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Exodus Chapter
Thirty-three
New King James Version
(NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO
EXODUS 33
This chapter informs us
that the Lord refusing to go with the people
only sending an angel with them
they are filled with concern
and troubled
Exodus 33:1. Moses
upon this pitched the tabernacle without the camp
where everyone that sought
the Lord went; Moses entered into it himself
and the Lord talked to him in a
friendly manner in the cloudy pillar that stood at the door of it
and the
people worshipped
every man at his own tent door; all which foreboded good
and tended to reconciliation
Exodus 33:7. Moses
improved the opportunity
and entreats the presence of God to go with them
which was granted
Exodus 33:12 and
that he might have a sight of the glory of God; and this is promised to pass
before him
he being put into the cleft of the rock
Exodus 33:18.
Exodus 33:1 Then the Lord said to Moses
“Depart and go up from here
you and the people whom you have brought
out of the land of Egypt
to the land of which I swore to Abraham
Isaac
and
Jacob
saying
‘To your descendants I will give it.’
YLT 1And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses
`Go
ascend
from this [place]
thou and the people
whom thou hast brought up out of the
land of Egypt
unto the land which I have sworn to Abraham
to Isaac
and to
Jacob
saying
To thy seed I give it
'
And the Lord
said unto Moses
depart
and go up hence
.... Not from the place
where Moses was
which was the top of the mount
but where the camp of Israel
was
at the bottom of the mount; where they had lain encamped some time
but
were now ordered to proceed on their journey:
thou
and the
people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt; though his
wrath was in some measure mitigated
and he had so far forgave their sin
that
he would not cut them off from being a people; yet still he does not call them
his people
or own that he brought them out of Egypt
as he does in the preface
to the commands they had now broke
as if they were not under his care and
conduct; but speaks of them in a different manner
as a people that Moses had
brought out from thence
and whom he orders to go on with:
unto the land
which I sware unto Abraham
to Isaac
and to Jacob
saying
unto thy seed will
I give it: meaning the land of Canaan
which as he had promised with an
oath to their fathers to give it to them
he would faithfully observe it
though they were unworthy of such a favour.
Exodus 33:2 2 And I will send My
Angel before you
and I will drive out the Canaanite and the Amorite and the
Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite.
YLT 2(and I have sent before thee a messenger
and
have cast out the Canaanite
the Amorite
and the Hittite
and the Perizzite
the Hivite
and the Jebusite
)
And I will send
an angel before thee
.... Not the angel before promised
Exodus 23:20 the
Angel of his presence
the eternal Word and Son of God
but a created angel;
and so Aben Ezra observes
he does not say the Angel that was known
that his
name was in him; though even this was to be looked upon as a favour
and showed
that he had not utterly cast them off:
and I will
drive out the Canaanite
the Amorite
and the Hittite
the Perizzite
the
Hivite
and the Jebusite; who were now the inhabitants of the land
and these he promises
drive out
to make way for their possession of it; and that "by his
hand"
as the Targum of Jonathan interprets it
by the hand of the angel.
Only six nations are mentioned
though there were seven; the Girgashite is
omitted
but added in the Septuagint version.
Exodus 33:3 3 Go up
to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst
lest
I consume you on the way
for you are a stiff-necked people.”
YLT 3unto a land flowing with milk and honey
for
I do not go up in thy midst
for thou [art] a stiff-necked people -- lest I
consume thee in the way.'
Unto a land
flowing with milk and honey
.... Abounding with all the necessaries and
good things of life
a description of the land of Canaan frequently made
see Exodus 3:8
for I will not
go up in the midst of thee; would not grant them his presence in so
near
visible
and respectable a manner as he had before done
though he would
not utterly forsake them: the tabernacle was before in the midst of the camp
that is
that which was erected until the large one
ordered to be made
was
finished
but now it was removed without the camp
Exodus 33:7.
for thou art a
stiffnecked people; See Gill on Exodus 32:9
lest I consume
them in the way; in the way to the land of Canaan
and so never get there; the
meaning is
that the Lord being in the midst of them
their sin would be the
more aggravated to be committed in his presence
before his face; and the glory
of his majesty would require that immediate notice be taken of it
and just
punishment inflicted; so that by this step God both consulted his own honour
and their safety.
