translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: EXO

label: NET translator note

text: Or “west of the desert,” taking אַחַר (’ akhar , “behind”) as the opposite of עַל־פְּנֵי (’ al-pÿne , “on the face of, east of”; cf. Gen 16:12; 25:18 ).


text: The verb וַיֵּרָא ( vayyera ’) is the Niphal preterite of the verb “to see.” For similar examples of רָאָה ( ra ’ ah ) in Niphal where the subject “appears,” that is, allows himself to be seen, or presents himself, see Gen 12:7; 35:9; 46:29 ; Exod 6:3; and 23:17 . B. Jacob notes that God appears in this way only to individuals and never to masses of people; it is his glory that appears to the masses ( Exodus , 49).


text: Gesenius rightly classifies this as a bet ( ב ) essentiae (GKC 379 §119. i ); it would then indicate that Yahweh appeared to Moses “ as a flame.”


text: Heb “And he saw.”


text: The text again uses the deictic particle with vav , וְהִנֵּה ( vÿhinneh ), traditionally rendered “and behold.” The particle goes with the intense gaze, the outstretched arm, the raised eyebrow – excitement and intense interest: “look, over there.” It draws the reader into the immediate experience of the subject.


text: The construction uses the suffixed negative אֵינֶנּוּ (’ enennu ) to convey the subject of the passive verb: “It was not” consumed. This was the amazing thing, for nothing would burn faster in the desert than a thornbush on fire.


text: Heb “And Moses said.” The implication is that Moses said this to himself.


text: The construction uses the cohortative אָסֻרָה־נָּא (’ asura-nna ’) followed by an imperfect with vav ( וְאֶרְאֶה , vÿ ’ er ’ eh ) to express the purpose or result (logical sequence): “I will turn aside in order that I may see.”


text: Heb “great.” The word means something extraordinary here. In using this term Moses revealed his reaction to the strange sight and his anticipation that something special was about to happen. So he turned away from the flock to investigate.


text: The verb is an imperfect. Here it has the progressive nuance – the bush is not burning up.


text: The preterite with the vav ( ו ) is subordinated as a temporal clause to the main point of the verse, that God called to him. The language is anthropomorphic, as if God’s actions were based on his observing what Moses did.


text: The particle כִּי ( ki , “that”) introduces the noun clause that functions as the direct object of the verb “saw” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax , 81, §490).


text: Heb “And he said”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Heb “And he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: The causal clause includes within it a typical relative clause, which is made up of the relative pronoun, then the independent personal pronoun with the participle, and then the preposition with the resumptive pronoun. It would literally be “which you are standing on it,” but the relative pronoun and the resumptive pronoun are combined and rendered, “on which you are standing.”


text: The clause uses the Hiphil infinitive construct with a preposition after the perfect tense: יָרֵא מֵהַבִּיט ( yare ’ mehabbit , “he was afraid from gazing”) meaning “he was afraid to gaze.” The preposition min ( מִן ) is used before infinitives after verbs like the one to complete the verb (see BDB 583 s.v. 7 b).


text: The use of the infinitive absolute with the perfect tense intensifies the statement: I have surely seen – there is no doubt that I have seen and will do something about it.


text: The Hiphil infinitive with the suffix is לְהַצִּילוֹ ( lÿhatsilo , “to deliver them”). It expresses the purpose of God’s coming down. The verb itself is used for delivering or rescuing in the general sense, and snatching out of danger for the specific.


text: Heb “to a land good and large”; NRSV “to a good and broad land.” In the translation the words “that is both” are supplied because in contemporary English “good and” combined with any additional descriptive term can be understood as elative (“good and large” = “very large”; “good and spacious” = “very spacious”; “good and ready” = “very ready”). The point made in the Hebrew text is that the land to which they are going is both good (in terms of quality) and large (in terms of size).


text: This vibrant description of the promised land is a familiar one. Gesenius classifies “milk and honey” as epexegetical genitives because they provide more precise description following a verbal adjective in the construct state (GKC 418-19 §128. x ). The land is modified by “flowing,” and “flowing” is explained by the genitives “milk and honey.” These two products will be in abundance in the land, and they therefore exemplify what a desirable land it is. The language is hyperbolic, as if the land were streaming with these products.


