Exodus 3:14 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

God said unto Moses I AM THAT I AM:— It is very reasonable to suppose, that the answer to the question of Moses, should contain such an appellation, name, or account of God, as was applicable to the point in hand, and would conduce to assure the Israelites of his intended deliverance of them from bondage: but nothing of this kind, it must be confessed, appears from the passage, as we render it. For, if I AM THAT I AM, according to the generality of interpreters, refers to the incommunicable nature and self-existence of the Supreme Being; this, doubtless, is a reason for general acquiescence in HIS providence, who exists for ever the same; but it could be no particular ground of encouragement to the Israelites, whom this self-existing God had now left so many years in servitude. There being these, and other reasonable objections to this version and interpretation; we find, upon referring to the original, that the words, literally rendered, have a different import: for אהיה אשׁר אהיה eheieh asher eheieh, is, I will be whom I will be; ego is ero, qui olim futurus sum, (I will be he, who am from old about to come,) says Houbigant, who observes, that, "as Moses, when he inquired of God what was his name, desired to know in that NAME of GOD, not a bare appellation of syllables, but some reality, signified by the name of God; so God answers his request, by informing him, that he will be the same, when he shall deliver the people of Israel from Egypt, as he promised their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, should hereafter come, and be the deliverer of mankind; discovering that reality, from of old adumbrated or represented in the name JEHOVAH: I will be whom I will be: the present, future, and everlasting Deliverer of my people; who Is, and Was, and Is to come; the Saviour of all men from sin, death, and hell: JESUS CHRIST, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. That the NAME of God is not intimated in these words, aeie asher aeie, the following verse shews; where we read, thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel, JEHOVAH, the GOD of your fathers, (for so it should be rendered,) hath sent—this is my NAME for ever: the name of GOD being signified by the word יהוה iehovah, or JEHOVAH." For further satisfaction on this point, we refer the learned reader to Houbigant's own observations. The Chaldee renders it in the same manner; and every reason of good criticism and connection confirms this interpretation; and assures us, not only that these words refer to GOD the Deliverer and Saviour of his people; but that the august and incommunicable name of JEHOVAH is derived from the same source, and expressive of the same great truth. There are innumerable passages, in which this name of JEHOVAH is applied to Christ: and, therefore, if it express not, as we suppose, his office of Deliverer; it must, according to the other interpretation given, express his ineffable and incommunicable essence. That this Divine name JEHOVAH was well known to the Heathens, there can be no doubt; as was that of יה iah, which, I conceive, immediately expresses the Divine Essence; and is, certainly, not derived from the same source as Jehovah. The famous inscription, Ei, thou art, on the temple of Apollo at Delphos, appears derived from this name: and on the temple of Minerva at Sais in Egypt, it was written, I am all that exists, that is, or shall be; and no mortal hath hitherto taken off my veil; which is plainly deduced from this sacred name. See Parkhurst, and the Universal History, vol. 2: where the authors have been copious on this subject.