Focused Passage

Exodus 3:1-6

The LORD Calls Moses from the Burning Bush

The LORD appears to Moses in the burning bush, reveals His holiness and covenant name, announces His concern for Israel's suffering, and sends Moses to Pharaoh with the promise of deliverance.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 Meanwhile, Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from within a bush. Moses saw the bush ablaze with fire, but it was not consumed.

3 So Moses thought, “I must go over and see this marvelous sight. Why is the bush not burning up?”

4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from within the bush, “Moses, Moses!” “Here I am,” he answered.

5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

6 Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Meanwhile, Moses וּמֹשֶׁ֗ה H4872 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular was הָיָ֥ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular shepherding רֹעֶ֛ה H7462 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the flock צֹ֛אן H6629 Noun - common singular construct of his father-in-law חֹתְנ֖וֹ H2859 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Jethro יִתְר֥וֹ H3503 Noun - proper - masculine singular the priest כֹּהֵ֣ן H3548 Noun - masculine singular construct of Midian מִדְיָ֑ן H4080 Noun - proper - masculine singular He led וַיִּנְהַ֤ג H5090 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the flock הַצֹּאן֙ H6629 Article | Noun - common singular to the far side אַחַ֣ר H310 Adverb of the wilderness הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר H4057 Article | Noun - masculine singular and came וַיָּבֹ֛א H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Horeb חֹרֵֽבָה׃ H2722 Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular the mountain הַ֥ר H2022 Noun - masculine singular construct of God הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים H430 Article | Noun - masculine plural

BSB notes

  • Moses’ father-in-law Jethro was also called Reuel; see Exodus 2:18.
  • That is, Mount Sinai, or possibly a mountain in the range containing Mount Sinai
Verse 2

Original words

There the angel מַלְאַ֨ךְ H4397 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהֹוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular appeared וַ֠יֵּרָא H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to him אֵלָ֛יו H413 Preposition | third person masculine singular in a blazing בְּלַבַּת־ H3827 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct fire אֵ֖שׁ H784 Noun - common singular from within מִתּ֣וֹךְ H8432 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct a bush הַסְּנֶ֑ה H5572 Article | Noun - masculine singular Moses saw וַיַּ֗רְא H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . וְהִנֵּ֤ה H2009 Conjunctive waw | Interjection the bush הַסְּנֶה֙ H5572 Article | Noun - masculine singular ablaze בֹּעֵ֣ר H1197 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular with fire בָּאֵ֔שׁ H784 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular . . . וְהַסְּנֶ֖ה H5572 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular but it was not אֵינֶ֥נּוּ H369 Adverb | third person masculine singular consumed אֻכָּֽל׃ H398 Verb - QalPass - Participle - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or Angel
Verse 3

Original words

So Moses מֹשֶׁ֔ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular thought וַיֹּ֣אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular I must go over אָסֻֽרָה־ H5493 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular . . . נָּ֣א H4994 Interjection and see וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker this הַזֶּ֑ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular marvelous הַגָּדֹ֖ל H1419 Article | Adjective - masculine singular sight הַמַּרְאֶ֥ה H4758 Article | Noun - masculine singular Why is מַדּ֖וּעַ H4069 Interrogative the bush הַסְּנֶֽה׃ H5572 Article | Noun - masculine singular not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle burning up יִבְעַ֥ר H1197 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

When the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular saw וַיַּ֥רְא H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular that כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction he had gone over סָ֣ר H5493 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to look לִרְא֑וֹת H7200 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct God אֱלֹהִ֜ים H430 Noun - masculine plural called out וַיִּקְרָא֩ H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to him אֵלָ֨יו H413 Preposition | third person masculine singular from within מִתּ֣וֹךְ H8432 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct the bush הַסְּנֶ֗ה H5572 Article | Noun - masculine singular Moses מֹשֶׁ֥ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular Moses מֹשֶׁ֖ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular Here הִנֵּֽנִי׃ H2009 Interjection | first person common singular I am וַיֹּ֛אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular he answered וַיֹּ֥אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 5

Original words

Do not אַל־ H408 Adverb come תִּקְרַ֣ב H7126 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular any closer הֲלֹ֑ם H1988 Adverb [God] said וַיֹּ֖אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Take off שַׁל־ H5394 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular your sandals נְעָלֶ֙יךָ֙ H5275 Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singular . . . מֵעַ֣ל H5921 Preposition-m . . . רַגְלֶ֔יךָ H7272 Noun - feminine dual construct | second person masculine singular for כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction the place הַמָּק֗וֹם H4725 Article | Noun - masculine singular where אֲשֶׁ֤ר H834 Pronoun - relative you אַתָּה֙ H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular are standing עוֹמֵ֣ד H5975 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular . . . עָלָ֔יו H5921 Preposition | third person masculine singular is holy קֹ֖דֶשׁ H6944 Noun - masculine singular . . . הֽוּא׃ H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular ground אַדְמַת־ H127 Noun - feminine singular construct

BSB notes

  • Cited in Acts 7:33
Verse 6

Original words

Then He said וַיֹּ֗אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular I אָנֹכִי֙ H595 Pronoun - first person common singular am the God אֱלֹהֵ֣י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct of your father אָבִ֔יךָ H1 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular the God אֱלֹהֵ֧י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct of Abraham אַבְרָהָ֛ם H85 Noun - proper - masculine singular the God אֱלֹהֵ֥י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct of Isaac יִצְחָ֖ק H3327 Noun - proper - masculine singular and the God וֵאלֹהֵ֣י H430 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct of Jacob יַעֲקֹ֑ב H3290 Noun - proper - masculine singular At this, Moses מֹשֶׁה֙ H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular hid וַיַּסְתֵּ֤ר H5641 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular his face פָּנָ֔יו H6440 Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular for כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction he was afraid יָרֵ֔א H3372 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to look מֵהַבִּ֖יט H5027 Preposition-m | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct at אֶל־ H413 Preposition God הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃ H430 Article | Noun - masculine plural

BSB notes

  • Cited in Matthew 22:32, Mark 12:26, Luke 20:37, and Acts 7:32

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.