Exodus 33:12-23

English Standard Version

Moses' Intercession

¹² Moses said to the Lord, “See, ^(A)you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ^(B)‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ ¹³ Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please ^(C)show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is ^(D)your people.” ¹⁴ And he said, ^(E)“My presence will go with you, and ^(F)I will give you rest.” ¹⁵ And he said to him, ^(G)“If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. ¹⁶ For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? ^(H)Is it not in your going with us, ^(I)so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?”

¹⁷ And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, ^(J)for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” ¹⁸ Moses said, “Please ^(K)show me your glory.” ¹⁹ And he said, ^(L)“I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And ^(M)I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. ²⁰ But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for ^(N)man shall not see me and live.” ²¹ And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, ²² and while my glory passes by I will put you in a ^(O)cleft of the rock, and I will ^(P)cover you with my hand until I have passed by. ²³ Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall ^(Q)not be seen.”