Exodus 3 · Verse 11

Exodus 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?
Exodus 3:11, King James Version

Exodus 3:11 in other translations

BSBBut Moses asked God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
WEBMoses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
ASVAnd 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?
YLTAnd Moses saith unto God, ‘Who am I, that I go unto Pharaoh, and that I bring out the sons of Israel from Egypt?'
DARBYAnd Moses said to God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
BBEAnd Moses said to God, Who am I to go to Pharaoh and take the children of Israel out of Egypt?
WebsterAnd Moses said to God, Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

What does Exodus 3:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Exodus 3:10-22

10-22. Come now therefore, and I will send thee--Considering the patriotic views that had formerly animated the breast of Moses, we might have anticipated that no mission could have been more welcome to his heart than to be employed in the national emancipation of Israel. 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…

Read the full comment on Exodus 3:10-22 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 Who am I - that I should bring - He was so satisfied that this was beyond his power, and all the means that he possessed, that he is astonished that even God himself should appoint him to this work! Such indeed was the bondage of the children of Israel, and the power of the people by whom they were enslaved, that had not their deliverance come through supernatural means, their escape had been utterly impossible.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 3:11-15
Formerly Moses thought himself able to deliver Israel, and set himself to the work too hastily. Now, when the fittest person on earth for it, he knows his own weakness. This was the effect of more knowledge of God and of himself. Formerly, self-confidence mingled with strong faith and great zeal, now sinful distrust of God crept in under the garb of humility; so defective are the strongest graces and the best duties of the most eminent saints. But all objections are answered in, Certainly I will be with thee. That is enough. Two names God would now be known by. A name that denotes what he is in himself, I AM THAT I AM. This explains his name Jehovah, and signifies, 1. That he is self-existent: he has his being of himself. 2. That he is eternal and unchangeable, and always the same, yesterday, to-day, and for ever. 3. That he is incomprehensible; we cannot by searching find him out: this name checks all bold and curious inquiries concerning God. 4. That he is faithful and true to all his promises, unchangeable in his word as well as in his nature; let Israel know this, I AM hath sent me unto you. I am, and there is none else besides me. All else have their being from God, and are wholly dependent upon him. Also, here is a name that denotes what God is to his people. The Lord God of your fathers sent me unto you. Moses must revive among them the religion of their fathers, which was almost lost; and then they might expect the speedy performance of the promises made unto their fathers.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Exodus 3:11 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
מֹשֶׁה֙mo.ShehMosesH4872
אֶל\־'el-toH413
הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔יםha.'E.lo.Him<the> GodH430
מִ֣יmiwho?H4310
אָנֹ֔כִי'a.No.khi[am] IH595
כִּ֥יkithatH3588
אֵלֵ֖ךְ'e.LekhI will goH1980
אֶל\־'el-toH413
פַּרְעֹ֑הpar.'OhPharaohH6547
וְכִ֥יve.Khiand thatH3588
אוֹצִ֛יא'o.Tzi'I will bring outH3318
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
בְּנֵ֥יbe.Nei[the] people ofH1121
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
מִמִּצְרָֽיִם\׃mi.mitz.Ra.yimfrom EgyptH4714

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Exodus 3:11

  • 1 Samuel 18:18

    And David said unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king?

  • Exodus 6:12

    And Moses spake before the Lord, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?

  • 2 Corinthians 3:5

    Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

  • Jeremiah 1:6

    Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

  • 2 Corinthians 2:16

    To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

  • 2 Samuel 7:18

    Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?

  • 1 Kings 3:9

    Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

  • Isaiah 6:5-8

    Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

  • Exodus 4:10-13

    And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.

  • Acts 7:23-25

    And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.

  • 1 Kings 3:7

    And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4:10-13; 6:12; 1Sa 18:18; 2Sa 7:18; 1Ki 3:7,9; Isa 6:5-8; Jer 1:6
Ac 7:23-25; 2Co 2:16; 3:5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Exodus 3:10

    Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

  • Exodus 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?

  • Exodus 3:12

    And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

Read all of Exodus 3

Exodus 3:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Entonces Moisés respondió á Dios: ¿Quién soy yo, para que vaya á Faraón, y saque de Egipto á los hijos de Israel?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et Moïse dit à Dieu: Qui suis-je, moi, pour que j’aille vers le Pharaon, et pour que je fasse sortir hors d’Égypte les fils d’Israël?
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und Mose sprach zu Gott: Wer bin ich, daß ich zu dem Pharao gehen, und daß ich die Kinder Israel aus Ägypten herausführen sollte?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Dixitque Moyses ad Deum: Quis sum ego ut vadam ad Pharaonem, et educam filios Israël de Ægypto?