Exodus 33:12-22, annotated

This translation is from the New American Standard Bible. Other translations are available here.  Information about the original Hebrew meaning of what seem to be the key words is provided immediately below the scriptural text.   Collections of scriptures dealing with similar principles are hyperlinked at the end of this post.

 

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Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people!’ But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’ ¹³Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people.” ¹⁴And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” ¹⁵Then he said to Him, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. ¹⁶ For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?”

 

¹⁷The Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name.” ¹⁸Then Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” ¹⁹And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” ²⁰But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” ²¹Then the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; ²²and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by.

 

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pray = נָא = nā' Blue Letter Bible   I pray, now, please; used in entreaty or exhortation; a primitive particle of incitement and entreaty; oh; expresses an entreaty or admonition

 

know =יָדַע= yāḏaʿ  Blue Letter Bible  perceive and see, find out and discern; discriminate, distinguish; know by experience; recognize; be acquainted with; know (a person carnally); know how, be skillful in; have knowledge, be wise; made known, be or become known, be revealed; be instructed; privy to; seeing; observe with the eyes; be aware of; get to know, discover; turn the mind to anything, care about, see about

 

presence = פָּנִים = paniym   Blue Letter Bible  person; countenance; before and behind, toward, in front of; in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of; turned toward; turn one’s face toward; on account of; acts done with a solemn sense of presence; to stand before, i.e. wait upon, be in attendance on; to bow down before; in front

 

rest = נוּחַ = nûaḥ Blue Letter Bible to rest, settle down and remain; cause to alight, set down; to be left, be placed; give comfort; sit, set one’s self down; be at rest, reside, remain; deposit, let down; lay upon 

 

with = עִם = ʿim Blue Letter Bible  Accompanying; beside; among, between; fellowship and companionship; together with; in conjunction with; the companionship of sufferings or prosperity; of a common lot; resemblance generally; close to, beside; in the service of; in the custody or care of; friendly with; in one's consciousness, whether of knowledge or memory or purpose; together; a common lot; near

 

pray = נָא = nā' Blue Letter Bible   I pray, now, please; used in entreaty or exhortation; a primitive particle of incitement and entreaty; oh; expresses an entreaty or admonition

 

goodness = טוּב = ṭûḇ Blue Letter Bible  goods, good things, goodness; fairness, beauty, joy, prosperity, goodness; goodness (of taste, discernment); beauty, gladness, welfare; best;  cheerfulness; produce of the land to be eaten

 

gracious = חָנַן = ḥānan   Blue Letter Bible   to be gracious, show favour, pity; have mercy on; be shown consideration; to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior

 

compassion = רָחַם = rāḥam  Blue Letter Bible   to love, love deeply, have mercy, be compassionate, have tender affection, have compassion; to fondle; behold with tenderest affection

 

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Wisdom Principles--We Should Strive to Live in God’s Presence 

 

Wisdom Principles--God Loves and Calls us to Him, In Spite of our Sin