Exodus 33:4 4 And when the people heard
this bad news
they mourned
and no one put on his ornaments.
YLT 4And the people hear this sad thing
and
mourn; and none put his ornaments on him.
And when the
people heard these evil tidings
.... That God would withdraw his gracious
presence
and go not up with them himself
only send an angel with them; and
especially this may respect what is threatened
Exodus 33:5 and had
been said at this time:
they mourned; were inwardly
and heartily grieved for their sin
whereby they had provoked the Lord to
depart from them
and gave some outward and open tokens of it:
and no man did
put on his ornaments; they used to wear at other times
their rings and jewels
which
the princes and the chief among the people especially were wont to wear; and in
common the people did not put on their best clothes
or what they usually wore
but clothed themselves in mournful habits
in sackcloth and ashes
or in some
such like manner.
Exodus 33:5 5 For the Lord had said to
Moses
“Say to the children of Israel
‘You are a stiff-necked people. I
could come up into your midst in one moment and consume you. Now therefore
take off your ornaments
that I may know what to do to you.’”
YLT 5And Jehovah saith unto Moses
`Say unto the
sons of Israel
Ye [are] a stiff-necked people; one moment -- I come up into
thy midst
and have consumed thee; and now
put down thine ornaments from off
thee
and I know what I do to thee;'
For the Lord
had said to Moses
.... At the same time he had told it to the people:
say unto the
children of Israel: Menachem
as quoted by Ainsworth
observes
that this is said in
a way of mercy; for since their idolatry he had only called them the people of
Moses
and the people
but now calls them by their beloved name
the children
of Israel; but whether this was any hint of mercy and favour
is not very
apparent by what follows:
ye are a
stiffnecked people; obstinate and untractable; see Gill on Exodus 32:9
I will come up
into the midst of thee in a moment
and consume thee; before he
threatens them that he would not go up in the midst of them
that is
in a way
of grace and mercy
to guide
protect
and defend them himself; and now that he
would come up in the midst of them
but in a different manner
in a way of
wrath
and to take vengeance on them for their sins; and the meaning is
either
that should he do so but one moment it would be all over with them
or they
would be utterly consumed; or this is threatened on condition
provided they
did not repent of their sins
and humble themselves:
therefore now
put off thy ornaments from thee; not their armour
as some
nor the clothes
they wore at the festival for the golden calf
for this was long after that;
but the clothes they usually wore
the best they had
with all their
decorations and ornaments
and put on mournful habits as an outward token of
their repentance and mourning for their sins
if they had any real concern:
this shows that these words must have been said before; since the people on
hearing the evil tidings had clothed themselves in a mournful habit
and did
not put on their ornaments
Exodus 33:4
that I may know
what to do unto thee; which does not suppose ignorance or irresolution in God
but is
said after the manner of men
that he should deal with them in proportion to
their conduct and behaviour
and as that should outwardly appear.
Exodus 33:6 6 So the children of Israel
stripped themselves of their ornaments by Mount Horeb.
YLT 6and the sons of Israel take off their
ornaments at mount Horeb.
And the
children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments
.... Such as
before described
and this they did:
by the Mount
Horeb; before their departure from thence
and where they had been
guilty of the idolatry: the words may be literally rendered
"from Mount
Horeb"F21מהר "a monte"
V.
L. Pagninus
Montanus
Drusius; "procul a monte"
Junius &
Tremellius
Piscato. ; and Jonathan understands the preceding clause of
something they put off which they received from thence; but the meaning is
that they went to some distance from Mount Horeb
and there stripped themselves
to show their greater humiliation
and the sense they had of their unworthiness
of being near to the Lord
or enjoying his presence.
Exodus 33:7 7 Moses took his tent and
pitched it outside the camp
far from the camp
and called it the tabernacle of
meeting. And it came to pass that everyone who sought the Lord went out to
the tabernacle of meeting which was outside the camp.
YLT 7And Moses taketh the tent
and hath stretched
it out at the outside of the camp
afar off from the camp
and hath called it
`Tent of Meeting;' and it hath come to pass
every one seeking Jehovah goeth
out unto the tent of meeting
which [is] at the outside of the camp.
And Moses took
the tabernacle
.... Not that
the pattern of which he had been shown in the
mount
for that was not as yet made
rather his own tabernacle or tent
Exodus 18:7 or one
that was erected for worship before the large one was ordered
and while that
was building; for it can hardly be thought they should have no place of worship
for a whole year after they were come out of Egypt; though this might be not a
place on purpose
or only erected for that use
but might be one of the
apartments of Moses; who
besides what he had for the use and convenience of
his family
had a special and peculiar one
hath on a religious account
where
he and the people sometimes worshipped
and God met with them
and on a civil
account
to hear and judge the causes of the people
and resolve their doubts
and remove their difficulties
and make inquiries of God for them:
and pitched it
without the camp
afar off from the camp; 2000 cubits distant from
it
as the Targum of Jonathan
and so Jarchi
which he endeavours to confirm
from Joshua 3:4 and was
what was afterwards called a sabbath day's journey: this was done partly that
he might have the opportunity of conversing with God
and bringing about a
thorough reconciliation between him and the people
who declared he would not
go up in the midst of them; and partly that this might be a symbol to the
people of the Lord's departure from the midst of them; that so they might be
brought to a thorough humiliation for their sin
who might fear that he would
not only stand at a distance
but entirely remove from them: it might be
considered as a token of his displeasure with them
and yet be a door of hope
unto them; since he was not wholly gone from them
but might be sought unto by
them as follows:
and called it
the tabernacle of the congregation; as the great tabernacle
was afterwards called
and as this might be before
though now renewed
to give
the people some encouragement to resort here; because here he and they met
together
both on civil and religious accounts
and God met with them:
and it came to
pass
that everyone which sought the Lord: about any affair of
moment and importance
to know his will
and to have instruction and direction
what to do; or that sought to him for peace and reconciliation
for the pardon
of their sins
and the acceptance of their persons
repenting of their sins
and confessing the same:
went out unto
the tabernacle of the congregation
which was without the camp; these went
out of the camp
from their tents there
to this; who were not the body of the
people
but either such who had difficult matters to inquire about
or were
seriously and heartily concerned for the evil they had committed
and for the
removal of the divine Presence from them.
Exodus 33:8 8 So it was
whenever Moses
went out to the tabernacle
that all the people rose
and each man stood
at his tent door and watched Moses until he had gone into the
tabernacle.
YLT 8And it hath come to pass
at the going out of
Moses unto the tent
all the people rise
and have stood
each at the opening
of his tent
and have looked expectingly after Moses
until his going into the
tent.
And it came to
pass
when Moses went out of the tabernacle
.... For when he had
pitched it he did not continue there; which shows it was not the tent or
tabernacle he dwelt in
but whither he went to and fro
both to meet the Lord
in it
and transact the affairs of the people
and especially the great affair
now depending between God and them:
that all the people rose up: in reverence of him as
their ruler
and the minister of God
and as their Mediator between God and
them
though they had but lately thought and spoke very meanly and contemptibly
of him
Exodus 32:1 see Job 29:8.
and stood every
man at his tent door; none offering to go in
nor to sit down until he was gone into
the tabernacle
which was an instance of their respect to him:
and looked
after Moses until he was gone into the tabernacle; kept their
eye on him as long as they could see him
thereby expressing their esteem of
him
signifying their desire that he would intercede for them
and wishing him
success therein: the Targum of Jonathan interprets all this of the ungodly
among them that looked after Moses with an evil eye.
Exodus 33:9 9 And it came to pass
when
Moses entered the tabernacle
that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at
the door of the tabernacle
and the Lord talked with
Moses.
YLT 9And it hath come to pass
at the going in of
Moses to the tent
the pillar of the cloud cometh down
and hath stood at the
opening of the tent
and He hath spoken with Moses;
And it came to
pass
as Moses entered into the tabernacle
the cloudy pillar descended
.... From the
top of the mount in which Jehovah was:
and stood at
the door of the tabernacle; where Moses was just entered
and in sight
of the people
which was a token of grace and favour both to him and them:
and the Lord
talked with Moses; not the cloudy pillar
but the Lord in it
as we rightly supply
it: what he talked with him about is not said
very probably concerning the
children of Israel
their conduct and behaviour
and what was his will further
concerning them.
Exodus 33:10 10 All the people saw the
pillar of cloud standing at the tabernacle door
and all the people rose
and worshiped
each man in his tent door.
YLT 10and all the people have seen the pillar of
the cloud standing at the opening of the tent
and all the people have risen
and bowed themselves
each at the opening of his tent.
And all the
people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door
.... They
being every man at his tent door; and this must be a pleasing sight to them
and give them some hope that God would be merciful to them
forgive their sin
and not depart from them:
and all the
people rose up and worshipped
every man in his tent door; not Moses
nor the cloudy pillar
but the Lord in it; it was not a civil bow they made to
Moses
and in respect to him
for he was gone into the tabernacle out of sight
but a religious adoration of the Lord in the pillar of cloud.
Exodus 33:11 11 So
the Lord
spoke to Moses face to face
as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return
to the camp
but his servant Joshua the son of Nun
a young man
did not depart
from the tabernacle.
YLT 11And Jehovah hath spoken unto Moses face unto
face
as a man speaketh unto his friend; and he hath turned back unto the camp
and his minister Joshua
son of Nun
a youth
departeth not out of the tent.
And the Lord
spake unto Moses face to face
.... Not by an angel
but he himself in
person; not by a dream or vision
but apparently
in real visible appearance;
not in dark speeches
but clearly in plain words
easy to be understood; and
not by a voice from heaven at a distance
but mouth to mouth
being very near
as when on the mount
and now at the door of the tabernacle:
as a man
speaketh unto his friend; freely
familiarly
plainly
cordially
openly
without any
reserve or show of authority
or causing dread and fear; for he also spake to
the children of Israel "face to face"
but then it was out of the
fire in a terrible manner which they could not bear
Deuteronomy 5:4.
and he turned
again into the camp; to acquaint the people
the heads and elders of them
what
discourse he had with God
what success he had met with on their behalf
and
how the Lord stood affected to them
or what was his will concerning them:
but his servant
Joshua
the son of Nun
a young man
departed not out of the tabernacle; who is here
described by his name
Joshua; by his descent
the son of Nun; by his relation
to Moses
a servant of his
who waited on him wherever he went
when upon the
mount and now at the tabernacle; and by his age
a young man
as he was in
comparison of Moses
and is so called chiefly because he was his servant
it
being usual to call servants young men
of whatsoever age; for Joshua
strictly
speaking
could not be a young man in years; he was the general of the army at
the battle with Amalek; and
according to Aben Ezra
was now fifty six years of
age
which he collects from his living to the age of one hundred and ten years;
now to fifty six add the forty years in the wilderness
seven years
in which
he subdued the land of Canaan
and seven more in dividing it
as say their wise
men
the sum is one hundred an ten years: and it not being easy to account for
it
that Moses should depart alone
unaccompanied by Joshua
who always
attended him
and no sufficient reason is given why he should stay behind in
the tabernacle; as for private devotion
which this was not a place for; or for
judging the causes of the people in the absence of Moses
which we never find
he did or to guard the tabernacle
to be a watchman in it
or even at the head
of a watch over it
which
as it seemed unnecessary
so was an employment too
mean for him; the words therefore may be rendered as they are by some
and the
rather
as there is an accent which makes a considerable stop on the word נער
translated a "young man"F23So
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Rivet.
