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Text -- Exodus 6:3 (NET)

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Context
6:3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name ‘the Lord’ I was not known to them.
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Names, People and Places:
 · Abraham a son of Terah; the father of Isaac; ancestor of the Jewish nation.,the son of Terah of Shem
 · Jacob the second so of a pair of twins born to Isaac and Rebeccaa; ancestor of the 12 tribes of Israel,the nation of Israel,a person, male,son of Isaac; Israel the man and nation


Dictionary Themes and Topics: Shaddai | Rulers | Revelation | PENTATEUCH, 2B | PENTATEUCH, 2A | PALESTINE EXPLORATION, 2A | OMNIPOTENCE | Moses | Lord | LAW IN THE OLD TESTAMENT | Jehovah | ISRAEL, RELIGION OF, 1 | God | GOD, NAMES OF | GOD, 2 | GENESIS, 1-2 | Egyptians | EXODUS, THE BOOK OF, 2 | DESERT | ABRAHAM | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
JFB , Clarke , Defender , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , PBC , Haydock , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes , Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Keil-Delitzsch , Constable , Guzik

Other
Bible Query , Critics Ask

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

JFB: Exo 6:3 - -- All enemies must fall, all difficulties must vanish before My omnipotent power, and the patriarchs had abundant proofs of this.

All enemies must fall, all difficulties must vanish before My omnipotent power, and the patriarchs had abundant proofs of this.

JFB: Exo 6:3 - -- Rather, interrogatively, by My name Jehovah was I not known to them? Am not I, the Almighty God, who pledged My honor for the fulfilment of the covena...

Rather, interrogatively, by My name Jehovah was I not known to them? Am not I, the Almighty God, who pledged My honor for the fulfilment of the covenant, also the self-existent God who lives to accomplish it? Rest assured, therefore, that I shall bring it to pass. This passage has occasioned much discussion; and it has been thought by many to intimate that as the name Jehovah was not known to the patriarchs, at least in the full bearing or practical experience of it, the honor of the disclosure was reserved to Moses, who was the first sent with a message in the name of Jehovah, and enabled to attest it by a series of public miracles.

Clarke: Exo 6:3 - -- By the name of God Almighty - אל שדי EL -Shaddal , God All-sufficient; God the dispenser or pourer-out of gifts. See Clarke on Gen 17:1 (note)

By the name of God Almighty - אל שדי EL -Shaddal , God All-sufficient; God the dispenser or pourer-out of gifts. See Clarke on Gen 17:1 (note)

Clarke: Exo 6:3 - -- But by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them - This passage has been a sort of crux criticorum , and has been variously explained. It is certain t...

But by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them - This passage has been a sort of crux criticorum , and has been variously explained. It is certain that the name Jehovah was in use long before the days of Abraham, see Gen 2:4, where the words יהוה אלהים Jehovah Elohim occur, as they do frequently afterwards; and see Gen 15:2, where Abraham expressly addresses him by the name Adonai Jehovah; and see Gen 15:7, where God reveals himself to Abraham by this very name: And he said unto him, I am Jehovah, that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees. How then can it be said that by his name Jehovah he was not known unto them? Several answers have been given to this question; the following are the chief: - 1. The words should be read interrogatively, for the negative particle לא lo , not, has this power often in Hebrew. "I appeared unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by the name of God Almighty, and by my name Jehovah was I not also made known unto them?"2. The name Jehovah was not revealed before the time mentioned here, for though it occurs so frequently in the book of Genesis, as that book was written long after the name had come into common use, as a principal characteristic of God, Moses employs it in his history because of this circumstance; so that whenever it appears previously to this, it is by the figure called prolepsis or anticipation. 3. As the name יהוה Jehovah signifies existence, it may be understood in the text in question thus: "I appeared unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by my name God Almighty, or God All-sufficient, i.e., having all power to do all good; in this character I made a covenant with them, supported by great and glorious promises; but as those promises had respect unto their posterity, they could not be fulfilled to those fathers: but now, as Jehovah, I am about to give existence to all those promises relative to your support, deliverance from bondage, and your consequent settlement in the promised land."4. The words may be considered as used comparatively: though God did appear to those patriarchs as Jehovah, and they acknowledged him by this name, yet it was but comparatively known unto them; they knew nothing of the power and goodness of God, in comparison of what the Israelites were now about to experience

