Exodus 3:15
in Exodus 3God also told Moses, “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 how I am to be remembered in every generation.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, Jehovah, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
KJV
And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
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This verse in Exodus 3
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The Lord God ... - Better, Jehovah יהוה yehovâh, God of your fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob. It corresponds exactly to the preceding verse, the words “I am” and “Jehovah” (Yahweh) being equivalent. This name met all the requirements of Moses, involving a two-fold pledge of accomplishment; the pledges of ancient benefits and of a new manifestation. Name ... memorial - The name signifies that by which God makes Himself known, the memorial that by which His people worship Him.
This site's exposition
This is My name forever
The word memorial occurs here first in Scripture, applied to a name tied to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Exodus 6:3 later says "by My name the LORD I did not make Myself known to them", though Genesis uses the name from 2:4.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
What does it mean then that later on he gave himself another name, where it says, "And the Lord said to Moses, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob: this is my name forever"? How is it that there I am called this name that shows "I am," and lo and behold here is another name: "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob"? It means that while God is indeed unchangeable, he has done everything out of mercy, and so the Son of God himself was prepared to take on changeable flesh and thereby to come to man's rescue while remaining what he is as the Word of God. Thus he who is clothed himself with mortal flesh, so that it could truly be said, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob."
For God and Lord is a name of majesty, a name of power, even as God himself says, "The Lord is my name," and as in another place the prophet declares, "The Lord almighty is his name." He is God, therefore, and Lord, either because his rule is over all or because he beholds all things and is feared by all without exception.
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCollations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 10 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
The first object of speculation is the fact that God is. The first name of God is "To Be" which is most manifest and most perfect — and therefore, first. Hence nothing is more manifest, for anything said of God is retraced to being: this …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And that he might raise their expectations of the speedy performance of the promises made unto their fathers: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are particularly named, because with Abraham the covenant was first made, and with Isaac and Jacob oft expressly renewed, and these three were distinguished from their brethren, and chosen to be the trustees of the covenant.
And God said moreover unto Moses,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
But he evinced great reluctance to it and stated a variety of objections [Ex 3:11, 13; 4:1, 10] all of which were successfully met and removed--and the happy issue of his labors was minutely described.
This is my name for ever - The name here referred to is that which immediately precedes, יהוה אלהים Yehovah Elohim, which we translate the Lord God, the name by which God had been known from the creation of the world, (see Gen 2:4). and the name by which he is known among the same people to the present day. Even the heathens knew this name of the true God; and hence out of our יהוה Yehovah they formed their Jao, Jeve, and Jove; so that the word has been literally fulfilled, This is my memorial unto all generations. See Clarke’s note on the word Elohim, Gen 1:1 (note). As to be self-existent and eternal must be attributes of God for ever, does it not follow that the לעלם leolam, for ever, in the text signifies eternity? “This is my name to eternity - and my memorial,” לדר דר ledor dor, “to all succeeding generations.” While human generations continue he shall be called the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; but when time shall be no more, he shall be Jehovah Elohim. Hence the first expression refers to his eternal existence, the latter to the discovery he should make of himself as long as time should last. See Gen 21:33. Diodorus Siculus says, that “among the Jews, Moses is reported to have received his laws from the God named Jao,” Ιαω, i.e., Jeue, Jove, or Jeve; for in all these ways the word יהוה Yehovah may be pronounced; and in this way I have seen it on Egyptian monuments. See Diod., lib. l., c. xciv.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
