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Exodus Chapter Three

 

Exodus 3 Outlines

Moses at the Burning Bush

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 3

In this chapter we are informed how that the Lord appeared to Moses in a bush on fire but not consumed Exodus 3:1 declared unto him that he had seen and observed the afflictions of the children of Israel and was determined to deliver them Exodus 3:7 that he gave him a call to be the deliverer of them answered his objections to it and instructed him what he should say both to the elders of Israel and to Pharaoh Exodus 3:10 and assured him that though at first Pharaoh would refuse to let them go yet after many miracles wrought he would be willing to dismiss them when they should depart with great substance Exodus 3:19.

 

Exodus 3:1  Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert and came to Horeb the mountain of God.

   YLT  1And Moses hath been feeding the flock of Jethro his father-in-law priest of Midian and he leadeth the flock behind the wilderness and cometh in unto the mount of God to Horeb;

Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law the priest of Midian .... Who was either the same with Reuel or Raguel spoken of in the preceding chapter; or as others think a son of his the father being now dead; seeing it was now forty years since Moses came into Midian Acts 7:30. DemetriusF3Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 29. p. 439. an Heathen writer expressly says that Jothor a son of Raguel and Zipporah or Sepphora as he calls her was his daughter whom Moses married: now this was the business Moses was chiefly concerned in during his stay in Midian; keeping the sheep of his father-in-law in which great personages have have employed and who have afterwards been called to the kingly office as David; and this was an emblem of his feeding and ruling the people of Israel and in it he was an eminent type of Christ the great shepherd and bishop of souls: no doubt there were other things besides this in which Moses exercised himself in this course of time and improved himself in the knowledge of things natural civil and religious and which the more qualified him for the important work he was designed for: it is thought that in this interval he wrote the book of Genesis and also the book of Job:

and he led the flock to the backside of the desert; of Sinai or Arabia on the back part of which it seems were goodly pastures; and hither he led his flock to feed which was about three days' journey from Egypt Exodus 5:3 or rather into the desertF4אחר המדבר υπο την ερεμον Sept. "in desertum" Syr. Samar so Noldius p. 11. No. 76. for Horeb or Sinai was not behind the desert but in it:

and came to the mountain of God even to Horeb; so called either because of the appearance of God at this time after related or because of his giving the law and making the covenant with the people of Israel there; and it should be observed that that transaction was past when Moses wrote this book. Hither he led the sheep they delighting in mountains hence sometimes mountainous places are called οιοπολα F5Homer. Odyss. 11. prope finem. because sheep delight to feed upon themF6 Εν ουρεσι μαλα νομευων Theocrit. Idyll. 3. .

 

Exodus 3:2  2 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked and behold the bush was burning with fire but the bush was not consumed.

   YLT  2and there appeareth unto him a messenger of Jehovah in a flame of fire out of the midst of the bush and he seeth and lo the bush is burning with fire and the bush is not consumed.

And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him .... Not a created angel but the Angel of God's presence and covenant the eternal Word and Son of God; since he is afterwards expressly called Jehovah and calls himself the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob which a created angel would never do: the appearance was:

in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; not in a tall lofty spreading oak or cedar but in a low thorny bramble bush which it might have been thought would have been consumed in an instant of time:

and he looked and behold the bush burned with fire and the bush was not consumed; this was not imaginary but a real thing; there wassuch a bush and Jehovah appeared in it in this manner and though it was all on fire yet was not consumed but remained entire after it: reference is frequently had to it as a matter of fact Deuteronomy 33:16. ArtapanusF7Apud Euseb. ib. c. 27. p. 434. an Heathen writer had got some hint of it; his account is this that while Moses was praying to God and entreating the afflictions of his people might cease he was propitious to him and on a sudden fire broke out of the earth and burned when there was no matter nor anything of a woody sort in the place: nor need this account Moses gives be thought incredible when so many things similar to it are affirmed by Heathen writers who speak of a whole forest in flames without fire and of a spear that burned for two hours and yet nothing of it consumed; and of a servant's coat all on fire and yet after it was extinguished no trace or mark of the flames were to be seen on it; and several other things of the like kind are related by HuetiusF8Alnetan. Quaest. l. 2. c. 12. sect. 10. p. 193 194. out of various authors: as to the mystical signification of this bush some make it to be a type of Christ and of his manifestation in the flesh; of the union of the two natures in him and of their distinction of the glory of the one and of the meanness of the other; of his sustaining the wrath of God and remaining fearless and unhurt by it; and of his delivering and preserving his people from it: the Jews commonly interpret it of the people of Israel in the furnace of affliction in Egypt and yet not consumed; nay the more they were afflicted the more they grew; and it may be a symbol of the church and people of God in all ages under affliction and distress: they are like to a thorn bush both for their small quantity being few and for their quality in themselves weak and strengthless mean and low; have about them the thorns of corruptions and temptations and who are often in the fire of afflictions and persecutions yet are not consumed; which is owing to the person presence power and grace of Christ being among them; See Gill on Acts 7:30.