I believe the simple meaning is this, that though from the beginning the name Jehovah was known as one of the names of the Supreme Being, yet what it really implied they did not know. אל שלי El -Shaddai , God All-sufficient, they knew well by the continual provision he made for them, and the constant protection he afforded them: but the name יהוה Jehovah is particularly to be referred to the accomplishment of promises already made; to the giving them a being, and thus bringing them into existence, which could not have been done in the order of his providence sooner than here specified: this name therefore in its power and significancy was not known unto them; nor fully known unto their descendants till the deliverance from Egypt and the settlement in the promised land. It is surely possible for a man to bear the name of a certain office or dignity before he fulfills any of its functions. King, mayor, alderman, magistrate, constable, may be borne by the several persons to whom they legally belong, before any of the acts peculiar to those offices are performed. The King, acknowledged as such on his coronation, is known to be such by his legislative acts; the civil magistrate, by his distribution of justice, and issuing warrants for the apprehending of culprits; and the constable, by executing those warrants. All these were known to have their respective names, but the exercise of their powers alone shows what is implied in being king, magistrate, and constable. The following is a case in point, which fell within my own knowledge

A case of dispute between certain litigious neighbors being heard in court before a weekly sitting of the magistrates, a woman who came as an evidence in behalf of her bad neighbor, finding the magistrates inclining to give judgment against her mischievous companion, took her by the arm and said, "Come away! I told you you would get neither law nor justice in this place."A magistrate, who was as much an honor to his function as he was to human nature, immediately said, "Here, constable! take that woman and lodge her in Bridewell, that she may know there is some law and justice in this place."Thus the worthy magistrate proved he had the power implied in the name by executing the duties of his office. And God who was known as Jehovah, the being who makes and gives effect to promises, was known to the descendants of the twelve tribes to be That Jehovah, by giving effect and being to the promises which he had made to their fathers.

Defender: Exo 6:3 - -- This statement is alleged to conflict with such passages as Gen 12:8 which indicate that the early patriarchs did indeed know God by His name, JEHOVAH...

This statement is alleged to conflict with such passages as Gen 12:8 which indicate that the early patriarchs did indeed know God by His name, JEHOVAH. The easiest resolution of the apparent contradiction is to regard the last clause as a rhetorical question (quite permissible in the Hebrew) - "by my name JEHOVAH was I not (also) known to them?""

TSK: Exo 6:3 - -- God Almighty : El shadday , God Almighty; for shadday is evidently of affinity with the Arabic shadid , strong, mighty, and shiddat , streng...

God Almighty : El shadday , God Almighty; for shadday is evidently of affinity with the Arabic shadid , strong, mighty, and shiddat , strength, might; so the LXX in Job render it παντοκρατωρ , Vulgate, in Pentateuch, Omnipotens , and Syriac, in Job, chasino . Gen 17:1, Gen 28:3, Gen 35:11, Gen 48:3

but by my name : If Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, did not know the name Jehovah, then Moses must have used it in Genesis by prolepsis, or anticipation. Mr. Locke and others read it interrogatively, for the negative particle, lo , not, has frequently this power in Hebrew: ""I appeared unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, and by my name Jehovah was I not also made known unto them?"

Jehovah : Exo 3:14; Gen 12:7, Gen 12:8, Gen 13:18, Gen 22:14; Psa 68:4, JAH, Psa 83:18; Isa 42:8, Isa 44:6, Isa 52:5, Isa 52:6; Joh 8:58; Rev 1:4

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Exo 6:2-3 - -- There appears to have been an interval of some months between the preceding events and this renewal of the promise to Moses. The oppression in the m...

There appears to have been an interval of some months between the preceding events and this renewal of the promise to Moses. The oppression in the meantime was not merely driving the people to desperation, but preparing them by severe labor, varied by hasty wanderings in search of stubble, for the exertions and privations of the wilderness. Hence, the formal and solemn character of the announcements in the whole chapter.

Exo 6:2

I am the Lord ... - The meaning seems to be this: "I am Jehovah (Yahweh), and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as El Shaddai, but as to my name Jehovah, I was not made known to them."In other words, the full import of that name was not disclosed to them. See Exo 3:14.

Exo 6:3

God Almighty - Rather, "El Shaddai,"( שׁדי אל 'êl shadday ), it is better to keep this as a proper name.

Poole: Exo 6:3 - -- Quest How is this true, when God was known to them, and called by the name Jehovah? Gen 15:7 26:24 , &c. Answ . 1. He speaks not of the letters or...

Quest How is this true, when God was known to them, and called by the name Jehovah? Gen 15:7 26:24 , &c.

Answ . 1. He speaks not of the letters or syllables, but of the thing signified by that name. For that denotes all his perfections, and, amongst others, the eternity, constancy, and immutability of his nature and will, and the infallible certainty of his word and promises. And this, saith he, though it was believed by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, yet it was not experimentally known to them; for they only saw the promises afar off, Heb 11:13 .

Answ . 2. This negative expression may be understood comparatively, as many others are, as Gen 32:29 Mat 9:13 1Co 1:17 : q.d. They knew this but darkly and imperfectly, which will now be made known more clearly and fully.