text: Each people group is joined to the preceding by the vav conjunction, “and.” Each also has the definite article, as in other similar lists ( 3:17; 13:5; 34:11 ). To repeat the conjunction and article in the translation seems to put more weight on the list in English than is necessary to its function in identifying what land God was giving the Israelites.


text: The particle הִנֵּה ( hinneh ) focuses attention on what is being said as grounds for what follows.


text: The word is a technical term for the outcry one might make to a judge. God had seen the oppression and so knew that the complaints were accurate, and so he initiated the proceedings against the oppressors (B. Jacob, Exodus , 59).


text: Heb “seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.” The word for the oppression is now לַחַץ ( lakhats ), which has the idea of pressure with the oppression – squeezing, pressuring – which led to its later use in the Semitic languages for torture. The repetition in the Hebrew text of the root in the participle form after this noun serves to stress the idea. This emphasis has been represented in the translation by the expression “seen how severely the Egyptians oppress them.”


text: The verse has a sequence of volitives. The first form is the imperative לְכָה ( lÿkha , “go”). Then comes the cohortative/imperfect form with the vav ( ו ), “and I will send you” or more likely “that I may send you” ( וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ , vÿ ’ eshlakhakha ), which is followed by the imperative with the vav , “and bring out” or “that you may bring out” ( וְהוֹצֵא , vÿhotse ’). The series of actions begins with Moses going. When he goes, it will be the Lord who sends him, and if the Lord sends him, it will be with the purpose of leading Israel out of Egypt. sn These instructions for Moses are based on the preceding revelation made to him. The deliverance of Israel was to be God’s work – hence, “I will send you.” When God commissioned people, often using the verb “to send,” it indicated that they went with his backing, his power, and his authority. Moses could not have brought Israel out without this. To name this incident a commissioning, then, means that the authority came from God to do the work (compare John 3:2 ).


text: Heb “And Moses said.”


text: The imperfect tense אֵלֵךְ (’ elekh ) carries the modal nuance of obligatory imperfect, i.e., “that I should go.” Moses at this point is overwhelmed with the task of representing God, and with his personal insufficiency, and so in honest humility questions the choice.


text: Heb “And he said”; the word “replied” clarifies for English readers that speaker is God.


text: The particle כִּי ( ki ) has the asseverative use here, “surely, indeed,” which is frequently found with oaths (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax , 73, §449). The imperfect tense אֶהְיֶה (’ ehyeh ) could be rendered as the future tense, “I will be” or the present tense “I am” with you. The future makes the better sense in this case, since the subject matter is the future mission. But since it is a stative verb, the form will also lend itself nicely to explaining the divine name – he is the One who is eternally present – “I am with you always.” sn Here is the introduction of the main motif of the commission, which will be the explanation of the divine name. It will make little difference who the servant is or what that servant’s abilities might be, if God is present. The mention of God’s presence is not a simple catch-phrase; it represents abundant provisions to the believer (see below on v. 14 ).


text: The verb תַּעַבְדוּן ( ta ’ avdun , “you will serve”) is one of the foremost words for worship in the Torah. Keeping the commandments and serving Yahweh usually sum up the life of faith; the true worshiper seeks to obey him. The highest title anyone can have in the OT is “the servant of Yahweh.” The verb here could be rendered interpretively as “worship,” but it is better to keep it to the basic idea of serving because that emphasizes an important aspect of worship, and it highlights the change from Israel’s serving Egypt, which has been prominent in the earlier chapters. The words “and they” are supplied to clarify for English readers that the subject of the verb is plural (Moses and the people), unlike the other second person forms in vv. 10 and 12 , which are singular. sn This sign is also a promise from God – “you will serve God on this mountain.” It is given to Moses here as a goal, but a goal already achieved because it was a sign from God. Leading Israel out of Egypt would not be completed until they came to this mountain and served God. God does not give Moses details of what will take place on the road to Sinai, but he does give him the goal and glimpses of the defeat of Pharaoh. The rest will require Moses and the people to trust in this God who had a plan and who had the power to carry it out.


text: The particle הִנֵּה ( hinneh ) in this clause introduces the foundation for what comes later – the question. Moses is saying, “Suppose I do all this and they ask this question – what should I say?”


text: The imperfect tense here has a deliberative nuance (“should”), for Moses is wondering what would be best to say when the Israelites want proof of the calling.