 

Exodus 3:3  3 Then Moses said “I will now turn aside and see this great sight why the bush does not burn.”

   YLT  3And Moses saith `Let me turn aside I pray thee and I see this great appearance; wherefore is the bush not burned?'

And Moses said I will now turn aside .... From the place where he was and the flock he was feeding and get nearer to the bush which seems to have been on one side of him and not directly before him:

and see this great sight why the bush is not burnt; inquire into and find out if he could the reason of this strange and amazing sight; how it could be that a bush should be on fire and yet not burnt up which might have been expected would have been destroyed at once; for what is a thorn or bramble bush to devouring flames of fire as these appeared to be?

 

Exodus 3:4  4 So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look God called to him from the midst of the bush and said “Moses Moses!” And he said “Here I am.”

   YLT  4and Jehovah seeth that he hath turned aside to see and God calleth unto him out of the midst of the bush and saith `Moses Moses;' and he saith `Here [am] I.'

And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see .... Who is before called the Angel of the Lord here Jehovah the omniscient and omnipresent Being who observing Moses turning aside and going onward to gratify his curiosity by examining more narrowly this strange phenomenon:

God called unto him out of the midst of the bush; with an articulate voice being the eternal Word:

and said Moses Moses; for the Lord knows his people distinctly and can call them by name; and the repetition of his name not only shows familiarity and a strong vehement affection for him but haste to stop him that he might proceed no further; and this was done in order to stir him up to hearken to what would be said to him:

and he said here am I; ready to hear what shall be said and to obey whatever is commanded.

 

Exodus 3:5  5 Then He said “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet for the place where you stand is holy ground.”

   YLT  5And He saith `Come not near hither: cast thy shoes from off thy feet for the place on which thou art standing is holy ground.'

And he said draw not nigh hither .... Keep a proper distance:

put off thy shoes from off thy feet; dust and dirt cleaving to shoes and these being ordered to be put off from the feet the instrument of walking show that those that draw nigh to God and are worshippers of him ought to be of pure and holy lives and conversations:

for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground; not that there was any inherent holiness in this spot of ground more than in any other which ground is not capable of; but a relative holiness on account of the presence of God here at this time and was not permanent only while a pure and holy God was there: hence in after times the temple being the place of the divine residence the priests there performed their services barefooted nor might a common person enter into the temple with his shoes onF11Misn. Beracot c. 9. sect. 5. ; and to this day the Jews go to their synagogues barefooted on the day of atonementF12Buxtorf. Jud Synagog. c. 30. p. 571. to which JuvenalF13"Observant ub. festa mero pede Sabbata reges." Satyr. 6. seems to have respect; and from hence came the Nudipedalia among the Heathens and that known symbol of PythagorasF14Jamblichus de Vita Pythagor. Symbol. 3. "sacrifice and worship with naked feet": in this manner the priests of Diana sacrificed to her among the Cretians and other peopleF15Solin. Polyhistor. c. 16. Strabo l. 12. p. 370. ; and so the priests of Hercules did the sameF16Silius de Bello Punic l. 3. ; the Brahmans among the Indians never go into their temples without plucking off their shoesF17Rogerius de Relig. Brachman. l. 2. c. 10. apud Braunium de vest. sacerdot. l. 1. c. 3. p. 66. ; so the Ethiopian Christians imitating Jews and Gentiles never go into their places of public worship but with naked feetF18Damianus a Goes apud Rivet. in loc. and the same superstition the Turks and Mahometans observeF19Pitts's Account of the Relig. and Manners of the Mahometans c. 6. p. 38. 81. Georgieviz. de Turc. Moribus c. 1. p. 11. Sionita de Urb. Oriental. & Relig. c. 7. p. 18. c. 10. p. 34. .

 

Exodus 3:6  6 Moreover He said “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look upon God.

   YLT  6He saith also `I [am] the God of thy father God of Abraham God of Isaac and God of Jacob;' and Moses hideth his face for he is afraid to look towards God.

Moreover he said I am the God of thy fathers .... Of every one of his fathers next mentioned:

the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob; with whom the covenant respecting the land of Canaan and the promise of the blessed seed the Messiah was made: this again shows that the Angel of the Lord that now appeared was God himself Jehovah the Son of God. Our Lord makes use of this text to prove the resurrection of the dead against the Sadducees God being not the God of the dead but of the living; Mark 12:26.

and Moses hid his face; wrapped it in his mantle or cloak as Elijah did 1 Kings 19:13 because of the glory of the divine Majesty now present and conscious of his own sinfulness and unworthiness:

for he was afraid to look upon God; even upon this outward appearance and representation of him in a flame of fire; otherwise the essence of God is not to be looked upon and seen at all God is invisible; but even this external token and symbol of him was terrible to behold; the thought that God was there filled him with fear considering the greatness and awfulness of his majesty and what a poor weak and sinful creature he was.

 

Exodus 3:7  7 And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters for I know their sorrows.

   YLT  7And Jehovah saith `I have certainly seen the affliction of My people who [are] in Egypt and their cry I have heard because of its exactors for I have known its pains;

And the Lord said I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt .... Or "in seeing I have seen" which not only denotes the certainty of it as we express it; but the clear distinct and full sight he had of it with sympathy towards them an affectionate concern for them and a fixed settled determination in his mind to deliver them; he had long took notice of and had thoroughly observed their affliction and was afflicted with them in it and was bent upon their deliverance out of it:

and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; who were set over them to see that they did their work and to lay heavy burdens on them and afflict them by all manner of ways and methods they could devise; and who abused and beat them for not doing what was not to be done which made them cry out because of their barbarous usage of them and cry unto God for help and deliverance:

for I know their sorrows; the pains of body they were put unto and the inward grief and trouble of their minds on account of them.

 

Exodus 3:8  8 So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land to a land flowing with milk and honey to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.

   YLT  8and I go down to deliver it out of the hand of the Egyptians and to cause it to go up out of the land unto a land good and broad unto a land flowing with milk and honey -- unto the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite.

And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians .... Which must be understood consistent with the omnipresence of God who is everywhere and strictly speaking cannot be said to remove from place to place or to descend; but such a way of speaking is used when he gives some eminent display of his power or goodness as here in a wonderful manner he appeared in a burning bush and manifested himself in a way of grace and kindness to his people signifying that he would shortly save them: so Christ in our nature came down from heaven to earth to save his spiritual Israel out of the hands of all their enemies:

and to bring them out of that land; the land of Egypt where they were in bondage and greatly oppressed:

unto a good land and a large; the land of Canaan which was not only a good land but a large one in comparison of Goshen where the Israelites were pent up and straitened for room through their great increase; and though it was but a small country in itself and when compared with some others being but one hundred and sixty miles from Dan to Beersheba and but forty six from Joppa to Bethlehem and but sixty from Joppa to Jordan yet for so small a country it had a great deal of good land in it; for HecataeusF20 an Heathen writer says it had in it three hundred myriads of acres of the best and most fruitful land:

unto a land flowing with milk and honey; which is not to be restrained merely to the abundance of cattle fed he

 

Exodus 3:9  9 Now therefore behold the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.

   YLT  9`And now lo the cry of the sons of Israel hath come in unto Me and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them

Now therefore behold the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me .... See Exodus 2:23

and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them; which is repeated to observe the great notice he took of it; and the reason of his descent and appearance in this wonderful manner as well as of the urgent necessity of Moses's going to deliver the people from their oppression.

 

Exodus 3:10  10 Come now therefore and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people the children of Israel out of Egypt.”

   YLT  10and now come and I send thee unto Pharaoh and bring thou out My people the sons of Israel out of Egypt.'

