Exodus 3:17 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey."’

NIV: And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’

NASB: So I said, I will bring you up out of the oppression of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey.

CSB: And I have promised you that I will bring you up from the misery of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, Hethites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.

NLT: I have promised to rescue you from your oppression in Egypt. I will lead you to a land flowing with milk and honey — the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.'’

KJV: 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.

NKJV: 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.” ’

God is dictating a message which Moses is to deliver to the elders of Israel once he goes back into Egypt. This recognizes Israelite suffering (Exodus 3:16) and promises to free them. God vows to move the Jews from slavery, in Egypt, into freedom, in the land of six other people groups previously mentioned (Exodus 3:8). This Promised Land is depicted as extremely well-suited to growing food and raising livestock. Though many other peoples lived there at the time these words were spoken, God promised to change the situation and place Israel in this land.

The Lord will fulfill this promise, though the nation of Israel will not enter this new land for forty more years; that will be the result of their own disobedience (Numbers 13—14). Even then, some of the original inhabitants of Canaan will continue to cause problems for the Israelites. However, the promise as stated by God will be fulfilled. Israel will be rescued from a region of slavery and oppression; they will become their own nation in a region of freedom and prosperity. In this sense, Moses will serve as both a national leader and a prophet, speaking God's plans for the Jewish people.

Exodus 3:16–19 records a message Moses is to deliver when he arrives in Egypt. This is addressed to the '"elders of Israel," and includes a statement meant to be spoken to Pharaoh. God promises to free Israel from slavery. He will establish them in a fertile, free land. The first step in this liberation is to ask Egypt's king for a relatively minor concession: three days for Israel to worship their God. Pharaoh is predicted to refuse this, demonstrating his complete lack of empathy for the Hebrew people.

Moses is tending sheep for his father-in-law when he sees a miraculous sight: a bush which is on fire, but not burnt up. From this fire, God speaks to Moses, appointing him as the leader of the nation of Israel, whom God intends to free from Egyptian slavery. God identifies Himself in this passage using the famous terminology ''I am.'' Despite Moses' fears and doubts, God gives him a message to take to the elders of Israel, and eventually to Pharaoh himself.

Prior chapters in Exodus explained how the descendants of Abraham became a populous nation, but also one enslaved in Egypt. Exodus 3 describes the moment when God calls Moses to lead Israel out of slavery. This is accomplished through the miracle of the burning bush. This begins a dialogue between God and Moses. It includes messages for both Israel and Pharaoh which will continue into chapter 4.

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.