Bible Commentaries
Exodus 3

Verse 1

3:1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the {a} mountain of God, [even] to {b} Horeb.

(a) It was so called after the law was given.

(b) Called also Sinai.

Verse 2

3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a {c} bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush [was] not consumed.

(c) This shows that the Church is not consumed by the fires of affliction, because God is in the midst of it.

Verse 4

3:4 And when the {d} LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here [am] I.

(d) Whom he calls the angel in Exodus 3:2.

Verse 5

3:5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: {e} put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest [is] {f} holy ground.

(e) Resign yourself to me; Ruth 4:7, Joshua 5:15.

(f) Because of my presence.

Verse 6

3:6 Moreover he said, I [am] the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was {g} afraid to look upon God.

(g) For sin causes man to fear God’s justice.

Verse 7

3:7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which [are] in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their {h} taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

(h) Whose cruelty was intolerable.

Verse 8

3:8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land {i} flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

(i) Most plentiful of all things.

Verse 9

3:9 {k} Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

(k) He heard before, but now he would avenge it.

Verse 11

3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who [am] {l} I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

(l) He does not fully disobey God, but acknowledges his own weakness.

Verse 12

3:12 And he said, {m} Certainly I will be with thee; and this [shall be] a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

(m) Neither fear your own weakness, or Pharaoh’s tyranny.

Verse 14

3:14 And God said unto Moses, I {n} AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

(n) The God who has always been, am, and shall be: the God almighty, by whom all things have their being, and the God of mercy, mindful of my promise.

Verse 18

3:18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may {o} sacrifice to the LORD our God.

(o) Because Egypt was full of idolatry, God would appoint them a place where they could serve him purely.

Verse 22

3:22 {p} But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put [them] upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.

(p) This example may not be followed generally: though at God’s commandment they did it justly, receiving some recompence for their labours.