Keraia
Exodus 3

Exodus 3:18

Moses at the Burning Bush · Exodus 3:1–22
Read Exodus 3

Translations

Modern
The elders of Israel will listen to what you say, and you must go with them to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’
Traditional
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 sacrifice to the Lord our God.
Literal
And they will listen to your voice, and you shall come—you and the elders of Israel—to the king of Egypt, and you shall say to him, ‘YHWH, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. And now, let us go, please, a journey of three days into the wilderness, and let us sacrifice to YHWH our God.’
Latin
Et audient vocem tuam: ingredierisque tu, et seniores Israël, ad regem Ægypti, et dices ad eum: Dominus Deus Hebræorum vocavit nos: ibimus viam trium dierum in solitudinem, ut immolemus Domino Deo nostro.

Original

Hebrew
English
The elders of Israel will listen to what you say, and you must go with them to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’

Notes

Exodus 3:18

  • Hebrews: See study note on 1:15.

  • a three-day journey … so that we may sacrifice: If we view the main goal of the exodus as rescuing the Israelites from slavery, this request might seem insincere. But God's main goal was to create a nation for himself. He led them into the wilderness to teach them how to worship him.

Exodus 3:13–22

The second protest Moses made was about his lack of knowledge. He said that he did not know God’s name.

This could mean that God’s personal name had not yet been made known to him (see study notes on 6:2–3). It could also mean something else. In the ancient Near East, people often believed that knowing a god’s secret name gave them power. Moses may have wondered if he needed such a secret formula (special words believed to control spiritual power).

God’s answer is direct, but it sounds almost like a riddle at first. However, most of his answer does not focus on a secret name. Instead, God speaks about his faithfulness in the past and his plans for the future. He shows that he knows what will happen and that he controls history.

There is nothing magical about the name "the LORD" (Hebrew Yahweh). The issue is not secret knowledge or magic power. The issue is who God is.

The name is important because of the character and nature of the one who bears it. God is faithful, powerful, and Lord over all of history.

Exodus 3:11–4:17

Moses, in his response to God, presented four reasons why he was not the one to fulfill God’s call. Although each reason supposedly relates to Moses and his ability, God’s answers show that they were really questions about God.

Exodus 3:1–4:28

This section describes the mission God gave Moses to rescue the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. It is divided into two parts, 3:1–4:17 and 4:18–28.

The first part describes God's call. The second part describes the full consequences of accepting that call. Moses not only experienced a career change, but he also had to completely change his life.

Theme notes and profiles

Aaron Egypt Moses

Parallels

Acts 7:30–38

People

Hebrews: An ethnic group descended from Abraham Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes

Places

Egypt: Ancient nation; Israelites enslaved there; plagues and Exodus

Glossary

Aaron Book of Exodus Day’s Journey Deuteronomy, Book of History of Israel John the Baptist Joshua, Book of Prophecy Prophet, Prophetess

Topics

Day: Day's Journey, Eighteen or Twenty Miles Government: Mosaic: Closely Associated with Moses and Subsequent Leaders Israel: Moses Commissioned As the Deliverer Missionary Work by Ministers: God Qualifies For Moses: Commissioned As Leader of the Israelites Religion: Outstanding Religious Persons: Moses