Exodus 33:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he said, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

NIV: The Lord replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

NASB: And He said, 'My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.'

CSB: And he replied, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

NLT: The Lord replied, 'I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest — everything will be fine for you.'

KJV: And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

NKJV: And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

This is an encouraging answer. God had withdrawn His presence from Israel, in some way (Exodus 33:1–3). That was a response to Israelite idolatry (Exodus 32:1–7). Moses meets with the Lord in a tent outside the Israelites camp (Exodus 33:7–11). There, Moses expresses his concerns. He is unsure as to how God will fulfill His promises if He is not with the people of Israel (Exodus 33:12–13). The literal words of God's response are not as broad as Moses might have hoped.

The Lord indicates that His presence "will go." The Hebrew of this phrase includes just that verb, with no target. "With you" is implied, but not part of the wording itself. God also makes a promise of rest, but the Hebrew word for "you" here is singular. That might hint that God is promising to go with Moses, and that He will give rest to Moses. This may be why Moses continues to ask for reassurance (Exodus 33:15–16). However, the singular "you" in Hebrew is also used to refer to the entire nation of Israel (Exodus 33:3), so the sentence could be speaking of the people at large. In any case, the rest of the conversation makes it clear that God is speaking of the nation.

The "rest" mentioned here is straightforward. God is promising an end to struggle and efforts. At times, Israel experienced this kind of rest (Deuteronomy 3:20; Joshua 21:44). If the nation follows God's will, they will see those benefits.

Exodus 33:12–16 summarizes early conversations between the Lord and Moses in a tent of meeting (Exodus 33:7–11). Moses pleads for guidance. He knows that Israel needs God's help. He also knows that the Lord's active presence will be a sign to the world: that Israel is distinct and favored (Deuteronomy 7:6). So, Moses asks the Lord to accompany the people with His presence, and not just an angel (Exodus 33:2–3).

God commands Israel to leave the Sinai region. They are to move on towards the Promised Land, but without the Lord's usual presence. Moses meets with God outside the camp and the Lord says He will once again accompany Israel. Moses asks to see the full glory of God. Since this would kill Moses, God arranges for a much more limited experience.

Israel fell into idolatry (Exodus 32:1–6) very soon after receiving God's laws against it (Exodus 20:3–6). Yet the Lord still plans to bring them into a Promised Land. In this chapter, the people are commanded to leave Sinai and head towards Canaan. But the covenant must be renewed (Exodus 34). Until then, there is a level of separation between the nation and their God.

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.