Exodus 33

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:12

Verse 12 12.See, thou, sayest unto me, Bring up this people Moses is still diligently engaged in endeavoring to reconcile the people, for the fuller promise was inserted by way of anticipation. Since the revolt, however, God had promised no more than that He would give the land to the people; but although wishing only to assure them that they should possess the land, He had added that His angel should lead them, still this was but a temporary blessing, and one which He is wont to confer... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:14

Verse 14 14.And he said, My presence shall go with thee We gather from this answer what the desire of Moses was, for God, in accepting his prayer, affirms in one word that He will go before them as He was wont, and this was a sure pledge of His presence in no ordinary manner. For although the whole world is governed by His providence, still His face does not therein appear so conspicuously as in His protection of the Church’s welfare. And, in fact, since the same Angel, who had before presided... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:15

Verse 15 15.And he said unto him, If thy presence go not Moses accepts what is accorded to him, whilst at the same time he signifies that it would be better and more desirable for him to perish in the desert than to go any further without the manifest token of God’s presence; and this he confirms in the following verse, and therefore I have inserted the expletive particle certe (indeed,) although the copula might also be resolved into the causal particle nam (for.) For he declares that the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:17

Verse 17 17.And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also He adds nothing new, but confirms by repetition what He had just said, in order to remove all doubt. Still He declares that He is induced by no other reason than by the gratuitous favor wherewith He had embraced Moses. This, therefore, is a kind of renewal of the Covenant, when the people is consecrated to God, so as to recover again the sacerdotal kingdom. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:18

Verse 18 18.And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory Thus far the desires of Moses had been confined within the limits of moderation and sobriety, but now he is carried beyond due bounds, and longs for more than is lawful or expedient; for it is plain from his repulse that he had inconsiderately proceeded further than He should. He desires that God should be revealed to him more closely, and in a more manifest form than before. Still it is not foolish curiosity that impels him to this,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:19

Verse 19 19.And he said, I will make all my goodness pass At the outset He declares how far He has listened to Moses; but a limitation is presently added to prevent excess. Thus his prayer is not altogether rejected, but only so far as he was too eagerly set on beholding the perfection of God’s glory. The passing by signifies a vision of brief duration; as if He had said, Let it suffice thee to have seen once, as for a moment, my glory, when it shall pass before thine eyes. The word טוב, tub,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:20

Verse 20 20.And he said, Thou canst not see my face Moses had indeed seen it, but in such a mode of revelation, as to be far inferior to its full effulgence. Long before the birth of Moses, Jacob had said, “I have seen God face to face,” (Genesis 32:30;) and to Moses, as I have lately shewn, a still clearer vision was vouchsafed. Now, however, he obtains something better and more excellent; and yet not so as perfectly to see God such as He is in Himself, but so far as the human mind is capable... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:21

Verse 21 21.And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me This description may illdeed appear puerile, but it is well adapted to our imperfection; nor will any despise it who is duly conscious of his own imbecility and ignorance. There seems to be a contradiction between these two things, that the beauty of God should be shewn to Moses, and still that the sight of Him should be refused. This difficulty is here solved, for Moses was to see God only from behind. It is a similitude taken from... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 33:1

The Lord said unto Moses . In continuation of what he had said in Exodus 32:33 , Exodus 32:34 , but possibly at another time; and with the object of fully explaining what had been meant in Exodus 32:34 . The land which I sware unto Abraham . See Genesis 12:7 ; Genesis 13:15 ; Genesis 15:18 , etc. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 33:1

The restoration to Divine favour completed. This is a chapter which, beginning very gloomily, ends very gloriously. In the beginning Jehovah seems as if bidding farewell to the people for whom he had done so much; but at the close he is seen giving a revelation to Moses their leader, which must have sent him forth to resume his arduous work with greater encouragements than he ever had before. It is therefore very interesting to trace how this change was brought about. I. WE SEE ... read more

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:12

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:14

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:15

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:17

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:18

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:19

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:20

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:21

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 33:1

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 33:1

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