PBC: Exo 6:3 - -- God Almighty—All enemies must fall, all difficulties must vanish before My omnipotent power, and the patriarchs had abundant proofs of this. JFB

God Almighty—All enemies must fall, all difficulties must vanish before My omnipotent power, and the patriarchs had abundant proofs of this. JFB

Haydock: Exo 6:3 - -- My name Adonai. The name which is in the Hebrew text, is that most proper name of God, which signifieth his eternal self-existent being, (Exodus i...

My name Adonai. The name which is in the Hebrew text, is that most proper name of God, which signifieth his eternal self-existent being, (Exodus iii. 14,) which the Jews, out of reverence, never pronounce; but instead of it, whenever it occurs in the Bible, they read Adonai, which signifies the Lord; and therefore they put the points or vowels, which belong to the name Adonai, to the four letters of that other ineffable name, Jod, He, Vau, He. Hence some moderns have framed the name Jehovah: unknown to all the ancients, whether Jews or Christians: for the true pronunciation of the name, which is in the Hebrew text, by long disuse, is now quite lost. (Challoner) ---

This name was first clearly revealed to Moses, that he might have confidence in his special protection and love. (Menochius) ---

To know one by his name is to treat him with familiarity and distinction, Exodus xxxiii. 17. The pronunciation of the name of God might be known to Abraham, &c., but it was not so fully explained, nor the power and excellence of it declared in such a stupendous manner, as it was to Moses. (Du Hamel) ---

Or perhaps Moses made use of this name in the history of the patriarchs, because he wrote his account of them after this revelation. (Calmet) ---

The Septuagint always put Kurios, "the Lord," instead of the ineffable name; and our Saviour and his apostles, citing text where it occurs, follow their example. (Matthew iv. 7, 10; Romans xv. 11.) (Worthington) ---

Philo informs us, that it was death to pronounce it out of the temple, and since that was destroyed, it has never been heard. (Calmet) ---

Galatinus, who wrote in 1518, is supposed to have invented the word Jehovah, (see Amama Antib. p. 319,) the year after the pretended reformation began. (Haydock) ---

St. Jerome (ep. 136 ad Marc.) explains the ten names of God, but never reads Jehovah. (Tirinus)

Gill: Exo 6:3 - -- And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty,.... Able to fulfil all his purposes, promises, and covenant, wi...

And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty,.... Able to fulfil all his purposes, promises, and covenant, with whom nothing is impossible; or Elshaddai, God all-sufficient, who has a sufficiency of happiness in himself, and everything to supply the wants of his creatures in things temporal and spiritual, see Gen 17:1,

but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them; which he had in the preceding verse called himself by. This is not to be understood absolutely; for it is certain that he had made himself known by this name, and this name was known unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Gen 15:6, and but comparatively, as some think; that is, he was not so much made known to them by the one name as the other; though it may be questioned whether the one was more used in speaking to them than the other; wherefore others think, as Saadiah Gaon, that the word only is to be supplied, as in Gen 32:28 and the sense to be, that by his name Jehovah he was not only made known to them, but by his name Elshaddai, and others also; and others reconcile the difficulty thus, that though the name Jehovah itself was known to the patriarchs, by which they were assured that God is eternal, immutable, and faithful to his promises; yet he was not known as to the efficacy of this name, or with respect to the actual performance of his promise, as he now would be by delivering the children of Israel out of Egypt, and bringing them into the land of Canaan; though perhaps, by reading the words with an interrogation, the clause will appear more plain, "and by my name Jehovah was I not known to them?" t verily I was. Josephus u says, this name was not before made known to men, and that it was not lawful for a man to speak it; and this is the common notion of the Jews, that it is ineffable, and not lawful to be pronounced, and therefore they put Adonai and Elohim in the room of it, and the vowel points of these words to it, which is a false and superstitious notion: this name was known among the Heathens; it is the same with ιαω in the oracle of Apollo w; and Diodorus Siculus x says, that with the Jews Moses is said to give laws from a God called "IAO", and is the same which in Philo Byblius y is called Jevo; and both are no other than a corruption of Jah or Jehovah; and perhaps the τετρακτυς of the Pythagoreans z, by which they swore, is the same with the tetragrammaton, or this word of four letters, with the Jews.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Exo 6:3 There are a number of important issues that need clarification in the interpretation of this section. First, it is important to note that “I am ...

Geneva Bible: Exo 6:3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by [the name of] God Almighty, but by my name ( a ) JEHOVAH was I not known to them. ( a ) B...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Exo 6:1-30 - --1 God renews his promise by his name JEHOVAH.9 Moses vainly attempts to encourage the Israelites.10 He and Aaron are again sent to Pharaoh.14 The gene...

