Jan 19 2006

Exodus 3:11-14

Published by Hardy at 9:23 am under Exodus

וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים מִי אָנֹכִי כִּי אֵלֵךְ אֶל־פַּרְעֹה וְכִי אוֹצִיא אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם׃ 12 וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי־אֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ וְזֶה־לְּךָ הָאוֹת כִּי אָנֹכִי שְׁלַחְתִּיךָ בְּהוֹצִיאֲךָ אֶת־הָעָם מִמִּצְרַיִם תַּעַבְדוּן אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים עַל הָהָר הַזֶּה׃ 13 וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי בָא אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתִּי לָהֶם אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם שְׁלָחַנִי אֲלֵיכֶם וְאָמְרוּ־לִי מַה־שְּׁמוֹ מָה אֹמַר אֲלֵהֶם׃ 14 וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל־מֹשֶׁה אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה וַיֹּאמֶר כֹּה תֹאמַר לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶהְיֶה שְׁלָחַנִי אֲלֵיכֶם׃

Vocabulary

Verse 11

            מצרים  name: “Egypt”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

  • Notice the two clauses joined by waw and marked by כי elaborating on the main question, מִי אָנֹכִי.
  • The imperfect can indicate modality (particularly in first position in the sentence).  In this instance it expresses potential action or possibility (“who am I that I could go”).  See also Exodus 16:7 (תַלִּינוּ) and Numbers 11:12 (תֹאמַר).
  • The Hiphil stem can be understood as causative; therefore, נצא “go out” in Qal becomes “bring out” in Hiphil.

Vocabulary

Verse 12

            אות  noun: “sign, pledge”

Verse 14

            אהיה  verb (Qal imperfect 1cs): “I am” or “I will be”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 12

  • The clause, וְזֶה־לְּךָ הָאוֹת, is verbless.
  • The beth preposition is temporal, “when.”
  • The 2ms suffix is functioning as the “subject” of the infinitive, בְּהוֹצִיאֲךָ.
  • Paragogic nun: תַּעַבְדוּן.

Verse 13

  • As in many Greek verbs of movement, the Hebrew word בוא can refer to coming or going.
  • The phrase, אָנֹכִי בָא, is a periphrastic construction without the “to be” verb.
  • See the DH post about the name of God.

Verse 14

  • The final usage of אֶהְיֶה is as a nominative (proper name?).

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