God’s Word Translation
Exodus 33:23
23Then I will take my hand away, and you’ll see my back, but my face must not be seen.”
Exodus 33:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.
- New International Version (NIV)Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.”
Context of Exodus 33:23
21Then the Lord said, “Look, there’s a place near me. Stand by this rocky cliff. 22When my glory passes by, I will put you in a crevice in the cliff and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take my hand away, and you’ll see my back, but my face must not be seen.”
Read all of Exodus 33Exodus 33:23 word by word
וַהֲסִרֹתִי֙ אֶת־כַּפִּ֔י וְרָאִ֖יתָ אֶת־אֲחֹרָ֑י וּפָנַ֖י לֹ֥א יֵרָאֽוּ׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Exodus 33:23
- Exodus 33:20But you can’t see my face, because no one may see me and live.”
- Job 11:7“Can you discover God’s hidden secrets, or are you able to find the Almighty’s limits?
- Job 26:14“These are only glimpses of what he does. We ⌞only⌟ hear a whisper of him! Who can understand the thunder of his power?”
- John 1:18No one has ever seen God. God’s only Son, the one who is closest to the Father’s heart, has made him known.
- 1 Corinthians 13:12Now we see a blurred image in a mirror. Then we will see very clearly. Now my knowledge is incomplete. Then I will have complete knowledge as God has complete knowledge of me.
- 1 Timothy 6:16He is the only one who cannot die. He lives in light that no one can come near. No one has seen him, nor can they see him. Honor and power belong to him forever! Amen.
Commentaries on Exodus 33:23
- 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. 20-23God desires to reveal his character to his people. However, to see his face means to see his full being (his true and complete nature). No human can see God in this way and live. God’s glorious presence is described in 33:22. That kind of direct encounter would bring death to a human person. God allowed Moses to see only a small part of his glory. Moses was given a brief glimpse, but nothing more.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2318-23. I beseech thee, show me thy glory--This is one of the most mysterious scenes described in the Bible: he had, for his comfort and encouragement, a splendid and full display of the divine majesty, not in its unveiled effulgence, but as far as the weakness of humanity would admit. The face, hand, back parts, are to be understood figuratively.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 33:23
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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