God’s Word Translation
Exodus 3:12
12God answered, “I will be with you. And this will be the proof that I sent you: When you bring the people out of Egypt, all of you will worship God on this mountain.”
Exodus 3:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)He said, "But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain."
- New King James Version (NKJV)So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
Context of Exodus 3:12
10Now, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you can bring my people Israel out of Egypt.” 11But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the people of Israel out of Egypt?” God answered, “I will be with you. And this will be the proof that I sent you: When you bring the people out of Egypt, all of you will worship God on this mountain.” 13Then Moses replied to God, “Suppose I go to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ What should I tell them?” 14God answered Moses, “I Am Who I Am. This is what you must say to the people of Israel: ‘I Am has sent me to you.’ ”
Read all of Exodus 3Exodus 3:12 word by word
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ כִּֽי־אֶֽהְיֶ֣ה עִמָּ֔ךְ וְזֶה־לְּךָ֣ הָא֔וֹת כִּ֥י אָנֹכִ֖י שְׁלַחְתִּ֑יךָ בְּהוֹצִֽיאֲךָ֤ אֶת־הָעָם֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם תַּֽעַבְדוּן֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים עַ֖ל הָהָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- a tokenאוֹת'ôth · sign: miraculousH226
- unto thee, thatכִּיkîy · forH3588
- I have sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- thee: When thou hast brought forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: sendH3318
- the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- out of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- ye shall serveעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: ministerH5647
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- upon this mountainהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
Cross-references for Exodus 3:12
- Exodus 4:12Now go, and I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”
- Genesis 15:1Later the Lord spoke his word to Abram in a vision. He said, “Abram, don’t be afraid. I am your shield. Your reward will be very great.”
- Genesis 31:3Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your ancestors and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”
- Deuteronomy 31:23The Lord gave this command to Joshua, son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, because you will bring the Israelites into the land that I swore to give them, and I will be with you.”
- Joshua 1:5No one will be able to oppose you successfully as long as you live. I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will never neglect you or abandon you.
- Isaiah 41:10Don’t be afraid, because I am with you. Don’t be intimidated; I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will support you with my victorious right hand.
- Isaiah 43:2When you go through the sea, I am with you. When you go through rivers, they will not sweep you away. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned, and the flames will not harm you.
- Matthew 28:20Teach them to do everything I have commanded you. “And remember that I am always with you until the end of time.”
- Mark 16:20The disciples spread ⌞the Good News⌟ everywhere. The Lord worked with them. He confirmed his word by the miraculous signs that accompanied it.
- Acts 11:21The Lord’s power was with his followers, and a large number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
- Romans 8:31What can we say about all of this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Hebrews 13:5Don’t love money. Be happy with what you have because God has said, “I will never abandon you or leave you.”
- Exodus 4:1“They will never believe me or listen to me!” Moses protested. “They will say, ‘The Lord didn’t appear to you.’ ”
- Genesis 15:8Abram asked, “Almighty Lord, how can I be certain that I will take possession of it?”
- Judges 6:17Gideon said to him, “If you find me acceptable, give me a sign that it is really you speaking to me.
- Judges 7:11Listen to what people are saying. After that, you will have the courage to go into the camp and attack it.” So Gideon and his servant Purah went to the edge of the camp.
Commentaries on Exodus 3:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Certainly I will be with thee - This great event shall not be left to thy wisdom and to thy power; my counsel shall direct thee, and my power shall bring all these mighty things to pass. And this shall be a token - Literally, And This to thee for a sign, i.e., this miraculous manifestation of the burning bush shall be a proof that I have sent thee; or, My being with thee, to encourage thy heart, strengthen thy hands, and enable thee to work miracles…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12A token unto thee - Or the sign. The word means a declaration or promise of God, which rests absolutely on His word, and demands faith. The promise that God would have the people serve Him in that place was an assurance, if fully believed, that all intervening obstacles would be removed by His power.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-15Verses 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12In the Bible, a sign often occurred after a person or a nation had already had to decide whether to act in faith or not (see Isaiah 7:14). A sign cannot create faith where there is none (see Matthew 12:39; 16:4). Rather, it encourages the one who has exercised the faith he or she already has.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 10-2210-22. 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 removed--and the happy issue of his labors was…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 3:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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