Come now therefore ..... Leave thy flock thy family and the land of Midian:

and I will send thee unto Pharaoh: this Pharaoh according to Eusebius was Cenchres the successor of Achoris; but according to Bishop UsherF21Annal. Vet. Test. p. 19. his name was Amenophis who immediately succeeded Ramesses Miamun under whom Moses was born. Clemens of AlexandriaF23Stromat. l. 1. p. 320. relates from Apion and he from Ptolemy Mendesius that it was in the times of Amosis that Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt; but TacitusF24Hist. l. 5. c. 3. says the name of this king was Bocchoris who obliged them to go out being advised by an oracle to do so; and so says LysimachusF25Apud Joseph. contr. Apion l. 1. c. 34. :

that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt; and conduct them through the wilderness to the land of Canaan and so be their deliverer guide and governor under God who now gave him a commission to act for him.

 

Exodus 3:11  11 But Moses said to God “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

   YLT  11And Moses saith unto God `Who [am] I that I go unto Pharaoh and that I bring out the sons of Israel from Egypt?'

And Moses said unto God who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh .... A private person an exile in a foreign country a poor shepherd unknown to Pharaoh and had no interest in him; and he a great king and possessed of numerous forces to defend his country and prevent the Israelites' departure out of it: time was when he was known to a Pharaoh dwelt in his court and made a figure there and had great interest and authority there being the adopted son of the king's daughter; but now it was otherwise with him:

and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt: who though a people numerous yet unarmed and held in great bondage; and he might remember how he had been repulsed and rejected by some of them forty years ago which might be discouraging to him.

 

Exodus 3:12  12 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.”

   YLT  12and He saith `Because I am with thee and this [is] to thee the sign that I have sent thee: in thy bringing out the people from Egypt -- ye do serve God on this mount.'

And he said certainly I will be with thee .... To encourage and strengthen him; to protect defend and preserve him and to succeed and prosper him; to give him credit and respect with the people of Israel and influence over Pharaoh to prevail upon him at length to let Israel go:

and this shall be a token unto thee that I have sent thee; not the promise now made nor the vision he had seen but what follows:

when thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt ye shall serve God upon this mountain: Mount Horeb or Sinai as they did at the time of the giving of the law on it when an altar was built upon a hill and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings Exodus 24:4 and this was a sign "a posteriori" confirming the divine mission of Moses; and besides the promise of this on which Moses might depend being made by the Lord assured him of success that he should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt since he and they would serve the Lord together at this mountain and from whence he might conclude he had a mission and commission from God. Of a like kind is the sign or token given of the deliverance of Jerusalem from the army of Sennacherib Isaiah 37:30.

 

Exodus 3:13  13 Then Moses said to God “Indeed when I come to the children of Israel and say to them ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you ’ and they say to me ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?”

   YLT  13And Moses saith unto God `Lo I am coming unto the sons of Israel and have said to them The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you and they have said to me What [is] His name? what do I say unto them?'

And Moses said unto God .... Having received full satisfaction to his objection taken from his own unfitness for such a service and willing to have his way quite clear unto him and his commission appear firm and valid to his people he proceeds to observe another difficulty that might possibly arise:

when I come unto the children of Israel: out of Midian into Egypt:

and shall say unto them the God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; with a message to them to receive him as his ambassador and their deliverer:

and they shall say unto me what is his name? a question it was probable they would ask not through ignorance since in their distress they had called upon the name of the Lord and cried unto him for help and deliverance; but either to try Moses and what knowledge he had of God: or there being many names by which he had made himself known; and especially was wont to make use of a new name or title when he made a new appearance or any eminent discovery of himself they might be desirous of knowing what was the present name he took:

what shall I say unto them? what name shall I make mention of?

 

Exodus 3:14  14 And God said to Moses “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

   YLT  14And God saith unto Moses `I AM THAT WHICH I AM;' He saith also `Thus dost thou say to the sons of Israel I AM hath sent me unto you.'

And God said unto Moses I am that I am .... This signifies the real being of God his self-existence and that he is the Being of beings; as also it denotes his eternity and immutability and his constancy and faithfulness in fulfilling his promises for it includes all time past present and to come; and the sense is not only I am what I am at present but I am what I have been and I am what I shall be and shall be what I am. The Platonists and Pythagoreans seem to have borrowed their το ον from hence which expresses with them the eternal and invariable Being; and so the Septuagint version here is ο ων: it is saidF26Phutarch. de Iside & Osir. that the temple of Minerva at Sais a city of Egypt had this inscription on it "I am all that exists is and shall be.'And on the temple of Apollo at Delphos was written ει the contraction of ειμι "I am"F1Plato in Timaeo. . Our Lord seems to refer to this name John 8:58 and indeed is the person that now appeared; and the words may be rendered "I shall be what I shall be"F2אהיה אשר אהיה "ero qui ero" Pagninus Montanus Fagius Vatablus. the incarnate God God manifest in the flesh:

thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel I AM hath sent me unto you; or as the Targum of Jonathan has it "I am he that is and that shall be.'This is the name Ehjeh or Jehovah Moses is empowered to make use of and to declare as the name of the Great God by whom he was sent; and which might serve both to encourage him and strengthen the faith of the Israelites that they should be delivered by him.

 

Exodus 3:15  15 Moreover God said to Moses “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob has sent me to you. This is My name forever and this is My memorial to all generations.’

   YLT  15And God saith again unto Moses `Thus dost thou say unto the sons of Israel Jehovah God of your fathers God of Abraham God of Isaac and God of Jacob hath sent me unto you; this [is] My name -- to the age and this My memorial to generation -- generation.

And God said moreover unto Moses .... As a further explanation of the above name and of the design and use of it:

thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: for their further instruction in the said name and for the confirmation of the mission of Moses and the success of it:

the Lord God of your fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob hath sent me unto you; he who is Jehovah and the covenant God of the ancestors of the people of Israel and of them so he is called Ecclesiastes 3:6.

this is my name for ever: meaning either "Ehjeh I am" in the preceding verse or which is the same Jehovah in this and so both of them and including also the name of the God of Abraham &c. which he was always to be known by:

and this is my memorial unto all generations; the name by which he should be made mention of both by himself and others and by which he would be called to remembrance by his people and what he had promised unto them and done for them.

 

Exodus 3:16  16 Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them ‘The Lord God of your fathers the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Jacob appeared to me saying “I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt;

   YLT  16`Go and thou hast gathered the elders of Israel and hast said unto them: Jehovah God of your fathers hath appeareth unto me God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob saying I have certainly inspected you and that which is done to you in Egypt;

Go and gather the elders of Israel together .... Not all the ancient men among them nor the "judges" of the people of Israel; for it does not appear there were such among them in Egypt until they came into the land of Canaan but the heads of tribes or families:

and say unto them the Lord God of your fathers the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Jacob appeared unto me; in a flame of fire in the midst of a bush at Horeb:

saying I have surely visited you and seen that which is done to you in Egypt; inspected into their state and circumstances took notice of their afflictions and oppressions and determined to deliver them out of them as follows.

 

Exodus 3:17  17 and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites to a land flowing with milk and honey.”’

   YLT  17and I say I bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite unto a land flowing [with] milk and honey.

And I have said .... Within himself resolved in his own mind and had declared it to Moses:

I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt: with which they were afflicted in Egypt and by the Egyptians; this he both purposed and promised to bring them out of: unto the land of the Canaanites &c. then in the possession of the Canaanites and others after named; See Gill on Exodus 3:8.

 

Exodus 3:18  18 Then they will heed your voice; and you shall come you and the elders of Israel to the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’

   YLT  18`And they have hearkened to thy voice and thou hast entered thou and the elders of Israel unto the king of Egypt and ye have said unto him Jehovah God of the Hebrews hath met with us; and now let us go we pray thee a journey of three days into the wilderness and we sacrifice to Jehovah our God.

And they shall hearken to thy voice .... The elders of Israel who would give credit to his commission attend to what he said and obey his orders and follow the directions that he should give them and not slight and reject him as some had done before:

and thou shall come thou and the elders of Israel unto the king of Egypt: the elders of Israel in a body and Moses at the head of them; though we do not read of their approaching to Pharaoh and addressing him in such a manner only of Moses and Aaron applying to him:

and you shall say unto him the Lord God of the Hebrews hath met with us; with one of them who had reported to the rest what he had said; the children of Israel are here called Hebrews because that seems to be a name the Egyptians most commonly called them and by which they were best known to them see Genesis 39:14.

and now let us go we beseech thee three days' journey into the wilderness; the wilderness of Sinai and Arabia and to Mount Horeb in it; which from the borders of Egypt was three days' journey going the direct road but the Israelites going somewhat about and stopping by the way did not get to it until the third month of their going out of Egypt Exodus 19:1

that we may sacrifice to the Lord God; in the place where he had appeared to a principal man among them and where they would be in no danger of being insulted and molested by the Egyptians. Some think the reason of this request they were directed to make to sacrifice out of the land of Egypt was because what they sacrificed the Egyptians worshipped as gods and therefore would be enraged at such sacrifices; but for this there is no sufficient foundation; See Gill on Genesis 46:34 rather the design was under this pretence to get quite away from them they being no subjects of the king of Egypt nor had he a right to detain them; nor were they obliged to acquaint him with the whole of their intentions and especially as they were directed of God himself to say this and no more and which being so reasonable made Pharaoh's refusal the more inexcusable.

 

Exodus 3:19  19 But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go no not even by a mighty hand.

   YLT  19`And I -- I have known that the king of Egypt doth not permit you to go unless by a strong hand

And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go .... Or "but"F3אני "ego autem" Junius & Tremellius Piscator; "sed ego" V. L. "I am sure" &c. though so reasonable a request was made him yet it would not be granted; this is observed to them that they might not be discouraged when he should refuse to dismiss them which the omniscient God knew beforehand and acquaints them with it that when it came to pass they might be induced to believe that the mission of Moses was of God rather than the contrary:

no not by a mighty hand; the mighty power of God displayed once and again even in nine plagues inflicted on him until the tenth and last came upon him; or "unless by a mighty hand"F4ולא εαν μη Sept. "nisi" V. L. Pagninus Vatablus; so Noldius p. 344. No. 1246. even the almighty hand of God; prayers entreaties persuasions and arguments will signify nothing unless the mighty power of God is exerted upon him.

 

Exodus 3:20  20 So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go.

   YLT  20and I have put forth My hand and have smitten Egypt with all My wonders which I do in its midst -- and afterwards he doth send you away.

And I will stretch out my hand .... Or "therefore"F5ו "ideo" "propterea" Noldius p. 279. he would stretch out his mighty hand exert his almighty power; and for this purpose was Pharaoh raised up and his heart hardened that God might show his power in him and on him:

and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: with those wondrous plagues the amazing effects of his almighty power which were wrought by him in the midst of Egypt by which their land their rivers their persons and their cattle were smitten:

and after that he will let you go; this is said for their encouragement that their faith and patience might hold out who otherwise seeing him so obstinate and inflexible might be ready to despair of ever succeeding.

 

Exodus 3:21  21 And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be when you go that you shall not go empty-handed.

   YLT  21`And I have given the grace of this people in the eyes of the Egyptians and it hath come to pass when ye go ye go not empty;

And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians .... That is give the Israelites favour in their sight a little before their departure who should be ready to do anything for them or bestow anything upon them; or however lend them what they would desire being glad to be at peace with them or get rid of them for whose sakes they would perceive all those sore calamities came upon them they were distressed with:

and it shall come to pass that when ye go ye shall not go empty; destitute of what was necessary for them but even with great substance as was foretold by Abraham they should and which prophecy was now about to be fulfilled Genesis 15:14.

 

Exodus 3:22  22 But every woman shall ask of her neighbor namely of her who dwells near her house articles of silver articles of gold and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.”

   YLT  22and [every] woman hath asked from her neighbour and from her who is sojourning in her house vessels of silver and vessels of gold and garments and ye have put [them] on your sons and on your daughters and have spoiled the Egyptians.'

But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour and of her that sojourneth in her house .... Or "shall ask"F6שאלה αιτησει Sept. "postulabit" V. L. Pagninus Montanus Tigurine version Drusius; "petet" Junius & Tremellius. desire them to give or lend what follows; and by this it appears that the Israelites by reason of their great increase were spread about and mixed with the Egyptians; and hence it was that there was such a mixed multitude that went up with them out of Egypt who either were in connection with them in civil things or were proselyted by them:

jewels of silver and jewels of gold; that is jewels set in silver and in gold; or "vessels of silver and vessels of gold"F7כלי "vasa" V. L. Pagninus Montanus Piscator Tigurine version Drusius. plate of both sorts cups dishes &c:

and raiment; rich and goodly apparel which they might borrow to appear in at their feast and sacrifices in the wilderness whither they asked leave to go to:

and ye shall put them upon your sons and upon your daughters; and so deck and ornament them with them at the time of their departure:

and ye shall spoil the Egyptians; and very justly for the hard service they put them to; for which all this was but their wages due unto them and which they would stand in need of in their travels to Canaan's land and for the erection of the tabernacle and providing things appertaining to it in the wilderness.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible