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Exodus 3:2-6

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. Moses said, “I will go now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.”

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.”

He said, “Don’t come close. Take off your sandals, for the place you are standing on is holy ground.” 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.

World English Bible · Public Domain
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Exodus 3:2-6 sits inside this longer paragraph.

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. 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. Moses said, “I will go now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.”

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.”

He said, “Don’t come close. Take off your sandals, for the place you are standing on is holy ground.” 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.

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    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.

    Moses said, “I will go now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.”

    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.”

    He said, “Don’t come close. Take off your sandals, for the place you are standing on is holy ground.”

    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.

  • KJV King James Version

    And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

    And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

    And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

    And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

    Moreover he said, I am the God of thy 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.

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  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

    And Moses said: 'I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.'

    And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said: 'Moses, Moses.' And he said: 'Here am I.'

    And He said: 'Draw not nigh hither; put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.'

    Moreover He said: 'I am the God of thy 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.

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Contradictions (1)

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Cross-references (81)

  • Joshua 5:15 (v5) The prince of Yahweh’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals, for the place on which you stand is holy.” Joshua did so.
  • Acts 7:30-35 (v2) “When forty years were fulfilled, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. When…
  • Acts 7:33 (v5) The Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you stand is holy ground.
  • Exodus 19:12 (v5) You shall set bounds to the people all around, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t go up onto the mountain, or touch its border. Whoever…
  • Isaiah 43:2 (v2) When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire,…
Show all 78 cross-references
  • Luke 20:37 (vv2, 6) But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord ‘The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of…
  • Ecclesiastes 5:1 (v5) Guard your steps when you go to God’s house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don’t know…
  • Deuteronomy 33:16 (vv2, 4) for the precious things of the earth and its fullness, the good will of him who lived in the bush. Let this come on the head of Joseph, on…
  • Mark 12:26 (vv2, 6) But about the dead, that they are raised; haven’t you read in the book of Moses, about the Bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the…
  • Matthew 22:32 (v6) ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?’ God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”
  • Exodus 4:5 (v6) “This is so that they may believe that Yahweh, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has…
  • Psalms 66:12 (v2) You allowed men to ride over our heads. We went through fire and through water, but you brought us to the place of abundance.
  • Genesis 28:13 (v6) Behold, Yahweh stood above it, and said, “I am Yahweh, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac. I will give the land you lie…
  • Genesis 28:16-17 (v5) Jacob awakened out of his sleep, and he said, “Surely Yahweh is in this place, and I didn’t know it.” He was afraid, and said, “How awesome…
  • Acts 7:31 (v3) When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight. As he came close to see, a voice of the Lord came to him,
  • Acts 7:32 (v6) ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ Moses trembled, and dared not look.
  • Hebrews 12:20 (v5) for they could not stand that which was commanded, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned”.
  • Exodus 3:16 (v2) Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and tell them, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob,…
  • Exodus 19:21 (v5) Yahweh said to Moses, “Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to gaze, and many of them perish.
  • Isaiah 63:9 (v2) In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and in his pity he redeemed them. He bore…
  • Malachi 3:1 (v2) “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the…
  • Revelation 1:17 (v6) When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the first and the last,
  • Genesis 16:7-13 (v2) Yahweh’s angel found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain on the way to Shur. He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant,…
  • Genesis 48:16 (v2) the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads, and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and…
  • Exodus 3:4-10 (v2) 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.”…
  • Deuteronomy 4:20 (v2) But Yahweh has taken you, and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be to him a people of inheritance, as it is today.
  • 1 Kings 18:36 (v6) At the time of the evening offering, Elijah the prophet came near, and said, “Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it…
  • Daniel 3:27 (v2) The local governors, the deputies, and the governors, and the king’s counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, that the fire had…
  • Genesis 15:13-17 (v2) He said to Abram, “Know for sure that your offspring will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will…
  • Genesis 22:1 (v4) After these things, God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.”
  • Genesis 22:11 (v4) Yahweh’s angel called to him out of the sky, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.”
  • Genesis 22:15-16 (v2) Yahweh’s angel called to Abraham a second time out of the sky, and said, “ ‘I have sworn by myself,’ says Yahweh, ‘because you have done…
  • Genesis 46:2 (v4) God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” He said, “Here I am.”
  • 1 Samuel 3:4 (v4) Yahweh called Samuel. He said, “Here I am.”
  • 1 Samuel 3:6 (v4) Yahweh called yet again, “Samuel!” Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; for you called me.” He answered, “I didn’t call, my…
  • 1 Samuel 3:8 (v4) Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; for you called me.” Eli perceived that Yahweh had…
