Exodus 3 · Verse 14

Exodus 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.
Exodus 3:14, King James Version

Exodus 3:14 in other translations

BSBGod said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
WEBGod said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM,” and he said, “You shall tell the children of Israel this: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
ASVAnd 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.
YLTAnd God saith unto Moses, ‘I AM THAT WHICH I AM;' He saith also, ‘Thus dost thou say to the sons of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.'
DARBYAnd God said to 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.
BBEAnd God said to him, I AM WHAT I AM: and he said, Say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.
WebsterAnd God said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM: And he said, Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me to you.

What does Exodus 3:14 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 14 I am that I am - אהיה אשר אהיה Eheyeh asher Eheyeh. These words have been variously understood. The Vulgate translates Ego Sum Qui Sum, I am who am. The Septuagint, Εγω ειμι ὁ Ων, I am he who exists. The Syriac, the Persic, and the Chaldee preserve the original words without any gloss. The Arabic paraphrases them, The Eternal, who passes not away; which is the same interpretation given by Abul Farajius, who also preserves the original words, and gives the above as their interpretation. The Targum of Jonathan, and the Jerusalem Targum paraphrase the words thus: "He who spake, and the world was; who spake, and all things existed." As the original words literally signify, I will be what I will be, some have supposed that God simply designed to inform Moses, that what he had been to his fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he would be to him and the Israelites; and that he would perform the promises he had made to his fathers, by giving their descendants the promised land. It is difficult to put a meaning on the words; they seem intended to point out the eternity and self-existence of God. Plato, in his Parmenides, where he treats sublimely of the nature of God, says, Ουδ' αρα ονομα εστιν αυτῳ, nothing can express his nature; therefore no name can be attributed to him. See the conclusion of this chapter, Exo 3:22 (note) and on the word Jehovah, Exo 34:6 (note), Exo 34:7 (note).

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…

Read the full comment on Exodus 3:11-15 →

Exodus 3:14 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
אֱלֹהִים֙'E.lo.HimGodH430
אֶל\־'el-toH413
מֹשֶׁ֔הmo.ShehMosesH4872
אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה'eh.YehI amH1961
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sher[that] whichH834
אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה'eh.YehI amH1961
וַיֹּ֗אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
כֹּ֤הkohthusH3541
תֹאמַר֙to.Maryou will sayH559
לִבְנֵ֣יliv.Neito [the] people ofH1121
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה'eh.YehI amH1961
שְׁלָחַ֥נִיshe.la.Cha.nihe has sent meH7971
אֲלֵיכֶֽם\׃'a.lei.Khemto youH413

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

Cross references for Exodus 3:14

  • John 8:58

    Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

  • Hebrews 13:8

    Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

  • Revelation 1:8

    I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

  • Psalms 90:2

    Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

  • Isaiah 44:6

    Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

  • Exodus 6:3

    And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them.

  • Revelation 1:4

    John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;

  • Revelation 1:17

    And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

  • Revelation 4:8

    And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

  • Psalms 68:4

    Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name Jah, and rejoice before him.

  • 2 Corinthians 1:20

    For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

  • Matthew 28:20

    Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I AM hath.
6:3; Job 11:7; Ps 68:4; 90:2; Isa 44:6; Mt 18:20; 28:20; Joh 8:58
2Co 1:20; Heb 13:8; Re 1:4,8,17; 4:8

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

Context

  • Exodus 3:13

    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?

  • Exodus 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.

  • Exodus 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.

Read all of Exodus 3

Exodus 3:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y respondió Dios á Moisés: YO SOY EL QUE SOY. Y dijo: Así dirás á los hijos de Israel: YO SOY me ha enviado á vosotros.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et Dieu dit à Moïse: Je suis celui qui suis. Et il dit: Tu diras ainsi aux fils d’Israël: Je suis m’a envoyé vers vous.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Da sprach Gott zu Mose: Ich bin, der ich bin. Und er sprach: Also sollst du zu den Kindern Israel sagen: "Ich bin" hat mich zu euch gesandt.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Dixit Deus ad Moysen: Ego sum qui sum. Ait: Sic dices filiis Israël: Qui est, misit me ad vos.