The Burning Bush
Exodus 3:1-22
Exo.3.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ומשה: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- היה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- רעה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- צאן: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- יתרו: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- חתנו: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- כהן: NOUN,m,sg,const
- מדין: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וינהג: VERB,qal,imperf,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- הצאן: NOUN,m,sg,def
- אחר: PREP
- המדבר: VERB,qal,ptc,3,m,sg
- ויבא: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- אל: NEG
- הר: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- האלהים: NOUN,m,sg,def
- חרבה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- Exod.2:15-22 (structural): Immediate narrative background: Moses flees to Midian, marries Zipporah (Jethro's daughter) and becomes a shepherd there—sets up his presence in Midian and connection with Jethro referenced in 3:1.
- Exod.3:2 (structural): Direct continuation: the theophany at the burning bush occurs after Moses arrives at Horeb, linking his shepherding and journey to the divine encounter.
- Judg.6:11-14 (thematic): Gideon is addressed by a heavenly messenger while occupied with rural duties (threshing/shepherding); parallels the motif of God calling an unlikely, rural figure through a theophany.
- 1 Sam.16:11-13 (thematic): David is found tending sheep before being anointed king—another instance of a shepherd's ordinary vocation preceding divine commissioning, echoing the motif in Exodus 3:1.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Moses was shepherding the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God, Horeb.
- Now Moses was shepherding the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness, and came to the mountain of God, Horeb.
Exo.3.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וירא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- מלאך: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אליו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
- בלבת: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- אש: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- מתוך: PREP
- הסנה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- וירא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- והנה: ADV
- הסנה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- בער: VERB,qal,part,NA,m,sg
- באש: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- והסנה: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,def
- איננו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl,neg
- אכל: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Acts 7:30-32 (quotation): Stephen recounts the Moses story and quotes the same language: an angel of the Lord appearing in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush — direct retelling/quotation of Exod. 3.
- Psalm 104:4 (verbal): Speaks of God's angels as 'a flame of fire,' echoing the wording that the angel of the LORD appeared 'in a flame of fire' (verbal/imagistic link between divine messenger and fire).
- Exodus 19:18 (thematic): At Sinai the LORD's presence is manifested with fire, smoke, and earthquake; both passages portray divine self‑revelation through fire as a sign of holiness and presence.
- 1 Kings 19:11-12 (thematic): Elijah's theophany includes wind, earthquake, and fire, with God's presence finally disclosed in a 'still small voice' — a related motif of God appearing amid dramatic natural phenomena (fire) as a mode of revelation.
- Ezekiel 1:13-14 (thematic): Ezekiel's vision contains living creatures and wheels aflame — pervasive imagery of fire and burning coals as manifestations of divine glory, paralleling the burning‑but‑unconsumed motif as signifying God's presence.
Alternative generated candidates
- And the angel of YHWH appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of the bush; and he saw, and look, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed.
- And the messenger of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from within the bush; and he saw—and behold, the bush was burning with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
Exo.3.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אסרה: VERB,qal,impf,1,m,sg
- נא: PART
- ואראה: VERB,qal,imperfect,1,com,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- המראה: NOUN,m,sg,def
- הגדל: ADJ,m,sg,def
- הזה: DEM,m,sg
- מדוע: ADV
- לא: PART_NEG
- יבער: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- הסנה: NOUN,m,sg,def
Parallels
- Exod.3:2 (verbal): Immediate narrative parallel: the burning bush described as a flame that does not consume the bush (setting and imagery continuous with v.3).
- Acts 7:30 (quotation): Stephen’s retelling of Moses’ call explicitly cites a 'flame of fire in a bush,' directly referring to the Exodus episode.
- Deut.5:4-5 (allusion): Deuteronomy recalls God’s face‑to‑face revelation 'out of the fire' on the mountain—a related motif of divine presence manifested in fire.
- 1 Kings 19:11-12 (thematic): Elijah’s theophany involves powerful natural phenomena (wind, earthquake, fire) and culminates in a subtle divine voice—paralleling varied modes of God’s self‑revelation via natural signs.
- Dan.3:24-25 (thematic): The furnace story: a divine presence protects the faithful from consuming fire, echoing the motif of God’s presence with fire that does not consume.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Moses said, Let me turn aside now and see this great sight—why the bush does not burn.
