Esodo 33:18

18 E Mosè disse al Signore: Deh! fammi veder la tua gloria.

Esodo 33:18 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 33:18

And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory.
] Not any visible lustre, splendour, and brightness, as a symbol of the divine Presence, that he had seen, ( Exodus 16:7 Exodus 16:10 ) nor the glorious essence of God, as Maimonides ^F2, which is invisible and cannot be seen, and of which Moses could not be ignorant; nor the glory of the heavenly state, which also he must know he could not see until he came thither; but he seems to mean some visible glorious representation of God, such as he had never seen, though he had been with him so long on the mount in the cloud, and heard his voice, and saw some appearances of brightness and glory, yet not in any form that he could frame any idea of; perhaps he may mean the Angel of God's presence, called his face, the promised Messiah and glorious Redeemer and Saviour, in whom there is such a bright display of the glory of the divine perfections; yea, is the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person; and this favour was granted him, with some proper limitations and restrictions; for though this request was, no doubt, sincere and upright, it might be attended with frailty and weakness; yet it is not utterly denied, but with some explanation is allowed, and perhaps was the highest favour ever granted to any before the incarnation of our Lord, at least in so full and glorious a manner as this was; Moses having by his suit obtained much, wants more and is emboldened to ask it, and in a good measure had it, as the following words show.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 Yesude Hatorah, c. 1. sect. 10.

Esodo 33:18 In-Context

16 e a che si conoscerà egli ora che io e il tuo popolo abbiamo trovata grazia davanti agli occhi tuoi? non sarà egli quando tu andrai con noi? onde io e il tuo popolo saremo renduti ammirabili sopra qualunque popolo che sia sopra la terra.

17 Il Signore gli disse: Io farò ancora questo che tu dici; conciossiachè tu abbi trovata grazia davanti agli occhi miei, e che io t’abbia conosciuto per nome.

18 E Mosè disse al Signore: Deh! fammi veder la tua gloria.

19 E il Signore gli disse: Io farò passare davanti a te tutta la mia bellezza, e griderò il Nome del Signore davanti a te; e farò grazia a chi vorrò far grazia, e avrò pietà di chi vorrò aver pietà.

20 Ma gli disse: Tu non puoi veder la mia faccia; perciocchè l’uomo non mi può vedere, e vivere.