Exodus 33:18-19
Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Moses wasn't just asking to see a big light show; he was pleading to understand God's very essence and character. He desired to see God's "glory," not just as a dazzling display, but as a revelation of God's moral nature and profound goodness, beyond what he had already experienced.
Having secured God’s renewed commitment to the people, Moses boldly asks for a deeper, more personal revelation of God's presence and majesty. This request moves beyond the divine guidance and protection previously discussed, seeking to truly grasp the essence of God's glory itself. In response, God promises to reveal His goodness and name, but warns that seeing His full glory in its unveiled splendor is impossible for mortal eyes to behold and survive.
Moses had already experienced incredible encounters with God, yet he wasn't satisfied. What does this tell us about true spiritual desire?
Even after hearing God's voice directly and seeing His power, Moses yearns for more. This isn't about greed or curiosity, but a deep spiritual hunger. It's like after tasting something amazing – you want more of that goodness! Moses has experienced God's presence and guidance, but he wants to see God's very essence, His 'glory.' This desire springs from a profound intimacy, a relationship where one longs for the deepest possible understanding of the one they love.
Think about it: God had promised to guide them, to be with them. But Moses, having communed so closely, craves a direct revelation of God's character and majesty. This is a testament to the spiritual appetite God creates in us; the more we experience Him, the more we want to know Him.
Moses asked to see God's glory, but God said 'no' to seeing His face. Why this restriction, and how was Moses still blessed?
God's response to Moses is both direct and gracious. He explains that full, unmediated sight of His glory is impossible for humans in this life ('no man shall see me and live'). Our physical and spiritual limitations mean we would be overwhelmed and destroyed by such a direct encounter with God's perfect holiness and power.
However, God doesn't leave Moses empty-handed. Instead, He offers a revelation that is tailored to Moses' capacity: 'I will make all my goodness pass before you' and will proclaim His name. This is a profound act of grace. God doesn't just withhold; He reveals as much as can be revealed and sustained. He shows Moses His 'back parts' – a glimpse of His glory, His power, and His character, but shielded and mediated. This shows God's deep care for Moses, not wanting to destroy him but to reveal Himself in a way that could be received and would strengthen him.
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.
tub · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the moral excellence, kindness, benevolence, and active generosity of God. It encompasses His character as the source of all that is beneficial and morally upright.
chanan · Hebrew Verb
Divine favor or kindness granted to those who are undeserving. It is rooted in God's nature as one who chooses to bestow unearned blessings, particularly in the context of salvation or deliverance.
racham · Hebrew Verb
Compassionate response to misery or need, often involving the withholding of deserved judgment. It represents God’s tender, active pity and covenantal love towards His people.
This passage speaks of the Word (Jesus) becoming flesh and dwelling among us, full of grace and truth, which can be seen as the ultimate revelation of God's glory that Moses yearned for.
Isaiah 6:1-3Isaiah's vision of God's glory in the temple echoes Moses' desire for a glimpse of God's majesty, emphasizing God's holiness and overwhelming presence.
Psalm 19:1This Psalm declares that the heavens show God's glory, highlighting how God's created works reveal His power and splendor, a concept that underlies Moses' request for a more direct manifestation.
Matthew 17:1-6The Transfiguration shows Jesus' divine glory revealed to Peter, James, and John, offering a New Testament parallel to Moses' desire to see God's glory, though in a different context.
Romans 8:18Paul states that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us, connecting Moses' intense longing for God's glory with the future hope of believers.
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 wasn't just asking to see a big light show; he was pleading to understand God's very essence and character. He desired to see God's "glory," not just as a dazzling display, but as a revelation of God's moral nature and profound goodness, beyond what he had already experienced.
Having secured God’s renewed commitment to the people, Moses boldly asks for a deeper, more personal revelation of God's presence and majesty. This request moves beyond the divine guidance and protection previously discussed, seeking to truly grasp the essence of God's glory itself. In response, God promises to reveal His goodness and name, but warns that seeing His full glory in its unveiled splendor is impossible for mortal eyes to behold and survive.
Having secured God’s renewed commitment to the people, Moses boldly asks for a deeper, more personal revelation of God's presence and majesty. This request moves beyond the divine guidance and protection previously discussed, seeking to truly grasp the essence of God's glory itself. In response, God promises to reveal His goodness and name, but warns that seeing His full glory in its unveiled splendor is impossible for mortal eyes to behold and survive.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Exodus 33:18-19 is available in the Sola app.
"Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show…" — Moses wasn't just asking to see a big light show; he was pleading to understand God's very essence and character. He desired to see God's "glory," not just as a dazzling display, but as a revelation…
