Exodus – Chapter 3

Old Testament • 22 Verses

Chapter Summary

"Now Moses fed the sheep of Jethro, his father in law, the priest of Madian: and he drove the flock to the inner parts of the desert, and…" — so begins Exodus 3. The chapter centers on Moses, Abraham and Isaac. Across its 22 verses, two threads run through the text: family and covenant relationships and suffering and trial. The Church invites us to read this chapter within the whole sweep of salvation history, where every page points toward Christ.

1Now Moses fed the sheep of Jethro, his father in law, the priest of Madian: and he drove the flock to the inner parts of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, Horeb.

2And the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he saw that the bush was on fire, and was not burnt.

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

4And when the Lord saw that he went forward to see, he called to him out of the midst of the bush. and said: Moses, Moses. And he answered: Here I am.

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

6And he said: I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Moses hid his face: for he durst not look at God.

7And the Lord said to him: I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their cry because of the rigour of them that are over the works;

8And knowing their sorrow, I am come down to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians, and to bring them out of that land into a good and spacious land, into a land that floweth with milk and honey, to the places of the Chanaanite, and Hethite, and Amorrhite, and Pherezite, and Hevite, and Jebusite.

9For the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have seen their affliction, wherewith they are oppressed by the Egyptians.

10But come, and I will send thee to Pharao, that thou mayst bring forth my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.

11And Moses said to God: Who am I that I should go to Pharao, and should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

12And he said to him: I will be with thee; and this thou shalt have for a sign that I have sent thee: When thou shalt have brought my people out of Egypt, thou shalt offer sacrifice to God upon this mountain.

13Moses said to God: Lo, I shall go to the children of Israel, and say to them: The God of your fathers hath sent me to you. If they shall say to me: What is his name? What shall I say to them?

14God said to Moses: I AM WHO AM. He said: Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel: HE WHO IS, hath sent me to you.

15And God said again to Moses: Thus shalt thou say to 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 to you; this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

16Go and gather together the ancients of Israel, and thou shalt say to them: The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared to me, saying: Visiting I have visited you; and I have seen all that hath befallen you in Egypt.

17And I have said the word to bring you forth out of the affliction of Egypt, into the land of the Chanaanite, and Hethite, and Amorrhite, and Pherezite, and Hevite, and Jebusite, to a land that floweth with milk and honey.

18And they shall hear thy voice; and thou shalt go in, thou and the ancients of Israel, to the king of Egypt, and thou shalt say to him: The Lord God of the Hebrews hath called us; we will go three days' journey into the wilderness, to sacrifice unto the Lord our God.

19But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go, but by a mighty hand.

20For I will stretch forth my hand, and will strike Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst of them: after these he will let you go.

21And I will give favour to this people, in the sight of the Egyptians: and when you go forth, you shall not depart empty:

22But every woman shall ask of her neighbour, and of her that is in her house, vessels of silver and of gold, and raiment: and you shall put them on your sons and daughters, and shall spoil Egypt.

Important Verses in Exodus 3

“Now Moses fed the sheep of Jethro, his father in law, the priest of Madian: and he drove the flock to the inner parts of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, Horeb.”

Exodus 3:1

“And when the Lord saw that he went forward to see, he called to him out of the midst of the bush. and said: Moses, Moses. And he answered: Here I am.”

Exodus 3:4

“And the Lord said to him: I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their cry because of the rigour of them that are over the works;”

Exodus 3:7

“God said to Moses: I AM WHO AM. He said: Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel: HE WHO IS, hath sent me to you.”

Exodus 3:14

Historical Context

Exodus addresses israel in every generation, commanded to remember the Passover as a perpetual memorial within the broader story of God's covenant people. Chapter 3 of 40 belongs to the early movement of the book, where the narrative or argument is still unfolding. It is a legal and cultic instruction given to Israel regarding worship, holiness, and daily life with 22 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. The chapter focuses on Moses, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whose actions and words drive the passage forward. It opens with the line: "Now Moses fed the sheep of Jethro, his father in law, the priest of Madian: and he drove the flock to the inner parts…" The chapter ends with: "But every woman shall ask of her neighbour, and of her that is in her house, vessels of silver and of gold, and…" The wider setting of Exodus is this: Exodus recounts the defining event of the Old Testament: God's liberation of Israel from slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh, most likely Ramesses II. Scholarly and ecclesial tradition places the composition of Exodus around Describes events of the 13th century BC; reached final written form between the 10th and 5th centuries BC.

Who Wrote It

Traditionally attributed to Moses, with later inspired editing

When It Was Written

Describes events of the 13th century BC; reached final written form between the 10th and 5th centuries BC

Catholic Commentary

The text sets forth laws and observances that distinguished Israel as a people consecrated to the Lord. A pivotal line is verse 1: "Now Moses fed the sheep of Jethro, his father in law, the priest of Madian: and he drove the flock to the inner parts of the desert, and came to the mountain…" The passage repeatedly touches on family and covenant relationships.

According to Catholic interpretation, this chapter contributes to the book's portrait of liberation, law, and worship. the Church sees the Exodus as prefiguring Baptism and the Eucharist (CIC 1221, 1363). The Catechism and the liturgy frequently draw on such passages to nourish faith and moral life (CIC 1362).

The moral and spiritual import remains timely: The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.. St. Jerome insisted that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ; this chapter offers material for meditation, examination of conscience, and deeper love of God.

Main Teachings

  • ✓The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • ✓Suffering, united to Christ, becomes a path of purification and deeper trust in God.
  • ✓Worship is the heart of the covenant: giving God the praise and adoration that are His due.

People in This Chapter

Moses9 mentionsAbraham3 mentionsIsaac3 mentionsJacob3 mentionsPharaoh2 mentionsJethro1 mention

Reflection for Today

According to Catholic theology, Exodus Chapter 3 contains one of the most significant divine revelations in Scripture—God's self-disclosure as "I AM WHO I AM" (YHWH). The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that this name reveals God as the eternal, self-existent Being, the source of all existence (CIC 205-213). St. Thomas Aquinas built much of his theology on this revelation, understanding God as ipsum esse subsistens—subsistent Being itself.

The burning bush, which burned but was not consumed, is understood in Catholic Tradition as a type of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who bore the divine fire of Christ in her womb yet remained virgin. This interpretation, found in the Church Fathers and the Byzantine liturgy, connects the Old Testament theophany to the Incarnation. The bush also symbolizes Israel, afflicted but not destroyed, and the Church, persecuted but indestructible.

Catholic teaching emphasizes that God's call to Moses reveals the pattern of all vocations: God calls by name, reveals His identity, commissions for service, and promises His presence. The Catechism notes that Moses' objections and God's patient responses show that "God calls, but he does not force" (CIC 2575). The command to remove sandals on holy ground establishes the principle of reverence before the sacred that Catholics express in genuflection and other liturgical gestures.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Exodus Chapter 3 about?

Exodus 3 contains 22 verses. It opens with "Now Moses fed the sheep of Jethro, his father in law, the priest of Madian: and he drove the flock to the inner parts…" and closes with "But every woman shall ask of her neighbour, and of her that is in her house, vessels of silver and of gold, and…". The book as a whole is narrative, law, and liturgical instruction.

What is a key verse in Exodus 3?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "Now Moses fed the sheep of Jethro, his father in law, the priest of Madian: and he drove the flock to the inner parts of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, Horeb." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Exodus Chapter 3?

This chapter mentions Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Pharaoh, among others.

Who wrote Exodus and when?

Traditionally attributed to Moses, with later inspired editing. Describes events of the 13th century BC; reached final written form between the 10th and 5th centuries BC.

Related Chapters

Deuteronomy 29Shares people and themes with this chapterActs 7Shares people and themes with this chapterRomans 9Shares people and themes with this chapter

Prayers Related to This Chapter

🙏Prayer for the Family🙏Novena to the Holy Family🙏Prayer in Time of Suffering🙏Anima Christi

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