet with it, and said, “Truly you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” 26So he let him alone. It was then she said, “A bridegroom of blood by circumcision.”
27The LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went; and he met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. 28Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD with which he had sent him, and all the signs with which he had charged him. 29Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the Israelites. 30Aaron spoke all the words that the LORD had spoken to Moses, and performed the signs in the sight of the people. 31The people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had given heed to the Israelites and that he had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.
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a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain
b Heb his
4.1–17 Moses suggests two further impediments: credibility (vv. 1–9) and problematic speech (vv. 10–16).
4.1 They, the elders (3.16). Believe, in the sense of trust (19.9); cf. 14.31; in v. 5 below believe in the sense of “accept as true” is more apt.
4.2–5 Some explain the wondrous signs naturalistically, pointing here to the fact that some snakes stiffen when one grasps their tails. V. 2 makes clear that the snake began as Moses’ staff. The deity’s power is demonstrated by producing the fantastic from the ordinary. Moses will use none of the three signs to convince the Israelites; Aaron will turn the staff into a “serpent” (a different word in the Hebrew) in an attempt to persuade Pharaoh (7.8–13). On account of discrepancies like this (different word, actor, story line) some scholars suppose that the text is woven from different sources; others do not expect the text to be consistent or smooth.
4.3 Drew back, lit. “fled” (14.27). Gen 3.15 posits a normal human phobia of snakes.
4.4 Reach out, lit. “send” (see note on 3.20).
4.5 Cf. 3.16.
4.6–9 The third sign anticipates the f
irst plague (7.14–25). In view of this, the second sign, which is never used, may anticipate the plague of boils (9.8–12); and the first may suggest the plague of frogs, which is initiated by stretching the staff over Egypt’s waterways (8.5–6).
4.7 Rest of his body, lit. “his flesh.”
4.9 Dry ground anticipates the Israelites’ crossing the sea on dry ground (14.22).
4.10 Eloquent, lit. “a man of words,” of the same Hebrew root as spoken. Slow of speech, lit. “heavy of mouth.” Slow of tongue, lit. “heavy of tongue” see 6.12, 30. “Heavy” in various forms will figure throughout the plagues and exodus narrative (see, e.g., 5.9; notes on 4.21; 9.3; 10.14; 14.4; 14.25). Moses’ “heavy” speech may entail a physical impediment (so comparative evidence) or an inability to wax eloquent in Egyptian (see Ezek 3.6, where foreign speech is indicated); in this story, however, Egyptians speak Hebrew (see 2.10).
4.11 Speech, lit. “a mouth” Moses, whose mouth will be accompanied by the Lord (vv. 12, 15), will put the necessary words into Aaron’s mouth (v. 15). Prophecy consists of the deity’s very words (e.g., Deut 18.18; Jer 1.9; Ezek 2.7–3.3; 3.4, 10).
4.13 Someone else, rather “whomever you will send,” a construction resembling I AM WHO I AM in 3.14.
4.14 Speak fluently. Cf. the historical role of the Levites as transmitters of divine instructions (Deut 33.10); cf. 18.15, where Moses the Levite functions as an oracle.
4.15–16 Aaron will play the role of oracle (mouth) to Moses’ role as God, the source of revelation; see 7.1, where the analogy is: Moses is to Aaron as God is to a prophet. For God as an oracular source, see 18.15; 21.6; 22.7.
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