Exodus 3:11-12
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I[a] that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 God answered: I will be with you; and this will be your sign[b] that I have sent you. When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will serve God at this mountain.
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- 3:11 Who am I: this question is always addressed by an inferior to a superior (to the ruler in 1 Sm 18:18; to God in 2 Sm 7:18 and its parallel, 1 Chr 17:16; 1 Chr 29:14; 2 Chr 2:5). In response to some special opportunity or invitation, the question expresses in a style typical of the ancient Near East the speaker’s humility or gratitude or need of further assistance, but never unwillingness or an outright refusal to respond. Instead the question sets the stage for further support from the superior should that be needed (as here).
- 3:12 Sign: a visible display of the power of God. The ancient notion of a sign from God does not coincide with the modern understanding of “miracle,” which suggests some disruption in the laws governing nature. While most any phenomenon can become a vehicle for displaying the purposes and providence of God, here the sign intended to confirm Moses’ commission by God seems to be the burning bush itself. Since normally the giving of such a sign would follow the commission rather than precede it (see Jgs 6:11–24), some see Israel’s service of God at Sinai after the exodus from Egypt as the confirmatory sign, albeit retroactively. It is more likely, however, that its mention here is intended to establish the present episode with Moses alone as a prefigurement of God’s fiery theophany to all Israel on Mount Sinai. Serve God: Hebrew ‘-b-d, “serve,” includes among its meanings both the notion of “serving or working for another” and the notion of “worship.” The implication here is that the Israelites’ service/worship of God is incompatible with their service to Pharaoh.
Exodus 3:11-12
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”
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Exodus 3:11-12
Good News Translation
11 But Moses said to God, “I am nobody. How can I go to the king and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
12 God answered, “I will be with you, and when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will worship me on this mountain. That will be the proof that I have sent you.”
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Exodus 3:11-12
New American Standard Bible
11 But Moses said to God, “(A)Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 And He said, “Assuredly (B)I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: (C)when you have brought the people out of Egypt, (D)you shall [a]worship God at this mountain.”
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- Exodus 3:12 Or serve
Exodus 3:11-12
New International Version
11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I(A) that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
12 And God said, “I will be with you.(B) And this will be the sign(C) to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you[a] will worship God on this mountain.(D)”
Footnotes
- Exodus 3:12 The Hebrew is plural.
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