About Exodus

Exodus tells the story of Israel's deliverance from Egyptian slavery, the giving of the Law at Sinai, and the establishment of the tabernacle as the center of worship.

Author: MosesWritten: c. 1445-1405 BCReading time: ~3 minVerses: 23
DeliveranceRedemptionCovenantLawWorshipGod's Presence

King James Version

Exodus 33

23 verses with commentary

The Lord's Presence Promised

And the LORD said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it:

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And the LORD said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence</strong>—After the golden calf apostasy (ch. 32), God commands departure but threatens withdrawal of His immediate presence. The phrase 'the people which thou hast brought up' (not 'My people whom I brought up') signals divine distancing. Yet the covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob remains unbreakable—God's faithfulness transc...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

XXXIII. THE HUMILIATION OF THE PEOPLE AT THE THREAT OF GOD’S WITHDRAWAL. (1-6) If God consented at all to renew His covenant with the people, after they had so flagrantly broken it, the terms on which He would renew it were, in strict justice, purely optional. In the “Book of the Covenant” He had promised to go up with them by an Angel, in whom was His Name (Exodus 23:20-23): *i.e., *by His Son, t...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**7-8. Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense--**literally, "incense of spices"--Strong aromatic substances were burnt upon this altar to counteract by their odoriferous fragrance the offensive fumes of the sacrifices; or the incense was employed in an offering of tributary homage which the Orientals used to make as a mark of honor to kings; and as God was Theocratic Ruler of Israel, His palace wa...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 33 Chapter Outline The Lord refuses to go with Israel.(1-6) The tabernacle of Moses removed without the camp.(7-11) Moses desires to see the glory of God.(12-23) **Verses 1-6** Those whom God pardons, must be made to know what their sin deserved. "Let them go forward as they are;" this was very expressive of God's displeasure. Though he promises to make good his coven...
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And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And I will send an angel before thee</strong>—God promises angelic guidance and military victory, but this is a diminished blessing compared to His own presence (v.3). The comprehensive list of Canaanite nations emphasizes complete conquest, yet the absence of direct divine presence makes this a mixed promise. Angels are servants, not substitutes for the Master. Moses will later reject eve...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(2) **I will send an angel before thee.**—“An angel” is ambiguous. It might designate the Angel of the Covenant, the Angel of God’s presence, as in Exodus 23:20; or it might mean a mere ordinary angel, on a par with those who presided over the destinies of other nations besides the Hebrews (Daniel 10:13; Daniel 10:20). That here the expression is used in this latter sense is made manifest by the d...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**9. Ye shall offer no strange incense--**that is, of a different composition from that of which the ingredients are described so minutely.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 33 Chapter Outline The Lord refuses to go with Israel.(1-6) The tabernacle of Moses removed without the camp.(7-11) Moses desires to see the glory of God.(12-23) **Verses 1-6** Those whom God pardons, must be made to know what their sin deserved. "Let them go forward as they are;" this was very expressive of God's displeasure. Though he promises to make good his coven...
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Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>For I will not go up in the midst of thee</strong>—The devastating announcement: God will fulfill His promise but withdraw His immediate presence. The reason is Israel's stubborn rebellion (עַם קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף, am qesheh oref, 'stiff-necked people'). The danger is real: 'lest I consume thee in the way'—God's holiness would destroy unholy people. This reveals the paradox of divine presence: Is...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(3) **A land flowing with milk and honey.**—See Note on Exodus 3:8. **Lest I consume thee.**—Comp. Exodus 32:10; Leviticus 10:2; Ps. 88:21, 31, &c. “God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29). His near presence, if it does not cleanse and purify, scorches and withers. The conduct of Israel in the wilderness was such as continually to provoke Him to destroy them; and but for His amazing compassion an...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 33 Chapter Outline The Lord refuses to go with Israel.(1-6) The tabernacle of Moses removed without the camp.(7-11) Moses desires to see the glory of God.(12-23) **Verses 1-6** Those whom God pardons, must be made to know what their sin deserved. "Let them go forward as they are;" this was very expressive of God's displeasure. Though he promises to make good his coven...
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And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned</strong>—The Hebrew רָעָה (ra'ah, 'evil/calamitous') captures the devastating nature of losing God's presence. True repentance manifests in mourning, not mere regret over consequences. Removing ornaments (likely the jewelry used to make the golden calf) signifies stripping away false securities and idolatrous attachments. This corp...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(4) **When the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned.**—It was something that the people felt the tidings to be “evil.” It is natural for sinful men to shrink from the near presence of God (Matthew 8:34; Luke 5:8); and so the Israelites had shrunk from it a short time previously (Exodus 20:19). Even now they would probably have feared a too near contact; but still, they were unwilling that...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**11-16. When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, &amp;c.--**Moses did so twice, and doubtless observed the law here prescribed. The tax was not levied from women, minors, old men (Nu 1:42, 45), and the Levites (Nu 1:47), they being not numbered. Assuming the shekel of the sanctuary to be about half an ounce troy, though nothing certain is known about it, the sum payable by each individ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 33 Chapter Outline The Lord refuses to go with Israel.(1-6) The tabernacle of Moses removed without the camp.(7-11) Moses desires to see the glory of God.(12-23) **Verses 1-6** Those whom God pardons, must be made to know what their sin deserved. "Let them go forward as they are;" this was very expressive of God's displeasure. Though he promises to make good his coven...
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For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Ye are a stiffnecked people</strong>—God repeats the diagnosis, emphasizing Israel's chronic rebellion. The warning 'I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee' shows that God's presence among sinful people is like fire among dry stubble. The command to remove ornaments becomes a test: will they humble themselves? This stripping prefigures the deeper work needed—ci...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(5)**For the Lord had said unto Moses**.—Rather, *And the Lord said unto Moses. *The message did not precede the repentance of the people, but followed it. **I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee.**—Rather, *were I to go up in the midst of thee, even for a moment *(a brief space), *I should consume thee. *The people learnt by this the reason of God’s proposed withdraw...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**11-16. When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, &amp;c.--**Moses did so twice, and doubtless observed the law here prescribed. The tax was not levied from women, minors, old men (Nu 1:42, 45), and the Levites (Nu 1:47), they being not numbered. Assuming the shekel of the sanctuary to be about half an ounce troy, though nothing certain is known about it, the sum payable by each individ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 33 Chapter Outline The Lord refuses to go with Israel.(1-6) The tabernacle of Moses removed without the camp.(7-11) Moses desires to see the glory of God.(12-23) **Verses 1-6** Those whom God pardons, must be made to know what their sin deserved. "Let them go forward as they are;" this was very expressive of God's displeasure. Though he promises to make good his coven...
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And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb</strong>—Obedience follows command (v.5). The location 'mount Horeb' (Sinai) emphasizes the irony: at the very place they received the law and saw God's glory, they had rebelled. Now they strip away the trappings of pride and false worship. This external act symbolizes internal contrition. Yet stripping or...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(6) **And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments**—*i.e., *left off their ornaments, ceased to wear them altogether. **By the mount Horeb.**—Rather, *from mount Horeb, i.e., *from the time of their first discarding them in Horeb (= Sinai).

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**11-16. When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, &amp;c.--**Moses did so twice, and doubtless observed the law here prescribed. The tax was not levied from women, minors, old men (Nu 1:42, 45), and the Levites (Nu 1:47), they being not numbered. Assuming the shekel of the sanctuary to be about half an ounce troy, though nothing certain is known about it, the sum payable by each individ...
Read full commentary →

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 33 Chapter Outline The Lord refuses to go with Israel.(1-6) The tabernacle of Moses removed without the camp.(7-11) Moses desires to see the glory of God.(12-23) **Verses 1-6** Those whom God pardons, must be made to know what their sin deserved. "Let them go forward as they are;" this was very expressive of God's displeasure. Though he promises to make good his coven...
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And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off</strong>—This is the 'tent of meeting' (אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, ohel mo'ed), distinct from the later tabernacle (mishkan) not yet constructed. Moses establishes it outside the camp, symbolizing God's separation from sinful Israel. The distance emphasizes estrangement. Yet God still meets with those who seek Him—anyone could go ...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

MOSES ESTABLISHES A TEMPORARY TABERNACLE. (7-11) Moses, having experienced the blessedness of solitary communion with God during the forty days spent on Sinai, felt now, as he had never felt before, the want of a “house of God,” whither he might retire for prayer and meditation, secure of being undisturbed. Months would necessarily elapse before the Tabernacle could be constructed according to the...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**11-16. When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, &amp;c.--**Moses did so twice, and doubtless observed the law here prescribed. The tax was not levied from women, minors, old men (Nu 1:42, 45), and the Levites (Nu 1:47), they being not numbered. Assuming the shekel of the sanctuary to be about half an ounce troy, though nothing certain is known about it, the sum payable by each individ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 7-11** Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp. This seems to have been a temporary building, set up for worship, and at which he judged disputes among the people. The people looked after him; they were very desirous to be at peace with God, and concerned to know what would come to pass. The cloudy pillar which had withdrawn from the camp when it was polluted with i...
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And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up</strong>—The people's response shows reverence and hope. Standing at tent doors, watching Moses' journey to the tent of meeting, they recognize their need for a mediator. They cannot approach directly but must have Moses go for them. Their standing posture indicates respect, anticipation, and implicit...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(8) **When Moses went out . . . all the people rose up.**—As a mark of respect and reverence. (Comp. Esther 5:9.) **The cloudy pillar descended.**—During the stay of the Israelites in the plain at the foot of Sinai, the ordinary place occupied by the pillar of the cloud was the summit of the mount (Exodus 19:16; Exodus 19:20; Exodus 20:21; Exodus 24:15-18; Exodus 34:5). At this time, whenever Mose...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**11-16. When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, &amp;c.--**Moses did so twice, and doubtless observed the law here prescribed. The tax was not levied from women, minors, old men (Nu 1:42, 45), and the Levites (Nu 1:47), they being not numbered. Assuming the shekel of the sanctuary to be about half an ounce troy, though nothing certain is known about it, the sum payable by each individ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 7-11** Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp. This seems to have been a temporary building, set up for worship, and at which he judged disputes among the people. The people looked after him; they were very desirous to be at peace with God, and concerned to know what would come to pass. The cloudy pillar which had withdrawn from the camp when it was polluted with i...
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And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended</strong>—The cloud (עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן, ammud he'anan) represents God's presence, glory, and guidance (Exodus 13:21-22). Its descent signals God's willingness to meet despite Israel's sin. The cloud stands at the door, not inside the camp, maintaining the separation caused by sin while demonstrating continu...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**11-16. When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, &amp;c.--**Moses did so twice, and doubtless observed the law here prescribed. The tax was not levied from women, minors, old men (Nu 1:42, 45), and the Levites (Nu 1:47), they being not numbered. Assuming the shekel of the sanctuary to be about half an ounce troy, though nothing certain is known about it, the sum payable by each individ...
Read full commentary →

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 7-11** Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp. This seems to have been a temporary building, set up for worship, and at which he judged disputes among the people. The people looked after him; they were very desirous to be at peace with God, and concerned to know what would come to pass. The cloudy pillar which had withdrawn from the camp when it was polluted with i...
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And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door</strong>—The visible proof of God's presence evokes corporate worship. Each person rises and worships 'in his tent door,' unable to approach closer but responding in reverence. This democratized worship shows that though Moses alone enters God's presence, every Israelite has access to worship. The tent doors create a cir...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 7-11** Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp. This seems to have been a temporary building, set up for worship, and at which he judged disputes among the people. The people looked after him; they were very desirous to be at peace with God, and concerned to know what would come to pass. The cloudy pillar which had withdrawn from the camp when it was polluted with i...
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And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend</strong>—פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים (panim el panim, 'face to face') indicates intimate, direct communication, not visual perception of God's essence (v.20 clarifies no one can see God's face and live). This relational intimacy surpasses all other revelations—not visions, dreams, or angels, but immediate communion. Mose...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(11) **Face to face.**—Comp. Numbers 12:8; Deuteronomy 34:10. This is clearly spoken of as a privilege peculiar to Moses; but in what exactly the peculiarity consisted is not apparent. Some special closeness of approach is no doubt meant—some nearness such as had been enjoyed by no mortal previously. In later times, Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-5) and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:28) were perhaps equally favoured. **...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**18-21. Thou shalt ... make a laver of brass--**Though not actually forming a component part of the furniture of the tabernacle, this vase was closely connected with it; and though from standing at the entrance it would be a familiar object, it possessed great interest and importance from the baptismal purposes to which it was applied. No data are given by which its form and size can be ascertain...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 7-11** Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp. This seems to have been a temporary building, set up for worship, and at which he judged disputes among the people. The people looked after him; they were very desirous to be at peace with God, and concerned to know what would come to pass. The cloudy pillar which had withdrawn from the camp when it was polluted with i...
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Moses and the Glory of God

And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people</strong>—Moses' intercession begins with honest wrestling. He points out the tension: God commands him to lead but hasn't guaranteed His presence ('thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me'). Moses refuses to accept leadership without divine presence. The phrase 'I know thee by name' (יָדַעְתִּיךָ בְש...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

MOSES OBTAINS A RENEWAL OF GOD’S PROMISE TO GO UP WITH THE PEOPLE. (12-17) The self-humiliation of the people (Exodus 33:4-6) had appeased God’s anger. He was now ready to be entreated. Moses therefore renews his supplications on their behalf, and especially prays for a revocation of the threatened withdrawal of the Divine Presence, and substitution for it of a mere angel. Taking advantage of his ...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**18-21. Thou shalt ... make a laver of brass--**Though not actually forming a component part of the furniture of the tabernacle, this vase was closely connected with it; and though from standing at the entrance it would be a familiar object, it possessed great interest and importance from the baptismal purposes to which it was applied. No data are given by which its form and size can be ascertain...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 12-23** Moses is very earnest with God. Thus, by the intercession of Christ, we are not only saved from ruin, but become entitled to everlasting happiness. Observe here how he pleads. We find grace in God's sight, if we find grace in our hearts to guide and quicken us in the way of our duty. Moses speaks as one who dreaded the thought of going forward without the Lord's presence. God'...
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Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way</strong>—Moses seeks experiential knowledge of God's character and methods ('thy way'), not mere information. The Hebrew דֶּרֶךְ (derek, 'way') encompasses God's nature, purposes, and patterns of working. Moses wants to know God Himself, that he might better represent Him ('that I may know thee'). The goal ...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(13) **Shew me now thy way**—i.e., Thy course—Thy intention. Let me know if Thou really intendest to withdraw Thyself from us, and put a created being in Thy place or no. **Consider that this nation is thy people.**—Moses glances back at God’s words recorded in Exodus 32:7, and reminds God that the Israelites are not merely his (Moses’) people, but also, in a higher sense, God’s people. As such, G...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**18-21. Thou shalt ... make a laver of brass--**Though not actually forming a component part of the furniture of the tabernacle, this vase was closely connected with it; and though from standing at the entrance it would be a familiar object, it possessed great interest and importance from the baptismal purposes to which it was applied. No data are given by which its form and size can be ascertain...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 12-23** Moses is very earnest with God. Thus, by the intercession of Christ, we are not only saved from ruin, but become entitled to everlasting happiness. Observe here how he pleads. We find grace in God's sight, if we find grace in our hearts to guide and quicken us in the way of our duty. Moses speaks as one who dreaded the thought of going forward without the Lord's presence. God'...
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And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest</strong>—God grants Moses' request! The Hebrew פָּנַי (panai, 'My face/presence') reverses the threatened withdrawal (v.3). 'I will give thee rest' (וַהֲנִחֹתִי לָךְ, vahanichotiy lakh) promises both physical rest in Canaan and spiritual rest in God's favor. This personal promise to Moses will extend corporately if Mose...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(14) **My presence shall go with thee.**—There is no “with thee” in the original, and consequently the phrase is ambiguous. Moses could not tell whether it was a personal promise to himself, or a renewal of the old engagement to go with the people. He consequently requires something more explicit. Will God go, not merely with him, but with the people? (Exodus 33:15-16).

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**18-21. Thou shalt ... make a laver of brass--**Though not actually forming a component part of the furniture of the tabernacle, this vase was closely connected with it; and though from standing at the entrance it would be a familiar object, it possessed great interest and importance from the baptismal purposes to which it was applied. No data are given by which its form and size can be ascertain...
Read full commentary →

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 12-23** Moses is very earnest with God. Thus, by the intercession of Christ, we are not only saved from ruin, but become entitled to everlasting happiness. Observe here how he pleads. We find grace in God's sight, if we find grace in our hearts to guide and quicken us in the way of our duty. Moses speaks as one who dreaded the thought of going forward without the Lord's presence. God'...
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And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence</strong>—Moses' response reveals his priorities: no presence, no progress. He refuses success without God, blessing without the Blesser, promised land without the Promising One. Notice 'with me' becomes 'carry us'—Moses intercedes for the people, not himself alone. This bold prayer demonstrates that apparent succes...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 12-23** Moses is very earnest with God. Thus, by the intercession of Christ, we are not only saved from ruin, but become entitled to everlasting happiness. Observe here how he pleads. We find grace in God's sight, if we find grace in our hearts to guide and quicken us in the way of our duty. Moses speaks as one who dreaded the thought of going forward without the Lord's presence. God'...
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For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight?</strong>—Moses makes a theological argument: Israel's distinctiveness depends solely on God's presence. Not their obedience, abilities, or achievements, but God dwelling among them sets them apart from 'all the people that are upon the face of the earth.' This verse articulates election's purpose: God's...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**23-33. Take thou also ... principal spices, &amp;c.--**Oil is frequently mentioned in Scripture as an emblem of sanctification, and anointing with it a means of designating objects as well as persons to the service of God. Here it is prescribed by divine authority, and the various ingredients in their several proportions described which were to compose the oil used in consecrating the furniture ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 12-23** Moses is very earnest with God. Thus, by the intercession of Christ, we are not only saved from ruin, but become entitled to everlasting happiness. Observe here how he pleads. We find grace in God's sight, if we find grace in our hearts to guide and quicken us in the way of our duty. Moses speaks as one who dreaded the thought of going forward without the Lord's presence. God'...
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And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken</strong>—Complete victory for intercession! God grants Moses' request, explicitly citing two reasons: 'thou hast found grace in my sight' and 'I know thee by name.' Grace (חֵן, chen) is unmerited favor, while being known by name indicates intimate, personal relationship. Moses' bold intercession succeeded not thr...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(17) **I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken.**—At length the promise is unambiguously given. Moses is rewarded for his importunity. God’s people have found grace in His sight. He will “go up” with them, and so “separate them,” or distinguish them, from “all the people that are on the face of the earth.” Now at last Moses is satisfied.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**23-33. Take thou also ... principal spices, &amp;c.--**Oil is frequently mentioned in Scripture as an emblem of sanctification, and anointing with it a means of designating objects as well as persons to the service of God. Here it is prescribed by divine authority, and the various ingredients in their several proportions described which were to compose the oil used in consecrating the furniture ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 12-23** Moses is very earnest with God. Thus, by the intercession of Christ, we are not only saved from ruin, but become entitled to everlasting happiness. Observe here how he pleads. We find grace in God's sight, if we find grace in our hearts to guide and quicken us in the way of our duty. Moses speaks as one who dreaded the thought of going forward without the Lord's presence. God'...
Read full commentary →

And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory</strong>—Having secured God's presence for Israel, Moses requests the ultimate privilege: seeing God's כָּבוֹד (kavod, 'glory/weightiness'). This isn't presumption but deepened hunger—each revelation increases desire for more. Moses has experienced God's presence, friendship, and favor; now he seeks the beatific vision itself. This request rev...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

MOSES’ REQUEST TO SEE GOD’S GLORY, AND GOD’S REPLY TO IT. (18-23) Not till he had received full assurance of the people’s restoration to favour did Moses prefer any request for himself. Then, however, he made use of the privilege granted him to speak with God, “as a man speaketh unto his friend,” in order to obtain a blessing for which his spiritual nature craved, and than which he could conceive ...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**23-33. Take thou also ... principal spices, &amp;c.--**Oil is frequently mentioned in Scripture as an emblem of sanctification, and anointing with it a means of designating objects as well as persons to the service of God. Here it is prescribed by divine authority, and the various ingredients in their several proportions described which were to compose the oil used in consecrating the furniture ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 12-23** Moses is very earnest with God. Thus, by the intercession of Christ, we are not only saved from ruin, but become entitled to everlasting happiness. Observe here how he pleads. We find grace in God's sight, if we find grace in our hearts to guide and quicken us in the way of our duty. Moses speaks as one who dreaded the thought of going forward without the Lord's presence. God'...
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And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee</strong>—God grants Moses' request but on divine terms. Rather than abstract glory, God reveals His טוּב (tuv, 'goodness')—His moral excellence and benevolent character. The proclamation of Yahweh's name reveals His covenant faithfulness. The phrase 'I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will s...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(19) I will make all my goodness pass before thee.—It is not clear how this was fulfilled. Perhaps, as God announced His name—“the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,” &c. (Exodus 34:6-7)—a revelation of God’s ineffable goodness was miraculously flashed into his inmost soul, and the thousand instances of it which he had known brought disti...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**23-33. Take thou also ... principal spices, &amp;c.--**Oil is frequently mentioned in Scripture as an emblem of sanctification, and anointing with it a means of designating objects as well as persons to the service of God. Here it is prescribed by divine authority, and the various ingredients in their several proportions described which were to compose the oil used in consecrating the furniture ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 12-23** Moses is very earnest with God. Thus, by the intercession of Christ, we are not only saved from ruin, but become entitled to everlasting happiness. Observe here how he pleads. We find grace in God's sight, if we find grace in our hearts to guide and quicken us in the way of our duty. Moses speaks as one who dreaded the thought of going forward without the Lord's presence. God'...
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And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live</strong>—God establishes a crucial limitation: seeing the divine 'face' (פָּנַי, panai—God's essence, full unveiled glory) would annihilate mortal humanity. This explains the apparent contradiction with v.11's 'face to face'—that phrase meant relational intimacy, not visual perception of divine essence. The pr...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**23-33. Take thou also ... principal spices, &amp;c.--**Oil is frequently mentioned in Scripture as an emblem of sanctification, and anointing with it a means of designating objects as well as persons to the service of God. Here it is prescribed by divine authority, and the various ingredients in their several proportions described which were to compose the oil used in consecrating the furniture ...
Read full commentary →

