Exodus 33:23

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

21The Lord continued, “Look, stand near me on this rock. 22As my glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen.”

Exodus 33:23 word by word

וַהֲסִרֹתִי֙ אֶת־כַּפִּ֔י וְרָאִ֖יתָ אֶת־אֲחֹרָ֑י וּפָנַ֖י לֹ֥א יֵרָאֽוּ׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And I will takeסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: removeH5493
• away mine handכַּףkaph · palmH3709
• and thou shalt seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• my back partsאָחוֹר'âchôr 'âchôr · backH268
• but my faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440

Cross-references for Exodus 33:23

• Exodus 33:20But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live.”
• Job 11:7“Can you solve the mysteries of God? Can you discover everything about the Almighty?
• Job 26:14These are just the beginning of all that he does, merely a whisper of his power. Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of his power?”
• John 1:18No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.
• 1 Corinthians 13:12Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
• 1 Timothy 6:16He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No human eye has ever seen him, nor ever will. All honor and power 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

• Condescension of God
• Glory
• God
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Proclaim
• Back, Back Parts
• Covenant, Book of the
• Exodus, the Book of
• God
• Mediation; Mediator
• Moses
• Pentateuch
• Tabernacle

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