Exodus

Exodus 33:20–23

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.”

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 33:20

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