Moses’ Intercession and God’s Glory
Exodus 33:12-23
Exo.33.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- משה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- ראה: VERB,qal,imperat,2,m,sg
- אתה: PRON,2,m,sg
- אמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אלי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- העל: VERB,hiphil,imp,2,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- הזה: DEM,m,sg
- ואתה: CONJ+PRON,2,m,sg
- לא: PART_NEG
- הודעתני: VERB,hiphil,perf,2,m,sg,obj=1,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- אשר: PRON,rel
- תשלח: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- עמי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+1s
- ואתה: CONJ+PRON,2,m,sg
- אמרת: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
- ידעתיך: VERB,qal,perf,1,_,sg,obj=2,m,sg
- בשם: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וגם: CONJ
- מצאת: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
- חן: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בעיני: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,abs
Parallels
- Exod.3.12 (verbal): When God commissions Moses at the burning bush he says 'I will be with you,' directly addressing Moses' concern here about who will go with him.
- Exod.33.14-17 (structural): Immediate continuation of the same exchange: God replies that His presence will go with Israel and affirms that because He is pleased with Moses He will act—direct resolution of Moses' request for assurance.
- Num.14.13-19 (thematic): Moses intercedes after Israel's rebellion, appealing to God's reputation and merciful character—another instance of Moses negotiating/pleading with God on behalf of the people.
- Deut.31.6-8 (thematic): Promise to Joshua and Israel that the LORD Himself will go before them and will not leave them, echoing the central concern in Exod.33 about God's personal presence with His people.
- Isa.43.1 (verbal): God's language of intimate knowledge—'I have called you by name'/'I know you'—parallels the motif in Exod.33 of God 'knowing by name' and the close relationship that grounds assurance.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Moses said to the LORD, "See, you have said to me, 'Bring up this people,' but you have not made known to me whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my eyes.'"
- And Moses said to the LORD: See, you have said to me, 'Bring up this people'; but you have not made known to me whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, 'I know you by name,' and, 'You have also found favor in my eyes.'
Exo.33.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ועתה: CONJ
- אם: CONJ
- נא: PART
- מצאתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,sg
- חן: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בעיניך: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,const,2,ms
- הודעני: VERB,hiph,impv,2,m,sg+obj:1,sg
- נא: PART
- את: PRT,acc
- דרכך: NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- ואדעך: VERB,qal,impf,1,NA,sg+obj:2,m,sg
- למען: PREP
- אמצא: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
- חן: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בעיניך: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,const,2,ms
- וראה: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,sg
- כי: CONJ
- עמך: NOUN,m,sg,suff-2m
- הגוי: NOUN,m,sg,def
- הזה: DEM,m,sg
Parallels
- Exod.33.18 (structural): Immediate continuation of the same pleading scene—Moses moves from asking God to 'show me thy way' (33:13) to requesting to 'see thy glory' (33:18), showing the same aim of intimate revelation.
- Exod.34.9 (verbal): A closely parallel petition where Moses again pleads 'If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord' and asks God to accept and remain with the people—repeating language and motif of finding favor for Israel's sake.
- Psalm 25:4 (verbal): Psalmist’s prayer 'Show me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths' echoes Moses’ request for divine guidance and instruction (literally 'show me thy way').
- Psalm 86:11 (verbal): Another personal petition 'Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth' that parallels Moses’ desire to know God's way in order to find favor and live accordingly.
- Deuteronomy 4:7 (thematic): The theme of God's unique nearness to Israel—'For what nation is there so great that hath God so nigh unto them?'—echoes Moses’ appeal to God to consider that 'this people are thy people.'
Alternative generated candidates
- "Now then, please, if I have found favor in your eyes, make known to me your way, that I may know you, in order that I may find favor in your eyes; and see that this nation is your people."
- And now, if indeed I have found favor in your eyes, make known to me, please, your way, that I may know you, in order that I may find favor in your eyes; and see that this nation is your people.
Exo.33.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- פני: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- ילכו: VERB,qal,impf,3,pl
- והנחתי: VERB,hiphil,perf,1,m,sg
- לך: PRON,2,m,sg
Parallels
- Exod.33.15-16 (structural): Immediate literary continuation — Moses insists that God’s presence must go with Israel; the verse and these verses function together as the same promise and demand.
- Exod.3.12 (verbal): God’s earlier assurance to Moses, “I will be with you,” uses the same theme of divine presence as the basis for mission and assurance.
- Gen.28.15 (verbal): God’s promise to Jacob, “I am with you and will watch over you,” parallels the pledge of God’s abiding presence and protection.