"and he turned again to the
camp"
and "his servant Joshua
the son of Nun
a young man";
that is
along with him; they both returned to the camp
and then it follows
"he"
i.e. the Lord
"departed not out of the tabernacle"
but continued there; to whom Moses afterwards returned and had the following
discourse: a learned manF24Clayton's Chronology of the Hebrew Bible
p. 343. thinks that the grand tabernacle is here meant
yet unfinished
though
not the final erection of it; and that here is a dislocation in the history
and supposes that Moses having been forty days absent
found upon his return a
good progress made in the work of the tabernacle
and the ornaments and
utensils belonging thereunto: and as soon as the wood work of the tabernacle
was finished
he ordered it to be put together; but because the tabernacle had
neither a door to it
nor were the hangings of the outer court finished
therefore Joshua the servant of Moses
the son of Nun
a young man
departed
not out of the tabernacle
but remained there to preserve it from being
polluted: but it is a mistake of his that the tabernacle had not a door to it
and it is strange he should make it
when it is twice mentioned in the
preceding verses; and since the pillar of cloud and the Lord in it were there
no man durst draw near to pollute it
so that there was no need of Joshua's
being there to preserve it; and besides
it was after this Moses went up to the
mount and stayed another forty days and forty nights
see Exodus 34:4.
Exodus 33:12 12 Then Moses said to the Lord
“See
You say
to me
‘Bring up this people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send
with me. Yet You have said
‘I know you by name
and you have also found grace
in My sight.’
YLT 12And Moses saith unto Jehovah
`See
Thou art
saying unto me
Bring up this people
and Thou hast not caused me to know whom
Thou dost send with me; and Thou hast said
I have known thee by name
and also
thou hast found grace in Mine eyes.
And Moses said
unto the Lord
.... Having returned from the camp to the tabernacle again:
see
thou
sayest unto me
bring up this people: from hence to the land
of Canaan
as in Exodus 33:1.
and thou hast not
let me know whom thou wilt send with me; to guide and direct him
help and assist him
protect and defend him
and the people with him; he had
signified something of this kind
but by some expressions
and by his present
conduct
he was at a loss to know who was to go with him: he had told him that
the uncreated Angel
in whom his name and he himself were
should go with them;
but now it had been declared that he would not go up in the midst of them
himself
but send an angel
a created one
but who that was he knew not; he
thought he had reason to expect the pillar of the cloud and fire by day and
night; but that had had so many motions that he could not be assured of the
continuance of it:
yet thou hast
said
I know thee by name; have a particular and special knowledge of
thee
and distinguished thee from others
and have a personal affection for
thee:
and thou hast
also found grace in my sight: had an interest in his special favour and
good will
was acceptable unto him
had received an abundance of spiritual
grace
and many very extraordinary gifts from him
and had had many benefits
bestowed on him
which were proofs of his being grateful and well pleasing to
him.
Exodus 33:13 13 Now therefore
I pray
if
I have found grace in Your sight
show me now Your way
that I may know You and
that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is
Your people.”
YLT 13`And now
if
I pray Thee
I have found grace
in Thine eyes
cause me to know
I pray Thee
Thy way
and I know Thee
so that
I find grace in Thine eyes
and consider that this nation [is] Thy people;'
Now therefore
I pray thee
if I have found grace in thy sight
.... Which he said
not as
doubting whether he had or not
but as taking it for granted he had
and so
argues from it
and improves his interest in it
in his pleading with God:
shew me now thy
way: either the way which he himself would take
the way of his
providence in bringing the children of Israel into the land of Canaan; or the
way he would have him take
the way of his duty
how he would have him behave
in conducting them thither; unless he means the Messiah
Christ
the way to the
heavenly Canaan
to whom he seems greatly to have respect in the following part
of this chapter:
that I may know
thee
that I may find grace in thy sight; by which he might have a
further evidence of his being acceptable to God
and having a share in his good
will; as well as he would better know in what way grace is communicated
Christ
being the way both of access into the grace of God
and of acceptance with him
and of the communication of grace from him:
and consider
that this nation is thy people; though they had sinned
against him in the manner they had done
they were a people he had chosen above
all people to be his; he had made a covenant with them
and was their covenant
God; he had redeemed them out of Egypt
and had called them from thence
and
had wrought a great salvation for them
and had bestowed many peculiar favours
upon them; and though for this their gross idolatry and sad apostasy from him
they were unworthy of the relation
and he had thought fit not to call them his
people
but the people
or the people of Moses
yet they still were his people
and he entreats he would consider the relation they stood in to him
and show
mercy to them.
