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Kretzmann's Popular Commentary

Exodus 33:20

And He said, Thou canst not see My face, Moses could not endure to look upon the full revelation of God's glory; for there shall no man see Me and live. No mortal, sinful man could survive a glance into the face of the holy God. It is only after we have become partakers of the divine nature, 2 Peter 1:4, and have entered into the state of glorification, Philippians 3:21, that we shall see Him face to face, as He is, 1 John 3:2.

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See also Exodus 33:20 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Exodus 33:20. _NO MAN SEE ME, AND LIVE._] The splendour would be insufferable to _man_; he only, whose mortality is swallowed up of life, can see God _as he is_. See 1 John 3:2. From some disgu...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    But his request could not be granted in accordance with the conditions of human existence. The glory of the Almighty in its fulness is not to be revealed to the eye of man. Compare Judges 6:22; Isaiah...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    5. MOSES' INTERCESSION AND ITS RESULTS CHAPTER 33 Repentance and Intercession _ 1. The word of the Lord and the people's repentance (Exodus 33:1)_ 2. The tabernacle without the camp (Exodus 33:7)...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    EXODUS 33:1 J, EXODUS 33:5 E, EXODUS 33:12 J. YAHWEH'S PRESENCE. The sections of 34 have been glossed and disarranged. In Exodus 33:1 J, Yahweh's ref

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    SEE MY FACE. Compare notes on Exodus 23:15 with Exodus 34:20. MAN. Hebrew 'adder. App-14....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    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...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The thought that no one could -see God," at least in His full glory, -and live," is often expressed in the OT.: cf. Genesis 32:30; Deuteronomy 4:33; Deuteronomy 5:24;...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Moses resumes the intercession broken off at _v._3; and starting from the command given him in Exodus 32:34 a, Exodus 33:1 a obtains from Jehovah (_vv._14 16, as the text stands; see, however, on _v._...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    HE SAID, I BESEECH THEE, SHEW ME THY GLORY, &C.— Moses, having obtained from the Lord a merciful remission of the dread penalties denounced upon the Israelites, proceeds now to request a confirmation...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    THE TEXT OF EXODUS TRANSLATION 33 And Je-ho-vah spake unto Mo-ses, Depart, go up hence, thou and the people that thou hast brought up out of the land of E-gypt, unto the land of which I sware unto Abr...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND HE SAID, THOU CANST NOT SEE MY FACE: FOR THERE SHALL NO MAN SEE ME, AND LIVE._ Thou canst not see my face - i:e., the real unveiled effulgence of the divine glory. FOR THERE SHALL NO MAN SEE ME...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE INTERCESSION OF MOSES (CONTINUED) 6. By the mount Horeb] RV 'from mount Horeb onward': this implies that they ceased wearing their ornaments. Their humiliation was lasting. Horeb] i.e. Sinai: see...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    EXODUS: *ISRAEL BECOMES A NATION GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS TO MOSES EXODUS CHAPTER S 19 TO 40 _HILDA BRIGHT AND KITTY PRIDE_ CHAPTER 33 THE *ISRAELITES REALISE THEIR *SIN – VERSES 1-6 V1 Then the *LO...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    MOSES’ REQUEST TO SEE GOD’S GLORY, AND GOD’S REPLY TO IT. (18-23) Not till he had received full assurance of the people’s restoration to favour did Moses prefer any request for himself. Then, however,...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּ֕אמֶר לֹ֥א תוּכַ֖ל לִ רְאֹ֣ת אֶת

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XXXIII. _ PREVAILING INTERCESSION._ Exodus 33:1 At this stage the first concession is announced: Moses shall lead the people to their rest, and God will send an angel with him. We have seen...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    GOD'S PRESENCE PROMISED AND HIS GLORY SHOWN Exodus 33:12 When Moses found himself alone with God he made two outstanding requests: (1) _For God's presence_. “If _thou_ dost not go with me, I cannot...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The command to go forward and possess the land was now repeated to the people. It is clear that the people felt that the promise of an angel to be sent before them was the lowering of a privilege. The...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and (l) live. (l) For Moses did not see his face in full majesty, but as man's weakness could bear....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _My face, even in my assumed form. (Menochius) --- The effulgence would cause death, as was commonly believed, Genesis xiii. 16. To behold the divine essence, we must be divested of our mortal body, 1...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    1 Timothy 6:16, with John 1:14....

