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1 Nowe Moses kept the flocke of Iethro his father in law, the Priest of Midian: and hee led the flocke to the backeside of the desert, and came to the mountaine of God, euen to Horeb.

2 And the Angel of the Lord appeared vnto him, in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush, and he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

3 And Moses saide, I will nowe turne aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

4 And when the Lord sawe that he turned aside to see, God called vnto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he saide, Here am I.

5 And he said, Drawe not nigh hither: put off thy shooes from off thy feete, for the place whereon thou standest, is holy ground.

6 Moreouer hee said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob. And Moses hid his face: for he was afraid to looke vpon God.

7 ¶ And the Lord said, I haue surely seene the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and haue heard their crie, by reason of their taske-masters: for I know their sorrowes,

8 And I am come downe to deliuer them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them vp out of that land, vnto a good land and a large, vnto a lande flowing with milke and hony, vnto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hiuites, and the Iebusites.

9 Now therefore behold, the crie of the children of Israel is come vnto me: and I haue also seene the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppresse them.

10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee vnto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

11 ¶ And Moses saide vnto God, Who am I, that I should goe vnto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

12 And he said, Certainely I will be with thee, and this shall be a token vnto thee, that I haue sent thee: When thou hast brought foorth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serue God vpon this mountaine.

13 And Moses saide vnto God, Behold, when I come vnto the children of Israel, and shall say vnto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me vnto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say vnto them?

14 And God saide vnto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: And he said, Thus shalt thou say vnto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me vnto you.

15 And God said moreouer vnto Moses, Thus shalt thou say vnto the children of Israel; The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob hath sent me vnto you: this is my name for euer, and this is my memoriall vnto all generations.

16 Goe and gather the Elders of Israel together, and say vnto them, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Iacob appeared vnto me, saying, I haue surely visited you, and seene that which is done to you in Egypt.

17 And I haue said, I will bring you vp out of the affliction of Egypt, vnto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hiuites, and the Iebusites, vnto a land flowing with milke and hony.

18 And they shall hearken to thy voyce: and thou shalt come, thou and the Elders of Israel vnto the King of Egypt, and you shall say vnto him, The Lord God of the Hebrewes hath met with vs: and now let vs goe, (wee beseech thee) three dayes iourney into the wildernes, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.

19 ¶ And I am sure that the King of Egypt will not let you goe, no not by a mightie hand.

20 And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will doe in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you goe.

21 And I will giue this people fauour in the sight of the Egyptians, and it shall come to passe that when ye goe, ye shall not goe empty:

22 But euery woman shal borrow of her neighbour, and of her that soiourneth in her house, iewels of siluer, and iewels of gold, and rayment: and ye shall put them vpon your sonnes and vpon your daughters, and yee shall spoile the Egyptians.

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Commentary for Exodus 3

God appears to Moses in a burning bush. (1-6) God sends Moses to deliver Israel. (7-10) The name Jehovah. (11-15) The deliverance of the Israelites promised. (16-22)1-6 The years of the life of Moses are divided into three forties; the first forty he spent as a prince in Pharaoh's court, the second as a shepherd in Midian, the third as a king in Jeshurun. How changeable is the life of man! The first appearance of God to Moses, found him tending sheep. This seems a poor employment for a man of his parts and education, yet he rests satisfied with it; and thus learns meekness and contentment, for which he is more noted in sacred writ, than for all his learning. Satan loves to find us idle; God is pleased when he finds us employed. Being alone, is a good friend to our communion with God. To his great surprise, Moses saw a bush burning without fire to kindle it. The bush burned, and yet did not burn away; an emblem of the church in bondage in Egypt. And it fitly reminds us of the church in every age, under its severest persecutions kept by the presence of God from being destroyed. Fire is an emblem, in Scripture, of the Divine holiness and justice, also of the afflictions and trials with which God proves and purifies his people, and even of that baptism of the Holy Ghost, by which sinful affections are consumed, and the soul changed into the Divine nature and image. God gave Moses a gracious call, to which he returned a ready answer. Those that would have communion with God, must attend upon him in the ordinances wherein he is pleased to manifest himself and his glory, though it be in a bush. Putting off the shoe was a token of respect and submission. We ought to draw nigh to God with a solemn pause and preparation, carefully avoiding every thing that looks light and rude, and unbecoming his service. God does not say, I was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but I am. The patriarchs still live, so many years after their bodies have been in the grave. No length of time can separate the souls of the just from their Maker. By this, God instructed Moses as to another world, and strengthened his belief of a future state. Thus it is interpreted by our Lord Jesus, who, from hence, proves that the dead are raised, #Lu 20:37|. Moses hid his face, as if both ashamed and afraid to look upon God. The more we see of God, and his grace, and covenant love, the more cause we shall see to worship him with reverence and godly fear.

7-10 God notices the afflictions of Israel. Their sorrows; even the secret sorrows of God's people are known to him. Their cry; God hears the cries of his afflicted people. The oppression they endured; the highest and greatest of their oppressors are not above him. God promises speedy deliverance by methods out of the common ways of providence. Those whom God, by his grace, delivers out of a spiritual Egypt, he will bring to a heavenly Canaan.

11-15 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. This was the effect of more knowledge of God and of himself. Formerly, self-confidence mingled with strong faith and great zeal, now sinful distrust of God crept in under the garb of humility; so defective are the strongest graces and the best duties of the most eminent saints. But all objections are answered in, Certainly I will be with thee. That is enough. Two names God would now be known by. A name that denotes what he is in himself, I AM THAT I AM. This explains his name Jehovah, and signifies, 1. That he is self-existent: he has his being of himself. 2. That he is eternal and unchangeable, and always the same, yesterday, to-day, and for ever. 3. That he is incomprehensible; we cannot by searching find him out: this name checks all bold and curious inquiries concerning God. 4. That he is faithful and true to all his promises, unchangeable in his word as well as in his nature; let Israel know this, I AM hath sent me unto you. I am, and there is none else besides me. All else have their being from God, and are wholly dependent upon him. Also, here is a name that denotes what God is to his people. The Lord God of your fathers sent me unto you. Moses must revive among them the religion of their fathers, which was almost lost; and then they might expect the speedy performance of the promises made unto their fathers.

16-22 Moses' success with the elders of Israel would be good. God, who, by his grace, inclines the heart, and opens the ear, could say beforehand, They shall hearken to thy voice; for he would make them willing in this day of power. As to Pharaoh, Moses is here told that petitions and persuasions, and humble complaints, would not prevail with him; nor a mighty hand stretched out in signs and wonders. But those will certainly be broken by the power of God's hand, who will not bow to the power of his word. Pharaoh's people should furnish Israel with riches at their departure. In Pharaoh's tyranny and Israel's oppression, we see the miserable, abject state of sinners. However galling the yoke, they drudge on till the Lord sends redemption. With the invitations of the gospel, God sends the teaching of his Spirit. Thus are men made willing to seek and to strive for deliverance. Satan loses his power to hold them, they come forth with all they have and are, and apply all to the glory of God and the service of his church.

Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.

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