God is revealing His eternal nature not just as a transcendent "I AM," but as the God who is intimately connected to their story through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This emphasis on the patriarchs is a deliberate reminder that He's not a distant deity, but one who has a covenant history with them, assuring them He remembers and is acting on that long-standing relationship.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After appearing to Moses in the burning bush and revealing His power over creation, God now instructs Moses on how to identify Himself to the Israelites. He is calling Himself "The LORD, the God of your fathers," emphasizing His enduring relationship with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This particular name and title is to be His eternal remembrance, linking His past promises to their current suffering and future deliverance.
Moses was about to face an unprecedented challenge, and God's introduction of Himself wasn't just a formality. It was an anchor.
God doesn't just give Moses a name; He gives him a declaration of His very being and His enduring relationship with His people. When God says, "This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations," He's doing more than providing a label.
A Covenantal Identity
He's reminding Moses (and us!) that His identity is deeply intertwined with His promises. The phrase "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" isn't just historical trivia. It signifies that God is the God who covenants – the God who makes promises and keeps them, generation after generation. This is the God who chose a family, made them promises, and is now acting to fulfill them.
A Memorial for Generations
This name is a "memorial." It's meant to be recalled, to be retold. It's a heritage passed down, a testament to God's faithfulness. It's a declaration that even as circumstances change, as people struggle and forget, God's fundamental character and His commitments remain steadfast.
The Israelites' faith had likely faded under centuries of oppression. How does God reintroduce Himself to reignite their hope?
Imagine the Israelites, slaves in Egypt for generations. Their fathers' faith might feel like a distant memory, their fathers' God seemingly absent. So, when God sends Moses, He doesn't just say, 'I am that I am.' He says, 'I am the God your ancestors knew.'
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Bridging the Gap
By using the names of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God grounds His immense, eternal self in a history the Israelites could still connect with, however faintly. It's a deliberate act to make Himself relatable and to revive the faith that had likely grown cold. He's saying, 'I haven't forgotten the promises I made to your forefathers; I am still that same faithful God.'
A Foundation for Future Faith
This wasn't just about the past; it was a foundation for the future. By anchoring His identity in the lineage of the patriarchs, God provided a way for the Israelites to understand His present actions (delivering them from Egypt) as a continuation of His promises. It was a message of hope: the God of their fathers was here to act powerfully for them.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God in the Old Testament, representing His faithfulness and personal presence with His people. It is the name by which He entered into a relationship with Israel and fulfills His promises.
'olam · Hebrew Noun/Adverb
An extended duration; in a biblical context, it denotes the eternal nature of God's character and the perpetual validity of His covenant, binding Him to His people without end.
By invoking the God of their fathers – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – God reminds the enslaved Israelites of His ancient promises and His enduring faithfulness, even after generations of hardship and near-forgotten heritage.
c. 1800 BC
God's Covenant with Abraham
God establishes a foundational covenant with Abraham, promising descendants, land, and blessing. This marks the beginning of God's special relationship with this family line.
c. 1700 BC
Jacob and His Sons Move to Egypt
Jacob and his extended family, numbering about 70 people, move to Egypt during a famine. They are initially welcomed and given land in Goshen.
c. 1446 BC
Israelite Oppression in Egypt Intensifies
After centuries of growth and the rise of a new dynasty hostile to foreigners, the Israelites are enslaved. Their labor becomes brutal, filling the measure of their suffering.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Moses Encounters the Burning Bush
God appears to Moses in a burning bush at Mount Horeb, revealing Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He commissions Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery.
c. 1446 BC
The Exodus from Egypt
Led by Moses, the Israelites depart from Egypt after God unleashes the Ten Plagues upon the Egyptians. This event marks their liberation and the beginning of their journey to the Promised Land.
This verse echoes the same sentiment, emphasizing God's unique love for Israel due to His choosing their ancestors, reinforcing the idea of a perpetual covenant relationship.
Psalm 105:6-10This psalm recounts God's covenant promises made to Abraham and his descendants, directly linking God's identity as the God of Israel to His faithfulness through generations.
Matthew 22:32Jesus uses this exact language ('the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob') to prove the resurrection, highlighting that God's relationship with His people is enduring and eternal, not just historical.
Isaiah 41:8-10This passage demonstrates God's consistent action of choosing and strengthening His people, showing that His remembering the patriarchs is part of His ongoing commitment to those He calls His own.
bensonExodus 3:15: "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."
Exodus 3:15 . God will be known, 2d, By a name that speaks what he is to his people. Lest they should not understand the name I AM, Moses is directed to make use of another name of God more familiar to them. The Lord…
calvinExodus 3:15-17: "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."
- 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 na…
God is revealing His eternal nature not just as a transcendent "I AM," but as the God who is intimately connected to their story through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This emphasis on the patriarchs is a deliberate reminder that He's not a distant deity, but one who has a covenant history with them, assuring them He remembers and is acting on that long-standing relationship.
After appearing to Moses in the burning bush and revealing His power over creation, God now instructs Moses on how to identify Himself to the Israelites. He is calling Himself "The LORD, the God of your fathers," emphasizing His enduring relationship with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This particular name and title is to be His eternal remembrance, linking His past promises to their current suffering and future deliverance.
After appearing to Moses in the burning bush and revealing His power over creation, God now instructs Moses on how to identify Himself to the Israelites. He is calling Himself "The LORD, the God of your fathers," emphasizing His enduring relationship with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This particular name and title is to be His eternal remembrance, linking His past promises to their current suffering and future deliverance.
"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 through…" — God is revealing His eternal nature not just as a transcendent "I AM," but as the God who is intimately connected to their story through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This emphasis on the patriarchs i…
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Last reviewed October 2026