- And Moses said, “Let me turn aside now and see this great sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
Exo.3.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וירא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- כי: CONJ
- סר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- לראות: VERB,qal,inf
- ויקרא: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- אליו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
- אלהים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- מתוך: PREP
- הסנה: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- הנני: PRT+PRON,1,sg
Parallels
- Gen.22:11-12 (verbal): The angel of the LORD calls “Abraham! Abraham!” and Abraham answers “Here I am” (Heb. hineni), the same divine address-and-response formula found in Exod 3:4.
- 1 Sam.3:4-10 (structural): The Lord calls the boy Samuel by name (repeatedly) and Samuel responds “Here I am,” a repeated call–response call narrative closely paralleling Moses’ encounter.
- Judg.6:12-15 (verbal): The angel/Lord greets Gideon with a direct address and Gideon answers “Here I am, my lord,” echoing the immediate, personal response in Exod 3:4.
- Isa.6:8 (thematic): Isaiah’s commission-response (“Here am I; send me”) parallels the motif of a human 'here I am' reply to a divine summons and readiness for mission.
- Acts 9:4-6 (allusion): On the Damascus road a voice calls Saul by name (“Saul, Saul!”); though Saul’s reply differs, the scene mirrors the pattern of a direct, name-based divine summons in Exod 3:4.
Alternative generated candidates
- And YHWH saw that he had turned aside to see, and God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here I am.
- And the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, and God called to him from within the bush and said, “Moses, Moses.” And he said, “Here I am.”
Exo.3.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אל: NEG
- תקרב: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- הלם: DEM,ms,sg
- של: PREP
- נעליך: NOUN,f,sg,abs+2,m,sg
- מעל: PREP
- רגליך: NOUN,f,pl,abs+2,m,sg
- כי: CONJ
- המקום: NOUN,m,sg,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- אתה: PRON,2,m,sg
- עומד: VERB,qal,ptc,ms,sg
- עליו: PREP,3,m,sg
- אדמת: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- קדש: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- הוא: PRON,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Joshua 5:15 (verbal): The divine commander tells Joshua to remove his sandals because the place is holy—almost identical language and action to Exod 3:5, echoing the motif of holy ground.
- Acts 7:33 (quotation): Stephen recounts Moses' encounter with God and explicitly quotes the command to take off his shoes because the place is holy, directly citing Exod 3:5.
- Genesis 28:16-17 (thematic): Jacob’s recognition of Bethel as a specially consecrated place ('this is none other than the house of God') parallels the theme of encountering God and designating the location as holy.
- Exodus 33:20-23 (thematic): Moses’ broader encounters with God's presence emphasize divine otherness and the need for separation/protective measures before God's holiness—related theological context for 'holy ground.'
- Isaiah 6:1-5 (thematic): Isaiah's vision of the Lord's holiness provokes awe and recognition of human unworthiness; thematically akin to the reaction and behavioral requirement (removal of sandals) before sacred presence.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he said, Do not come near here; take off your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.
- And he said, “Do not come near here; take off your sandals from upon your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”
Exo.3.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אנכי: PRON,1,sg
- אלהי: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- אביך: NOUN,m,sg,suff+2ms
- אלהי: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- אברהם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אלהי: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- יצחק: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואלהי: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- יעקב: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- ויסתר: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- פניו: NOUN,m,pl,cons+3,m,sg
- כי: CONJ
- ירא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- מהביט: PREP+VERB,qal,inf
- אל: NEG
- האלהים: NOUN,m,sg,def
Parallels
- Gen.28.13 (verbal): God appears to Jacob and identifies himself as 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'—the same self-designation used in Exod 3:6.
- Exod.6.2-3 (verbal): God speaks again to Moses about the patriarchs, distinguishing how he appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (as El Shaddai) and revealing the name YHWH—closely connected to the Exodus self‑identification.
- Gen.46.3 (allusion): God tells Jacob in Egypt 'I am God, the God of your father'—a related patriarchal self‑designation that frames divine promises and covenant continuity.
- Matt.22.31-32 (quotation): Jesus cites Exod 3:6 ('I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob') in arguing that God is God of the living, explicitly quoting the Exodus wording to settle a theological point about resurrection.
- Exod.33.20-23 (thematic): God tells Moses no one may see his face and hides him in the cleft of the rock—this theme of human inability/need to avert the face before God parallels Moses' hiding his face in 3:6.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he said, 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.
