it, God responds to an unspoken need. The apparent meaning is that a future event, namely, Israel’s worship of God at Mt. Sinai, will provide Moses with this assurance. What has puzzled interpreters is how an event so far in the future, indeed on the far side of what Moses is asked to do, can function as a sign for Moses. Moses’ question of competence is answered simply with the assurance of divine presence; Moses will not have to act alone. The sign then moves beyond Moses’ question to an unspoken