Exodus 3:1-6
The God who remembers His covenant summons Moses from obscurity into holy encounter, showing that deliverance will proceed from divine presence, not human ability.
1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to God’s mountain, to Horeb.
2 Yahweh’s angel appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the middle of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
3 Moses said, “I will go now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.”
4 When Yahweh saw that he came over to see, God called to him out of the middle of the bush, and said, “Moses! Moses!” He said, “Here I am.”
5 He said, “Don’t come close. Take off your sandals, for the place you are standing on is holy ground.”
6 Moreover he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.
The God who remembers his covenant summons Moses from obscurity into holy encounter, showing that deliverance will proceed from divine presence, not human ability.
To introduce the decisive divine encounter in which the LORD draws Moses near, reveals his holy presence, and identifies himself as the God of the patriarchal covenant before commissioning Moses for Israel’s deliverance.
Exodus 2 closes with Israel groaning under bondage and God hearing, remembering, seeing, and knowing. Exodus 3 answers that divine awareness with divine initiative. The narrative shifts from Moses' exile-formation in Midian to his commission at Horeb. This opening unit does not yet state the full mission; it establishes the holy identity of the One who will send Moses.
Moses is shepherding in Midian after fleeing Egypt. The scene occurs near Horeb, later associated with Sinai, placing Moses’ private encounter at the mountain where Israel will later receive covenant instruction after deliverance.
The LORD Calls Moses from the Burning Bush
The holy, covenant-keeping LORD reveals Himself to Moses, promises His presence, and declares that He will redeem His suffering people by His mighty hand.