Exposition of Exodus 3:14-15 and Divine Name
In Exodus 3:14-15, God reveals a crucial aspect of His identity to Moses at the burning bush, providing the divine name by which He is to be known to the Israelites. The passage reads:
God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘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 thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations” (Exodus 3:14-15 ESV).
This revelation occurs within the broader narrative of Moses's call to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. Moses, having encountered God in the burning bush, expresses hesitation about his mission, anticipating that the Israelites will question the identity of the God who sent him [5]. His inquiry, "If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?" (Exodus 3:13 ESV), prompts God's profound response.
The phrase "I AM WHO I AM" (Hebrew: ’ehyeh ’ăšer ’ehyeh) in Exodus 3:14 is central to understanding the divine name. This declaration signifies God's self-sufficiency, self-existence, and boundless nature, indicating that He is not dependent on anything else for His being [6]. It speaks to a God who is all-encompassing and without limitations. The name "I AM" (Hebrew: ’ehyeh) itself points to God's eternal presence and active involvement. This divine name is understood to represent God Himself, with His "name" being synonymous with His presence and character [7].
Following this, God provides the name "The LORD" (Hebrew: YHWH, often vocalized as Yahweh), explicitly linking it to the God of their ancestors: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob [2]. This connection assures Moses and the Israelites that the God appearing to Moses is the same covenant-making God who established promises with their forefathers. The name YHWH is presented as God's name "forever" and the way He is to be "remembered throughout all generations" [9]. This emphasis on remembrance highlights the enduring nature of God's covenant and His identity.
The significance of the divine name YHWH is further illuminated in other biblical texts. For instance, Exodus 15:3 declares, "Yahweh is a man of war. Yahweh is his name" [1]. This demonstrates the active and powerful nature associated with the name. In Jewish tradition, the Tetragrammaton (YHWH) is considered the Proper Name of God, often associated with the attribute of mercy [8]. Due to its sacredness, the pronunciation of YHWH became restricted, leading to its substitution with Adonai (Lord) in reading [9]. The Babylonian Talmud notes that the word "forever" (le’olam) in Exodus 3:15 is written without a vav, allowing it to be read as le’alem, meaning "to conceal," suggesting that the name should be concealed or not pronounced [9].
The concept of God's name as a divine secret, too profound for finite human comprehension, is also reflected in other traditions [3]. While God knows human names, human interaction with the divine is often limited to terms of wonder and adoration, acknowledging that the true essence of the infinite cannot be fully expressed or understood by the finite [3].
In the New Testament, Jesus's use of "I Am" statements in the Gospel of John is seen by some scholars as an echo of God's divine name revealed in Exodus 3:14, indicating His own divine identity [4]. For example, in John 8:24, Jesus states, "unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be," which is interpreted as an allusion to God's name [4].
The revelation in Exodus 3:14-15 is foundational for understanding God's character as both transcendent and immanent—a self-existent being who also actively engages with His people through covenant and deliverance. This passage establishes the divine name as a central element of Israel's identity and their relationship with God.
Sources
- Exodus “Yahweh is a man of war. Yahweh is his name. -- Exodus 15:3”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Exodus 3:15 cross-references: Genesis 17:7, Exodus 3:6, Exodus 4:5, Exodus 6:2, Deuteronomy 1:11, Deuteronomy 1:35, Deuteronomy 4:1, 1 Chronicles 16:16, 1 Chronicles 29:18, 2 Chronicles 28:9, Psalms 30:5, Psalms 68:5, Psalms 72:17, Psalms 72:19, Psalms 102:12, Psalms 102:13, Psalms 135:13, Psalms 145:1, Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 63:12, Hosea 12:5, Hosea 12:6, Micah 4:5, Malachi 3:6, Matthew 22:32, Acts 7:32, Hebrews 13:8”
- Jude (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jude 13:17: 13:17-18 The Lord’s name is a divine secret (Gen 32:29; Exod 3:13-14). God knows our names, but in addressing him we are limited to terms of wonder and adoration, for the true essence of the infinite cannot be expressed or understood by the finite.”
- John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 8:24: 8:24 unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be: Jesus used God’s divine name (see 4:26; Exod 3:14), but the listeners missed the nuance (John 8:25). • die in your sins: Jesus’ presence in the world, as the light penetrating the darkness, is the world’s only chance for salvation.”
- Exodus (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Exodus 3:13: When Moses had been thus emboldened by the assurance of divine assistance to undertake the mission, he inquired what he was to say, in case the people asked him for the name of the God of their fathers. The supposition that the people might ask the name of their fathers' God is not to be attributed to the fact, that as the Egyptians had separate names for their numerous deities, the Israelites also would want to know the name of their own God. For, apart from the circumstance that the name by which God had revealed Himself to the fathers cannot have vanished en”
- Exodus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Exodus 3:14: 3:14 I Am Who I Am: This name speaks of a God who is self-sufficient, self-existent, all encompassing, and without limitations, the one being in the universe who is not dependent on something else for his existence.”
- Deuteronomy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Deuteronomy 12:5: 12:5 his name will be honored: The name of the Lord represents the Lord himself. God lived among his people in a designated location by placing his name there (see Exod 3:13-14).”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Kabbalistic/Philosophical)) “Ramban (Nachmanides) on Exodus 5:22: ADO-NOY’, WHEREFORE HAST THOU DEALT ILL WITH THIS PEOPLE? The Divine Name is here written Aleph Dalet , for through the Proper Name of G-d, [i.e., the Tetragrammaton], which is the attribute of mercy, no evil would befall the people. However, above [in Chapter 4, Verses 10 and 13], Moses twice mentioned the Divine Name written Aleph Dalet — [ Bi Ado-noy (O G-d)] — since he was praying that the anger of G-d would not be kindled against him [for refusing to undertake the mission to go to Pharaoh]. Perhaps Moses was afraid to mention the Great Divine Name that”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Pesachim 50a.20: Rava thought to expound upon the correct punctuation and enunciation of the name of God during his public lecture before one of the Festivals. A certain old man said to him: The word forever is written in the verse: “This is My name forever [ le’olam ]” (Exodus 3:15) without the letter vav , such that it can be read le’alem , to conceal, meaning that the name should be concealed.”