Hineni – “Here I am”

 Two of the greatest figures in the Bible are Abraham and Moses.  Both were called by God.  Both answered with the same Hebrew word, Hineni (He-nay- nee), “Here I am.”

The word Hineni involves a wiliness, a readiness, a conviction, no matter one’s state of mind.

Abraham

For Abraham (Genesis 22), we read, “Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off” (v. 4). What place?  The mountain where his son was to be killed, offered as a burnt offering to the Lord.

We do not know Abraham’s state of mind.  Some say, he obeyed Elohim with absolute certainty.  Others say, he struggled through the night, rehearsing what God asked him to do.  What would you feel?  What would your state of mind be?

The word Elohim, God (Sovereign judge, the Creator, Architect of the universe) is used in verses 1,3,8,9, until we arrive at the very moment of the greatest intensity in verse 11, “But, the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ So he said, ‘Here I am.’”

 There is a word change in the text.  Now, God is referred to as YHVH (Adonai, or HaShem) with upper-case letters “LORD”, meaning the unspeakable name of God, the Name, or the Merciful” God, connected with love and mercy.

When the LORD called to Abraham in verse 11 he answered Hineni, “Here I am”, the same word used in verse one.  After the long taxing journey, perhaps Abraham is now emotionally, as well as physically exhausted, nevertheless, we find that Abraham still has a soul-deep conviction, a readiness to obey.

Again, Elohim is used in verse 12.  However, in verse 14, Abraham worships and praises stating,  And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” In other words, the Merciful unspeakable Name will provide in the mountain of the Merciful unspeakable Name, it will be seen, it will be provided.

Moses

Similarly, when Moses came to the Mountain of God (Elohim) the angel of the LORD (YHVH) appeared to him. When Moses looked a second time (turned aside to see) the LORD (YHVH) saw him, God (Elohim) called to him, and Moses answered, Hineni “Here am I”  (Exodus 3:1 – 4).

God said, I am the God (Elohim) of your father(s) Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Then Moses was afraid to look upon Elohim. Then the LORD (YHVH) said, I have seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt. From this point forward we have the greatest story of national redemption told – the Passover (a presage of Messiah our Passover).

In these stories, we see the Merciful Architect involved in human events.  When He calls, we can choose to reject, or accept.  Rejecting His call, can be easier.  Accepting His call, difficulty may abound. However, when we are willing, with unselfish conviction, to hear God, and then to follow God, no matter our circumstances, or feelings, we will “see” God “provide”, and move the universe, according to our “calling”, for His glory.

Shalom and Blessings,

Dr. Jeff

*Taken from 50 Days with God: A Jubilee, by Dr. Jeff, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2025