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)
God reveals that His "goodness" is not just about pleasant circumstances but about His very character, which He will then actively proclaim. He emphasizes that His decision to be gracious or show mercy is entirely His own, not based on our merit, highlighting His sovereign choice in dispensing His favor.
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)
Following God's announcement that He would not personally accompany them into the Promised Land due to their sin, Moses intercedes passionately. God relents, promising His presence will go with them, but Moses presses further, asking to see God's glory. In response, God agrees to reveal His goodness and proclaim His name, though not His full face, which no one can see and live.
Moses asks to see God's glory, and God promises to make 'all my goodness pass before' him. What does this 'goodness' look like, and how is it displayed?
God's response to Moses' request is profound. He doesn't simply reveal abstract qualities; He promises a display of 'all my goodness.' This isn't just a fleeting thought, but a deliberate unveiling. While the exact fulfillment is debated, commentators suggest it points to God's ineffable character, particularly His mercy and compassion, perhaps even a glimpse of Christ Himself as the embodiment of God's goodness. It's a vision designed to be both awe-inspiring and deeply reassuring, showcasing the very essence of God's being that He wants Moses—and through him, us—to grasp.
God proclaims His name, 'The LORD,' and immediately links it to His sovereign choice in showing grace and mercy. What's the connection between His name and His prerogative?
God's name, 'The LORD' (Yahweh), is not just a label; it signifies His covenantal, active presence and character. By proclaiming it, He's revealing who He is. The subsequent statement, 'I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy,' isn't arbitrary whim. Instead, it asserts God's sovereign right to dispense His unmerited favor. This isn't about God being unfair; it's about Him being the ultimate source and dispenser of grace. He chooses whom He will bless, not based on human merit, but according to His own good pleasure and divine plan, as revealed throughout Scripture and ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
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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 directly quotes and applies the principle from Exodus 33:19, highlighting God's sovereign freedom in extending mercy and grace.
John 1:14While Exodus focuses on God's goodness passing by, John speaks of God's goodness and truth being embodied and dwelling among us in Jesus Christ, offering a deeper revelation of His character.
Romans 11:33-36These verses echo the profound mystery and freedom of God's choices in salvation, reflecting the same incomprehensible depth seen in God's declaration of being gracious to whom He is gracious.
Isaiah 42:8This verse emphasizes God's unique identity and refusal to share His glory, aligning with the profound self-disclosure in Exodus where God proclaims His name and the distinct nature of His mercy.
cambridgeExodus 33:19: "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."
19 . goodness ] goodliness or comeliness , viz. of the Divine appearance; cf. Hosea 10:11 (lit. ‘the goodness , i.e. comeliness , of her neck’). ‘It is to be a spectacle of outward beauty as a visible sign of His moral perfection’ (McNeile). proclaim the name of Jehovah ] a…
calvinExodus 33:1-23: "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:"
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:
Loquutus a…
God reveals that His "goodness" is not just about pleasant circumstances but about His very character, which He will then actively proclaim. He emphasizes that His decision to be gracious or show mercy is entirely His own, not based on our merit, highlighting His sovereign choice in dispensing His favor.
Following God's announcement that He would not personally accompany them into the Promised Land due to their sin, Moses intercedes passionately. God relents, promising His presence will go with them, but Moses presses further, asking to see God's glory. In response, God agrees to reveal His goodness and proclaim His name, though not His full face, which no one can see and live.
Following God's announcement that He would not personally accompany them into the Promised Land due to their sin, Moses intercedes passionately. God relents, promising His presence will go with them, but Moses presses further, asking to see God's glory. In response, God agrees to reveal His goodness and proclaim His name, though not His full face, which no one can see and live.
"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." — God reveals that His "goodness" is not just about pleasant circumstances but about His very character, which He will then actively proclaim. He emphasizes that His decision to be gracious or show mer…
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Last reviewed October 2026