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Exodus Chapter Study

Moses and the Burning Bush

Exodus 3 (KJV)

Exodus 3 records God's appearance to Moses in the burning bush, the revelation of His holy name, and Moses' calling to deliver Israel from Egypt.

What You'll Learn

• How God appeared to Moses in the burning bush
• Why Moses was told to remove his shoes
• What holy ground teaches about God's presence
• How God revealed Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
• Why God said He had seen Israel's affliction
• How Moses was called to return to Egypt
• What “I AM THAT I AM” reveals about God's name
• Why Moses felt unqualified for the mission
• How God promised His presence to Moses
• How Exodus 3 prepares for the confrontation with Pharaoh

Exodus 3 teaches that God's calling is not based on human strength, but on His holy presence, eternal name, and faithful promises.

Bible Translation Note Scripture Verse-by-Verse Study Chapter Synopsis Prayer Personal Application Weekly Actions Chapter Summary

Bible Translation Note: All Scripture on this page is quoted from the King James Version (KJV) and presented in full without alteration.

Exodus 3:1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

Exodus 3:2 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.

Exodus 3:3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

Exodus 3:4 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.

Exodus 3:5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

Exodus 3:6 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.

Exodus 3:7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

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

Exodus 3:9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

Exodus 3:10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

Exodus 3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

Exodus 3:12 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.

Exodus 3:13 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?

Exodus 3:14 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.

Exodus 3:15 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 3:16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:

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

Exodus 3:18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.

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

Exodus 3:20 And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.

Exodus 3:21 And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty.

Exodus 3:22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.

Exodus 3:1

Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

Study: Moses is no longer living as a prince of Egypt. He is shepherding in the wilderness, but God is about to meet him in the very place that seemed hidden and ordinary.

Exodus 3:2

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.

Study: God appears in a flame of fire, yet the bush is not consumed. The burning bush reveals God's holy presence and His power to dwell among His people without being diminished.

Exodus 3:3

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

Study: Moses turns aside to see the unusual sight. This moment reminds us that God can interrupt ordinary routines and draw our attention to His presence.

Exodus 3:4

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.

Study: God calls Moses by name. The repetition shows personal attention and urgency, and Moses responds with availability before he even understands the mission.

Exodus 3:5

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

Study: Moses is commanded to remove his shoes because he stands on holy ground. God's presence transforms ordinary soil into a sacred place of reverence and worship.

Exodus 3:6

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.

Study: God identifies Himself as the covenant God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Moses hides his face, recognizing the holiness and majesty of the One speaking to him.

Exodus 3:7

And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

Study: God has seen, heard, and known the suffering of Israel. Their pain has not been ignored, and their cries have reached the covenant-keeping God.

Exodus 3:8

And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

Study: God announces His plan to deliver Israel and bring them into the promised land. The Lord is not only rescuing them from bondage but leading them toward inheritance.

Exodus 3:9

Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

Study: God repeats that He has heard Israel's cry and seen Egypt's oppression. The repetition emphasizes that God is fully aware of His people's suffering.

Exodus 3:10

Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

Study: God calls Moses to go to Pharaoh and lead Israel out of Egypt. The shepherd in the wilderness is now being sent as God's chosen instrument of deliverance.

Exodus 3:11

And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

Study: Moses immediately questions his own worthiness. His focus is on his limitations, but God's answer will shift the focus from Moses' ability to God's presence.

Exodus 3:12

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.

Study: God's answer is His presence. Moses' confidence must not rest in himself, but in the promise that God will be with him and bring Israel back to worship.

Exodus 3:13

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?

Study: Moses asks what he should say if Israel asks for God's name. This question leads to one of the most important revelations of God's identity in Scripture.

Exodus 3:14

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.

Study: God reveals Himself as “I AM THAT I AM.” He is eternal, self-existent, unchanging, and faithful. Moses is sent by the God who simply and eternally is.

Exodus 3:15

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.

Study: God connects His revealed name to His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. His name is not temporary; it is His memorial to all generations.

Exodus 3:16

Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:

Study: Moses is instructed to gather Israel's elders and announce that God has visited His people. The Lord's deliverance begins with a message of covenant remembrance.

Exodus 3:17

And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.

Study: God promises to bring Israel out of affliction and into abundance. Deliverance is not merely escape from Egypt; it is movement toward God's promised inheritance.

Exodus 3:18

And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.

Study: God tells Moses that Israel's elders will listen. Moses is also given the message to bring before Pharaoh: the people must go worship the LORD.

Exodus 3:19

And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.

Study: God prepares Moses for Pharaoh's resistance. The mission will not be easy, but Pharaoh's refusal will not stop God's plan.

Exodus 3:20

And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.

Study: God promises to act with mighty wonders. Egypt's power will be confronted by the hand of the LORD, and Pharaoh will eventually let Israel go.

Exodus 3:21

And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty.

Study: Israel will not leave empty-handed. God will give His people favor and provide for them as they depart from the land of bondage.

Exodus 3:22

But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.

Study: God promises that Israel will leave with wealth from Egypt. The people who were oppressed will depart with provision, showing that God is just and faithful to His covenant.

Exodus 3 begins with Moses shepherding the flock of Jethro in the wilderness. While near Horeb, the mountain of God, Moses sees a bush burning with fire, yet the bush is not consumed. When Moses turns aside to look, God calls to him from the midst of the bush.

God tells Moses to remove his shoes because the place where he stands is holy ground. The Lord identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Moses hides his face in fear, recognizing that he is in the presence of God.

The Lord declares that He has seen the affliction of Israel, heard their cry, and knows their sorrows. God announces His plan to deliver His people from Egypt and bring them into a good and spacious land flowing with milk and honey.

God then commissions Moses to go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. Moses responds by asking, “Who am I?” God answers with the promise of His presence, assuring Moses that He will be with him.

When Moses asks what name he should give to Israel, God reveals Himself as “I AM THAT I AM.” The chapter ends with God giving Moses instructions, warning him of Pharaoh's resistance, and promising that Israel will leave Egypt with favor and provision.

Heavenly Father, thank You for seeing, hearing, and knowing the burdens of Your people. Help me approach You with reverence and trust. When I feel unqualified, remind me that Your presence is greater than my weakness. Teach me to obey Your calling, depend on Your name, and believe that You are faithful to every promise. In Jesus' name, Amen.

• Read Exodus 3 again and note every time God speaks directly to Moses
• Memorize Exodus 3:14
• Write down one area where you feel unqualified
• Pray for courage to obey God's calling
• Spend time reflecting on what “I AM” reveals about God's nature
• Identify one burden you need to trust God with this week
• Thank God for His presence, holiness, and faithfulness

Exodus 3 records God's appearance to Moses in the burning bush at Horeb. Moses is called by name and told to remove his shoes because he stands on holy ground. God reveals Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, declares that He has seen Israel's suffering, and commissions Moses to go to Pharaoh. When Moses questions his ability, God promises His presence. When Moses asks for God's name, the Lord reveals Himself as “I AM THAT I AM.” The chapter ends with God giving Moses the message for Israel and Pharaoh, promising deliverance, judgment against Egypt, and provision for His people.

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