Exodus 33 13

Exodus 33:13 kjv

Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.

Exodus 33:13 nkjv

Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people."

Exodus 33:13 niv

If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people."

Exodus 33:13 esv

Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people."

Exodus 33:13 nlt

If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people."

Exodus 33 verses

Exodus 33 13 Meaning

Exodus 33:13 is Moses' impassioned plea to God after the sin of the golden calf, where God had threatened to withdraw His personal presence from Israel. Moses first petitions God to affirm His favor, then asks for a deeper, intimate revelation of God's ways, seeking an experiential understanding of God's character and methods. The purpose of this knowledge is both personal—that Moses may continue to find favor—and corporate—that God would remember and treat Israel as His unique, chosen people. It signifies Moses' desire for divine guidance essential for leadership and his commitment to God's relationship with the entire nation.

Exodus 33 13 Context

Exodus 33:13 occurs at a critical juncture in Israel's history following the grave sin of the golden calf (Exo 32). This idolatry constituted a severe breach of the covenant God made with them at Sinai, leading God to threaten to destroy the nation and raise a new people from Moses (Exo 32:10), or alternatively, to send His angel with them instead of His own direct Presence (Exo 33:2-3). Moses, as an intercessor, had successfully pleaded for Israel's immediate preservation (Exo 32:11-14) but God's decision regarding His Presence remained unsettled.In the verses preceding 33:13, Moses continues his close interaction with God, pitching the Tent of Meeting outside the camp as a visible sign of his direct communication with the Lord (Exo 33:7). Moses had already been affirmed by God ("I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight" - Exo 33:12), which he now leverages in his desperate petition. His prayer for a deeper knowledge of God's "way" is not for personal enlightenment alone, but critically linked to his responsibility as leader of "Your people." The historical and cultural context reflects the role of a leader needing divine guidance to govern a newly formed nation and Moses' deep concern for the spiritual well-being and identity of the Israelites, facing existential threats after their sin.

Word Analysis

• Now therefore, I pray, (וְעַתָּה אִם־נָא - wǝ‘attâ ’im-nā’)

  • וְעַתָּה (wǝ‘attâ): "Now therefore," functions as a strong logical connective, drawing a conclusion or intensifying a plea based on what has just been stated (Moses' acknowledged favor in 33:12). It marks a transition to an earnest petition.
  • אִם־נָא (’im-nā’): "if... please" or "if I may, I pray." The particle nā’ (נָא) is a common plea word, conveying urgency and humility, akin to "please" or "I beg you." It emphasizes Moses' deferential and earnest request.

• if I have found grace in Your sight, (מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ - māṣā’ṯî ḥēn bǝ‘êneyḵā)

  • מָצָאתִי (māṣā’ṯî): "I have found." Perfect tense, indicating a completed action, suggesting that God had indeed affirmed Moses' favor in the preceding verse.
  • חֵן (ḥēn): "grace," "favor," "charm," "kindness." This Hebrew term signifies undeserved divine approval or benevolent regard. It's the basis for the continued relationship and for receiving God's benefits. Moses reminds God of His stated favor towards him as a leverage for his prayer. The concept is vital for covenant interaction and sustenance.
  • בְּעֵינֶיךָ (bǝ‘êneyḵā): "in Your eyes/sight." This anthropomorphic expression emphasizes that God's favor is from His direct, personal view and decision.

• show me Your way, (הוֹדִעֵנִי נָא אֶת־דְּרָכֶךָ - hôḏî‘ēnî nā’ ’eṯ-dərāḵeḵā)

  • הוֹדִעֵנִי (hôḏî‘ēnî): "cause me to know," "make me understand." From the Hifil stem of yada‘ (ידע - to know), this is an imperative command seeking revelation. It signifies more than intellectual knowledge; it's a request for deep, intimate, experiential understanding—to "make known" God's nature and actions. This verb implies personal acquaintance and apprehension.
  • נָא (nā’): (as above) reinforces the plea, "please."
  • אֶת־דְּרָכֶךָ (’eṯ-dərāḵeḵā): "Your way/paths." Dereḵ (דֶּרֶךְ) denotes a physical road, but metaphorically it refers to God's character, His attributes, His dealings with humanity, His plan, His moral principles, and His methods of action. Moses is not asking for mere routes for travel, but for the very essence of how God operates, His mind, and His will. It refers to God's attribute and conduct with His creation and people, rather than solely a set of laws. This deep understanding is crucial for Moses to properly lead Israel in line with God's will.

• that I may know You, (וְאֵדַעֲךָ - wǝ’ēḏā‘ăḵā)

  • וְאֵדַעֲךָ (wǝ’ēḏā‘ăḵā): "that I may know You." A subsequent request for knowledge, closely related to "show me Your way." This is yada‘ again, but in the Qal imperfect, meaning "that I may know." This reiterates the desire for deep, personal, relational knowledge of God Himself, not just His "ways." This kind of knowing in the Bible implies intimacy and experiential relationship (e.g., Gen 4:1 "Adam knew Eve"). It is transformative.

