Exodus 33

Moses talks to God face to face, and God tells him that his presence will not go with the Israelites.

Exodus, 33

23
verses
2
min

Bible version

Moses Intercedes for the Israelites

1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it:
2 And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:
3 Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.
4 And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.
5 For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.
6 And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb.
7 And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.
8 And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.
9 And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses.
10 And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.
11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.
12 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.
13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
16 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.
17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

Commentary

Exodus 33 is a pivotal chapter in the book of Exodus, as it marks a major turning point in the relationship between God and the Israelites. In this chapter, God reveals Himself to Moses in a special way, and Moses is given the opportunity to ask God to go with the Israelites on their journey to the Promised Land. The chapter begins with God telling Moses that He will not go with the Israelites, as He had previously promised. This is a major blow to Moses, as he had been counting on God's presence to protect and guide them. However, God does not leave Moses without hope. He promises to send an angel to lead the Israelites, and He also reveals Himself to Moses in a special way. God tells Moses that He will make His presence known to him in a special way, and that He will speak to him face to face. This is a remarkable moment, as it marks the first time that God has revealed Himself to a human in such a direct way. This is a sign of God's love and commitment to the Israelites, and it is a reminder that He is always with them, even when they cannot see Him. The chapter ends with Moses asking God to go with the Israelites on their journey. This is a powerful moment, as it shows Moses' faith and trust in God. He knows that God's presence will be a source of strength and protection for the Israelites, and he is willing to put his faith in God and ask Him to go with them. Exodus 33 is an important chapter in the book of Exodus, as it marks a major turning point in the relationship between God and the Israelites. It is a

Download BiblePics Mobile App
Biblepics mobile app

Chat with biblical characters

Seek guidance and enter the gateway to biblical wisdom

Chat now

FAQ

Assuming a reader with an average reading speed of 300 WPM reads the Exodus, chapter 33 it would take approximately 2 minutes to finish.

There are 23 verses in Exodus, chapter 33.