Chapter
Verse

Exodus 3:8

ESV and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
NIV So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
NASB So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
CSB and I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and to bring them from that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey —the territory of the Canaanites, Hethites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
NLT So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey — the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.
KJV And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
NKJV So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.

What does Exodus 3:8 mean?

Speaking to Moses from a bush burning with miraculous fire, God promises two actions in this verse. First, He has "come down" to deliver the nation of Israel from the Egyptians. The idea of "coming down" likely connects with the plagues He would later use against the Egyptians. This is a statement evoking the image of a powerful king coming off of His throne in order to wield His power. Second, God will "bring them up" from Egypt into a new land. The land God intends to bring Israel into was "up" in the sense of being at a generally higher elevation from sea level, but is also a significant improvement from their state in slavery.

This verse is the first to present a description repeated throughout the Torah. It is a good land, a "broad land"—meaning large—it is "flowing with milk and honey," and it was occupied by six other nations at that time. The phrase "milk and honey" refers to a land full of good things, including food for the Israelites. This was in contrast with the desert region of Egypt where milk and honey were difficult commodities to obtain. The six nations mentioned—sometimes listed as seven nations, such as in Deuteronomy 7:1—will frequently be repeated in the Torah. They are condemned for worshipping other gods and living immorally. God would remove these strong nations to provide a land for His people to live holy before Him.
Expand
Expand
Expand
What is the Gospel?
Download the app: