After the appointment of Moses, by Jehovah, to deliver the children of Israel from the tyranny and oppression under which they groaned, and to conduct them from Egypt to worship God at Horeb, he was anxious to obtain a particular revelation of the Divine nature and attributes, that he might be able to regulate, direct, and superintend their worship; and this he deemed necessary on account of the Israelites having been long conversant among the Egyptians, who were idolaters and polytheists, and called their gods by a variety of names. Hereupon he said to God, “Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say unto me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?” Intimating, that it was expedient God should call himself by an appropriate name, to distinguish himself from all the gods of the heathen. For men did not, at this time, as Dr. Shuckford observes, know the works of creation well enough to demonstrate from them the attributes of God; nor could they, by speculation, form proper and just notions of his nature. Though he had revealed himself to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, by the name אני אל שדי _Ani El shaday_, “I am God all-sufficient,” and likewise that of יהוה _Jehovah_; yet a further knowledge of him was sincerely desired and earnestly requested.[3] Whereupon, says God to Moses, I AM _that_ I AM, אהיה אשר אהיה EHEYEH _asher_ EHEYEH. The Vulgate translates these words--EGO SUM QUI SUM, _I am who am_. The Septuagint--Εγω ειμι ὁ Ων, _I am he who exists_. The Arabic paraphrases them--_The Eternal, who passes not away_. Not _I was_, but I AM and WILL BE: a name that expresses his own essence, and signifies independency, immutability, and necessary existence. As if he had said, You may inquire who I am, and by what name I would be distinguished: know then that I AM HE who has being from himself, and has no dependence on any other.[4] This contains in it the whole plenitude and possibility of being, all that is, or can be, or, as the Apostle expresses it, παν το πληρωμα της Θεοτητος “all the fulness of the Godhead.” By this name he is distinguished not only from all false gods, but from all other beings whatsoever; implying, that he exists after some very eminent and peculiar manner, and that nothing else besides him truly and essentially is.[5]