Exodus 3:14
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.’”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
God’s name here, "I AM WHO I AM," isn't just a statement of existence; it’s a radical declaration of self-sufficiency that sets Him apart from everything else. By revealing this name, God is showing Moses that He doesn't depend on anything or anyone, and His essence is beyond human comprehension, unlike the powerless idols the Israelites might have known.
Moses, feeling wholly inadequate and unsure of how the Israelites will respond to his divine mission, asks God for His name so he can identify Him. God then reveals His personal name, declaring His eternal, self-existent nature, and instructs Moses to tell the people that "I AM" has sent him. This profound revelation is meant to assure Moses and the Israelites of God's unchanging faithfulness and power to fulfill His promises.
When Moses asked for God's name, he received something far more profound than a mere label. It's a direct statement about God's very nature.
In Exodus 3:14, God reveals His name to Moses as 'I AM WHO I AM.' This isn't just a name; it's a declaration of His essential being.
Self-Existent and Eternal
More Than a Name
Moses was hesitant, feeling inadequate for the enormous task of leading Israel out of Egypt. God's revelation of His name directly addresses this inadequacy.
God's instruction to Moses in Exodus 3:14 doesn't stop with the profound declaration of His being. He immediately connects it to His mission:
Empowering Moses
Understand the original words
ehyeh asher ehyeh · Hebrew Verb/Proper Noun
The personal name of the God of Israel, derived from the verb "to be," revealing His eternal self-existence, independence, and faithfulness. It signifies that God is the source of all being and is unchanging in His character.
Moses is standing at the cusp of the Exodus, a pivotal moment where God's ancient promises are about to be fulfilled. Pharaoh's resistance and the Israelites' potential doubt necessitate a powerful revelation of God's identity.
c. 1800 BC
Abrahamic Covenant Established
God makes foundational promises to Abraham, including descendants, land, and blessing to the nations, setting the stage for future deliverance.
c. 1650 BC
Israelites Settle in Egypt
Jacob and his family move to Egypt due to famine, initially welcomed but later enslaved.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Moses Confronts Pharaoh
God commissions Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, and Moses asks for God's name in the face of doubt.
c. 1446 BC
The Ten Plagues Begin
God unleashes a series of devastating plagues upon Egypt to demonstrate His power and compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites.
c. 1446 BC
This passage echoes the divine declaration of unique, eternal existence, affirming God as the first and the last, underscoring the 'I AM' as the sole, uncreated Being.
John 8:58Jesus directly references this divine name when declaring, 'Before Abraham was, I AM,' powerfully linking His own eternal nature to God's self-disclosure to Moses.
Revelation 1:8This verse uses 'the Almighty' and 'who was and is and is to come' to express the same eternal, self-sufficient nature revealed in the 'I AM THAT I AM' declaration.
Psalm 90:2This psalm reflects on God's eternal nature, stating 'Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth... you are God,' underscoring the 'I AM' as the uncreated source of all existence.
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 3:14: "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."
I am that I am; a most comprehensive and significant name, and most proper for the present occasion, It notes, 1. The reality of his being; whereas idols are nothings , 1 Corinthians 8:4 , all their divinity is only in the fancies and opinions of men. 2. The necessariness, eternity, and unchangeableness of his being; whereas all other beings once were…
God’s name here, "I AM WHO I AM," isn't just a statement of existence; it’s a radical declaration of self-sufficiency that sets Him apart from everything else. By revealing this name, God is showing Moses that He doesn't depend on anything or anyone, and His essence is beyond human comprehension, unlike the powerless idols the Israelites might have known.
Moses, feeling wholly inadequate and unsure of how the Israelites will respond to his divine mission, asks God for His name so he can identify Him. God then reveals His personal name, declaring His eternal, self-existent nature, and instructs Moses to tell the people that "I AM" has sent him. This profound revelation is meant to assure Moses and the Israelites of God's unchanging faithfulness and power to fulfill His promises.
Moses, feeling wholly inadequate and unsure of how the Israelites will respond to his divine mission, asks God for His name so he can identify Him. God then reveals His personal name, declaring His eternal, self-existent nature, and instructs Moses to tell the people that "I AM" has sent him. This profound revelation is meant to assure Moses and the Israelites of God's unchanging faithfulness and power to fulfill His promises.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Exodus 3:14 is available in the Sola app.
Confidence in God's Presence
The Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites, led by Moses, depart from Egypt after God's final, decisive act against the Egyptians.
"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’s name here, "I AM WHO I AM," isn't just a statement of existence; it’s a radical declaration of self-sufficiency that sets Him apart from everything else. By revealing this name, God is showing…
