<P> I Am that I Am (אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה ‬' ehyeh' ăšer' ehyeh (ʔɛhˈjɛh ʔaˈʃɛr ʔɛhˈjɛh)) is the common English translation (JPS among others) of the response that God used in the Hebrew Bible when Moses asked for his name (Exodus 3: 14). It is one of the most famous verses in the Torah . Hayah means "existed" in Hebrew;' ehyeh is the first person singular imperfect form and is usually translated in English Bibles as "I am" or "I will be" (or "I shall be"), for example, at Exodus 3: 14 .' ehyeh' ăšer' ehyeh literally translates as "I Am Who I Am ." The ancient Hebrew of Exodus 3: 14 lacks a future tense such as modern English has, yet a few translations render this name as "I Will Be What I Will Be," given the context of Yahweh's promising to be with his people through their future troubles . Both the literal present tense "I Am" and the future tense "I will be" have given rise to many attendant theological and mystical implications in Jewish tradition . However, in most English Bibles, in particular the King James Version, the phrase is rendered as I am that I am . </P> <P> Ehyeh - Asher - Ehyeh (often contracted in English as "I AM") is one of the Seven Names of God accorded special care by medieval Jewish tradition . The phrase is also found in other world religious literature, used to describe the Supreme Being, generally referring back to its use in Exodus . The word' ehyeh is considered by many rabbinical scholars to be a first - person derivation of the Tetragrammaton, see for example Yahweh . </P>

What does god mean when he says i am