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Selected Verse: Exodus 3:11 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ex 3:11	Strong Concordance	And Moses [04872] said [0559] unto God [0430], Who am I, that I should go [03212] unto Pharaoh [06547], and that I should bring forth [03318] the children [01121] of Israel [03478] out of Egypt [04714]?
	King James	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?

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Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Who am I - These words indicate humility (compare Num 12:3), not fear. He feared failure, owing to incompetency, especially in the power of expression.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Who am I - These words indicate humility (compare Num 12:3), not fear. He feared failure, owing to incompetency, especially in the power of expression.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
To the divine commission Moses made this reply: "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?" Some time before he had offered himself of his own accord as a deliverer and judge; but now he had learned humility in the school of Midian, and was filled in consequence with distrust of his own power and fitness. The son of Pharaoh's daughter had become a shepherd, and felt himself too weak to go to Pharaoh. But God met this distrust by the promise, "I will be with thee," which He confirmed by a sign, namely, that when Israel was brought out of Egypt, they should serve (עבד, i.e., worship) God upon that mountain. This sign, which was to be a pledge to Moses of the success of his mission, was one indeed that required faith itself; but, at the same time, it was a sign adapted to inspire both courage and confidence. God pointed out to him the success of his mission, the certain result of his leading the people out: Israel should serve Him upon the very same mountain in which He had appeared to Moses. As surely as Jehovah had appeared to Moses as the God of his fathers, so surely should Israel serve Him there. The reality of the appearance of God formed the pledge of His announcement, that Israel would there serve its God; and this truth was to till Moses with confidence in the execution of the divine command. The expression "serve God" (λατρεύειν τῷ Θεῷ, lxx) means something more than the immolare of the Vulgate, or the "sacrifice" of Luther; for even though sacrifice formed a leading element, or the most important part of the worship of the Israelites, the patriarchs before this had served Jehovah by calling upon His name as well as offering sacrifice. And the service of Israel at Mount Horeb consisted in their entering into covenant with Jehovah (Exo 24); not only in their receiving the law as the covenant nation, but their manifesting obedience by presenting free-will offerings for the building of the tabernacle (Exo 36:1-7; Num 7:1). (Note: Kurtz follows the Lutheran rendering "sacrifice," and understands by it the first national sacrifice; and then, from the significance of the first, which included potentially all the rest, supposes the covenant sacrifice to be intended. But not only is the original text disregarded here, the fact is also overlooked, that Luther himself has translated עבד correctly, to "serve," in every other place. And it is not sufficient to say, that by the direction of God (Exo 3:18) Moses first of all asked Pharaoh for permission merely to go a three days' journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to their God (Exo 5:1-3), in consequence of which Pharaoh afterwards offered to allow them to sacrifice (Exo 8:3) within the land, and at a still later period outside (Exo 8:21.). For the fact that Pharaoh merely spoke of sacrificing may be explained on the ground that at first nothing more was asked. But this first demand arose from the desire on the part of God to make known His purposes concerning Israel only step by step, that it might be all the easier for the hard heart of the king to grant what was required. But even if Pharaoh understood nothing more by the expression "serve God" than the offering of sacrifice, this would not justify us in restricting the words which Jehovah addressed to Moses, "When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain," to the first national offering, or to the covenant sacrifice.)

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

To the divine commission Moses made this reply: "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?" Some time before he had offered himself of his own accord as a deliverer and judge; but now he had learned humility in the school of Midian, and was filled in consequence with distrust of his own power and fitness. The son of Pharaoh's daughter had become a shepherd, and felt himself too weak to go to Pharaoh. But God met this distrust by the promise, "I will be with thee," which He confirmed by a sign, namely, that when Israel was brought out of Egypt, they should serve (עבד, i.e., worship) God upon that mountain. This sign, which was to be a pledge to Moses of the success of his mission, was one indeed that required faith itself; but, at the same time, it was a sign adapted to inspire both courage and confidence. God pointed out to him the success of his mission, the certain result of his leading the people out: Israel should serve Him upon the very same mountain in which He had appeared to Moses. As surely as Jehovah had appeared to Moses as the God of his fathers, so surely should Israel serve Him there. The reality of the appearance of God formed the pledge of His announcement, that Israel would there serve its God; and this truth was to till Moses with confidence in the execution of the divine command. The expression "serve God" (λατρεύειν τῷ Θεῷ, lxx) means something more than the immolare of the Vulgate, or the "sacrifice" of Luther; for even though sacrifice formed a leading element, or the most important part of the worship of the Israelites, the patriarchs before this had served Jehovah by calling upon His name as well as offering sacrifice. And the service of Israel at Mount Horeb consisted in their entering into covenant with Jehovah (Exo 24); not only in their receiving the law as the covenant nation, but their manifesting obedience by presenting free-will offerings for the building of the tabernacle (Exo 36:1-7; Num 7:1).

(Note: Kurtz follows the Lutheran rendering "sacrifice," and understands by it the first national sacrifice; and then, from the significance of the first, which included potentially all the rest, supposes the covenant sacrifice to be intended. But not only is the original text disregarded here, the fact is also overlooked, that Luther himself has translated עבד correctly, to "serve," in every other place. And it is not sufficient to say, that by the direction of God (Exo 3:18) Moses first of all asked Pharaoh for permission merely to go a three days' journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to their God (Exo 5:1-3), in consequence of which Pharaoh afterwards offered to allow them to sacrifice (Exo 8:3) within the land, and at a still later period outside (Exo 8:21.). For the fact that Pharaoh merely spoke of sacrificing may be explained on the ground that at first nothing more was asked. But this first demand arose from the desire on the part of God to make known His purposes concerning Israel only step by step, that it might be all the easier for the hard heart of the king to grant what was required. But even if Pharaoh understood nothing more by the expression "serve God" than the offering of sacrifice, this would not justify us in restricting the words which Jehovah addressed to Moses, "When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain," to the first national offering, or to the covenant sacrifice.)