- Josh.1.5 (verbal): God’s promise to Joshua, “I will not leave you or forsake you,” echoes the same covenantal assurance of God’s presence given to Israel’s leader.
- Matt.11.28 (thematic): Jesus’ offer “I will give you rest” resonates thematically with God’s promise in Exod 33:14 that his presence will provide rest/relief to his people.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he said, "My presence will go, and I will give you rest."
- And he said: My presence will go, and I will give you rest.
Exo.33.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אליו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
- אם: CONJ
- אין: PART,neg
- פניך: NOUN,f,pl,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- הלכים: VERB,qal,ptc,3,m,pl
- אל: NEG
- תעלנו: VERB,qal,juss,2,m,pl+PRON,1,pl
- מזה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Exod.33.14 (verbal): Immediate divine reply: 'My presence shall go with thee' directly corresponds to Moses' insistence that God's presence accompany Israel.
- Exod.33.16 (structural): Moses' follow-up argument that the sign Israel has found favor is that God goes with them — an immediate expansion and restatement of 33:15.
- Deut.31.6 (verbal): Assurance that the LORD goes with his people ('for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee'), echoing the same concern for God's accompanying presence.
- Josh.1.5 (thematic): God's promise to Joshua 'I will not leave thee, nor forsake thee' parallels the requirement that God accompany Israel into the land.
- Heb.13.5 (allusion): The New Testament citation of God’s 'I will never leave you nor forsake you' reflects the same theological emphasis on God's abiding presence as the basis for confidence and movement.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he said to him, "If your presence is not going, do not bring us up from here."
- And he said to him: If your presence is not going, do not bring us up from here.
Exo.33.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ובמה: CONJ+PREP+PRON,interr
- יודע: VERB,qal,ptc,ms,sg
- אפוא: PART
- כי: CONJ
- מצאתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,sg
- חן: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בעיניך: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,const,2,ms
- אני: PRON,1,sg
- ועמך: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- הלוא: PART
- בלכתך: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- עמנו: PREP+PRON,1,pl
- ונפלינו: CONJ+VERB,qal,perf,1,c,pl
- אני: PRON,1,sg
- ועמך: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- מכל: PREP
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- על: PREP
- פני: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- האדמה: NOUN,f,sg,def
Parallels
- Exod.33.14 (verbal): God’s promise “My presence shall go with thee” directly corresponds to Moses’ claim that God’s going with Israel proves they have found favor in His sight.
- Exod.34.9 (verbal): Moses repeats the plea for God’s presence (“if now I have found grace in thy sight… let the Lord, I pray thee, go among us”), echoing the same language and concern that God’s presence distinguishes Israel.
- Exod.19.5-6 (thematic): God’s covenant promise that Israel will be a treasured, holy nation and a kingdom of priests parallels the idea that God’s presence sets Israel apart from all other peoples.
- Lev.20.26 (verbal): “You shall be holy to me… I have separated you from the peoples” uses the same language of being set apart, echoing Moses’ claim that Israel is separated from all the peoples by God’s presence.
- Deut.7.6 (thematic): The statement that Israel is a ‘holy people’ chosen by the LORD parallels the theme that God’s favor and presence make Israel distinct among the nations.
Alternative generated candidates
- "For by what will it be known, then, that I have found favor in your eyes, I and your people? Is it not by your going with us, so that we are set apart, I and your people, from every people that is on the face of the earth?"
- And by what then shall it be known that I have found favor in your eyes—I and your people? Is it not by your going with us, so that we are distinguished, I and your people, from every people who are on the face of the earth?
Exo.33.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- משה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- גם: ADV
- את: PRT,acc
- הדבר: NOUN,m,sg,def
- הזה: DEM,m,sg
- אשר: PRON,rel
- דברת: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
- אעשה: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
- כי: CONJ
- מצאת: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
- חן: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בעיני: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,abs
- ואדעך: VERB,qal,impf,1,c,sg+PRON,2,m,sg
- בשם: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Gen.6.8 (verbal): Uses the same language of divine favor—'found grace in the eyes of the LORD' (מצא חן בעיני־יהוה), a near verbal parallel emphasizing being singled out by God's favor.
- Exod.34.9 (verbal): Moses again uses the phrase 'if now I have found grace in thy sight' when interceding for Israel; repeats the formula of finding grace and appeals to God's favorable relation to Moses.
- Num.12.7-8 (thematic): God describes Moses' unique status—intimacy and direct knowledge ('with him I speak mouth to mouth')—paralleling Exod.33:17's emphasis that God 'knows him by name' and grants special favor.
- Amos.3.2 (thematic): The claim 'you only have I known' (ׁידעתִּיך) expresses a similar notion of exclusive divine knowledge and relationship; both passages link 'knowing' with covenantal consequence and divine regard.
- John.10.3 (thematic): Jesus' image of the shepherd who 'calls his own sheep by name' echoes the idea of personal knowledge ('I know thee by name')—both stress intimate, personal relationship between God/Shepherd and his chosen ones.
Alternative generated candidates
- And the LORD said to Moses, "This thing, too, that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my eyes, and I know you by name."
- And the LORD said to Moses: This thing also that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my eyes, and I know you by name.
Exo.33.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- הראני: VERB,hiphil,impv,2,m,sg
- נא: PART
- את: PRT,acc
- כבדך: NOUN,m,sg,suff
Parallels
- Exod.33.20-23 (verbal): Immediate divine response to Moses' request—God says no one can see His face and instead promises to show His goodness and 'back' (the resolution of Moses' plea).
- Exod.34.5-7 (structural): God reveals His presence and proclaims His name and attributes (mercy, grace, justice)—the narrative fulfillment of Moses' desire to see God's glory.
- John 14:8-9 (thematic): Philip asks Jesus to show the Father; Jesus replies that seeing Him is seeing the Father—New Testament reinterpretation of how God's glory is revealed in Christ.
- Isaiah 6:1-5 (thematic): Isaiah's vision of the Lord's glory in the temple and the prophet's awed/penitent reaction parallels the motif of encountering divine glory and its human consequences.
- Psalm 27:4 (thematic): A devotional longing to 'dwell in the house of the LORD' and 'behold his beauty' echoes Moses' earnest request to see God's glory.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he said, "Please, show me your glory."
- And he said: Show me, please, your glory.
Exo.33.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אני: PRON,1,sg
- אעביר: VERB,qal,impf,1,sg
- כל: DET
- טובי: NOUN,m,sg,suff
- על: PREP
- פניך: NOUN,f,pl,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- וקראתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,sg
- בשם: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- לפניך: PREP+PRON,2,m,sg
- וחנתי: VERB,qal,impf,1,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- אשר: PRON,rel
- אחן: VERB,qal,impf,1,sg
- ורחמתי: VERB,qal,impf,1,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- אשר: PRON,rel
- ארחם: VERB,qal,impf,1,sg
Parallels
- Exodus 34:6-7 (quotation): Same divine self‑revelation shortly after 33:19: God proclaims his name as merciful, gracious, showing mercy and steadfast love — a direct repetition/expansion of the promise in 33:19.
- Romans 9:15-16 (quotation): Paul cites God's words 'I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy' to ground divine sovereignty in election, directly echoing Exodus 33:19/34:6 language.
- Psalm 103:8 (verbal): Psalmic description of Yahweh as 'merciful and gracious, slow to anger' parallels the character attributes God announces in 33:19/34:6 — same vocabulary of mercy and grace.
- Joel 2:13 (thematic): Joel urges repentance because 'the LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger,' echoing the theological theme of God's mercy and graciousness proclaimed in Exodus 33:19.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show compassion to whom I will show compassion."
- And he said: I will cause all my goodness to pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show compassion to whom I will show compassion.
Exo.33.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- לא: PART_NEG
- תוכל: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- לראת: VERB,qal,inf
- את: PRT,acc
- פני: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- כי: CONJ
- לא: PART_NEG
- יראני: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg,prsuf:1,sg
- האדם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- וחי: CONJ+ADJ,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Exodus 33:23 (structural): Immediate continuation: God allows Moses to see His 'back' but repeats that His face cannot be seen, directly developing 33:20's claim.
- Genesis 32:30 (verbal): Jacob's statement 'I have seen God face to face, and yet my life was preserved' provides a striking verbal contrast to the assertion that no one can see God's face and live.
- John 1:18 (verbal): 'No one has ever seen God' echoes Exodus' claim about God's invisibility while presenting Christ as the unique revealer of the Father.
- John 6:46 (verbal): Affirms that no one has seen the Father except the one from God, paralleling the Exodus theme that humans cannot see God's face.
- 1 John 4:12 (thematic): States that 'no one has ever seen God,' reinforcing the theological theme of God's hiddenness and the need for revelation found in Exodus 33:20.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he said, "You cannot see my face, for no human can see me and live."
- And he said: You cannot see my face, for no human can see me and live.
Exo.33.21 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- הנה: PART
- מקום: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אתי: PRON,1,sg
- ונצבת: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- על: PREP
- הצור: NOUN,m,sg,def
Parallels
- Exodus 33:22 (structural): Immediate continuation of the same narrative — God puts Moses in the cleft of the rock and shelters him while He passes by, elaborating the 'place' and rock imagery of v.21.