Exodus 33:14 14 And He said
“My Presence
will go with you
and I will give you rest.”
YLT 14and He saith
`My presence doth go
and I
have given rest to thee.'
And he said
.... In answer
to his request:
my presence
shall go with thee; or before thee
both with Moses and before
the people; meaning the Angel of his presence he had before promised
the
eternal Word and Son of God
who saved them
redeemed them
bore and carried
them all the days of old: or "my faces shall go"F25פני ילכו "facies meae
ibunt"
Montanus
Vatablus. ; all the three divine Persons
Father
Son
and Spirit; there was Jehovah the Father
whose the Angel of his presence was;
and there was Jehovah the Son
Christ
whom they tempted in the wilderness; and
there was Jehovah the Holy Spirit
whom they vexed
see Isaiah 63:9.
and I will give
thee rest; not ease
and peace and tranquillity of mind
or a freedom from
the fear of enemies
and all dangers by them
much less rest in the grave
before
Israel should be brought into Canaan's land; but rather the promised land
itself
which was "the rest" that was promised
and would be given
and was typical of that eternal rest which remains for the people of God in
heaven
and is a pure gift; for this promise is not personal and peculiar to
Moses
but belonged to all the people
to whom God would give the typical rest
see Deuteronomy 12:9.
Exodus 33:15 15 Then he said to Him
“If
Your Presence does not go with us
do not bring us up from here.
YLT 15And he saith unto Him
`If Thy presence is
not going -- take us not up from this [place];
And he said
unto him
.... Moses said unto the Lord:
if thy presence
go not with me; or with us
as it may be as well supplied
and which agrees with
what follows:
carry us not up
hence; from the mount to the land of Canaan; though God had promised
his presence
which was the thing requested
Moses could not forbear expressing
himself after this manner
to show the high esteem he had of this blessing
and
how worthless and insignificant everything else was without it; that even
Canaan
the land of rest promised
was nothing in comparison of it: it is not
much matter where we are
or what we have
if God is not with us; but if he
grants his presence
the greatest hardships in a wilderness are made easy
and
difficulties are got through with pleasure; though some read the words in the
preceding verse by way of interrogation
"should my face" or
"presence go"
and "should it give thee rest"F26"An
facies mea iret et quietem daret tibi?" Noldius
p. 243. so Junius &
Tremellius
Piscator. ? as carrying in it a kind of denial
which makes Moses
here more urgent for it
and such a version those words seem to require.
Exodus 33:16 16 For how then will it be
known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight
except You go with
us? So we shall be separate
Your people and I
from all the people who are
upon the face of the earth.”
YLT 16and in what is it known now
that I have found
grace in Thine eyes -- I and Thy people -- is it not in Thy going with us? and
we have been distinguished -- I and Thy people -- from all the people who [are]
on the face of the ground.'
For wherein
shall it be known here
.... At Sinai
among the mountains in the wilderness:
that I and thy
people have found grace in thy sight: were acceptable to him
highly esteemed by him
and had received peculiar favours from him; what
evidence would there be of this? how would it appear to others? what knowledge
could they have of it?
is it not in that thou goest with us? in such a grand majestic
manner
and so visible as in a pillar of cloud by day
and a pillar of fire by
night: this is a full proof
and a strong and convincing argument
even to a
demonstration
that they were a special and peculiar people
the favourites of
God
highly esteemed and honoured by him; but should this be discontinued
as
seemed to be threatened
there would be nothing to demonstrate that they had
found more grace and favour than other people; but this being the case:
so shall we be
separated
I and thy people
from all the people that are upon the face
of the earth; distinguished by this favour from them
and that in a very
wonderful and marvellous manner
as the word signifies; and so some render it
"marvellously separated"F1נפלינו
"marvellously separated"
Ainsworth. ; for the pillar of cloud and
fire was a very marvellous thing
and distinguished the people of Israel from
all others in a surprising manner
none having been ever favoured in the like
manner.
Exodus 33:17 17 So the Lord said to Moses
“I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My
sight
and I know you by name.”
