Exodus 33:20New American Standard Bible (NASB ©1995) [2]
— But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!”
King James Version (KJV 1769) [2]
— And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
English Revised Version (ERV 1885)
— And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for man shall not see me and live.
American Standard Version (ASV 1901) [2]
— And he said, Thou canst not see my face; for man shall not see me and live.
Webster's Revision of the KJB (WEB 1833)
— And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
Darby's Translation (DBY 1890)
— And he said, Thou canst not see my face; for Man shall not see me, and live.
Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (EBR 1902)
— But he said—Thou canst not see my face,—For no son of earth can see me, and live.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT 1898)
— He saith also, 'Thou art unable to see My face, for man doth not see Me, and live;'
Douay-Rheims Challoner Revision (DR 1750)
— And again he said: Thou canst not see my face: for man shall not see me, and live.
Geneva Bible (GNV 1560)
— Furthermore he sayde, Thou canst not see my face, for there shall no man see me, and liue.
Original King James Bible (AV 1611) [2]
— And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see mee, and liue.
Lamsa Bible (1957)
— And he said, You cannot see my face; for no man can see me and live.
Brenton Greek Septuagint (LXX, Restored Names)
— And [God] said, Thou shalt not be able to see my face; for no man shall see my face, and live.
Full Hebrew Names / Holy Name KJV (2008) [2] [3]
— And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. |
And he said,
559 {0559} Primeאָמַר'amar{aw-mar'}
A primitive root; to say (used with great latitude).
z8799 <8799> Grammar
Stem - Qal (See H8851) Mood - Imperfect (See H8811) Count - 19885
Thou canst
3201 {3201} Primeיָכֹלyakol{yaw-kole'}
A primitive root; to be able, literally ( can, could) or morally ( may, might).
z8799 <8799> Grammar
Stem - Qal (See H8851) Mood - Imperfect (See H8811) Count - 19885
not
x3808 (3808) Complementלֹאlo'{lo}
lo; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abstract negation); by implication no; often used with other particles.
see
7200 {7200} Primeרָאָהra'ah{raw-aw'}
A primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitively, intransitively and causatively).
z8800 <8800> Grammar
Stem - Qal (See H8851) Mood - Infinitive (See H8812) Count - 4888
x853 (0853) Complementאֵת'eth{ayth}
Apparently contracted from H0226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely).
my face:
6440 {6440} Primeפָּנִיםpaniym{paw-neem'}
Plural (but always used as a singular) of an unused noun ( פָּנֶה paneh, {paw-neh'}; from H6437); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition ( before, etc.).
for
x3588 (3588) Complementכִּיkiy{kee}
A primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjugation or adverb; often largely modified by other particles annexed.
there shall no
x3808 (3808) Complementלֹאlo'{lo}
lo; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abstract negation); by implication no; often used with other particles.
man
120 {0120} Primeאָדָם'adam{aw-dawm'}
From H0119; ruddy, that is, a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.).
see
7200 {7200} Primeרָאָהra'ah{raw-aw'}
A primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitively, intransitively and causatively).
z8799 <8799> Grammar
Stem - Qal (See H8851) Mood - Imperfect (See H8811) Count - 19885
me, and live.
2425 {2425} Primeחָיַיchayay{khaw-yah'-ee}
A primitive root (compare H2421); to live; causatively to revive.
z8804 <8804> Grammar
Stem - Qal (See H8851) Mood - Perfect (See H8816) Count - 12562 |
Exodus 33:20
Thou canst not see my face — A full discovery of the glory of God would quite overpower the faculties of any mortal man. I will make all my goodness pass before thee — He had given him wonderful instances of his goodness in being reconciled to Israel; but that was only goodness in the stream, he would shew him goodness in the spring. This was a sufficient answer to his request: Shew me thy glory, saith Moses; I will shew thee my goodness, saith God. God's goodness is his glory; and he will have us to know him by the glory of his mercy, more than by the glory of his majesty. And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious — In bestowing his gifts, and is not debtor to any, nor accountable to any; all his reasons of mercy are fetched from within himself, not from any merit in his creatures, and I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy — For his grace is always free. He never damns by prerogative, but by prerogative he saves. |
Exodus 33:20
And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and (l) live.
(l) For Moses did not see his face in full majesty, but as man's weakness could bear. |
- Thou canst not:
- This is well explained by Rabbi Jehudah, in Sepher Cosri (P. iv. § 3): "Of that divine glory mentioned in the Scripture, there is one degree which the eyes of the prophets were able to explore; another which all the Israelites saw, as the cloud and consuming fire; the third is so bright, and so dazzling, that no mortal is able to comprehend it; but should anyone venture to look on it, his whole frame would be dissolved." In such inconceivable splendour is the Divine Majesty revealed to the inhabitants of the celestial world, where he is said to "dwell in the light which no man can approach unto" (
1 Timothy 6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom [be] honour and power everlasting. Amen.
). By the "face of God," therefore, we are to understand that light inaccessible before which angels may stand, but which would be so insufferable to mortal eyes, that no man could see it and live.
Exodus 24:10 And they saw the God of Israel: and [there was] under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in [his] clearness.
Genesis 32:30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
Deuteronomy 5:24 And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.
Judges 6:22 And when Gideon perceived that he [was] an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.
Judges 13:22 And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.
Isaiah 6:5 Then said I, Woe [is] me! for I am undone; because I [am] a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [him].
1 Timothy 6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom [be] honour and power everlasting. Amen.
Hebrews 1:13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
Revelation 1:16-17 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance [was] as the sun shineth in his strength. ... And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
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