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    "In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai." Up to this point all the dealings of God have been the...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    20._And he said, Thou canst not see my face _Moses had indeed seen it, but in such a mode of revelation, as to be far inferior to its full effulgence. Long before the birth of Moses, Jacob had said, “...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 33 AND 34. We have now to examine a little what was taking place among the people, and on Moses's part, the faithful and zealous witness, as a servant of God...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND HE SAID, THOU CANST NOT SEE MY FACE,.... Meaning not his form, his essence, his very nature, and the glory of it, that Moses must know he could never see; but the brightest displays of his grace a...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. Ver. 20. _Thou canst not see my face._] Otherwise than in his words and works. Rom 1:20 As we cannot see the sun _in...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    Exo. 33:18-23. Moses, when he beseeches God to show him his glory, seems to have respect to a visible glory; something to be seen with his bodily eyes, yet not exclusive of an inward sweet sense of th...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Thou canst not see my face_ The full display of my glory, that _light inaccessible_, before which the angels stand, but which would be insufferable to mortal eyes; this _no man can see and live._...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The Lord refuseth to goe as he had promised with the people. 4 The people murmure thereat. 7 The Tabernacle is remoued out of the Campe. 9 The Lord talketh familiarly with Moses. 12 Moses desire...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    SECOND SECTION Stricter Separation between Jehovah and the People. Removal of Moses’ Tent—the Provisional Tabernacle—out of the Camp. The Gracious Token Exodus 33:1-23 A. APPOINTMENT OF AN ANGEL TO...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    TOLD TO GO WITHOUT THE LORD'S PRESENCE (vs.1-23) Again the Lord gives instructions to Moses to depart with the people to go to the land of Canaan, affirming also that He would send His angel before t...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    12-23 Moses is very earnest with God. Thus, by the intercession of Christ, we are not only saved from ruin, but become entitled to everlasting happiness. Observe here how he pleads. We find grace in...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    MY FACE; either, 1. My essence. But that no man can see, neither in this life, nor in the next. Or rather, 2. My glorious presence. This may note either, 1. God's purpose that that blissful vision...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    Jehovah refuses to accompany Israel to the land of promise. "I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiff-necked people; lest I consume thee in the way." At the opening of this book, wh...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Exodus 33:20 said H559 (H8799) cannot H3201 (H8799) see H7200 (H8800) face H6440 man H120 see...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    MOSES REQUESTS TO SEE YAHWEH'S GLORY -AND DOES SO IN THE ONLY WAY THAT IS POSSIBLE EVEN TO HIM (EXODUS 33:18). Now Moses is emboldened. He has been privileged to see Yahweh more fully than any human b...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    MY FACE (_ See Scofield) - (John 1:18). _...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Exodus 33:18 I. Consider what Moses desired when he prayed, "I beseech Thee, show me Thy glory." It could not have been a mere external display of glory and power. He had seen enough, and more than en...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The journey to be resumed. God's presence assured. CHARACTERS: God, Moses, Joshua. CONCLUSION: God's special presence with us in the wilderness by His Spirit and grace to direct, defend an...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Exodus 33:2. _I will send an angel:_ a created angel. Proof demonstrative that the christian fathers are all correct in declaring that the Angel of the covenant, in Exodus 3:2; Exodus 3:6;...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _My face shall not be seen._ GOD’S GLORY MUST BE VEILED FROM HUMAN SIGHT If God had revealed all His glory--if He had not put the shadow of His hand upon Moses, if He had not revealed merely His skir...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    EXODUS—NOTE ON EXODUS 33:1 This chapter describes the difficult time following the golden calf episode, as the Lord says he no longer will go AMONG his people (v. Exodus 33:3

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Exodus 33:18. Thy glory] = Kebodecha, from kabod = glory, _i.e_., the mysterious essential qualities of the Deity in all their magnificence and stupendousness. Moses felt forced to ma...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THE REQUEST TO SEE GOD'S GLORY, AND THE REPLY TO IT. Having obtained the full restoration of the people to God's favour, Moses felt emboldened to ask a boon for himself. He had already been...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Let's turn now to Exodus chapter thirty-three that we might continue our study through the Word of God. And the Lord said unto Moses, Depart, and go up from here, you and the people which you have br...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    thou canst not. This is well explained by Rabbi Jehudah, in Exodus 24:10 Genesis 32:30 Deuteronomy 5:24 Judges 6:22...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Thou canst not see my face — A full discovery of the glory of God would quite overpower the faculties of any mortal man. I will make all my goodness pass before thee — He had given him wonderful insta...

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