Exodus 33:23 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen."

NIV: Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen."

NASB: Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.'

CSB: Then I will take my hand away, and you will see my back, but my face will not be seen."

NLT: Then I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen.'

KJV: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

NKJV: Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.”

God often depicts Himself using human terms. While God is a person, He is not material (John 4:24). Nor is He limited and fallible like human beings (Psalm 113:4–6; Isaiah 55:8–9; 1 Timothy 6:15–16). When Scripture speaks of things like God's eyes (Proverbs 15:3), ears (Psalm 34:15), hands (John 10:28–29), or mouth (Deuteronomy 8:3), they are metaphors for His awareness, power, and words. In the same way, God describes His own thoughts and emotions using parallels to human thinking. A recent example described the direct communication between God and Moses as "face to face" (Exodus 33:11).

Here, Moses can see the Lord's unveiled glory in some way without being destroyed (Exodus 33:18–22). God explains this in humanlike ideas, not meaning them in the most literal sense. God will cover Moses in a rocky crevice as the Lord's glory approaches (Exodus 34:5–7). As it moves away, the cover will lift, and Moses will experience something of that glory as it recedes. Or, in human terms, God will put His "hand" over Moses until it is safe for Moses to see God's "back."

Exodus 33:17–23 is God's response to Moses' plea in the prior section (Exodus 33:12–16). The Lord agrees that He will go with Israel on their journey to the Promised Land (Genesis 15:18–21; Exodus 33:1–3). Though Moses and God are speaking face-to-face (Exodus 33:11), the Lord's full glory is hidden. When Moses asks to see God's glory—to know Him perfectly—God points out that this would destroy a mortal man. Rather, the Lord plans to reveal Himself in a more limited way (Exodus 34:5–7).

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.

Accessed 9/19/2025 10:05:01 AM