MHCC: Exo 6:1-9 - --We are most likely to prosper in attempts to glorify God, and to be useful to men, when we learn by experience that we can do nothing of ourselves; wh...

Matthew Henry: Exo 6:1-9 - -- Here, I. God silences Moses's complaints with the assurance of success in this negotiation, repeating the promise made him in Exo 3:20, After that,...

Keil-Delitzsch: Exo 6:1-6 - -- Equipment of Moses and Aaron as Messengers of Jehovah. - Exo 6:1. In reply to the complaining inquiry of Moses, Jehovah promised him the deliveranc...

Constable: Exo 1:1--15:22 - --I. THE LIBERATION OF ISRAEL 1:1--15:21 "The story of the first half of Exodus, in broad summary, is Rescue. The ...

Constable: Exo 5:1--11:10 - --B. God's demonstrations of His sovereignty chs. 5-11 God permitted the conflict between Moses and Pharao...

Constable: Exo 6:2--7:8 - --2. Moses and Aaron's equipment as God's messengers 6:2-7:7 The writer gave the credentials of God and His representatives, Moses and Aaron, in these v...

Guzik: Exo 6:1-30 - --Exodus 6 - God's Assurance to Moses A. God comforts Moses. 1. (1) God's promise to Moses: Pharaoh will let you go. Then the LORD said to Moses, &q...

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Commentary -- Other

Bible Query: Exo 6:3 Q: In Ex 6:3 and other passages, what are some of the problems with the JEPD theory? A: The JEPD theory was first thought up in the nineteenth centu...

Bible Query: Exo 6:3 Q: Prior to Ex 6:3, why do 197 passages use the name Yahweh, since Ex 6:3 says God did not reveal Himself by that name to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?...

Bible Query: Exo 6:3 Q: In Ex 6:3, since God did not personally revealed Himself as Yahweh to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, what about where God called Himself Yahweh in th...

Critics Ask: Exo 6:3 EXODUS 6:3 —Was God known by His name “Lord” (Jehovah or Yahweh) before Moses’ time? PROBLEM: According to this text God told Moses, “I...

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Introduction / Outline

JFB: Exodus (Book Introduction) EXODUS, a "going forth," derives its name from its being occupied principally with a relation of the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, and the i...

JFB: Exodus (Outline) INCREASE OF THE ISRAELITES. (Exo. 1:1-22) BIRTH AND PRESERVATION OF MOSES. (Exo 2:1-10) there went a man of the house of Levi, &c. Amram was the hus...

TSK: Exodus (Book Introduction) The title of this Book is derived from the Septuagint; in which it is called ΕΞΟΔΟΣ , " Exodus;" or, as it is in the Codex Alexandrinus, Ε...

TSK: Exodus 6 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Exo 6:1, God renews his promise by his name JEHOVAH; Exo 6:9, Moses vainly attempts to encourage the Israelites; Exo 6:10, He and Aaron a...

Poole: Exodus (Book Introduction) SECOND BOOK OF MOSES CALLED EXODUS. THE ARGUMENT. AFTER the death of Joseph, who had sent for his father’ s house into Egypt, the children o...

Poole: Exodus 6 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 6 God encourageth Moses,

MHCC: Exodus (Book Introduction) The Book of Exodus relates the forming of the children of Israel into a church and a nation. We have hitherto seen true religion shown in domestic lif...

MHCC: Exodus 6 (Chapter Introduction) (Exo 6:1-9) God renews his promise. (Exo 6:10-13) Moses and Aaron again sent to Pharaoh. (v. 14-30) The parentage of Moses and Aaron.

Matthew Henry: Exodus (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Second Book of Moses, Called Exodus Moses (the servant of the Lord in writing for him as well as ...

Matthew Henry: Exodus 6 (Chapter Introduction) Much ado there was to bring Moses to his work, and when the ice was broken, some difficulty having occurred in carrying it on, there was no less ad...

Constable: Exodus (Book Introduction) Introduction Title The Hebrew title of this book (we'elleh shemot) originated from the...

Constable: Exodus (Outline) Outline I. The liberation of Israel 1:1-15:21 A. God's preparation of Israel and Moses chs. ...

Constable: Exodus Exodus Bibliography Adams, Dwayne H. "The Building Program that Works (Exodus 25:4--36:7 [31:1-11])." Exegesis ...

Haydock: Exodus (Book Introduction) THE BOOK OF EXODUS. INTRODUCTION. The second Book of Moses is called Exodus from the Greek word Exodos, which signifies going out; becaus...

Gill: Exodus (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS This book is called by the Jews Veelleh Shemoth, from the first words with which it begins, and sometimes Sepher Shemoth, an...

Gill: Exodus 6 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 6 The Lord encourages Moses to hope for success from his name Jehovah, and the covenant he had made with the fathers of his ...

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