查經資料大全

 

| Back to Home Page | Back to Book Index |

 

Exodus Chapter Thirty-three

 

Exodus 33 Outlines

The Command to Leave Sinai (v.1~6)

Moses Meets with the Lord (v.7~11)

The Promise of God’s Presence (v.12~23)

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