YLT 17And Jehovah saith unto Moses
`Even this
thing which thou hast spoken I do; for thou hast found grace in Mine eyes
and
I know thee by name.'
And the Lord
said unto Moses
I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken
.... Or asked
for
namely
go with them himself in this amazing and distinguished manner
in
the pillar of the cloud and fire; this he would do as well as show him his way
and his works
and indeed all this he did by granting that:
for thou hast
found grace in my sight
and I know thee by name; he owns the truth of the
thing
on which Moses had formed his plan
and by granting his request gave a
fresh proof and evidence of it; and what can be a greater blessing than to
partake of the special grace
favour
and good will of God
and to be
particularly and personally known to him
with such a knowledge as has
connected with it the strongest affection and highest esteem?
Exodus 33:18 18 And he said
“Please
show
me Your glory.”
YLT 18And he saith
`Shew me
I pray Thee
Thine
honour;'
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 MaimonidesF2Yesude 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 of God
such as he had never seen
though he had been with him
so long on the mount in the cloud
and heard his voice
and saw some
appearances of brightness and glory
yet not in any form that he could frame
any idea of; perhaps he may mean the Angel of God's presence
called his face
the promised Messiah and glorious Redeemer and Saviour
in whom there is such a
bright display of the glory of the divine perfections; yea
is the brightness
of his Father's glory
and the express image of his person; and this favour was
granted him
with some proper limitations and restrictions; for though this
request was
no doubt
sincere and upright
it might be attended with frailty
and weakness; yet it is not utterly denied
but with some explanation is
allowed
and perhaps was the highest favour ever granted to any before the
incarnation of our Lord
at least in so full and glorious a manner as this was;
Moses having by his suit obtained much
wants more and is emboldened to ask it
and in a good measure had it
as the following words show.
Exodus 33:19 19 Then He said
“I will make
all My goodness pass before you
and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I
will be gracious to whom I will be gracious
and I will have compassion on whom
I will have compassion.”
YLT 19and He saith
`I cause all My goodness to
pass before thy face
and have called concerning the Name of Jehovah before
thee
and favoured him whom I favour
and loved him whom I love.'
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 afterwards interpreted;
and may be understood of Christ himself
who is the goodness of God itself
is
not only good
but the Lord's good One
emphatically good; as he is called his
holy One
so his good One; because all his goodness is laid up in him
is
prevented and filled as Mediator
with the blessings of his goodness; all are
proclaimed in him
displayed through him
and communicated by him; and he is
that glorious Personage that Moses might be desirous of having a view of
and
was favoured with; however
with a view of the divine goodness
as it is
conspicuous in him
in what he is
and has done for his people; for God has
shown forth the exceeding riches of his grace and goodness in him:
and I will
proclaim the name of the Lord before thee: his name and his nature
his perfections
and the glory of them
as displayed in Christ; or when he is
about to pass
or while he is passing by
lest he should pass by unobserved
I
will proclaim aloud and give thee notice that he is now passing by thee
whose
name is Jehovah
and whose nature
glory
and goodness
are as follow:
and will be
gracious to whom I will be gracious
and will show mercy on whom I will show
mercy: signifying that notwithstanding the children of Israel had
sinned against him in such a manner as they had
yet he should show favour
grace
and mercy to them
in pardoning their sins; and it should be
distributed
not according to any merits of theirs
but according to his
sovereign will and pleasure
and not to all
but to whomsoever he thought fit;
and in this would be seen his glory: and so it is with respect to grace and
mercy
as displayed in Christ to sinful men; it is not in proportion to their
deserts
but according to the purpose and good will of God
and that not unto
all
but unto some whom he has appointed
not unto wrath
but unto salvation by
Jesus Christ
and which is to the glory of his grace; and the more enlarged
view men have of this
the more clearly and fully does the goodness and glory
of God pass before them.
Exodus 33:20 20 But He said
“You cannot
see My face; for no man shall see Me
and live.”
