Exodus 3:11-12
But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Moses' question, "Who am I?", isn't just about his own inadequacy. It's a bold, almost astonished, challenge to God, implying that the task of confronting Pharaoh and leading Israel is so immense, it's astonishing that anyone, let alone a former exile, would be chosen for it. He's not just expressing self-doubt, but also awe at the sheer scale of the divine mission.
After forty years of tending sheep in Midian, Moses is directly commissioned by God, who appears in a burning bush, to confront Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of slavery. Moses immediately expresses his profound inadequacy and fear, questioning his own ability to undertake such an immense task, especially given his exile and the Israelites' likely disbelief.
Moses, face to face with the Almighty, responds to a monumental call with a question: 'Who am I?' It sounds like doubt, but is it really?
Moses' response in Exodus 3:11 is often seen as a moment of humble self-awareness, but the biblical narrative reveals a deeper crisis. Forty years prior, Moses acted decisively, even violently, to save an Israelite (Acts 7:25). He seemed confident then, despite lacking direct divine instruction. Now, with God's clear commission, he hesitates. This isn't just a lack of confidence; it's a profound recognition of his own inadequacy after years of exile and a rejection by his own people. He's no longer the impetuous youth but a seasoned, humbled man acutely aware of his limitations and past failures.
Moses feels utterly unqualified. So, what does God do? He doesn't empower Moses with new skills but reminds him of a truth that dwarfs any personal inadequacy.
God's response to Moses' 'Who am I?' is striking: 'Certainly I will be with you' (Exodus 3:12). God doesn't refute Moses' assessment of his own weakness. Instead, He shifts the focus from Moses' ability to God's presence and power. The ultimate confidence for any divine task doesn't come from within ourselves, but from the unchanging promise that God Himself will go with us. Our inadequacy is the very space where God's sufficiency can be most clearly displayed.
Before Moses even faces Pharaoh, there's a crucial question: 'What is His name?' God's answer isn't just a label; it's the key to the entire mission.
Moses asks about God's name because he knows the Israelites will demand it. In that culture, a name represented essence and authority. God's response, 'I AM WHO I AM,' (Exodus 3:14) reveals His eternal, self-existent nature. He is the uncaused cause, the one who simply is. This isn't just a theological descriptor; it's the foundation for the Exodus. The God who eternally is is the one who has the power and will to bring His people out of bondage. The revelation of His name assures Moses (and Israel) that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is actively present and eternally faithful, ready to fulfill His covenant promises.
Understand the original words
elohim · Hebrew Noun
A supreme being or deity; the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, recognized as the singular object of worship in biblical monotheism.
Par'oh · Hebrew Noun
The title given to the Egyptian monarch, representing the highest human authority and often viewed as a divine or semi-divine figure in the Egyptian worldview. In the Bible, Pharaoh frequently functions as a symbol of worldly power in opposition to the kingdom of God.
bene yisra'el · Hebrew Noun Phrase
Used in a corporate sense to refer to the descendants of Jacob; the chosen people through whom God promised to bless the nations and establish His covenant.
'ot · Hebrew Noun
Moses' question, 'Who am I?', stems from his painful past experience of rejection by his own people forty years prior. This verse highlights his profound humility and self-doubt after a lifetime of exile and perceived failure, contrasting sharply with his youthful impetuosity.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Israelite Exodus from Egypt
The enslavement of the Israelites in Egypt reaches its peak. Moses, now an old man living in exile, is called by God to return and lead his people out of bondage.
c. 1486 BC
Moses' First Attempt at Deliverance
As a young man, Moses attempted to deliver Israel by force, killing an Egyptian oppressor. The Israelites rejected his leadership, forcing him to flee Egypt and live as a fugitive.
c. 1486 BC - c. 1446 BC
Moses' Exile in Midian
Moses spent forty years as a shepherd in Midian, a period of humility, reflection, and preparation that stripped him of his youthful pride and self-reliance.
c. 1446 BC
Reign of the Pharaoh of the Exodus
The reigning Pharaoh, likely Rameses II or his successor, fiercely resisted Moses' demands, refusing to let the Israelites go and imposing harsher conditions on them.
Gideon also expresses deep self-doubt when called by God to deliver Israel, questioning his own smallness and his family's weakness, mirroring Moses' sentiment of inadequacy.
Jeremiah 1:6Jeremiah voices a similar hesitancy, exclaiming, 'Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am only a youth,' highlighting a common human reaction of feeling unqualified for God's call.
1 Samuel 9:21Saul, upon learning he is chosen as king, exhibits humility and doubt by saying, 'Is not my tribe the least of all the tribes of Israel? And is not my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me like this?' This shows that even those chosen by God can feel undeserving.
Matthew 11:2-3John the Baptist, imprisoned and facing his own trials, sends disciples to ask Jesus, 'Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?' This shows even trusted messengers can wrestle with doubt and seek confirmation.
calvinExodus 3:10-14: "Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt."
And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
Et ait Moses ad Deum, Ecce ubi ego venero ad filios Israel, et dixero eis, Deus patrum vestrorum misit me ad vos: tunc si d…
pooleExodus 3:11: "And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?"
What a mean, inconsiderable person am I! how unworthy and unfit for that employment! He was more forward in the work forty years ago, by reason of the fervours of his youth, his inexperience in affairs, the advantage of his power and interest in the court, by which he thought he could and should procure their deliverance; but now age had made him co…
Moses' question, "Who am I?", isn't just about his own inadequacy. It's a bold, almost astonished, challenge to God, implying that the task of confronting Pharaoh and leading Israel is so immense, it's astonishing that anyone, let alone a former exile, would be chosen for it. He's not just expressing self-doubt, but also awe at the sheer scale of the divine mission.
After forty years of tending sheep in Midian, Moses is directly commissioned by God, who appears in a burning bush, to confront Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of slavery. Moses immediately expresses his profound inadequacy and fear, questioning his own ability to undertake such an immense task, especially given his exile and the Israelites' likely disbelief.
After forty years of tending sheep in Midian, Moses is directly commissioned by God, who appears in a burning bush, to confront Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of slavery. Moses immediately expresses his profound inadequacy and fear, questioning his own ability to undertake such an immense task, especially given his exile and the Israelites' likely disbelief.
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A supernatural manifestation or a specific event intended to confirm the truthfulness of a divine message or the commission of a messenger.
abad · Hebrew Verb
Refers to the act of religious worship, service, or duty performed by a creature toward the Creator; it implies total devotion and allegiance.
"But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out o…" — Moses' question, "Who am I?", isn't just about his own inadequacy. It's a bold, almost astonished, challenge to God, implying that the task of confronting Pharaoh and leading Israel is so immense, it…