  • Hosea 12:4-5 (v2) Indeed, he struggled with the angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication to him. He found him at Bethel, and there he spoke with…
  • Acts 9:4 (v4) He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
  • Leviticus 10:3 (v5) Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what Yahweh spoke of, saying, ‘I will show myself holy to those who come near me, and before all the…
  • Judges 13:22 (v6) Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, because we have seen God.”
  • Psalms 62:11 (v4) God has spoken once; twice I have heard this, that power belongs to God.
  • Psalms 107:8 (v3) Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!
  • Isaiah 6:1-5 (v6) In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. Above him stood…
  • Jeremiah 24:7 (v6) I will give them a heart to know me, that I am Yahweh. They will be my people, and I will be their God; for they will return to me with…
  • Jeremiah 32:38 (v6) Then they will be my people, and I will be their God.
  • Acts 10:3 (v4) At about the ninth hour of the day, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God coming to him, and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
  • Romans 8:3 (v2) For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for…
  • 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 (v2) For we don’t desire to have you uninformed, brothers, concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia, that we were weighed down…
  • Genesis 12:1 (v6) Now Yahweh said to Abram, “Leave your country, and your relatives, and your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you.
  • Genesis 12:7 (v6) Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” He built an altar there to Yahweh, who had appeared to him.
  • Genesis 17:7-8 (v6) I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to…
  • Genesis 26:24 (v6) Yahweh appeared to him the same night, and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you, and will bless…
  • Genesis 31:42 (v6) Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty. God…
  • Genesis 32:9 (v6) Jacob said, “God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, Yahweh, who said to me, ‘Return to your country, and to your relatives,…
  • Exodus 3:14-15 (v6) God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM,” and he said, “You shall tell the children of Israel this: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” God said…
  • Exodus 29:45 (v6) I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.
  • 1 Samuel 3:10 (v4) Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak; for your servant hears.”
  • 1 Kings 19:13 (v6) When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle, went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. Behold, a voice came to him, and…
  • Job 37:14 (v3) “Listen to this, Job. Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.
  • Job 42:5-6 (v6) I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
  • Psalms 106:44-45 (v6) Nevertheless he regarded their distress, when he heard their cry. He remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the…
  • Psalms 132:2 (v6) how he swore to Yahweh, and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:
  • Jeremiah 31:33 (v6) “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” says Yahweh: “I will put my law in their inward…
  • Acts 10:13 (v4) A voice came to him, “Rise, Peter, kill and eat!”
  • Genesis 17:3 (v6) Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying,
  • Nehemiah 9:9 (v6) “You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heard their cry by the Red Sea,
  • Psalms 111:2-4 (v3) Yahweh’s works are great, pondered by all those who delight in them. His work is honor and majesty. His righteousness endures forever. He…
  • Isaiah 53:10-11 (v2) Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him. He has caused him to suffer. When you make his soul an offering for sin, he will see his offspring. He…
  • Ezekiel 11:20 (v6) that they may walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
  • Daniel 10:7-8 (v6) I, Daniel, alone saw the vision; for the men who were with me didn’t see the vision; but a great quaking fell on them, and they fled to…
  • Zechariah 8:8 (v6) and I will bring them, and they will dwell within Jerusalem; and they will be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in…
  • Matthew 17:6 (v6) When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were very afraid.
  • Luke 5:8 (v6) But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.”
  • John 1:14 (v2) The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
  • Acts 7:34 (v6) I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning. I have come down to deliver them. Now come,…
  • Hebrews 12:21 (v6) So fearful was the appearance that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling.”
  • Esther 3:4 (v6) Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him, and he didn’t listen to them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s reason…
  • Zechariah 13:7 (v2) “Awake, sword, against my shepherd, and against the man who is close to me,” says Yahweh of Armies. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep…

78 distinct cross-references across this passage (81 total citations).

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (18 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv2, 4, 5, 6 This signifieth that the Church is not consumed by…

This signifieth that the Church is not consumed by the fire of affliction, because God is in the midst thereof.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv2–6 Exo 3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv2, 4, 5, 6 The angel of the Lord; not a created angel,…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv2–6 And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him,....…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv2–6 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv2, 5, 6 Verse 2. The angel of the Lord] Not a…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 5, 6 Exo 3:2. The Angel of the Lord appeared to…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv2, 4, 5, 6 The angel of the Lord - See the note…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv2, 5, 6 The Lord appeared. That is, and angel representing God,…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv2, 4, 5, 6 the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv2, 5, 6 2. And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv2–6 2. the angel of Jehovah] The ‘angel of Jehovah,’…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv2–6 (2) The angel of the Lord.—Heb., an angel of…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv2–6 The angel of the Lord. Literally, "an angel of…
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v6 I am the God of thy father.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v2 (See Scofield "Heb 1:4").
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v4 set apart
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv2, 4, 5, 6 3:2 Technically, the angel of the Lord is the…
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