(15) The Lord God of your fathers.--Heb., Jehovah, God of your fathers. The "I AM" of the preceding verse ('ehyeh) is modified here into Jahveh, or Jehovah, by a substitution of the third person for the first. The meaning of the name remains the same.
This is my name for ever.--Jehovah is the pre. dominant name of God throughout the rest of the Old Testament. (On the meaning of the name see Note on Genesis 2:4.) Rendered by the LXX. ??????, ["Lord"] the name appears under that form everywhere throughout the Authorised Version printed in capitals. It does not occur in the New Testament, since "Lord" takes its place. An equivalent of the name occurs, however, frequently in the Revelation of St. John, where God appears as "He which is, and which was, and which is to come" (Revelation 1:4; Revelation 1:8; Revelation 4:8; Revelation 11:17; Revelation 16:5). Necessary, self-sustained, independent, eternal existence, must always be of his essence.
My memorial--i.e., the designation by which I shall be remembered.
Verse 15. - The Lord God. In the original Jehovah elokey - "Jehovah, God of your fathers," etc. The name is clearly an equivalent of the "I AM" in the preceding versa The exact mode of its formation from the old root hava, "to be," is still disputed among the best Hebraists. This is my name for ever. Henceforth there will be no change - this will be my most appropriate name so long as the world endures - "The Existent" - "The Alone Existent" - "He that is, and was, and is to come" (Revelation 1:4, 8; Revelation 4:8; Revelation 11:17; Revelation 16:5). My memorial. The name whereby I am to be spoken of.
3:11-15 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.
And God said moreover unto Moses,.... As a further explanation of the above name, and of the design and use of it:
thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: for their further instruction in the said name, and for the confirmation of the mission of Moses, and the success of it:
the Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you; he who is Jehovah, and the covenant God of the ancestors of the people of Israel, and of them, so he is called, Ecclesiastes 3:6.
this is my name for ever: meaning either "Ehjeh, I am", in the preceding verse, or, which is the same, Jehovah in this, and so both of them, and including also the name of the God of Abraham, &c. which he was always to be known by:
and this is my memorial unto all generations; the name by which he should be made mention of both by himself and others, and by which he would be called to remembrance by his people, and what he had promised unto them, and done for them.
This is my name for ever.--Jehovah is the pre. dominant name of God throughout the rest of the Old Testament. (On the meaning of the name see Note on Genesis 2:4.) Rendered by the LXX. ??????, ["Lord"] the name appears under that form everywhere throughout the Authorised Version printed in capitals. It does not occur in the New Testament, since "Lord" takes its place. An equivalent of the name occurs, however, frequently in the Revelation of St. John, where God appears as "He which is, and which was, and which is to come" (Revelation 1:4; Revelation 1:8; Revelation 4:8; Revelation 11:17; Revelation 16:5). Necessary, self-sustained, independent, eternal existence, must always be of his essence.
My memorial--i.e., the designation by which I shall be remembered.
thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: for their further instruction in the said name, and for the confirmation of the mission of Moses, and the success of it:
the Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you; he who is Jehovah, and the covenant God of the ancestors of the people of Israel, and of them, so he is called, Ecclesiastes 3:6.
this is my name for ever: meaning either "Ehjeh, I am", in the preceding verse, or, which is the same, Jehovah in this, and so both of them, and including also the name of the God of Abraham, &c. which he was always to be known by:
and this is my memorial unto all generations; the name by which he should be made mention of both by himself and others, and by which he would be called to remembrance by his people, and what he had promised unto them, and done for them.