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

Edit history 💬 Discussion 🚩 Report ✏️ Edit this article

Bible verses
First draft by AI
Last edited 2026-10-04
Encyclopedia home

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 · 출애굽기 article

The text is the New Korean Revised Version (1998), shown under a licence from the Korean Bible Society. Wording may differ slightly from the Korean Revised Version and the Revised New Korean Standard Version. Read in the Korean Revised Version

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 figures prominently in theological discussion and in debates over Bible translation.

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 replies, "Certainly I will be with thee." He then offers, as the token that He has sent Moses, the promise that the people will serve God upon this mountain. Commentators often note that this sign comes 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 Korean rendering "seuseuro inneun ja" ("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 throughout history.
Christological reading: Many Christian interpreters connect this passage with sayings of Jesus such as "I am" in John 8:58 and regard them as 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." For this reason Korean Bibles differ in their renderings: the New Korean Revised Version uses "Yeohowa" (Jehovah), the Korean Common Translation uses "Yahweh," and the New Korean Standard Version generally renders it "Ju" (the LORD) (see Bible translation controversies). Jehovah's Witnesses (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.

In the Korean Church

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.

Related Passages

Discussion 0

Share your thoughts, other viewpoints or corrections for this article.