I am that I am
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I am that I am (Hebrew: אהיה אשר אהיה, pronounced Ehyeh asher ehyeh) is the sole response God used in the Bible when Moses asked for his name (Exodus 3:14). It is one of the most famous verses in the Old Testament. Hayah means "existed" or "was" in Hebrew; "ehyeh" is the first person singular present/future form. Ehyeh asher ehyeh is generally interpreted to mean I am that I am (King James Bible and others). The word Ehyeh is used in many other places in the Old Testament. The Tetragrammaton itself may derive from the same verbal root. It stems from the Hebrew conception of monotheism that god exists within each and everyone and by himself, the uncreated Creator who doesn't depend on anything or anyone else; therefore I am who I am.
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Hebrew grammatical tense and purported implication
Theologists have many different explanations for the meaning behind this phrase. Many theologians explain that I am that I am is better translated to I be that I be. The ancient hebrew language does not have a past, present, or future tense. Instead, it has an Imperfective aspect and perfective aspect as indicators of time, with no actual determined time. Perfective aspect is something that is completed, or will be definitely completed. Imperfect is something that has not been completed, might be completed or might be completed in the future (there is no definite). Ehyeh is in the imperfective aspect, and can be understood as God saying that he is "in the process of being God", a reference saying that his work is not yet complete, and might never be complete.
Kabbalist interpretation
Kabbalists have long deemed that the Torah contains esoteric information. The response given by God is considered significant by many Kabbalists because it is seen as proof in the divine nature of God's name, a central idea in Kabbalah (and to a lesser degree Judaism in general). One Kabbalist interpretation is that the response given to Moses means "I am my name", perhaps signifying that the power of God may actually be in his very name.
Other views
Some religious groups believe that this phrase or at least the "I am" part of the phrase is an actual name of God, or to lesser degree the sole name of God. It can be found in many lists where other common names of God are shown.
See also
External links
- Brush Up on Your Bible: The Many Names of God (I am that I am) (http://www.gracecathedral.org/enrichment/brush_excerpts/brush_20040218.shtml)
- Name of God, Revealed! (http://members.nuvox.net/~on.roz/God/name/revealed.html)