AND GOD SAID…I AM. Its meaning is, That I Am. 112 According to I.E. That I Am explains I Am.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
28 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּאמֶר֩ | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| ע֨וֹד | od | again | H5750 → | 490 times |
| אֱלֹהִ֜ים | ʾelohim | God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֗ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| כֹּֽה־ | koh- | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| תֹאמַר֮ | tomar | you will say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| יְהוָ֞ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֵ֣י | ʾelohei | [the] God of | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֗ם | ʾavoteikhem | ancestors your | H1 → | 1212 times |
| אֱלֹהֵ֨י | ʾelohei | [the] God of | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אַבְרָהָ֜ם | ʾavraham | Abraham | H85 → | 175 times |
| אֱלֹהֵ֥י | ʾelohei | [the] God of | H430 → | 2601 times |
| יִצְחָ֛ק | yitzchak | Isaac | H3327 → | 108 times |
| וֵאלֹהֵ֥י | velohei | and [the] God of | H430 → | 2601 times |
| יַעֲקֹ֖ב | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| שְׁלָחַ֣נִי | shelachani | he has sent me | H7971 → | 845 times |
| אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם | ʾaleikhem | to you | H413 → | 5510 times |
| זֶה־ | zeh- | this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| שְּׁמִ֣י | shemi | [is] name my | H8034 → | 864 times |
| לְעֹלָ֔ם | leolam | for ever | H5769 → | 438 times |
| וְזֶ֥ה | vezeh | and this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| זִכְרִ֖י | zikhri | [is] memorial my | H2143 → | |
| לְדֹ֥ר | ledor | to a generation | H1755 → | 167 times |
| דֹּֽר׃ | dor | generation | H1755 → | 167 times |
וַיֹּאמֶר֩and he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
ע֨וֹדagain
odH5750 →490 times
אֱלֹהִ֜יםGod
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
מֹשֶׁ֗הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
כֹּֽה־thus
koh-H3541 →577 times
תֹאמַר֮you will say
tomarH559 →5305 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] people of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵל֒Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
יְהוָ֞הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֵ֣י[the] God of
ʾeloheiH430 →2601 times
אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֗םancestors your
ʾavoteikhemH1 →1212 times
אֱלֹהֵ֨י[the] God of
ʾeloheiH430 →2601 times
אַבְרָהָ֜םAbraham
ʾavrahamH85 →175 times
אֱלֹהֵ֥י[the] God of
ʾeloheiH430 →2601 times
יִצְחָ֛קIsaac
yitzchakH3327 →108 times
וֵאלֹהֵ֥יand [the] God of
veloheiH430 →2601 times
יַעֲקֹ֖בJacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
שְׁלָחַ֣נִיhe has sent me
shelachaniH7971 →845 times
אֲלֵיכֶ֑םto you
ʾaleikhemH413 →5510 times
זֶה־this
zeh-H2088 →1180 times
שְּׁמִ֣י[is] name my
shemiH8034 →864 times
לְעֹלָ֔םfor ever
leolamH5769 →438 times
וְזֶ֥הand this
vezehH2088 →1180 times
זִכְרִ֖י[is] memorial my
zikhriH2143 →
לְדֹ֥רto a generation
ledorH1755 →167 times
דֹּֽר׃generation
dorH1755 →167 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 13:8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
it leads to
- James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Malachi 3:6
“Because I, the LORD, do not change, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.
- Revelation 1:8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.
- Hebrews 1:12
You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed; but You remain the same, and Your years will never end.”
- Isaiah 44:6
Thus says the LORD, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the LORD of Hosts: “I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God but Me.
- James 1:17
Through
Malachi 3:6“Because I, the LORD, do not change, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.
it leads to
- Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?
- Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
- Lamentations 3:22–23
Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail.
- Numbers 23:19
Where this verse is studied
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About Exodus
Who and where
4 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonExodus and Wilderness PeriodMosesIsrael's deliverer from Egyptian slavery, covenant mediator, and lawgiver.
- PersonPatriarchsAbrahamCalled out of Ur, the father of all who believe, justified by faith, and the friend of God through whose seed all nations are bles…
- PersonPatriarchsIsaacThe son of promise and of laughter — bound on Moriah, the quiet inheritor of the covenant.
- PersonPatriarchsJacobThe heel-grasping supplanter reshaped at Peniel into 'Israel, he who strives with God' — father of the twelve tribes.
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, Exposition of the Christian Faith 1.1.7; Augustine of Hippo, SERMON 6.5; Bonaventure, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 10; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch.