Exodus

Exodus 33:17–23

¹⁷So the LORD said to Moses, “I will do this very thing you have asked, for you have found favor in My sight, and I know you by name.”

¹⁸Then Moses said, “Please show me Your glory.”

¹⁹“I will cause all My goodness to pass before you,” the LORD replied, “and I will proclaim My name — the LORD — in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”^b

²⁰But He added, “You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.”

²¹The LORD continued, “There is a place near Me where you are to stand upon a rock, ²²and when My glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. ²³Then I will take My hand away, and you will see My back; but My face must not be seen.”

Footnotes

b 33:19 Cited in Romans 9:15|ROM 9:15

Read all of Exodus 33

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Exodus 33:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So the LORD	יְהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
said	וַיֹּ֤אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Moses	מֹשֶׁ֔ה	mō·šeh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4872 Moses
I will do	אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֑ה	’e·‘ĕ·śeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H6213 do, make
this	הַזֶּ֛ה	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
very	גַּ֣ם	gam	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
thing	הַדָּבָ֥ר	had·dā·ḇār	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1697 speech, word
you have asked	דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ	dib·bar·tā	Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H1696 speak
for	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
you have found	מָצָ֤אתָ	mā·ṣā·ṯā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H4672 attain to, find
favor	חֵן֙	ḥên	Noun - masculine singular	H2580 favour, grace
in My sight	בְּעֵינַ֔י	bə·‘ê·nay	Preposition-b; Noun - cdc; first person common singular	H5869 eye
and I know	וָאֵדָעֲךָ֖	wā·’ê·ḏā·‘ă·ḵā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular; second person masculine singular	H3045 know
you by name	בְּשֵֽׁם׃	bə·šêm	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H8034 name

Exodus 33:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then Moses said	וַיֹּאמַ֑ר	way·yō·mar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Please	נָ֖א	nā	Interjection	H4994 I (we) pray, now
show me	הַרְאֵ֥נִי	har·’ê·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singular	H7200 see
Your glory	כְּבֹדֶֽךָ׃	kə·ḇō·ḏe·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3519 abundance, honour, glory

Exodus 33:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I	אֲנִ֨י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
will cause all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
My goodness	טוּבִי֙	ṭū·ḇî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H2898 good things, goods, goodness
to pass	אַעֲבִ֤יר	’a·‘ă·ḇîr	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular	H5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
before	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
you	פָּנֶ֔יךָ	pā·ne·ḵā	Noun - common plural construct; second person masculine singular	H6440 face, before
replied	וַיֹּ֗אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
and I will proclaim	וְקָרָ֧אתִֽי	wə·qā·rā·ṯî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
name	בְשֵׁ֛ם	ḇə·šêm	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H8034 name
the LORD	יְהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
in your presence	לְפָנֶ֑יךָ	lə·p̄ā·ne·ḵā	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct; second person masculine singular	H6440 face, before
I will have mercy	וְחַנֹּתִי֙	wə·ḥan·nō·ṯî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H2603 shew favour, be gracious
on whom	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
I have mercy	אָחֹ֔ן	’ā·ḥōn	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H2603 shew favour, be gracious
and I will have compassion	וְרִחַמְתִּ֖י	wə·ri·ḥam·tî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H7355 love
on whom	אֲשֶׁ֥ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
I have compassion	אֲרַחֵֽם׃	’ă·ra·ḥêm	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular	H7355 love

Exodus 33:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But He added	וַיֹּ֕אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
You cannot	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
see	לִרְאֹ֣ת	lir·’ōṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H7200 see
My face	פָּנָ֑י	pā·nāy	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H6440 face, before
for	כִּ֛י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
no	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
one	הָאָדָ֖ם	hā·’ā·ḏām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
can see	יִרְאַ֥נִי	yir·’a·nî	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H7200 see
and live	וָחָֽי׃	wā·ḥāy	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H2421 live

Exodus 33:21

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The LORD	יְהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
continued	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
There	הִנֵּ֥ה	hin·nêh	Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
is a place	מָק֖וֹם	mā·qō·wm	Noun - masculine singular	H4725 standing, spot, condition
near Me	אִתִּ֑י	’it·tî	Direct object marker; first person common singular	H854 with
where you are to stand	וְנִצַּבְתָּ֖	wə·niṣ·ṣaḇ·tā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular	H5324 take one's stand, stand
upon	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
a rock	הַצּֽוּר׃	haṣ·ṣūr	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6697 rock, cliff

Exodus 33:22

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
and when	וְהָיָה֙	wə·hā·yāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
My glory	כְּבֹדִ֔י	kə·ḇō·ḏî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H3519 abundance, honour, glory
passes by	בַּעֲבֹ֣ר	ba·‘ă·ḇōr	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
I will put you	וְשַׂמְתִּ֖יךָ	wə·śam·tî·ḵā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular; second person masculine singular	H7760 put, place, set
in a cleft	בְּנִקְרַ֣ת	bə·niq·raṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct	H5366 hole, crevice
of the rock	הַצּ֑וּר	haṣ·ṣūr	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6697 rock, cliff
and cover you	וְשַׂכֹּתִ֥י	wə·śak·kō·ṯî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H5526 overshadow, screen, cover
with My hand	כַפִּ֛י	ḵap·pî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H3709 hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, pan
until	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
I have passed by	עָבְרִֽי׃	‘ā·ḇə·rî	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; first person common singular	H5674 pass over, through, by, pass on

Exodus 33:23

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then I will take My hand	כַּפִּ֔י	kap·pî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H3709 hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, pan
away	וַהֲסִרֹתִי֙	wa·hă·si·rō·ṯî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H5493 turn aside
and you will see	וְרָאִ֖יתָ	wə·rā·’î·ṯā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular	H7200 see
My back	אֲחֹרָ֑י	’ă·ḥō·rāy	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H268 the hinder side, back part
but My face	וּפָנַ֖י	ū·p̄ā·nay	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H6440 face, before
must not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
be seen	יֵרָאֽוּ׃ס	yê·rā·’ū	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7200 see