text: The verb form used here is אֶהְיֶה (’ ehyeh ), the Qal imperfect, first person common singular, of the verb הָיָה ( haya , “to be”). It forms an excellent paronomasia with the name. So when God used the verb to express his name, he used this form saying, “ I am .” When his people refer to him as Yahweh, which is the third person masculine singular form of the same verb, they say “he is.” Some commentators argue for a future tense translation, “I will be who I will be,” because the verb has an active quality about it, and the Israelites lived in the light of the promises for the future. They argue that “ I am ” would be of little help to the Israelites in bondage. But a translation of “I will be” does not effectively do much more except restrict it to the future. The idea of the verb would certainly indicate that God is not bound by time, and while he is present (“ I am ”) he will always be present, even in the future, and so “ I am ” would embrace that as well (see also Ruth 2:13 ; Ps 50:21 ; Hos 1:9 ). The Greek translation of the OT used a participle to capture the idea, and several times in the Gospels Jesus used the powerful “I am” with this significance (e.g., John 8:58 ). The point is that Yahweh is sovereignly independent of all creation and that his presence guarantees the fulfillment of the covenant (cf. Isa 41:4; 42:6, 8; 43:10-11; 44:6; 45:5-7 ). Others argue for a causative Hiphil translation of “I will cause to be,” but nowhere in the Bible does this verb appear in Hiphil or Piel . A good summary of the views can be found in G. H. Parke-Taylor, Yahweh , the Divine Name in the Bible . See among the many articles: B. Beitzel, “ Exodus 3:14 and the Divine Name: A Case of Biblical Paronomasia,” TJ 1 (1980): 5-20; C. D. Isbell, “The Divine Name ehyeh as a Symbol of Presence in Israelite Tradition,” HAR 2 (1978): 101-18; J. G. Janzen, “What’s in a Name? Yahweh in and the Wider Biblical Context,” Int 33 (1979): 227-39; J. R. Lundbom, “God’s Use of the Idem per Idem to Terminate Debate,” HTR 71 (1978): 193-201; A. R. Millard, “ Yw and Yhw Names,” VT 30 (1980): 208-12; and R. Youngblood, “A New Occurrence of the Divine Name ‘I AM,’” JETS 15 (1972): 144-52.


text: Or “Thus you shall say” (also in the following verse). The word “must” in the translation conveys the instructional and imperatival force of the statement.


text: The repetition of “generation” in this expression serves as a periphrasis for the superlative: “to the remotest generation” (GKC 432 §133. l ).


text: The form is the perfect tense with the sequential vav ( ו ) linking the nuance to the imperative that precedes it. Since the imperative calls for immediate action, this form either carries the same emphasis, or instructs action that immediately follows it. This applies likewise to “say,” which follows.


text: The form is the Niphal perfect of the verb “to see.” See the note on “appeared” in 3:2 .


text: The verb פָּקַד ( paqad ) has traditionally been rendered “to visit.” This only partially communicates the point of the word. When God “visited” someone, it meant that he intervened in their lives to change their circumstances or their destiny. When he visited the Amalekites, he destroyed them ( 1 Sam 15:2 ). When he visited Sarah, he provided the long awaited child ( Gen 21:1 ). It refers to God’s active involvement in human affairs for blessing or for cursing. Here it would mean that God had begun to act to deliver the Israelites from bondage and give them the blessings of the covenant. The form is joined here with the infinitive absolute to underscore the certainty – “I have indeed visited you.” Some translate it “remember”; others say “watch over.” These do not capture the idea of intervention to bless, and often with the idea of vengeance or judgment on the oppressors. If God were to visit what the Egyptians did, he would stop the oppression and also bring retribution for it. The nuance of the perfect tense could be a perfect of resolve (“I have decided to visit”), or an instantaneous perfect ( “I hereby visit”), or a prophetic perfect (“I have visited” = “I will visit”). The infinitive absolute reinforces the statement (so “carefully”), the rendering “attended to” attempts to convey the ideas of personal presence, mental awareness, and action, as when a nurse or physician “attends” a patient. sn The same word was used in the same kind of construction at the end of Genesis (50:24) when Joseph promised, “God will surely visit you” (but there the imperfect tense with the infinitive absolute). Here is another link to the patriarchal narratives. This work of Moses would be interpreted as a fulfillment of Joseph’s prophecy.


text: The second object for the verb is the passive participle הֶעָשׂוּי ( he ’ asuy ). To say that God has visited the oppression (or “attended to” it) affirms that God has decided to judge the oppressing people as he blesses Israel.


