Exodus 33:18

18 And Moses said, O Lord, let me see your glory.

Exodus 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.

---

FOOTNOTES:

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

Exodus 33:18 In-Context

16 For is not the fact of your going with us the sign that I and this people have grace in your eyes, so that we, that is, I and your people, are separate from all other people on the face of the earth?

17 And the Lord said to Moses, I will do as you say: for you have grace in my eyes, and I have knowledge of you by your name.

18 And Moses said, O Lord, let me see your glory.

19 And he said, I will make all the light of my being come before you, and will make clear to you what I am; I will be kind to those to whom I will be kind, and have mercy on those on whom I will have mercy.

20 But it is not possible for you to see my face, for no man may see me and still go on living.