וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אָנֹכִי֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ אֱלֹהֵ֧י אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִצְחָ֖ק וֵאלֹהֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֑ב וַיַּסְתֵּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ פָּנָ֔יו כִּ֣י יָרֵ֔א מֵהַבִּ֖יט אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃
I rzekł: "Jam Bóg ojca twojego, Bóg Abrahama, Bóg Ic'haka i Bóg Jakóba." I zakrył Mojżesz oblicze swoje, obawiał się bowiem spojrzeć ku Bogu.
Chizkuni
אנכי אלוקי אביך, I am the G-d of your father;” by saying these words G-d revealed to Moses that his father had already died, for we have a tradition that G-d does not associate His Holy name to living persons, as He does not know if they will abandon Him before they die. The rule is: הן בקדושים לא יאמין, “He does not display trust even in His holy ones,” until they have departed life on this earth. The reason why G-d decided to tell Moses in this way that his father Am ram, who had been the leader of the Jewish people in Egypt, would not be used by Moses as an excuse to decline his appointment as his father’s successor. If Moses was reluctant to accept the appointment out of respect for his older brother, how much more would he decline out of respect for his father.
Ramban
I AM THE G-D OF THY FATHER. In accordance with the plain meaning of Scripture, this is equivalent to saying, “the G-d of thy fathers.” However, He mentions the singular instead of the plural, for the intent is “the G-d of each one of your ancestors,” since people refer to all ancestors as fathers. Similarly: the G-d of thy father David;154II Kings 20:5. These words were spoken by the prophet Isaiah to King Hezekiah. Now since David was not Hezekiah’s father, it proves that people call an ancestor “father.” this is my G-d, and I will glorify Him; my father’s G-d, and I will exalt Him,155Further, 15:2. meaning “the G-d of my fathers.”
Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said [that the word “father” in the phrase], the G-d of my father, refers to Abraham since he was the first who began to call upon the name of the Eternal.156Genesis 12:8. See Ramban there, Vol. I, p. 172. After that, He mentioned Abraham by name and then joined the rest of the patriarchs to him.157The verse before us reads: I am the G-d of thy father, the G-d of Abraham, the G-d of Isaac, and the G-d of Jacob. In the opinion of our Rabbis,158Shemoth Rabbah 3:1. [“father” in the phrase] The G-d of thy father, means Amram. This is just as if He had said, “I am thy G-d,” [i.e., Moses’ G-d], but He desired to associate His Name with that of a righteous man who had already died - [namely, Amram] - rather than with that of one yet alive, [i.e., Moses].159The reason for it is stated by Rashi in Genesis 28:13: “Because it is said, Behold He putteth no trust even in His holy ones” (Job 15:15). As long as a person lives, the evil inclination in him is still present. After that, [He mentioned] the G-d of Abraham, the G-d of Isaac, and the G-d of Jacob, meaning that He is the G-d of all Israel.
The reason for His mentioning “the G-d of” with each one [of the patriarchs] instead of saying “the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” is that He referred to His Name and His memorial,160See further, Verse 15. [thus alluding to the special attributes by which He was associated with each of the patriarchs],161“It is with reference to them [the separate attributes associated with the patriarchs] that Moses mentioned, the great G-d, the mighty, and the feared (Deuteronomy 10:17). ‘The great’ alludes to Abraham, as it is said, and of great kindness (Psalms 145:8); ‘the mighty’ to the Fear of Isaac (Genesis 31:42); and ‘the feared’ to Jacob, as it is said, For with Thee there is forgiveness, that Thou mayest be feared” (Psalms 130:4). (Ricanti in his work here on the Torah). blessed and magnified be He. I will explain yet more on this point in the chapter.162Further in Verse 15.
Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said [that the word “father” in the phrase], the G-d of my father, refers to Abraham since he was the first who began to call upon the name of the Eternal.156Genesis 12:8. See Ramban there, Vol. I, p. 172. After that, He mentioned Abraham by name and then joined the rest of the patriarchs to him.157The verse before us reads: I am the G-d of thy father, the G-d of Abraham, the G-d of Isaac, and the G-d of Jacob. In the opinion of our Rabbis,158Shemoth Rabbah 3:1. [“father” in the phrase] The G-d of thy father, means Amram. This is just as if He had said, “I am thy G-d,” [i.e., Moses’ G-d], but He desired to associate His Name with that of a righteous man who had already died - [namely, Amram] - rather than with that of one yet alive, [i.e., Moses].159The reason for it is stated by Rashi in Genesis 28:13: “Because it is said, Behold He putteth no trust even in His holy ones” (Job 15:15). As long as a person lives, the evil inclination in him is still present. After that, [He mentioned] the G-d of Abraham, the G-d of Isaac, and the G-d of Jacob, meaning that He is the G-d of all Israel.
The reason for His mentioning “the G-d of” with each one [of the patriarchs] instead of saying “the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” is that He referred to His Name and His memorial,160See further, Verse 15. [thus alluding to the special attributes by which He was associated with each of the patriarchs],161“It is with reference to them [the separate attributes associated with the patriarchs] that Moses mentioned, the great G-d, the mighty, and the feared (Deuteronomy 10:17). ‘The great’ alludes to Abraham, as it is said, and of great kindness (Psalms 145:8); ‘the mighty’ to the Fear of Isaac (Genesis 31:42); and ‘the feared’ to Jacob, as it is said, For with Thee there is forgiveness, that Thou mayest be feared” (Psalms 130:4). (Ricanti in his work here on the Torah). blessed and magnified be He. I will explain yet more on this point in the chapter.162Further in Verse 15.
Kli Yakar
And regarding what is written, “I am the God of your father.” Our Sages of blessed memory explained (Exodus Rabbah 3:1) that the Holy One, blessed be He, appeared to him [Moses] with the voice of Amram, his father. And when he [Moses] said, “Here I am,” the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “This is not your father’s voice, but the voice of the God of your father Amram.” And here it is written “God” four times, corresponding to the four expressions of redemption, as will be explained, God willing, in Parashat Vaera (6:6). And some explain that He mentioned God of your father because He revealed to him through this that his father had already died, once He had associated His blessed name with him. And [this was] so that he [Moses] would not refuse to go on this mission in place of his father, for even before Aaron his older brother, he refused to take this authority, all the more so in place of his father.