- And he said, “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.
Exo.3.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- ראה: VERB,qal,imperat,2,m,sg
- ראיתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,_,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- עני: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- עמי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+1s
- אשר: PRON,rel
- במצרים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ואת: CONJ
- צעקתם: NOUN,f,sg,abs+poss:3,m,pl
- שמעתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,sg
- מפני: PREP
- נגשיו: NOUN,m,pl,poss3mp
- כי: CONJ
- ידעתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,?,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- מכאביו: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,poss3mp
Parallels
- Exodus 2:24-25 (verbal): Immediate narrative precursor — God ‘heard their groaning’ and ‘remembered his covenant,’ language and theme closely parallel Exod 3:7’s seeing, hearing, and knowing Israel’s affliction.
- Exodus 6:5 (verbal): Later retelling within the same book repeats the idea: God ‘heard the groaning of the children of Israel’ and was mindful of his covenant, echoing Exod 3:7’s wording and promise of intervention.
- Acts 7:34-36 (quotation): Stephen’s speech in the NT quotes and applies the Exodus language (‘I have surely seen the affliction of my people… I have heard their groaning’) as part of the retelling of God’s call and deliverance.
- Isaiah 63:9 (thematic): Portrays God’s sympathetic involvement in Israel’s suffering — ‘in all their affliction he was afflicted’ — echoing Exod 3:7’s emphasis on God’s awareness and pity for the people’s misery.
- Deuteronomy 26:7-8 (thematic): In Israel’s covenantal confession the ancestors recall Egyptian oppression and say ‘when we cried out to the LORD, he heard our voice,’ reflecting the same pattern of cry, divine hearing, and deliverance implied in Exod 3:7.
Alternative generated candidates
- And YHWH said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and their cry I have heard because of their taskmasters, for I know their pains.
- And the LORD said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and their cry I have heard because of their oppressors, for I know their pains.
Exo.3.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וארד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- להצילו: VERB,qal,inf,3,m,sg
- מיד: PREP
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- ולהעלתו: VERB,qal,inf,3,m,sg
- מן: PREP
- הארץ: NOUN,f,sg,def
- ההוא: DEM,ms,sg
- אל: NEG
- ארץ: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- טובה: ADJ,f,sg,abs
- ורחבה: ADJ,f,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- ארץ: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- זבת: VERB,qal,ptcp,f,sg
- חלב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ודבש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- מקום: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הכנעני: NOUN,m,sg,abs,def
- והחתי: ADJ,m,sg,def
- והאמרי: ADJ,m,sg,def
- והפרזי: ADJ,m,sg,def
- והחוי: ADJ,m,sg,def
- והיבוסי: ADJ,m,sg,def
Parallels
- Exod.6:8 (verbal): Restates God's promise to bring Israel out of Egypt and bring them into the land he swore to the patriarchs — similar language about bringing them into the land.
- Num.13:27 (verbal): The spies' report uses the exact phrase 'a land flowing with milk and honey,' echoing the description of the Promised Land in Exod 3:8.
- Deut.8:7-10 (thematic): Expanded description of the fertility and blessing of the land (streams, grain, vines, honey), thematically paralleling the 'good and broad land... flowing with milk and honey' motif.
- Gen.15:18-21 (allusion): God's covenantal grant to Abraham delineates the land and lists indigenous peoples (Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, etc.), paralleling the territorial promise and named inhabitants in Exod 3:8.
- Josh.24:17 (quotation): Joshua's recital of God's deliverance and promise to bring Israel into 'a land flowing with milk and honey' directly echoes the Exodus promise and its language.
Alternative generated candidates
- And I have come down to deliver them from the hand of Egypt and to bring them up from that land to a good and broad land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
- And I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a good and broad land, to a land flowing with milk and honey—to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
Exo.3.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ועתה: CONJ
- הנה: PART
- צעקת: NOUN,f,sg,cs
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- באה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- אלי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- וגם: CONJ
- ראיתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,_,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- הלחץ: NOUN,m,sg,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- לחצים: VERB,piel,ptcp,_,m,pl
- אתם: PRON,2,m,pl
Parallels
- Exod.2:23 (verbal): Earliest parallel: Israel’s sighing and cry in Egypt ‘came up to God’—same language of the people’s cry reaching God and prompting divine notice.
- Exod.3:7 (verbal): Immediate context: God declares He has ‘seen’ the affliction of Israel—very close verbal parallel and part of the same speech introducing deliverance.
- Exod.6:5 (verbal): Later restatement: God says He has ‘heard the groaning’ of Israel in bondage—repeats the themes of hearing, seeing, and remembering the people’s oppression.
- Ps.9:12 (thematic): Speaks of God not forgetting ‘the cry of the humble’—echoes the theological motif that God hears and responds to oppressed cries.
- Isa.63:9 (thematic): Affirms God’s presence in Israel’s suffering (‘in all their affliction he was afflicted’) and his saving response—parallels the compassion and redemptive action prompted by seeing oppression.
Alternative generated candidates
- And now, look, the cry of the Israelites has come to me; and moreover I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.
- And now, behold, the cry of the Israelites has come to me; and moreover I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.
Exo.3.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ועתה: CONJ
- לכה: VERB,qal,imp,2,f,sg
- ואשלחך: VERB,qal,impf,1,sg
- אל: NEG
- פרעה: NOUN,m,sg,def
- והוצא: VERB,hifil,impv,2,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- עמי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+1s
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ממצרים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Exodus 3:12 (verbal): Immediate continuation of the commissioning scene: God not only sends Moses to Pharaoh but promises divine presence and a sign ('I will be with you'), closely tied to the instruction to 'go' and deliver Israel.
- Exodus 6:6 (thematic): God's deliverance formula—'I will bring you out... from under the burdens of the Egyptians'—reiterates the same promise to free Israel that underlies the commission in 3:10.
- Exodus 7:16 (quotation): God's command is repeated in Moses' charge to Pharaoh: 'Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews,
- Psalm 105:26 (allusion): A liturgical retelling: 'He sent Moses his servant' recalls God sending Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt, echoing the divine mission stated in 3:10.
- Acts 7:34-35 (allusion): Stephen's speech in the New Testament summarizes God's revelation and sending of Moses to deliver Israel (cf. 'I will send you' / 'I came down to deliver them'), echoing the Exodus commission in a Christ‑centred retelling.
Alternative generated candidates
- So now, go, and I will send you to Pharaoh, and bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.
- And now, go, and I will send you to Pharaoh, and bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”
Exo.3.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- האלהים: NOUN,m,sg,def
- מי: PRON,interr,sg
- אנכי: PRON,1,sg
- כי: CONJ
- אלך: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
- אל: NEG
- פרעה: NOUN,m,sg,def
- וכי: CONJ
- אוציא: VERB,hiphil,impf,1,common,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ממצרים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Exod.4:1 (structural): Immediate narrative parallel in which Moses raises another objection about his mission ('what if they do not believe me?'), continuing the call account and highlighting his reluctance.
- Exod.4:10 (verbal): Moses expresses personal inadequacy again ('I am slow of speech and of tongue'), a direct verbal continuation of his hesitation to accept God's commission.
- Judges 6:15 (thematic): Gideon's protest ('How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest...') parallels Moses' expression of unworthiness and doubt when called to deliver Israel.
- Jeremiah 1:6 (verbal): Jeremiah objects to his prophetic call with inability to speak ('I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth'), echoing the motif of the reluctant, self-doubting servant.
- Isaiah 6:5 (thematic): Isaiah's confession of unworthiness ('Woe is me... for I am a man of unclean lips') reflects the common call-response theme of human inadequacy before a divine commissioning.
Alternative generated candidates
- But Moses said to God, Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?
- And Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
Exo.3.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- כי: CONJ
- אהיה: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
- עמך: NOUN,m,sg,suff-2m
- וזה: CONJ+PRON,dem,m,sg,abs
- לך: PRON,2,m,sg
- האות: NOUN,f,sg,def
- כי: CONJ
- אנכי: PRON,1,sg
- שלחתיך: VERB,qal,perf,1,_,sg
- בהוציאך: PREP+VERB,hiph,ptc,_,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ממצרים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- תעבדון: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- האלהים: NOUN,m,sg,def
- על: PREP
- ההר: NOUN,m,sg,def
- הזה: DEM,m,sg
Parallels
- Exod.4.12 (verbal): God reiterates the promise of personal presence to Moses—'I will be with your mouth'—assuring Moses of divine assistance for his commission, closely matching the 'I will be with you' formula in 3:12.
- Gen.28.15 (verbal): Jacob receives the pledge 'I am with you and will keep you,' an earlier use of the same promise of divine presence that frames patriarchal commissioning and reassurance.
- Josh.1.5-9 (thematic): God's commission to Joshua echoes the same guarantee—'I will not fail you or forsake you'/'I will be with you'—linking Moses' mission to the later leadership transfer and the theme of divine presence enabling obedience.
- Judg.6.16-17 (thematic): God tells Gideon 'The LORD is with you' and provides signs in commissioning him; like Exod 3:12 this combines a promise of presence with a tangible sign to confirm the call.
- Matt.28.20 (verbal): Jesus' closing promise, 'I am with you always,' functions as a New Testament echo of the divine assurance given to Moses—continuing the motif of God/Christ's abiding presence with commissioned messengers.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he said, For I will be with you; and this will be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will serve God on this mountain.
- And he said, “Surely I will be with you; and this will be the sign for you that I have sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
Exo.3.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- האלהים: NOUN,m,sg,def
- הנה: PART
- אנכי: PRON,1,sg
- בא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אל: NEG
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואמרתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,_,sg
- להם: PREP+PRON,3,m,pl
- אלהי: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- אבותיכם: NOUN,m,pl,abs,2,pl
- שלחני: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,sg
- אליכם: PREP+PRON,2,pl
- ואמרו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- לי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- מה: PRON,int
- שמו: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- מה: PRON,int
- אמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אלהם: PREP+PRON,3,m,pl
Parallels
- Exod.3.14 (quotation): Direct continuation: God's answer to Moses' question — 'I AM WHO I AM' (Heb. Ehyeh asher ehyeh), revealing the divine name/identity.
- Exod.3.15 (structural): Immediate follow-up instruction about how Moses is to present God's name to Israel ('The LORD, the God of your fathers...this is my name forever'), tying the question to the proclamation.
- Exod.6.2-3 (thematic): God contrasts earlier patriarchal revelations with the explicit disclosure of the divine name YHWH to Moses, thematically linked to Moses' request for God's name.
- John 8:58 (verbal): Jesus' declaration 'Before Abraham was, I am' echoes the divine 'I AM' formula from Exod.3:14, invoking the same self-identifying name-language.
- Isa.42:8 (thematic): Affirms the uniqueness of the LORD's name ('I am the LORD; that is my name'), resonating with the concern in Exod.3:13 over God's self-identification and name.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Moses said to God, Look, I am going to the Israelites, and I will say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you; and they will say to me, What is his name? What shall I say to them?
- And Moses said to God, “Behold, I am coming to the Israelites, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you’; and they will say to me, ‘What is his name?’—what shall I say to them?”
Exo.3.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אלהים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- אל: NEG
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אהיה: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
- אשר: PRON,rel
- אהיה: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- כה: ADV
- תאמר: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- לבני: PREP
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אהיה: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
- שלחני: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,sg
- אליכם: PREP+PRON,2,pl
Parallels
- Exodus 6:2-3 (allusion): God tells Moses he appeared to the patriarchs as 'El Shaddai' but did not make himself known by the name YHWH — a closely related revelation of God's name and identity leading up to Exod 3:14.
- John 8:58 (quotation): Jesus says 'Before Abraham was, I am' (Greek ego eimi), explicitly invoking the divine 'I AM' formula and echoing Exodus 3:14's self-identification.
- John 18:5-6 (verbal): When asked if he is Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus replies 'I am,' and the arresting party draws back — a direct verbal echo of the 'I AM' declaration with forceful presence.
- Isaiah 43:10-11 (thematic): YHWH proclaims his unique, sole divinity and role as Savior ('I, I am the LORD; besides me there is no savior'), reflecting the theme of divine self-identification and exclusivity found in Exod 3:14.
- Revelation 1:17-18 (thematic): The risen Christ declares 'I am the First and the Last' and 'I am the living one' — an application of eternal, self-existent divine identity that resonates with the 'I AM' revelation.
Alternative generated candidates
- And God said to Moses, I Will Be Who I Will Be. And he said, Thus shall you say to the Israelites: I Will Be has sent me to you.
- And God said to Moses, “I Will Be Who I Will Be.” And he said, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites: ‘I Will Be has sent me to you.’”
