I appeared is literally “I was seen,” but it should be understood in a nonphysical sense; perhaps “I revealed myself to…” is better. (Appeared is discussed at 3.2a.) To Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob is the patriarchal formula used again and again in Exodus to show that the LORD of the Exodus was the same God of the patriarchs, the forefathers of the Hebrew people. The preposition to before each name means that God appeared to each one at different times, not to all three at the same time (2.24 and 3.6 have similar expressions). These three patriarchs represent three different generations, as explained in the stories of Genesis.

God Almighty is ʾel shadday in the Hebrew, here presented as another name for God. (See Gen 17.1.) Some translations prefer to transliterate this name as “El Shaddai” (New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Translator’s Old Testament) because it is used as a name. Others prefer to translate it (Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version), but its precise meaning is not known. ʾEl is an ancient word for “god” or “deity” in other languages as well as Hebrew, but in the Bible it is usually used as part of a name, in combination with other words that describe the nature and activity of God. ʾElohim is the most common word for God in the Old Testament. It is used as a plural form of ʾel or of ʾeloah and sometimes means “gods,” as in Exo 20.3. But it usually has the distinct Hebrew meaning of the one true God, and its plural form should probably be understood as the “plural of majesty.” The meaning of shadday may be “Almighty,” but other meanings have been suggested. The translation God Almighty, or “Almighty God” (Good News Translation), has been influenced by the ancient Greek and Latin translations of the name.

If the LORD is transliterated as “Yahweh” or something similar, then God Almighty should be transliterated as “El Shaddai.” Since this initial statement shows a clear distinction, stating that God did not use his name Yahweh with these ancestors, it is possible to begin this verse with “But”; for example, “But when I revealed myself to … I came as El Shaddai, not….” If translators choose to translate the name El Shaddai rather than transliterating it, other ways to express this name are “God Who is All Powerful,” “God Who is the Strongest of All,” or “God Who is Above All Gods.”

But by my name is interpreted differently by New Jerusalem Bible and New American Bible, because the preposition by is not in the Hebrew. Most translations add the preposition to go along with the verb make myself known, which specifies myself rather than my name as its object. It may therefore be understood as “by means of my name” or “according to the qualities associated with my name.” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “under my name.”) Good News Translation adds “by my holy name” in an effort to bring out the significance of the divine name.

The LORD is the personal name YHWH revealed to Moses in 3.15. The four options for rendering this name are discussed at 3.2a. The concern here, however, is with the two names, Yahweh and El Shaddai, and the qualities associated with each. Whichever option is chosen, a footnote explaining the significance of both of these names is recommended here.

I did not make myself known must be understood along with by my name the LORD. The reference to Gen 17.1 is obvious; God did indeed make himself known to Abraham, but it was as “El Shaddai” rather than as “Yahweh.” New English Bible has “I did not let myself be known,” and Translator’s Old Testament has “they did not know me by my name, the LORD.” To them, of course, means to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• But when I appeared to [or, revealed myself to] Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, I came as God All-Powerful [or, El Shaddai] and did not use my name Yahweh.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .