Berean Standard Bible
Exodus 33:16
16For how then can it be known that Your people and I have found favor in Your sight, unless You go with us? How else will we be distinguished from all the other people on the face of the earth?”
Exodus 33:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
- New International Version (NIV)How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.”
Context of Exodus 33:16
14And the LORD answered, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15“If Your Presence does not go with us,” Moses replied, “do not lead us up from here. For how then can it be known that Your people and I have found favor in Your sight, unless You go with us? How else will we be distinguished from all the other people on the face of the earth?” 17So the LORD said to Moses, “I will do this very thing you have asked, for you have found favor in My sight, and I know you by name.” 18Then Moses said, “Please show me Your glory.”
Read all of Exodus 33Exodus 33:16 word by word
וּבַמֶּ֣ה׀ יִוָּדַ֣ע אֵפ֗וֹא כִּֽי־מָצָ֨אתִי חֵ֤ן בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲנִ֣י וְעַמֶּ֔ךָ הֲל֖וֹא בְּלֶכְתְּךָ֣ עִמָּ֑נוּ וְנִפְלֵ֙ינוּ֙ אֲנִ֣י וְעַמְּךָ֔ מִכָּ֨ל־הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ פRead the interlinear
- For how thenמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
- can it be knownיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- can it be knownאֵפוֹ'êphô 'êphô' · thenH645
- thatכִּיkîy · forH3588
- Your peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- and Iאֲנִי'ănîy · IH589
- have foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- favorחֵןchên · favorH2580
- in Your sightעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
- unlessלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- You goהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
- with usעִם‛im · withH5973
- be distinguishedפָּלָהpâlâh · be distinguishedH6395
- from allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- ·אֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- onעַל‛al · uponH5921
- the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: surfaceH6440
- of the earthאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: planetH127
Cross-references for Exodus 33:16
- Numbers 14:14And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have already heard that You, O LORD, are in the midst of this people, that You, O LORD, have been seen face to face, that Your cloud stands over them, and that You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
- Matthew 1:23“Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us”).
- Exodus 8:22But on that day I will give special treatment to the land of Goshen, where My people live; no swarms of flies will be found there. In this way you will know that I, the LORD, am in the land.
- Exodus 19:5Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine.
- Exodus 34:10And the LORD said, “Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will perform wonders that have never been done in any nation in all the world. All the people among whom you live will see the LORD’s work, for it is an awesome thing that I am doing with you.
- Numbers 23:9For I see them from atop the rocky cliffs, and I watch them from the hills. Behold, a people dwelling apart, not reckoning themselves among the nations.
- Deuteronomy 4:7For what nation is great enough to have a god as near to them as the LORD our God is to us whenever we call on Him?
- 2 Samuel 7:23And who is like Your people Israel—the one nation on earth whom God went out to redeem as a people for Himself and to make a name for Himself? You performed great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before Your people, whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt.
- 1 Kings 8:53For You, O Lord GOD, have set them apart from all the peoples of the earth as Your inheritance, as You spoke through Your servant Moses when You brought our fathers out of Egypt.”
- Psalms 147:20He has done this for no other nation; they do not know His judgments. Hallelujah!
- 2 Corinthians 6:17“Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”
Commentaries on Exodus 33:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16So shall we be separated - By having this Divine protection we shall be saved from idolatry, and be preserved in thy truth and in the true worshipping of thee; and thus shall we be separated from all the people that are upon the face of the earth: as all the nations of the world, the Jews only excepted, were at this time idolaters.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Thou goest with us - It was this which alone distinguished (rather than “separated”) them from other nations, and which alone would render the land of promise a home to be desired. Compare 2 Samuel 7:23.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-23Verses 12-23 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-16Moses made his request more direct. He showed he understood God's actions. The exodus was not just about leaving Egypt for Canaan. It was about experiencing God personally, which would change their lives. Without this, staying at Mount Sinai would have been better. Going to Canaan without the Lord would be disastrous.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-231. the Lord said--rather "had" said unto Moses. The conference detailed in this chapter must be considered as having occurred prior to the pathetic intercession of Moses, recorded at the close of the preceding chapter; and the historian, having mentioned the fact of his earnest and painful anxiety, under the overwhelming pressure of which he poured forth that intercessory prayer for his apostate countrymen, now enters on a detailed account of the…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 33:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 33
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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