Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Moses' plea isn't just a general request to see something awesome. He's asking for a glimpse into God's character and nature, what makes God, God, especially in light of His relationship with His people. This is more than just a visual spectacle; it's a deep longing to truly know the God who is leading them.
Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Having secured God's renewed promise to go with His people, Moses emboldens himself to ask for a deeper personal encounter with God. He yearns to see more than just God's presence or power, desiring a direct revelation of God's very essence. God, in response, acknowledges Moses' unique favor but explains that seeing His full glory is impossible for a mortal and promises a modified, yet profound, encounter.
Moses had already experienced God's presence in incredible ways – direct conversation, a pillar of cloud, even receiving the Law. Yet, he craved something more. What drives such a profound desire?
Beyond Familiarity to Intimacy
Moses' request, "Show me your glory," isn't just about seeing a dazzling light. It's the cry of a soul that has tasted God's presence and now yearns for a deeper, more intimate understanding of who He is.
Moses asks to see God's glory, but God's response is striking: 'You cannot see my face and live.' What does this reveal about God's awesome nature?
The Holiness and Power of God
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God's reply to Moses is a profound reminder of His absolute holiness and power. His glory, in its full, unadulterated essence, is beyond human capacity to endure.
Understand the original words
kabod · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the manifestation of God's presence, majesty, splendor, and weightiness. It represents the revelation of His essential character and holiness to humanity.
This passage speaks of the Word (Jesus) becoming flesh and dwelling among us, full of grace and truth, and that 'we have seen his glory.' This connects to Moses' desire to see God's glory, and the later understanding that Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God's glory to humanity.
2 Corinthians 3:18This verse states that we all, with unveiled face, are being transformed into the image of Christ, reflecting His glory. This relates to Moses' plea to see God's glory, and how believers now see and reflect God's glory through Christ, not as a direct, overwhelming vision, but through transformation.
Isaiah 6:1-3Isaiah's vision of the Lord in the temple, surrounded by seraphim crying 'Holy, holy, holy,' is a powerful encounter with God's majesty and holiness. This echoes Moses' deep yearning to perceive God's glorious presence beyond what he had already experienced.
Romans 9:15-16In this passage, Paul quotes God's declaration to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' This highlights the divine prerogative and the character of God's glory that Moses was seeking to understand: His sovereign mercy and compassion.
Matthew 17:1-5The Transfiguration shows Jesus revealing His glory to Peter, James, and John, with Moses and Elijah appearing. This event is a glimpse of Christ's divine glory, connecting to Moses' own desire to see God's glory, as Jesus is the ultimate manifestation of God's glory.
jfbExodus 33:18: "And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory."
18-23. I beseech thee, show me thy glory—This is one of the most mysterious scenes described in the Bible: he had, for his comfort and encouragement, a splendid and full display of the divine majesty, not in its unveiled effulgence, but as far as the weakness of humanity would admit. The face, hand, back parts, are to be understood figuratively.
cambridgeExodus 33:18: "And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory."
18 . Shew me ] Here, as a modern English reader would expect, ‘make me to see ,’ not as in v. 13, ‘make me to know .’ thy glory ] Thy full majesty. 18–23 . Moses repeats, in a more definite form, his request of v. 13. He asks to be allowed to see Jehovah’s glory; but is told in reply that he cannot see this in its fulness ( v. 20); he may, however, have a glimpse of it, sufficient to disclose to him God’s moral nature.
Moses' plea isn't just a general request to see something awesome. He's asking for a glimpse into God's character and nature, what makes God, God, especially in light of His relationship with His people. This is more than just a visual spectacle; it's a deep longing to truly know the God who is leading them.
Having secured God's renewed promise to go with His people, Moses emboldens himself to ask for a deeper personal encounter with God. He yearns to see more than just God's presence or power, desiring a direct revelation of God's very essence. God, in response, acknowledges Moses' unique favor but explains that seeing His full glory is impossible for a mortal and promises a modified, yet profound, encounter.
Having secured God's renewed promise to go with His people, Moses emboldens himself to ask for a deeper personal encounter with God. He yearns to see more than just God's presence or power, desiring a direct revelation of God's very essence. God, in response, acknowledges Moses' unique favor but explains that seeing His full glory is impossible for a mortal and promises a modified, yet profound, encounter.
"Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”" — Moses' plea isn't just a general request to see something awesome. He's asking for a glimpse into God's character and nature, what makes God, God, especially in light of His relationship with His…
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Last reviewed October 2026