The Meaning of Exodus 3:12 Explained

Exodus 3:12

KJV: And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

YLT: and He saith, 'Because I am with thee, and this is to thee the sign that I have sent thee: in thy bringing out the people from Egypt -- ye do serve God on this mount.'

Darby: And he said, For I will be with thee; and this shall be the sign to thee that I have sent thee: when thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

ASV: And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be the token unto thee, that I have sent thee: when thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he said,  Certainly I will be with thee; and this [shall be] a token  unto thee, that  I have sent  thee: When thou hast brought forth  the people  out of Egypt,  ye shall serve  God  upon this mountain. 

What does Exodus 3:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 3:1-12 - God's Message From The Bush
The learning of Egypt was not sufficient to equip Moses for his life-work. He is taken to the solitudes of the wilderness. That is God's college. All who have done the greatest work in the world have graduated there-Elijah at Horeb, Ezekiel at Chebar, Paul in Arabia, and John in Patmos. God's workers may take their arts course in the universities, but must take their Divinity course alone with Him. Often in the middle of daily duty we come on the outshining of his Presence. Let us be on the outlook for it, and take off our shoes.
This burning bush has generally been taken as the emblem of the Church amid the fires of tribulation; but there is a deeper meaning. The fire was the token of God's presence. The bush was unconsumed, because God's love is its own fuel. Notice the successive steps: "I have seen;" "heard;" "know;" "am come down;" "will send." The "cry" of the previous chapter is answered by the "coming down" of this. See Luke 18:7. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 3

1  Moses keeps Jethro's flock
2  God appears to him in a burning bush
9  He sends him to deliver Israel
13  The name of God
15  His message to Israel, and Pharaoh, whose opposition is foretold
20  He is assured of Israel's deliverance

What do the individual words in Exodus 3:12 mean?

so He said surely I will be with you And this to you [shall be] a sign that I have sent you when you have brought - the people out of Egypt you shall serve God on mountain this
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ כִּֽי־ אֶֽהְיֶ֣ה עִמָּ֔ךְ וְזֶה־ לְּךָ֣ הָא֔וֹת כִּ֥י אָנֹכִ֖י : שְׁלַחְתִּ֑יךָ בְּהוֹצִֽיאֲךָ֤ אֶת־ הָעָם֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם תַּֽעַבְדוּן֙ הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים עַ֖ל הָהָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙  so  He  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
כִּֽי־  surely 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אֶֽהְיֶ֣ה  I  will  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
עִמָּ֔ךְ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
וְזֶה־  And  this 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
לְּךָ֣  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
הָא֔וֹת  [shall  be]  a  sign 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֹות  
Sense: sign, signal.
כִּ֥י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
: שְׁלַחְתִּ֑יךָ  have  sent  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
בְּהוֹצִֽיאֲךָ֤  when  you  have  brought 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָעָם֙  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם  out  of  Egypt 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
תַּֽעַבְדוּן֙  you  shall  serve 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הָהָ֥ר  mountain 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
הַזֶּֽה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.