Exodus 33:18-23 NLT

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 33:12-23

Moses, having returned to the door of the tabernacle, becomes a humble and importunate supplicant there for two very great favours, and as a prince he has power with God, and prevails for both: herein he was a type of Christ the great intercessor, whom the Father heareth always. I. He is very earnest with God for a grant of his presence with Israel in the rest of their march to Canaan, notwithstanding their provocations. The people had by their sin deserved the wrath of God, and for the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:18

And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory. Not any visible lustre, splendour, and brightness, as a symbol of the divine Presence, that he had seen, Exodus 16:7 nor the glorious essence of God, as Maimonides F2 Yesude Hatorah, c. 1. sect. 10. , which is invisible and cannot be seen, and of which Moses could not be ignorant; nor the glory of the heavenly state, which also he must know he could not see until he came thither; but he seems to mean some visible glorious representation... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:19

And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee ,.... Which is his glory; the glory of the Lord lies in his goodness, and that appears in the works of his hands, in the methods of his providence, especially in the distribution of his sovereign grace and mercy, and particularly in his pardoning grace and mercy, through the blood of Christ; for as it is "the glory" of a man "to pass over a transgression", Proverbs 19:11 much more it is the glory of God, of which this goodness is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:20

And he said, thou canst not see my face ,.... Meaning not his form, his essence, his very nature, and the glory of it, that Moses must know he could never see; but the brightest displays of his grace and goodness in Christ, the fullest discoveries of it, which are too much for man, in the present state of things, to have, who sees in part, and but through a glass darkly, not face to face, or in the most complete and perfect manner; it is but a small part and portion of God, and of his ways... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:21

And the Lord said, behold, there is a place by me ,.... Near him, not in or by the tabernacle, where it may be the pillar of cloud now was, as it had been, Exodus 33:9 but upon the rock, where it had been for many days, and near to which there was a fit place for Moses to be in, and have that view of the goodness and glory of God he would favour him with: and thou shall stand upon a rock ; in Horeb, typical of Christ the rock, the rock of Israel, and the rock of ages, the rock of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:22

And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by ,.... The displays of his grace and goodness are made: that I will put thee in a clift of the rock ; in one of the clefts, made by smiting it, through which the waters gushed out for the relief of the Israelites, and their flocks: and we are told F3 Egmont and Heyman's Travels, vol. 2. p. 167. see a Journal from Cairo, &c.; p. 28, 29. Ed. 2. , that to this day, on the summit of Mount Sinai, by the Arabians called Gibel el... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:23

And I will take away mine hand ,.... As being covered with the hand may signify the obscurity of the former dispensation, the taking of it away may denote a more clear revelation of the grace and goodness of God in Christ, and so of the glory of it under the Gospel dispensation; and yet what is seen in this, in comparison of the reality of things as they are, or of the heavenly state, are but as next expressed: and thou shalt see my back parts ; which some understand of the humanity of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:18

Show me thy glory - Moses probably desired to see that which constitutes the peculiar glory or excellence of the Divine nature as it stands in reference to man. By many this is thought to signify his eternal mercy in sending Christ Jesus into the world. Moses perceived that what God was now doing had the most important and gracious designs which at present he could not distinctly discover; therefore he desires God to show him his glory. God graciously promises to indulge him in this request... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:19

I will make all my goodness pass before thee - Thou shalt not have a sight of my justice, for thou couldst not bear the infinite splendor of my purity: but I shall show myself to thee as the fountain of inexhaustible compassion, the sovereign Dispenser of my own mercy in my own way, being gracious to whom I will be gracious, and showing mercy on whom I will show mercy. I will proclaim the name of the Lord - See Clarke's note on Exodus 34:6 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:20

No man see me, and live - The splendor would be insufferable to man; he only, whose mortality is swallowed up of life, can see God as he is. See 1 John 3:2 . From some disguised relation of the circumstances mentioned here, the fable of Jupiter and Semele was formed; she is reported to have entreated Jupiter to show her his glory, who was at first very reluctant, knowing that it would be fatal to her; but at last, yielding to her importunity, he discovered his divine majesty, and she was... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 33:12-23

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:18

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:20

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:21

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:22

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:23

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:18

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:19

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:20

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