Exo.3.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- עוד: ADV
- אלהים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- אל: NEG
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כה: ADV
- תאמר: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- אל: NEG
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אלהי: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- אבתיכם: NOUN,m,pl,cons+PRON,2,pl
- אלהי: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- אברהם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אלהי: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- יצחק: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואלהי: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- יעקב: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- שלחני: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,sg
- אליכם: PREP+PRON,2,pl
- זה: PRON,dem,m,sg
- שמי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+1cs
- לעלם: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וזה: CONJ+PRON,dem,m,sg,abs
- זכרי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+1cs
- לדר: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- דר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Exodus 3:14 (verbal): Immediate context at the burning bush where God reveals his self-name ('I AM WHO I AM'); frames the announcement 'this is my name forever' in 3:15.
- Exodus 6:3 (verbal): God contrasts how he appeared to the patriarchs ('God Almighty') with the revelation of the name YHWH—clarifies the significance of 'this is my name.'
- Genesis 28:13 (thematic): Earlier theophany where God identifies himself as the LORD, the God of Abraham and Isaac, paralleling the patriarchal title used in 3:15.
- Matthew 22:32 (quotation): Jesus cites the Exodus wording ('God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob') (quoting Exod 3:6) to argue for God's ongoing, living relationship with the patriarchs—an explicit New Testament use of the formula in 3:15.
Alternative generated candidates
- And God said further to Moses, Thus shall you say to the Israelites: YHWH, the 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 forever, and this is my remembrance from generation to generation.
- And God said further to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites: ‘The LORD, the 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 forever, and this is my memorial for generation to generation.
Exo.3.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- לך: PRON,2,m,sg
- ואספת: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- זקני: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואמרת: CONJ+VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- אלהם: PREP+PRON,3,m,pl
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אלהי: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- אבתיכם: NOUN,m,pl,cons+PRON,2,pl
- נראה: VERB,nip,perf,3,m,sg
- אלי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- אלהי: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- אברהם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יצחק: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויעקב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לאמר: INF,qal,infc
- פקד: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- פקדתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,_,sg
- אתכם: PRT+PRON,2,m,pl
- ואת: CONJ
- העשוי: ADJ,ptcp,pass,m,sg,def
- לכם: PREP,2,m,pl
- במצרים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Exod.3.6 (verbal): Uses the same formula “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” identifying the speaker by the patriarchal name-phrase that grounds Moses’ commission.
- Exod.6.2-8 (thematic): God reiterates the patriarchal identity and the promise to deliver Israel from Egypt, expanding the covenant-language and the pledge to bring the people into the promised land.
- Gen.46.3 (verbal): God appears to Jacob in Egypt and identifies himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—same self-identification used to assure and justify divine action regarding the family.
- Gen.28.13-15 (allusion): God’s covenant promise to Jacob (land, offspring, presence) is the patriarchal background to Exodus’ appeal to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as the basis for deliverance.
- Deut.5.6 (structural): Opening formula of the Decalogue—“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt”—shows how the Exodus deliverance (promised in Exod.3) becomes the defining covenant act shaping Israel’s identity and law.
Alternative generated candidates
- Go and gather the elders of Israel and say to them: YHWH, the God of your fathers, has appeared to me—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—saying, I have surely taken note of you and of what has been done to you in Egypt.
- Go and gather the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, has appeared to me—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—saying: I have surely taken notice of you and of what has been done to you in Egypt.
Exo.3.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ואמר: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- אעלה: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
- אתכם: PRT+PRON,2,m,pl
- מעני: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs,1
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- אל: NEG
- ארץ: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- הכנעני: NOUN,m,sg,abs,def
- והחתי: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,def
- והאמרי: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,def
- והפרזי: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,def
- והחוי: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,def
- והיבוסי: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,def
- אל: NEG
- ארץ: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- זבת: VERB,qal,ptc,_,f,sg
- חלב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ודבש: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Exod.3.8 (verbal): Immediate parallel within the same speech — repeats the promise to bring Israel out of Egypt into ‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’
- Exod.6.4-8 (thematic): God restates the Exodus and land promise in the context of covenantal deliverance, affirming delivery from Egypt and settlement in the promised land.
- Gen.15.18-21 (structural): The Abrahamic covenant defines the territorial grant and enumerates many of the same peoples (Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, Jebusites) as inheritors’ opponents.
- Deut.7.1 (verbal): Moses’ later treaty recounting lists the nations Israel will dispossess on entering the land, echoing the same roster of peoples mentioned in Exodus 3:17.
Alternative generated candidates
- And I have said: I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey.
- And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite—to a land flowing with milk and honey.’
Exo.3.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ושמעו: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,pl
- לקלך: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- ובאת: VERB,qal,imprf,2,m,sg
- אתה: PRON,2,m,sg
- וזקני: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,cons
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- ואמרתם: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,pl
- אליו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אלהי: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- העבריים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- נקרה: VERB,niphal,imprf,1,pl
- עלינו: PREP+PRON,1,pl
- ועתה: CONJ
- נלכה: VERB,qal,cohort,1,_,pl
- נא: PART
- דרך: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- שלשת: NUM,m,pl,abs
- ימים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- במדבר: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ונזבחה: VERB,qal,imprf,1,pl
- ליהוה: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,def
- אלהינו: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs+PRON,1,pl
Parallels
- Exodus 5:3 (quotation): Moses and Aaron make the same formal demand before Pharaoh: 'Let us go three days' journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to the LORD our God' — verbal repetition of 3:18's request.
- Exodus 4:29-31 (structural): Moses and Aaron assemble the elders of Israel, perform the signs, and the elders believe — parallels 3:18's instruction that Moses and the elders will speak and that the people will heed.
- Exodus 5:1-2 (thematic): The initial encounter between Moses, Aaron, and Pharaoh where they demand leave to go sacrifice (and Pharaoh's refusal) continues the narrative action begun in 3:18.
- Exodus 12:31-36 (thematic): Pharaoh ultimately relents and sends Israel out with plunder, the narrative outcome of the earlier demand in 3:18 for permission to go and worship.
Alternative generated candidates
- And they will listen to your voice; and you and the elders of Israel shall go 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 three days' journey into the wilderness, and we will sacrifice to YHWH our God.
- And they will listen to your voice; and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt, and you shall say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, please let us go a three-day journey in the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’
Exo.3.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ואני: PRON,1,sg
- ידעתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,?,sg
- כי: CONJ
- לא: PART_NEG
- יתן: VERB,qal,imperf,3,m,sg
- אתכם: PRT+PRON,2,m,pl
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- להלך: PREP+INF,qal,infc
- ולא: CONJ
- ביד: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- חזקה: ADJ,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- Exod 3:20 (verbal): Immediate continuation of 3:19 — God says he will "stretch out my hand" and strike Egypt with wonders so Pharaoh will let the people go (same language and promise).
- Exod 6:1 (verbal): Later reiteration of the promise: God tells Moses Pharaoh will let Israel go by a "strong hand" (restates the same divine intention in similar wording).
- Exod 11:1 (thematic): God announces one final plague after which Pharaoh will let Israel go — developing the same theme that Pharaoh will not release them except after God exerts decisive power.
- Deut 26:8 (verbal): Retrospective summary of the Exodus: Israel was brought out of Egypt "with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm," echoing the language and theological motif of divine power in Exod 3:19.
Alternative generated candidates
- But I know that the king of Egypt will not give you leave to go—no, not unless by a strong hand.
- But I know that the king of Egypt will not give you leave to go, unless compelled by a strong hand.
Exo.3.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ושלחתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,c,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- ידי: NOUN,f,pl,cons
- והכיתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,.,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- בכל: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- נפלאתי: NOUN,f,pl,abs,poss1
- אשר: PRON,rel
- אעשה: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
- בקרבו: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRS,3,sg
- ואחרי: CONJ
- כן: ADV
- ישלח: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- אתכם: PRT+PRON,2,m,pl
Parallels
- Exodus 4:21 (verbal): God instructs Moses that when he returns to Egypt he must perform the wonders placed in his hand and that God will harden Pharaoh’s heart—close verbal and situational parallel to 3:20.
- Exodus 7:3–5 (verbal): God says he will harden Pharaoh and multiply signs and wonders in Egypt so that Israel’s deliverance will display God’s power—echoes the language of striking Egypt and performing wonders.
- Exodus 12:12 (thematic): God declares he will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt on the night of the Passover—another statement of God ‘striking’ Egypt as part of the plagues that compel Israel’s release.
- Psalm 78:43–51 (thematic): The psalm recounts God’s wonders and plagues in Egypt sent against Pharaoh and his land—this is a later liturgical retelling of the same acts described in Exod 3:20.
