Exodus 3:12–15

Bible Verses. Also called Exodus 3:12-15, Exod. 3:12–15, I AM THAT I AM, Revelation of the divine name at the burning bush.

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Bible Verses

¹² 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.
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?
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.
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.
Exodus 3:12–15 · KJV

Scripture quotation from the King James Version (KJV). Read this chapter

In this passage God, speaking from the burning bush at Mount Horeb, promises Moses that He will be with him and reveals the names "I AM THAT I AM" and "Jehovah" (YHWH). As a central text on the name and being of God, it is frequently discussed in theology and in debates over Bible translation.

About this articleAI draft from a Korean source. Notes on Korean Protestant practice. No sources listed. Not yet reviewed by a person.

Origin: Drafted by AI from the Korean church.wiki article, then translated and adapted for English readers on 5 November 2026.
Perspective: Includes notes on Korean Protestant practice; other traditions are noted where they differ.
Sources: None listed yet. The article draws on the biblical text and general reference works. Add a source
Review: Not yet reviewed by a person. Last edited by a person: never. Translation updated 5 November 2026. Edit history

Context

In Exodus 3, God calls Moses from the midst of the burning bush on Mount Horeb and commands him to lead Israel out of Egypt. When Moses hesitates, asking, "Who am I?" (Exodus 3:11), God answers, "Certainly I will be with thee" (Exodus 3:12). He then gives, as the token that He has sent Moses, the promise that the people will serve God upon this mountain. Commentators often observe that this sign is given not before obedience but only after the task has been accomplished. When Moses next asks what name of God he should give the people, God identifies Himself as "I AM THAT I AM" and makes known "Jehovah" (YHWH) as His name for ever.

Interpretation

Ontological reading: After the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation) rendered Exodus 3:14 as "I am the one who is," patristic and medieval theologians read the verse as teaching that God exists of Himself, dependent on nothing else (divine aseity). The standard Korean rendering, "he who exists of himself," likewise reflects this tradition.
Relational and covenantal reading: The Hebrew ehyeh asher ehyeh can also be translated "I am who I am" or "I will be what I will be." Noting that the same verb appears in "I will be with thee" in verse 12, many interpreters read the name as a declaration of God's faithfulness in remaining present with His people in history.
Christological reading: Many Christian interpreters connect this passage with sayings of Jesus such as "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58) and regard them as expressions revealing the deity of Jesus Christ.

Controversies and Issues

The original pronunciation of the four Hebrew consonants that make up the divine name (YHWH) has not been reliably preserved. Judaism has traditionally avoided pronouncing the name directly, reading it instead as Adonai ("Lord"). The form "Jehovah" is generally understood to have arisen from this practice, and scholars have reconstructed a pronunciation closer to "Yahweh." Translations accordingly differ; among Korean Bibles, for example, the New Korean Revised Version uses "Jehovah," the Korean Common Translation uses "Yahweh," and the New Korean Standard Version generally renders the name "the LORD" (see Bible translation controversies). The Jehovah's Witnesses emphasize calling on the name "Jehovah" as central to their faith, whereas most Protestant denominations place greater weight on the character of God to which the name points than on any particular pronunciation.

Perspective: Korean Protestant practiceHow this idea is used in Korean churches, kept from the original Korean article.

In Korean Protestant churches, the passage is frequently used as a text for sermons on calling, offering the promise "I will be with thee" to those who hesitate after receiving God's call. The expression "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" is widely used in prayer and preaching to address God as the One who remains faithful from generation to generation.

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