text: Heb “And I said.”


text: See the note on this list in 3:8 .


text: Heb “And they will listen”; the referent (the elders) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: This is the combination of the verb שָׁמַע ( shama ’) followed by לְקֹלֶךָ ( lÿqolekha ), an idiomatic formation that means “listen to your voice,” which in turn implies a favorable response.


text: The verb נִקְרָה ( niqra ) has the idea of encountering in a sudden or unexpected way (S. R. Driver, Exodus , 25).


text: The form used here is the cohortative of הָלַךְ ( halakh ). It could be a resolve, but more likely before Pharaoh it is a request. sn Was this a deceptive request if they were not planning on coming back? Since no one knows what the intent was, that question is not likely to be resolved. The request may have been intended to test the waters, so to speak – How did Pharaoh feel about the Israelites? Would he let them go and worship their God as they saw fit? In any case, it gave him the opportunity to grant to the Israelites a permission that other groups are known to have received (N. M. Sarna, Exodus [JPSTC], 19).


text: Here a cohortative with a vav ( ו ) follows a cohortative; the second one expresses purpose or result: “let us go…in order that we may.”


text: After verbs of perception, as with “I know” here, the object may be a noun clause introduced with the particle כִּי ( ki ) – “I know that….” Gesenius observes that the object clause may have a kind of accusative and an infinitive construction (especially after נָתַן [ natan ] with the idea of “allow”): “he will not permit you to go” (see GKC 491 §157. b , n. 2).


text: Heb “and not with a mighty hand.” This expression ( וְלֹא בְּיָד חֲזָקָה , vÿlo ’ vÿyad khazaqa ) is unclear, since v. 20 says that God will stretch out his hand and do his wonders. Some have taken v. 19 b to refer to God’s mighty hand also, meaning that the king would not let them go unless a mighty hand compels him (NIV). The expression “mighty hand” is used of God’s rescuing Israel elsewhere ( Exod 6:1, 13:9, 32:11 ; but note also Num 20:20 ). This idea is a rather general interpretation of the words; it owes much to the LXX, which has “except by a mighty hand,” though “and not with” does not have the meaning of “except” or “unless” in other places. In view of these difficulties, others have suggested that v. 19 b means “strong [threats]” from the Israelites (as in 4:24 ff. and 5:3 ; see B. Jacob, Exodus , 81). This does not seem as convincing as the first view. Another possibility is that the phrase conveys Pharaoh’s point of view and intention; the Lord knows that Pharaoh plans to resist letting the Israelites go, regardless of the exercise of a strong hand against him (P. Addinall, “Exodus III 19B and the Interpretation of Biblical Narrative,” VT 49 [1999]: 289-300; see also the construction “and not with” in Num 12:8 ; 1 Sam 20:15 and elsewhere). If that is the case, v. 20 provides an ironic and pointed contradiction to Pharaoh’s plans as the Lord announces the effect that his hand will have. At any rate, Pharaoh will have to be forced to let Israel go.


text: The word נִפְלְאֹתַי ( niflÿ ’ otay ) does not specify what the intervention will be. As the text unfolds it will be clear that the plagues are intended. Signs and portents could refer to things people might do, but “wonders” only God could do. The root refers to that which is extraordinary, surpassing, amazing, difficult to comprehend. See Isa 9:6 ; Gen 18:14 ; Ps 139:6 .


text: Heb “in the eyes of.” This idiom usually means that someone will be treated well by the observer. It is unlikely that it means here that the Egyptians will like the Hebrews. Rather, it means that the Egyptians will give things to the Hebrews free – gratis (see 12:35-36 ). Not only will God do mighty works to make the king yield, but also he will work in the minds of the Egyptian people so that they will be favorably disposed to give Israel wealth.


text: The temporal indicator (here future) with the particle ki ( וְהָיָה כִּי , vÿhaya ki ) introduces a temporal clause.


text: Heb “a woman,” one representing all.


text: Heb “from the sojourner.” Both the “neighbor” and the “sojourner” (“one who happens to be staying in her house”) are feminine. The difference between them seems to be primarily that the second is temporary, “a lodger” perhaps or “visitor,” while the first has permanent residence.


text: Heb “vessels of silver and vessels of gold.” These phrases both use genitives of material, telling what the vessels are made of.