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 12-23** Moses is very earnest with God. Thus, by the intercession of Christ, we are not only saved from ruin, but become entitled to everlasting happiness. Observe here how he pleads. We find grace in God's sight, if we find grace in our hearts to guide and quicken us in the way of our duty. Moses speaks as one who dreaded the thought of going forward without the Lord's presence. God'...
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And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock</strong>—God prepares a specific location for revelation. The rock (צוּר, tsur) becomes both physical platform and theological symbol—Christ is identified as the Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4). The phrase 'a place by me' indicates proximity without complete exposure. God orchestrates the encounter carefully, dem...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(21) **There is a place by me.**—A place on the summit of Sinai, where God had been manifesting Himself, is clearly intended; but it is impossible to fix the place with any certainty. Speculations like those of Dr. Robinson (*Biblical Researches, *Vol. 1, p. 153) are of little value.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**23-33. Take thou also ... principal spices, &amp;c.--**Oil is frequently mentioned in Scripture as an emblem of sanctification, and anointing with it a means of designating objects as well as persons to the service of God. Here it is prescribed by divine authority, and the various ingredients in their several proportions described which were to compose the oil used in consecrating the furniture ...
Read full commentary →

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 12-23** Moses is very earnest with God. Thus, by the intercession of Christ, we are not only saved from ruin, but become entitled to everlasting happiness. Observe here how he pleads. We find grace in God's sight, if we find grace in our hearts to guide and quicken us in the way of our duty. Moses speaks as one who dreaded the thought of going forward without the Lord's presence. God'...
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And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock</strong>—The rock's cleft (נִקְרַת הַצּוּר, niqrat hatsur) becomes a protective refuge. God's hand (כַּפִּי, kappi) covers the opening until the glory passes. This intimate protection—God's own hand shielding Moses—shows tender care in the midst of overwhelming holiness. The cleft represents C...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(22) **And will cover thee with my hand.—**Kalisch observes with justice that the mysteriousness of this obscure section “attains its highest climax in the three last verses” (Exodus 33:21-23). Human language is, by its very nature, unfit for the expression of sublime spiritual truths, and necessarily clothes them in a materialistic garment which is alien to their ethereal nature. All that we can ...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**23-33. Take thou also ... principal spices, &amp;c.--**Oil is frequently mentioned in Scripture as an emblem of sanctification, and anointing with it a means of designating objects as well as persons to the service of God. Here it is prescribed by divine authority, and the various ingredients in their several proportions described which were to compose the oil used in consecrating the furniture ...
Read full commentary →

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 12-23** Moses is very earnest with God. Thus, by the intercession of Christ, we are not only saved from ruin, but become entitled to everlasting happiness. Observe here how he pleads. We find grace in God's sight, if we find grace in our hearts to guide and quicken us in the way of our duty. Moses speaks as one who dreaded the thought of going forward without the Lord's presence. God'...
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And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen</strong>—Moses sees God's אֲחֹרָי (achorai, 'back parts' or 'afterglow')—the diminishing radiance after God passes, not the direct full-frontal glory. This is maximum revelation possible for mortals in unredeemed state. Some interpret this anthropomorphically (God's 'back'), others as aftermath/...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**23-33. Take thou also ... principal spices, &amp;c.--**Oil is frequently mentioned in Scripture as an emblem of sanctification, and anointing with it a means of designating objects as well as persons to the service of God. Here it is prescribed by divine authority, and the various ingredients in their several proportions described which were to compose the oil used in consecrating the furniture ...
Read full commentary →

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 12-23** Moses is very earnest with God. Thus, by the intercession of Christ, we are not only saved from ruin, but become entitled to everlasting happiness. Observe here how he pleads. We find grace in God's sight, if we find grace in our hearts to guide and quicken us in the way of our duty. Moses speaks as one who dreaded the thought of going forward without the Lord's presence. God'...
Read full commentary →

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