• that I may find grace in Your sight; (לְמַעַן אֶמְצָא־חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ - lǝma‘an ’emṣā’-ḥēn bǝ‘êneyḵā)

  • לְמַעַן (lǝma‘an): "in order that," "so that." Introduces the purpose clause.
  • אֶמְצָא־חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ (’emṣā’-ḥēn bǝ‘êneyḵā): "I may find grace in Your sight." This phrase is repeated from the beginning of the verse. It expresses a continuing and perpetual desire for God's favor. Moses links the finding of grace directly to the knowledge of God's ways. To genuinely "know" God experientially enables one to live in a way that continues to find favor.

• and consider that this nation is Your people. (וּרְאֵה כִּי עַמְּךָ הַגּוֹי הַזֶּה - û rǝ’ēh kî ‘ammǝḵā haggôy hazzeh)

  • וּרְאֵה (û rǝ’ēh): "and see," "consider," "perceive." An imperative, directing God's attention. Moses is not instructing God but passionately pleading that God "take notice" or "be mindful" of this crucial fact.
  • כִּי עַמְּךָ הַגּוֹי הַזֶּה (kî ‘ammǝḵā haggôy hazzeh): "that this nation is Your people."
    • עַמְּךָ (‘ammǝḵā): "Your people." The singular "people" (עם - ‘am) often carries the connotation of a chosen, specially related community. It appeals to God's covenant commitment and His own reputation. It contrasts with the threat that they might be rejected (Exo 32:7, where God referred to them as "your people," meaning Moses' people). Moses reminds God of the intimate, possession-based relationship: "Your" people, meaning owned and treasured by God.
    • הַגּוֹי הַזֶּה (haggôy hazzeh): "this nation." Goy (גוי) means "nation" and can refer to any nation. Its use here alongside "Your people" is poignant, highlighting that this seemingly rebellious "nation" (common term) is in fact "Your special people" (covenantal term). Moses reminds God of Israel's unique status despite their failings, pleading with God based on His own divine promises and honor among the nations.

Word Groups / Phrases Analysis:

• "If I have found grace in Your sight, show me Your way": This pairing reveals the foundational assumption of Moses' prayer: divine favor is the prerequisite for divine revelation and guidance. His personal relationship with God (grace) directly impacts his ability to understand God's character (way).
• "Show me Your way, that I may know You": This highlights a crucial theological truth. Knowledge of God's "ways" (His character, plans, dealings) is intrinsically linked to an intimate, relational knowledge of God Himself. It's not about merely understanding theological concepts, but experiencing the divine Person through His self-revelation.
• "That I may find grace in Your sight; and consider that this nation is Your people": Moses' plea transcends self-interest. His personal quest for grace and knowledge is immediately tied to his intercessory role for Israel. The benefit of God's grace to Moses is that he can continue to lead and ensure God's relationship with His people. The fate of "Your people" relies on God's continued favor on their leader and on them as a whole, for the sake of His own reputation.

Exodus 33 13 Commentary

Exodus 33:13 stands as a monumental intercessory prayer, encapsulating Moses' selfless leadership and profound relationship with God. Following Israel's devastating sin, God's personal Presence was in jeopardy, and Moses desperately sought its retention, recognizing that without it, Israel could not proceed (Exo 33:15).

The verse is fundamentally a request for divine guidance stemming from a place of assured, yet pleaded for, divine favor. Moses leverages the "grace" (חֵן - ḥēn) he has already found, not as a demand, but as the ground upon which he humbly asks for more. This "grace" is the very enabling power for his future interactions with God and his capacity to lead.

His desire to "know God's way" (דֶּרֶךְ - dereḵ) goes beyond intellectual understanding. It signifies an experiential comprehension of God's character, principles, and His methods of interaction with humanity, particularly concerning justice, mercy, and faithfulness to the covenant. This is paramount for a leader who must discern and apply God's will to a sinful, often rebellious, people. Moses isn't asking for a map; he's asking for a divine heart.

The repetition of "that I may know You" emphasizes the intensely personal and relational nature of his quest. Biblical "knowing" (yada‘) implies an intimate, transformative encounter that leads to changed action and deeper communion, crucial for leadership that accurately reflects God's will.

Crucially, Moses immediately pivots from his personal need to the corporate well-being: "consider that this nation is Your people." This plea serves as a potent reminder of God's covenantal promises and Israel's unique status as God's treasured possession (Deut 7:6). Moses skillfully appeals to God's own honor and reputation among the nations, asserting that abandoning "Your people" would reflect poorly on the divine name. It underpins a theology that God's people, despite their flaws, are part of His eternal plan.

This verse reveals a leadership model rooted in absolute dependence on God, not on human wisdom. Moses understands that true leadership for God's people is possible only through an intimate, continually renewed revelation of God's very being and how He governs.

Bonus SectionThe Hebrew root yada‘ (to know), appearing twice in this verse in different forms, carries significant weight. It denotes intimate, experiential knowledge, often implying relationship or acknowledgment. It is not mere factual information but deep communion. For Moses, knowing God's "ways" leads to knowing God Himself, a profound, transformative, and empowering encounter that shapes his ability to lead and intercede effectively for Israel. This depth of "knowing" also carries with it the implication of personal conformity to God's revealed character.