Exo 3:20 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Exod 3:20-21: 3:20-21 God’s power would be obvious, and the Egyptians would not only allow the Hebrews to leave, they would pay them to do so. Thematic note: Clean, Unclean, and Holy The rites and regulations establishing cleanness and uncleanness were to distinguish Israel from the surrounding nations. To understand a rationale behind these regulations, one suggestion has been that unclean things are associated with death or the ground (see, e.g., Lev 21:1 , 11 ; 22:8 ). Recent studies, however, suggest the principle of “normalcy.” God is a God of order. Things that are normal in God’s order are called “clean” and are “permitted.” Abnormal things would be unfit for food or offerings and would be “unclean.” A normal land animal would be a vegetarian (see Gen 1:30 ). A normal human body would have no infections or discharges. A normal piece of cloth would have no mildew on it. If abnormalities occurred, the animal, person, or cloth was unclean. What is unclean is not sinful but represents a kind of unworthiness that cannot come in contact with what is holy (e.g., Lev 11:44-45 ). If it is cleansed, it acquires the potential for holiness; it may be dedicated to God and become holy. If what is holy (such as the Sabbath) is treated like something common, God is blasphemed and the thing is profaned. If what is clean becomes unclean, it is defiled and requires cleansing. Some things, such as unclean animals, fish, or birds, remain unclean by definition and can never be cleansed, and, thus, can never become holy. In the new covenant, things that were previously unclean have been declared clean (Acts 10:15 , 28 , 45 ). Yet God is still a God of order (1 Cor 14:33 ) and wants worship to be conducted in an orderly way (1 Cor 14:40 ). While God’s grace is abundant to repentant sinners, some things are still repulsive to his holiness and should never be brought into his presence (e.g., Ananias and Sapphira’s offering; see Acts 5:1-11 ). Passages for Further Study Gen 7:2 ; Lev 11:1–15:33 ; 21:1-23 ; 22:3-8 ; Num 19:1-22 ; Deut 14:1-21 ; 21:1-9 ; Pss 19:9 ; 24:3-4 ; 51:7-10 ; Isa 52:11 ; Matt 8:2-4 ; John 13:10-11 ; Acts 10:9-28 ; Heb 9:13-15 , 23 Thematic note: Hardened Hearts Exodus repeatedly states that the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart (Exod 4:21 ; 9:12 ; 10:1 , 20 ; 11:10 ; 14:4 , 8 ). These statements can be troubling. Was Pharaoh forced to sin against God? Other factors need to be taken into account: (1) The Lord knew ahead of time that Pharaoh would harden his heart (3:19 ); (2) Pharaoh himself became stubborn (8:15 , 32 ); and (3) Pharaoh remained stubborn despite clear warnings (8:19 ). Pharaoh was not a well-meaning, misguided individual who was not allowed to repent. Although God was ultimately in control of Pharaoh, Pharaoh himself was accountable for his actions. This interplay between human choice and divine sovereignty is found in other places in Scripture. The Israelites hardened their hearts and refused to believe God in the wilderness (Ps 95:8-10 ). God hardened the hearts of the Canaanites so that they did not seek to make peace with the Hebrews (Josh 11:20 ). The message God gave to Isaiah hardened the hearts of his hearers (Isa 6:9-10 ); similarly in the New Testament, many people hardened their hearts in response to the message of the gospel (Matt 13:15 ; John 12:40 ; Acts 28:27 ). People are responsible for their choices, but no one makes choices in a vacuum. Rather, they make them in the context of how God has made his world and providentially directs it. The emphasis in Exodus on God’s control of Pharaoh puts the conflict between two belief systems into stark contrast. Pharaoh believed that he was sovereign and divine, able to do whatever he pleased. God demonstrated that this was not the case: Pharaoh was dependent, as much the prisoner of his choices as any other creature on the planet. There is only one absolutely independent “ I Am ,” and that is Yahweh, the Lord (see 3:6-14 ; 6:2-8 ; 20:2 ; 34:6-7 ; Isa 45:3-7 ; 48:17 ; Mark 14:62 ; John 8:23-28 ). Passages for Further Study Gen 8:21 ; Exod 3:19 ; 4:21 ; 8:15 , 19 , 32 ; 9:12 ; 10:1 , 20 ; 11:10 ; 14:4 , 8 ; Josh 11:19-20 ; 2 Chr 36:11-13 ; Ps 95:8-11 ; Isa 6:9-10 ; Ezek 11:18-21 ; 36:22-27 ; Matt 12:34-35 ; 13:10-17 ; Luke 8:4-15 ; John 12:37-40 ; Acts 28:23-28 ; Rom 2:14-16 ; 11:7-12 ; 2 Cor 3:13-18 ; Eph 4:17-24 ; Heb 3:6-19 ; 6:4-8

Summary for Exod 3:20-21: 3:20-21 ^a God’s power would be obvious, and the Egyptians would not only allow the Hebrews to leave, they would pay them to do so.

