Exodus 6 3

Exodus 6:3 kjv

And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

Exodus 6:3 nkjv

I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name LORD I was not known to them.

Exodus 6:3 niv

I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself fully known to them.

Exodus 6:3 esv

I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them.

Exodus 6:3 nlt

I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El-Shaddai ? 'God Almighty' ? but I did not reveal my name, Yahweh, to them.

Exodus 6 verses

Exodus 6 3 Meaning

This verse marks a significant moment in God's progressive self-revelation. It states that God appeared to the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—primarily under His name "God Almighty" (El Shaddai), signifying His abundant power, sufficiency, and ability to fulfill covenant promises, often in personal and miraculous ways (e.g., granting a child in old age). However, by His covenant name "the LORD" (YHWH), God asserts that He did not make Himself "fully known" to them in the same depth of redemptive action and national covenantal demonstration as He was about to do with Moses and the nation of Israel during the Exodus. This indicates a new, deeper level of revelation, particularly concerning His active, sovereign power to deliver His people and execute His plan for them as a nation.

Exodus 6 3 Context

Exodus 6:3 serves as God’s reassuring response to Moses after Moses' initial attempt to negotiate with Pharaoh resulted in increased oppression for the Israelites (Ex 5). Moses, in despair, questions God's effectiveness (Ex 5:22-23). God reaffirms His intention to deliver Israel, emphasizing His covenant faithfulness (Ex 6:1-2). This specific verse, 6:3, explains the reason for the long delay in fulfilling the Abrahamic promises—it wasn't due to divine forgetfulness but a specific timing in God's redemptive plan involving a deeper revelation of Himself. The patriarchs experienced God's power in personal and domestic spheres (as El Shaddai, the supplier and sustainer). Now, YHWH is revealing Himself to bring about a national redemption, a corporate demonstration of His power that defines Him as the covenant-keeping Deliverer.

Historically, this revelation takes place amidst the brutal enslavement of the Israelites in Egypt, following centuries since the patriarchal covenants. The Israelites' understanding of their ancestral God might have become dim. This verse signals an unprecedented divine intervention that will demonstrate YHWH's sovereign power over both human rulers and the gods of Egypt, forging Israel into His own nation.

Exodus 6 3 Word analysis

• "I appeared": (Hebrew: וָאֵרָא - wa’eira).

  • This is the Nifal perfect form of the verb "to see" (ra'ah), meaning "I was seen" or "I caused myself to be seen." It indicates a visible, tangible manifestation of God's presence, a theophany, not just an intellectual communication. This suggests direct encounters the patriarchs had with God.
  • Significance: Highlights the reality and directness of God's interaction with His chosen ones, foundational to their faith.

• "to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob":

  • Significance: Establishes a direct link to the patriarchs, underscoring the continuity of the covenant lineage. God's faithfulness is multigenerational.

• "as God Almighty": (Hebrew: בְּאֵל שַׁדָּי - b’El Shaddai)

  • "as" (בְּ - be): Can mean "in" or "by." Here, it signifies the nature or name by which God revealed Himself.
  • "God" (אֵל - El): A common, generic Semitic term for deity, indicating strength, power, and might.
  • "Almighty" (שַׁדָּי - Shaddai): The precise etymology is debated among scholars, but common interpretations link it to:
    • "Mountain/Strong one": Suggests unchangeable, enduring power and might.
    • "Breast/Sufficiency": Points to God as the all-sufficient, overflowing provider of all needs.
    • "Overpowerer/Destroyer": Implies overwhelming power, potentially in judgment or conquering.
  • Contextually, El Shaddai signified God's limitless power to fulfill promises, particularly in miraculous circumstances (e.g., childbearing in old age, protection in a foreign land). For the patriarchs, He was the God who provided, protected, and ensured descendants even when their circumstances seemed impossible.

• "but by my name the LORD": (Hebrew: וּשְׁמִי יהוה - u'Shmi YHWH)

  • "but": Signifies a contrast or distinction in the nature of revelation.
  • "my name" (וּשְׁמִי - u'Shmi): Indicates a unique, personal identifier.
  • "the LORD" (יהוה - YHWH, often transliterated as Yahweh): The sacred Tetragrammaton, God's personal covenant name. It's connected to the verb "to be" (hayah), signifying His self-existence, eternal presence, and active participation as the covenant-keeping God (Ex 3:14: "I AM WHO I AM"). While "El" refers to God's inherent power, "YHWH" emphasizes His active, personal relationship with His people and His role as the redemptive God who brings promises to fruition.

• "I did not make myself fully known to them": (Hebrew: לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי לָהֶם - lo noda’ti lahem)

  • "not" (לֹא - lo): A simple negation.
  • "make myself fully known" (נוֹדַעְתִּי - noda'ti): This is the Nifal form of the verb "to know" (yada’), meaning "I was known" or "I caused myself to be known." The emphasis here is not merely on the intellectual awareness of the sound "YHWH," but on the experiential understanding and full import of that name.
  • This is crucial: The patriarchs did know and use the name YHWH (e.g., Gen 12:8; 13:4; 15:7), demonstrating intellectual acquaintance. However, they had not experienced YHWH's full redemptive power displayed in the corporate, national liberation from bondage. Their knowledge of YHWH was more in terms of personal covenant keeping and promises; Moses and Israel would come to know YHWH as the mighty Redeemer and Lawgiver, defining their entire national identity around this. The Exodus events would profoundly establish the meaning of YHWH for His people.

Exodus 6 3 Bonus section

• The concept of God making Himself "fully known" in a new way underscores the experiential nature of biblical knowledge of God, not merely intellectual assent. One truly knows God through encountering His actions and character.
• The progressive nature of revelation culminated ultimately in Jesus Christ (Jn 1:18, Heb 1:1-2), where God's nature, glory, and saving purpose are fully revealed in a person, making YHWH known in the most intimate and complete way.
• This verse provides theological continuity across the biblical narrative, showing God's faithfulness to His ancient promises, despite their seemingly long delay. His names describe His nature, actions, and relationship with humanity throughout history.

Exodus 6 3 Commentary

Exodus 6:3 serves as God's response to Moses' discouragement, offering a foundational theological statement about divine revelation and covenant. It clarifies that while the patriarchs encountered God as El Shaddai—the all-sufficient, powerful One who personally sustained them and initiated the covenant with promises of land and offspring—the fullness of His personal, covenant-keeping name, YHWH, was yet to be revealed through a great act of national redemption.

This doesn't imply the patriarchs were entirely ignorant of the name YHWH; rather, they had not experienced the profound, collective demonstration of its power and meaning that Israel was about to witness in the Exodus. God's unfolding revelation is purposeful and progressive, each phase building upon the last, deepening humanity's understanding of His character and purposes. The revelation of YHWH in the Exodus would encapsulate His active presence, faithfulness, and unparalleled power to save, marking a pivotal shift from familial covenant to national identity, setting the stage for Israel's unique relationship with their redeeming God.