God’s Word Translation
Exodus 33:16
16How will anyone ever know you’re pleased with your people and me unless you go with us? Then we will be different from all 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
14The Lord answered, “My presence will go ⌞with you,⌟ and I will give you peace.” 15Then Moses said to him, “If your presence is not going ⌞with us⌟, don’t make us leave this place. How will anyone ever know you’re pleased with your people and me unless you go with us? Then we will be different from all other people on the face of the earth.” 17The Lord answered Moses, “I will do what you have asked, because I am pleased with you, and I know you by name.” 18Then Moses said, “Please let me see 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- For wherein shall it be knownיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- hereאֵפוֹ'êphô 'êphô' · thenH645
- that I and thy peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- have foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- graceחֵןchên · favorH2580
- in thy sightעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
- not in that thou goestיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- with us? so shall we be separatedפָּלָהpâlâh · be distinguishedH6395
- upon the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: surfaceH6440
- of the earthאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: planetH127
Cross-references for Exodus 33:16
- Numbers 14:14What if the Egyptians tell the people who live in this land? Lord, they have already heard that you are with these people, that they have seen you with their own eyes, that your column of smoke stays over them, and that you go ahead of them in a column of smoke by day and in a column of fire by night.
- Matthew 1:23“The virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel,” which means “God is with us.”
- Exodus 8:22But on that day I will treat the region of Goshen differently. That is where my people live. There won’t be any flies there. This way you will know that I, the Lord, am here in this land.
- Exodus 19:5If you carefully obey me and are faithful to the terms of my promise, then out of all the nations you will be my own special possession, even though the whole world is mine.
- Exodus 34:10The Lord said, “I’m making my promise again. In front of all your people I will perform miracles that have never been done in any other nation in all the world. All the people around you will see how awesome these miracles are that I will perform for you.
- Numbers 23:9I see them from the top of rocky cliffs, I look at them from the hills. I see a nation that lives by itself, people who do not consider themselves to be like other nations.
- Deuteronomy 4:7What great nation ever had their gods as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we pray to him?
- 2 Samuel 7:23Who is like your people Israel? It is the one nation on earth that God came to free in order to make its people his own, to make his name known, and to do great and wonderful things for them. You forced nations and their gods out of the way of your people, whom you freed from Egypt to be your own.
- 1 Kings 8:53After all, you, Lord God, set them apart from all the people of the world to be your own as you promised through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt.”
- Psalms 147:20He has done nothing like this for any other nation. The other nations do not know the decisions he has handed down. Hallelujah!
- 2 Corinthians 6:17The Lord says, “Get away from unbelievers. Separate yourselves from them. Have nothing to do with anything unclean. Then I will welcome 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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