Thematic note: Clean, Unclean, and Holy
The rites and regulations establishing cleanness and uncleanness were to distinguish Israel from the surrounding nations. To understand a rationale behind these regulations, one suggestion has been that unclean things are associated with death or the ground (see, e.g., Lev 21:1 ^b, 11 ^c; 22:8 ^d). Recent studies, however, suggest the principle of “normalcy.” God is a God of order. Things that are normal in God’s order are called “clean” and are “permitted.” Abnormal things would be unfit for food or offerings and would be “unclean.” A normal land animal would be a vegetarian (see Gen 1:30 ^e). A normal human body would have no infections or discharges. A normal piece of cloth would have no mildew on it. If abnormalities occurred, the animal, person, or cloth was unclean.
What is unclean is not sinful but represents a kind of unworthiness that cannot come in contact with what is holy (e.g., Lev 11:44-45 ^f). If it is cleansed, it acquires the potential for holiness; it may be dedicated to God and become holy. If what is holy (such as the Sabbath) is treated like something common, God is blasphemed and the thing is profaned. If what is clean becomes unclean, it is defiled and requires cleansing. Some things, such as unclean animals, fish, or birds, remain unclean by definition and can never be cleansed, and, thus, can never become holy.
In the new covenant, things that were previously unclean have been declared clean (Acts 10:15 ^g, 28 ^h, 45 ⁱ). Yet God is still a God of order (1 Cor 14:33 ^j) and wants worship to be conducted in an orderly way (1 Cor 14:40 ^k). While God’s grace is abundant to repentant sinners, some things are still repulsive to his holiness and should never be brought into his presence (e.g., Ananias and Sapphira’s offering; see Acts 5:1-11 ^l).

Passages for Further Study
Gen 7:2 ^m; Lev 11:1–15:33 ⁿ; 21:1-23 ^o; 22:3-8 ^p; Num 19:1-22 ^q; Deut 14:1-21 ^r; 21:1-9 ^s; Pss 19:9 ^t; 24:3-4 ^u; 51:7-10 ^v; Isa 52:11 ^w; Matt 8:2-4 ^x; John 13:10-11 ^y; Acts 10:9-28 ^z; Heb 9:13-15 ^aa, 23 ^ab

Thematic note: Hardened Hearts
Exodus repeatedly states that the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart (Exod 4:21 ^ac; 9:12 ^ad; 10:1 ^ae, 20 ^af; 11:10 ^ag; 14:4 ^ah, 8 ^ai). These statements can be troubling. Was Pharaoh forced to sin against God?
Other factors need to be taken into account: (1) The Lord knew ahead of time that Pharaoh would harden his heart (3:19 ^aj); (2) Pharaoh himself became stubborn (8:15 ^ak, 32 ^al); and (3) Pharaoh remained stubborn despite clear warnings (8:19 ^am). Pharaoh was not a well-meaning, misguided individual who was not allowed to repent. Although God was ultimately in control of Pharaoh, Pharaoh himself was accountable for his actions.
This interplay between human choice and divine sovereignty is found in other places in Scripture. The Israelites hardened their hearts and refused to believe God in the wilderness (Ps 95:8-10 ^an). God hardened the hearts of the Canaanites so that they did not seek to make peace with the Hebrews (Josh 11:20 ^ao). The message God gave to Isaiah hardened the hearts of his hearers (Isa 6:9-10 ^ap); similarly in the New Testament, many people hardened their hearts in response to the message of the gospel (Matt 13:15 ^aq; John 12:40 ^ar; Acts 28:27 ^as). People are responsible for their choices, but no one makes choices in a vacuum. Rather, they make them in the context of how God has made his world and providentially directs it.
The emphasis in Exodus on God’s control of Pharaoh puts the conflict between two belief systems into stark contrast. Pharaoh believed that he was sovereign and divine, able to do whatever he pleased. God demonstrated that this was not the case: Pharaoh was dependent, as much the prisoner of his choices as any other creature on the planet. There is only one absolutely independent “I Am,” and that is Yahweh, the Lord (see 3:6-14 ^at; 6:2-8 ^au; 20:2 ^av; 34:6-7 ^aw; Isa 45:3-7 ^ax; 48:17 ^ay; Mark 14:62 ^az; John 8:23-28 ^ba).

Passages for Further Study
Gen 8:21 ^bb; Exod 3:19 ^bc; 4:21 ^bd; 8:15 ^be, 19 ^bf, 32 ^bg; 9:12 ^bh; 10:1 ^bi, 20 ^bj; 11:10 ^bk; 14:4 ^bl, 8 ^bm; Josh 11:19-20 ^bn; 2 Chr 36:11-13 ^bo; Ps 95:8-11 ^bp; Isa 6:9-10 ^bq; Ezek 11:18-21 ^br; 36:22-27 ^bs; Matt 12:34-35 ^bt; 13:10-17 ^bu; Luke 8:4-15 ^bv; John 12:37-40 ^bw; Acts 28:23-28 ^bx; Rom 2:14-16 ^by; 11:7-12 ^bz; 2 Cor 3:13-18 ^ca; Eph 4:17-24 ^cb; Heb 3:6-19 ^cc; 6:4-8 ^cd