Exodus 33ASV
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Exodus33

American Standard Version · Public Domain

1And Jehovah spake unto Moses, Depart, go up hence, thou and the people that thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land of which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it:

2and I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:

3unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people; lest I consume thee in the way.

4And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.

5And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people; if I go up into the midst of thee for one moment, I shall consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.

6And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments from mount Horeb onward.

7Now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it without the camp, afar off from the camp; and he called it, The tent of meeting. And it came to pass, that every one that sought Jehovah went out unto the tent of meeting, which was without the camp.

8And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the Tent, that all the people rose up, and stood, every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the Tent.

9And it came to pass, when Moses entered into the Tent, the pillar of cloud descended, and stood at the door of the Tent: and Jehovah spake with Moses.

10And all the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the door of the Tent: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man at his tent door.

11And Jehovah spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his minister Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent.

12And Moses said unto Jehovah, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found favor in my sight.

13Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found favor in thy sight, show me now thy ways, that I may know thee, to the end that I may find favor in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.

14And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

15And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.

16For wherein now shall it be known that I have found favor in thy sight, I and thy people? is it not in that thou goest with us, so that we are separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth?

17And Jehovah said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken; for thou hast found favor in my sight, and I know thee by name.

18And he said, Show me, I pray thee, thy glory.

19And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and will proclaim the name of Jehovah before thee; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.

20And he said, Thou canst not see my face; for man shall not see me and live.

21And Jehovah said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon the rock:

22and it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand until I have passed by:

23and I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back; but my face shall not be seen.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Exodus 33.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The Lord refuses to go with Israel. (1–6). The tabernacle of Moses removed without the camp. (7–11). Moses desires to see the glory of God. (12–23).

vv1-6

Those whom God pardons, must be made to know what their sin deserved. “Let them go forward as they are;” this was very expressive of God's displeasure. Though he promises to make good his covenant with Abraham, in giving them Canaan, yet he denies them the tokens of his presence they had been blessed with. The people mourned for their sin. Of all the bitter fruits and consequences of sin, true penitents most lament, and dread most, God's departure from them. Canaan itself would be no pleasant land without the Lord's presence. Those who parted with ornaments to maintain sin, could do no less than lay aside ornaments, in token of sorrow and shame for it.

vv7-11

Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp. This seems to have been a temporary building, set up for worship, and at which he judged disputes among the people. The people looked after him; they were very desirous to be at peace with God, and concerned to know what would come to pass. The cloudy pillar which had withdrawn from the camp when it was polluted with idolatry, now returned. If our hearts go forth toward God to meet him, he will graciously come to meet us.

vv12-23

Moses is very earnest with God. Thus, by the intercession of Christ, we are not only saved from ruin, but become entitled to everlasting happiness. Observe here how he pleads. We find grace in God's sight, if we find grace in our hearts to guide and quicken us in the way of our duty. Moses speaks as one who dreaded the thought of going forward without the Lord's presence. God's gracious promises, and mercy towards us, should not only encourage our faith, but also excite our fervency in prayer. Observe how he speeds. See, in a type, Christ's intercession, which he ever lives to make for all that come to God by him; and that it is not by any thing in those for whom he intercedes. Moses then entreats a sight of God's glory, and is heard in that also. A full discovery of the glory of God, would overwhelm even Moses himself. Man is mean, and unworthy of it; weak, and could not bear it; guilty, and could not but dread it. The merciful display which is made in Christ Jesus, alone can be borne by us. The Lord granted that which would abundantly satisfy. God's goodness is his glory; and he will have us to know him by the glory of his mercy, more than by the glory of his majesty. Upon the rock there was a fit place for Moses to view the goodness and glory of God. The rock in Horeb was typical of Christ the Rock; the Rock of refuge, salvation, and strength. Happy are they who stand upon this Rock. The cleft may be an emblem of Christ, as smitten, crucified, wounded, and slain. What follows, denotes the imperfect knowledge of God in the present state, even as revealed in Christ; for this, when compared with the heavenly sight of him. is but like seeing a man that is gone by, whose back only is to be seen. God in Christ, as he is, even the fullest and brightest displays of his glory, grace, and goodness, are reserved to another state.

Cross References

Exodus 33
v19Romans 9:15-18quotation

Paul quotes verse 19 verbatim to demonstrate God's absolute sovereignty in election and mercy.

Supported by John Calvin

v23Exodus 33:20thematic

Directly explains why God's face cannot be seen: no man can see Him and live.

Directly recalls this chapter's key description of Moses' unique privilege of speaking to God 'face to face'.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v11Numbers 12:8thematic

Parallels God's intimate, direct communication with Moses, contrasting it with ordinary prophetic dreams.

Supported by Matthew Poole

Identifies the spiritual Rock as Christ, in whom believers are securely placed.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v23John 1:18thematic

Affirms that no man has seen God's essence; He is revealed only in Christ.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

Typologically links going 'without the camp' to find God's tabernacle with believers going out to Christ.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v13Exodus 34:9thematic

Moses immediately utilizes God's revealed grace to intercede further for the stiffnecked nation.

v20John 1:18contrast

Clarifies the impossibility of seeing God's essence, fully revealed only in the incarnate Son.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v211 Kings 19:11thematic

Parallel revelation of God's presence passing by Elijah on Mount Horeb.

v231 Kings 19:13thematic

Elijah wraps his face in his mantle as the Lord passes by, shielding his sight.

Contrasts our present, limited, 'back parts' knowledge of God with future 'face to face' sight.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v231 Timothy 6:16thematic

Confirms God dwells in unapproachable light, whom no human eye has seen or can see.

v11James 2:23thematic

Parallels Moses' description as God's friend with Abraham's title, signifying deep covenant intimacy.

v14Isaiah 63:9thematic

Refers historically to God's presence ('the angel of his presence') leading and saving Israel.

v16Deuteronomy 4:7thematic

Echoes Moses' plea that God's presence is what separates Israel from all other nations.

v22Psalms 18:2thematic

Portrays God as the protecting Rock of refuge, salvation, and strength.

Supported by Matthew Henry

Points to Christ as the ultimate mediator in whom God displays His merciful presence.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v23Job 26:14thematic

Highlights that we only see the mere 'outer fringes' of God's ways.

v1Exodus 32:34thematic

Provides the immediate literary context of God ordering Moses to lead the people after the golden calf.

Supported by JFB