Exodus33
World English Bible · Public Domain
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Depart, go up from here, you and the people that you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your offspring.’
2I will send an angel before you; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
3Go to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, for you are a stiff-necked people, lest I consume you on the way.”
4When the people heard this evil news, they mourned; and no one put on his jewelry.
5Yahweh had said to Moses, “Tell the children of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go up among you for one moment, I would consume you. Therefore now take off your jewelry from you, that I may know what to do to you.’”
6The children of Israel stripped themselves of their jewelry from Mount Horeb onward.
7Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far away from the camp, and he called it “The Tent of Meeting.” Everyone who sought Yahweh went out to the Tent of Meeting, which was outside the camp.
8When Moses went out to the Tent, all the people rose up, and stood, everyone at their tent door, and watched Moses, until he had gone into the Tent.
9When Moses entered into the Tent, the pillar of cloud descended, stood at the door of the Tent, and Yahweh spoke with Moses.
10All the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the door of the Tent, and all the people rose up and worshiped, everyone at their tent door.
11Yahweh spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. He turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, didn’t depart from the Tent.
12Moses said to Yahweh, “Behold, you tell me, ‘Bring up this people;’ and you haven’t let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’
13Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me your way, now, that I may know you, so that I may find favor in your sight; and consider that this nation is your people.”
14He said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
15Moses said to him, “If your presence doesn’t go with me, don’t carry us up from here.
16For how would people know that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Isn’t it that you go with us, so that we are separated, I and your people, from all the people who are on the surface of the earth?”
17Yahweh said to Moses, “I will do this thing also that you have spoken; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”
18Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”
19He said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim Yahweh’s name before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”
20He said, “You cannot see my face, for man may not see me and live.”
21Yahweh also said, “Behold, there is a place by me, and you shall stand on the rock.
22It will happen, while my glory passes by, that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with my hand until I have passed by;
23then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Exodus 33.
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.
Key Words
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
יָלַךְ: to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)
עָלָה: to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
מִן: properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
זֶה: the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
עַם: a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
אֶרֶץ: the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
מִצְרַיִם: Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt
Cross References
Exodus 33Paul quotes verse 19 verbatim to demonstrate God's absolute sovereignty in election and mercy.
Supported by John Calvin
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
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
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
Moses immediately utilizes God's revealed grace to intercede further for the stiffnecked nation.
Clarifies the impossibility of seeing God's essence, fully revealed only in the incarnate Son.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallel revelation of God's presence passing by Elijah on Mount Horeb.
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
Confirms God dwells in unapproachable light, whom no human eye has seen or can see.
Parallels Moses' description as God's friend with Abraham's title, signifying deep covenant intimacy.
Refers historically to God's presence ('the angel of his presence') leading and saving Israel.
Echoes Moses' plea that God's presence is what separates Israel from all other nations.
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
Highlights that we only see the mere 'outer fringes' of God's ways.
Provides the immediate literary context of God ordering Moses to lead the people after the golden calf.
Supported by JFB