- Psalm 27:5 (verbal): Speaks of God hiding the psalmist in his pavilion and setting him upon a rock, echoing the language and protective-rock motif of Exodus 33:21.
- Psalm 61:2 (verbal): Requests God to 'lead me to the rock that is higher than I,' a similar image of being brought to a secure rock-place under God's protection.
- Psalm 18:2 (thematic): Describes the LORD as 'my rock, my fortress, and deliverer,' developing the broader theme of God as a secure rock/refuge found in Exodus 33:21.
- 1 Corinthians 10:4 (thematic): Uses the image of the 'spiritual Rock' that followed Israel as a source of divine presence and protection, echoing the theological motif of God's presence associated with rock imagery in Exodus.
Alternative generated candidates
- And the LORD said, "Behold, there is a place by me, and you shall stand on the rock."
- And the LORD said: Look, there is a place with me, and you shall stand upon the rock.
Exo.33.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- והיה: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,sg
- בעבר: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כבדי: NOUN,m,sg,abs,poss1s
- ושמתיך: VERB,qal,perf,1,m,sg
- בנקרת: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,cons
- הצור: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ושכתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,m,sg
- כפי: PREP
- עליך: PREP+2ms
- עד: PREP
- עברי: ADJ,m,sg
Parallels
- Exod.33.21 (structural): Immediate narrative context — God prescribes a specific place on the rock where Moses is to stand before God’s glory passes by.
- Exod.33.20 (verbal): States the reason for hiding Moses: no one may see God’s face and live, framing the need for concealment while God’s glory passes.
- Psalm 27:5 (thematic): Uses the image of God ‘hiding’ the psalmist in a shelter/rock and setting him on a rock — parallel imagery of divine protection in a rocky refuge.
- Isaiah 26:20 (thematic): Calls God’s people to ‘hide…until the indignation be overpast’ — similar idea of being concealed until God’s passing or wrath has passed.
- Psalm 31:20 (thematic): Speaks of God hiding the faithful ‘in the secret of his presence,’ echoing the motif of protection within God’s hidden presence (cf. cleft of the rock).
Alternative generated candidates
- "And it shall be, when my glory passes by, that I will set you in the cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by."
- And it will be, when my glory passes by, that I will set you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand over you until I have passed by.
Exo.33.23 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- והסרתי: VERB,hiphil,perf,1,com,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- כפי: PREP
- וראית: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- אחרי: PREP
- ופני: NOUN,m,pl,cstr,poss1
- לא: PART_NEG
- יראו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
Parallels
- Exod.33.20 (verbal): Directly related statement in same context: God tells Moses that no one may see His face (for man shall not see Me and live), which explains why Moses is shown God’s back rather than His face.
- Exod.34:5-7 (structural): Narrative continuation: God 'passes by' Moses and proclaims His name/attributes. This episode is the fulfillment of the 'see my back' motif—God reveals Himself partially as He passes by.
- Gen.32:30 (verbal): Contrastive parallel: Jacob’s claim 'I have seen God face to face' (and yet lived) stands in tension with Moses’ statement that God’s face cannot be seen, highlighting different traditions about encountering the divine.
- 1 Cor.13:12 (thematic): Paul’s language ('now we see in a mirror dimly, then face to face') echoes the theme of partial/mediated vision of God in Exodus 33:23—present limited revelation versus fuller future seeing.
- John 1:18 (thematic): John’s assertion that 'no one has ever seen God; the only-begotten Son has made him known' parallels Exodus’ claim that God’s face is unseen and emphasizes revelation of God through a mediator rather than direct human sight.
Alternative generated candidates
- "Then I will remove my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen."
- Then I will remove my hand, and you will see my back; but my face shall not be seen.
And Moses said to the LORD, "See, you yourself have said to me, 'Bring up this people,' yet you have not made known to me whom you will send with me; and you have said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my eyes.'"
"And now, if indeed I have found favor in your eyes, make me know your way, that I may know you, in order that I may find favor in your eyes; and see that this nation is your people." And he said, "My presence will go, and I will give you rest." And he said to him, "If your presence does not go, do not bring us up from here."
"For by what will it be known, then, that I have found favor in your eyes—I and your people? Is it not by your going with us, so that I and your people are distinguished from all the peoples that are on the face of the earth?" And the LORD said to Moses, "This thing also that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my eyes, and I know you by name." And he said, "Please, show me your glory." And he said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy." And he said, "You cannot see my face, for no human may see me and live." And the LORD said, "Look, there is a place by me, and you shall stand upon the rock."
"And it shall be, when my glory passes by, that I will set you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by."
"Then I will remove my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen."