Bible Verse Lookup
Ex 33:18-20
Chapter 33
18
Moses said:
“Then let me see your glory.”
19
And He said:
“I will make all my goodness pass before you and proclaim the name of the Lord before you. For I am gracious to whom I want to be gracious, and I am merciful to whom I want to be merciful.”
20
Then the Lord said:
“You cannot see my face because man cannot see me and live.”
Commentaries
The Glory of the Lord I.
We prepare ourselves for the theophany at Sinai, which will unfold in the next chapter. The purpose is to affirm the promise of divine companionship through the pronouncement of the “Name,” which ultimately ensures the well-being and security of the people. Despite Moses’s closeness to God, he must take precautions to avoid being annihilated by his “presence.” A similar theophanic experience is found in the prophet Elijah (cf. 1 Kgs 19:9,11-13).