Exodus 33:18-19
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Moses isn't just asking to see a spectacular light show; he's asking to experience God's presence more deeply than ever before, driven by a hunger that grew even after profound encounters. This isn't a casual request, but a desperate plea born from a heart that knows God intimately yet still longs for more of His unveiled reality.
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)
Having secured God's promise to restore His presence with the people, Moses seizes the opportunity for a more intimate encounter, asking God to reveal His glory directly. God responds by promising to reveal His goodness and proclaim His name, but states that His full face cannot be seen and lived, though Moses will see His "back."
Moses had already seen incredible displays of God's power, yet he longed for something more. What was he truly seeking when he asked to see God's glory?
When Moses asks, "Shew me your glory," he isn't just asking for a dazzling light show. He's already witnessed God's power firsthand on Mount Sinai and in the pillar of cloud. What he craves is a deeper understanding of God's very nature and character, beyond mere appearances.
Think of it like this: you can see a magnificent building, but that doesn't tell you about the architect's heart or the purpose behind the design. Moses, having communed with God face-to-face, wants to grasp the essence of God – His goodness, His mercy, His holiness. He's not seeking to see God's face in its fullness, which the text makes clear is impossible for mortals to bear and live, but rather to comprehend God's character in a way that fuels his faith and empowers his leadership.
God's response to Moses' request is a powerful reminder of our human frailty. Why can't we see God's full glory and live?
God's immediate reply to Moses' bold request is direct: "You cannot see my face, for no one can see me and live." This isn't a rejection, but a profound truth about the overwhelming holiness and power of God's full, unveiled presence.
Imagine standing too close to a roaring bonfire – the heat would be unbearable, the light blinding. God's glory is infinitely more intense. It's not that God is hiding from us, but that our current human condition, our physical and spiritual limitations, simply cannot withstand the full radiance of His perfect being. God's response here is both a protection for Moses and a revelation of His own incomprehensible majesty. He shows Moses what he bear, revealing His 'back parts' as He passes by, a glimpse of His goodness and character, but not the full, overwhelming essence of His face.
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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 becoming flesh and dwelling among us, full of grace and truth, and that 'we have seen his glory.' It connects to Moses' desire to see God's glory, implying that Jesus is the ultimate manifestation of that glory.
1 John 3:2This verse states, 'Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.' This highlights the impossibility of seeing God's full glory in our current state, echoing the response Moses received.
Romans 9:15Paul quotes God saying, 'I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.' This relates to God's proclamation of His name and goodness to Moses, emphasizing God's sovereign right to reveal Himself as He chooses.
Psalm 27:4The psalmist declares, 'One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.' This mirrors Moses' deep longing for a closer encounter and vision of God's presence and beauty.
Isaiah 6:1-3Isaiah's vision of the Lord high and lifted up, with seraphim calling out 'Holy, holy, holy,' reveals the overwhelming holiness and glory of God. This passage provides another instance of a prophet encountering God's majesty in a transformative, awe-inspiring way.
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 isn't just asking to see a spectacular light show; he's asking to experience God's presence more deeply than ever before, driven by a hunger that grew even after profound encounters. This isn't a casual request, but a desperate plea born from a heart that knows God intimately yet still longs for more of His unveiled reality.
Having secured God's promise to restore His presence with the people, Moses seizes the opportunity for a more intimate encounter, asking God to reveal His glory directly. God responds by promising to reveal His goodness and proclaim His name, but states that His full face cannot be seen and lived, though Moses will see His "back."
Having secured God's promise to restore His presence with the people, Moses seizes the opportunity for a more intimate encounter, asking God to reveal His glory directly. God responds by promising to reveal His goodness and proclaim His name, but states that His full face cannot be seen and lived, though Moses will see His "back."
"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 isn't just asking to see a spectacular light show; he's asking to experience God's presence more deeply than ever before, driven by a hunger that grew even after profound encounters. This isn…
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Last reviewed October 2026