YLT 20He saith also
`Thou art unable to see My
face
for man doth not see Me
and live;'
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 and works
as of creation and providence
so more
especially of grace
salvation
and redemption by Jesus Christ
that is known
of him; the things of the Gospel in their full perfection are what eye has not
seen; and particularly were more hidden and unseen under the legal
dispensation; this face was covered with types and shadows
and dark
representations of things; though
in comparison of that state
we now
with
open face
behold the glory of the Lord
yet still it is through a glass
darkly
and we have not the clear and full view of things as will be hereafter:
for there shall
no man see me and live: if there was to be such a revelation made of the grace and
goodness
and glory of God in Christ
as it really is in itself
it would be
too much for mortals in the present state to bear; it would break their earthen
vessels in pieces; the full discovery therefore is reserved to a future state
when these things will be seen as they are
and men will be in a condition to receive
them; otherwise we find that men have
in a sense
seen the face of God in this
life
and have lived; though many
and even good men
have been possessed with
such a notion
that if a man saw God he must die
see Genesis 32:30.
Exodus 33:21 21 And
the Lord
said
“Here is a place by Me
and you shall stand on the rock.
YLT 21Jehovah also saith
`Lo
a place [is] by Me
and thou hast stood on the rock
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 refuge
salvation
and strength; comparable to
one for shelter
solidity
firmness
strength
and duration; and happy are they
who stand upon this rock; they are safe and secure
they stand on high
and
have noble prospects of the perfections of God
and of the riches of his grace
and goodness
see Psalm 50:2.
Exodus 33:22 22 So it shall be
while My
glory passes by
that I will put you in the cleft of the rock
and will cover
you with My hand while I pass by.
YLT 22and it hath come to pass
in the passing by
of Mine honour
that I have set thee in a cleft of the rock
and spread out My
hands over thee
until My passing by
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 toldF3Egmont 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 Mousa
or the
mountain of Moses
is perceived a large chasm in the rock
said to be the cave
where Moses hid himself from God
when the glory of the Lord passed before him.
Now this cleft may be an emblem of Christ
as crucified
smitten
wounded and
slain; who was smitten by the law and justice of God
as this rock was smitten
by the rod of Moses: and had gashes and wounds made in him like the clefts of a
rock
being pierced with the nails and spear: and in these clefts of the rock
saints dwell by faith
Song of Solomon 2:14
and will cover
thee with my hand; with his cloud
as Ben Melech
and so may denote the cloudiness
obscurity
and darkness of the legal dispensation: but here it seems to denote
imperfection
not being able to bear the full sight of the divine glory
and
which angels themselves cannot bear
but cover their faces; and also the danger
of being consumed
were it not that saints are in Christ
and covered and
secured in him
otherwise God is a consuming fire:
while I pass by
thee; or his glory
the glory of all his perfections
wisdom
holiness
justice
power
and faithfulness
and especially of his grace
mercy
and goodness in Christ.
Exodus 33:23 23 Then I will take away My
hand
and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.”
YLT 23and I have turned aside My hands
and thou
hast seen My back parts
and My face is not seen.'
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 Christ
and his
sufferings in it
sometimes expressed by his heel
and the bruising of it
Genesis 3:15 or
else the works of God in creation
by which the invisible things of God are
seen
and which give a knowledge of him "a posteriori"; and so
MaimonidesF4Moreh Nevochim
par. 1. c. 38. interprets the phrase
which follow me
flow from my will
i.e. all my creatures: or rather it denotes
the imperfect knowledge of God in the present state
even as revealed in Christ
in whom there are the clearest and brightest displays of his glory; yet this
in comparison of the beatific sight of him
is but like seeing a man that is
gone by
whose back is only to be seen:
but my face
shall not be seen; in the present state
the face of God
that is
his favour
communion with him
and the light of his countenance
are to be sought for
and
may be enjoyed; the glory of himself is to be seen in the face or person of
Christ
and the glory of that face or person is to be seen in the glass of the
Gospel
but at present imperfectly; God in Christ as he is
the fullest and
brightest displays of his glory
grace
and goodness
are reserved to another
state
see 1 Corinthians 13:9
or it may regard the divine nature of Christ
which could not be seen by Moses
but his back parts
or human; Christ as clothed with flesh might
and would be
seen by him
as he was seen by him on the mount
Matthew 17:3.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》