- Acts 7:36 (allusion): Stephen summarizes Moses’ leadership 'doing wonders and signs in Egypt' when recounting Israel’s deliverance—an early Christian allusion to the same wonders spoken of in Exod 3:20.
Alternative generated candidates
- So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders that I will do in its midst; and after that he will send you out.
- And I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders that I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go.
Exo.3.21 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ונתתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,_,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- חן: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- הזה: DEM,m,sg
- בעיני: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,abs
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- והיה: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,sg
- כי: CONJ
- תלכון: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,pl
- לא: PART_NEG
- תלכו: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,pl
- ריקם: ADV
Parallels
- Exodus 12:36 (verbal): Directly repeats the language and fulfillment: 'the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians' and reports Egyptians lending them silver and gold (they did not go empty-handed).
- Exodus 3:22 (structural): Immediate continuation of the promise in 3:21 — specifies that every woman shall borrow jewels from her neighbor, explaining how they will not leave empty-handed.
- Psalm 105:37 (allusion): Psalmic retelling of the Exodus that states God brought Israel out 'with silver and gold,' echoing the theme of departing Egypt with possessions.
- Genesis 15:14 (thematic): Earlier promise to Abraham that his descendants 'shall come out with great substance' — a thematic precedent for the promise that Israel will leave Egypt enriched.
Alternative generated candidates
- And I will give this people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty.
- And I will give this people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, you shall not go empty-handed.
Exo.3.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ושאלה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- אשה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- משכנתה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ומגרת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ביתה: NOUN,m,sg,suff-3,f,sg
- כלי: NOUN,m,pl,const
- כסף: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וכלי: NOUN,m,pl,const
- זהב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ושמלת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ושמתם: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,pl
- על: PREP
- בניכם: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ועל: CONJ+PREP
- בנתיכם: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- ונצלתם: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
Parallels
- Exodus 11:2 (verbal): Very similar wording and command — Moses is told to have each Israelite ask their neighbor for silver and gold; essentially the same instruction prior to the tenth plague.
- Exodus 12:35–36 (structural): Narrative fulfillment: the Israelites borrow and are granted jewelry and garments by the Egyptians and 'plunder' them when they leave Egypt.
- Exodus 3:21 (thematic): Immediate contextual parallel — God promises favor with the Egyptians and explicitly that the people will not go away empty-handed, which underlies the command in 3:22.
- Psalm 105:37 (allusion): Liturgical recall of the event: the psalm celebrates that God brought Israel out 'with silver and gold,' echoing the motif of Egypt's gift to the departing Israelites.
Alternative generated candidates
- And each woman shall ask from her neighbor and from the lodger in her house articles of silver and articles of gold and garments; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters, and you shall plunder Egypt.
- And each woman shall ask from her neighbor and from the lodger in her house articles of silver and articles of gold and garments; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters, and you shall plunder Egypt.”
And Moses was shepherding the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to the mountain of God, to Horeb. And the messenger of YHWH appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of the bush; and he saw, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, Let me turn aside now and see this great sight—why the bush does not burn up. And when YHWH saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, Moses, Moses! And he said, Here I am. And he said, Do not come near; take off your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. And he said, 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 gaze upon God. And YHWH said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sufferings. And I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. And now, behold, the cry of the Israelites has come to me; and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. And now, come, and I will send you to Pharaoh; and bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt. And Moses said to God, Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt? And he said, Indeed I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who have sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain. And Moses said to God, Look, I am going to the Israelites and will say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you; and they will say to me, What is his name? What shall I say to them? And God said to Moses, I Will Be Who I Will Be. And he said, Thus you shall say to the Israelites: I Will Be has sent me to you. And God said further to Moses, Thus you shall say to the Israelites: YHWH, the 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 forever, and this is my remembrance from generation to generation.
Go and gather the elders of Israel and say to them, YHWH, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me, saying, I have surely visited you, and I have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite—a land flowing with milk and honey. And they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt, and you shall say to him, YHWH, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, and let us sacrifice to YHWH our God. And I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go except by a mighty hand. And I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders that I will do in its midst; and after that he will send you out. And I will give this people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty. And every woman shall ask from her neighbor and from the sojourner in her house articles of silver and articles of gold and garments; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters; and you shall plunder Egypt.