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Who am I? - He thinks himself unworthy of the honour and unable for the work. He thinks he wants courage, and therefore cannot go to Pharaoh: he thinks he wants conduct, and therefore cannot bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt; they are unarmed, undisciplined, quite dispirited, utterly unable to help themselves, Moses was incomparably the fittest of any man living for this work, eminent for learning, wisdom, experience, valour, faith, holiness, and yet Who am I? The more fit any person is for service, commonly the less opinion he has of himself.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Who am I - that I should bring - He was so satisfied that this was beyond his power, and all the means that he possessed, that he is astonished that even God himself should appoint him to this work! Such indeed was the bondage of the children of Israel, and the power of the people by whom they were enslaved, that had not their deliverance come through supernatural means, their escape had been utterly impossible.

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³ (Now the man [0376] Moses [04872] was very [03966] meek [06035] [06035], above all the men [0120] which were upon the face [06440] of the earth [0127].)

²¹ Else, if thou wilt not let my people [05971] go [07971], behold, I will send [07971] swarms [06157] of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants [05650], and upon thy people [05971], and into thy houses [01004]: and the houses [01004] of the Egyptians [04714] shall be full [04390] of swarms [06157] of flies, and also the ground [0127] whereon they are.

³ And the river [02975] shall bring forth [08317] frogs [06854] abundantly [08317], which shall go up [05927] and come [0935] into thine house [01004], and into thy bedchamber [02315] [04904], and upon thy bed [04296], and into the house [01004] of thy servants [05650], and upon thy people [05971], and into thine ovens [08574], and into thy kneadingtroughs [04863]:

¹ And afterward [0310] Moses [04872] and Aaron [0175] went in [0935], and told [0559] Pharaoh [06547], Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068] God [0430] of Israel [03478], Let my people [05971] go [07971], that they may hold a feast [02287] unto me in the wilderness [04057].
² And Pharaoh [06547] said [0559], Who is the LORD [03068], that I should obey [08085] his voice [06963] to let Israel [03478] go [07971]? I know [03045] not the LORD [03068], neither will I let Israel [03478] go [07971].
³ And they said [0559], The God [0430] of the Hebrews [05680] hath met [07122] with us: let us go [03212], we pray thee, three [07969] days [03117]' journey [01870] into the desert [04057], and sacrifice [02076] unto the LORD [03068] our God [0430]; lest he fall [06293] upon us with pestilence [01698], or with the sword [02719].

¹⁸ And they shall hearken [08085] to thy voice [06963]: and thou shalt come [0935], thou and the elders [02205] of Israel [03478], unto the king [04428] of Egypt [04714], and ye shall say [0559] unto him, The LORD [03068] God [0430] of the Hebrews [05680] hath met [07136] with us: and now let us go [03212], we beseech thee, three [07969] days [03117]' journey [01870] into the wilderness [04057], that we may sacrifice [02076] to the LORD [03068] our God [0430].

¹ And it came to pass on the day [03117] that Moses [04872] had fully [03615] set up [06965] the tabernacle [04908], and had anointed [04886] it, and sanctified [06942] it, and all the instruments [03627] thereof, both the altar [04196] and all the vessels [03627] thereof, and had anointed [04886] them, and sanctified [06942] them;

¹ Then wrought [06213] Bezaleel [01212] and Aholiab [0171], and every wise [02450] hearted [03820] man [0376], in whom [01992] the LORD [03068] put [05414] wisdom [02451] and understanding [08394] to know [03045] how to work [06213] all manner of work [04399] for the service [05656] of the sanctuary [06944], according to all that the LORD [03068] had commanded [06680].
² And Moses [04872] called [07121] Bezaleel [01212] and Aholiab [0171], and every wise [02450] hearted [03820] man [0376], in whose heart [03820] the LORD [03068] had put [05414] wisdom [02451], even every one whose heart [03820] stirred him up [05375] to come [07126] unto the work [04399] to do [06213] it:
³ And they received [03947] of [06440] Moses [04872] all the offering [08641], which the children [01121] of Israel [03478] had brought [0935] for the work [04399] of the service [05656] of the sanctuary [06944], to make [06213] it withal. And they brought [0935] yet unto him free offerings [05071] every morning [01242].
⁴ And all the wise men [02450], that wrought [06213] all the work [04399] of the sanctuary [06944], came [0935] every man [0376] from his work [04399] which they made [06213];
⁵ And they spake [0559] unto Moses [04872], saying [0559], The people [05971] bring [0935] much more [07235] than enough [01767] for the service [05656] of the work [04399], which the LORD [03068] commanded [06680] to make [06213].
⁶ And Moses [04872] gave commandment [06680], and they caused it to be proclaimed [06963] [05674] throughout the camp [04264], saying [0559], Let neither man [0376] nor woman [0802] make [06213] any more work [04399] for the offering [08641] of the sanctuary [06944]. So the people [05971] were restrained [03607] from bringing [0935].
⁷ For the stuff [04399] they had was sufficient [01767] for all the work [04399] to make [06213] it, and too much [03498].