Exodus 33:15 kjv
And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
Exodus 33:15 nkjv
Then he said to Him, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.
Exodus 33:15 niv
Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.
Exodus 33:15 esv
And he said to him, "If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.
Exodus 33:15 nlt
Then Moses said, "If you don't personally go with us, don't make us leave this place.
Exodus 33 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 33:3 | Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you... | God's initial threat to withhold His presence. |
| Exod 33:12 | Moses said to the LORD, "See, You say to me, 'Bring up this people,' but You have not let me know whom You will send with me..." | Moses pressing for clarity on God's chosen leader/presence. |
| Exod 33:14 | And He said, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." | God's direct affirmative answer to Moses' plea. |
| Exod 33:16 | For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people, unless You go with us? | Moses' argument for the uniqueness and identity of Israel, tied to God's presence. |
| Exod 40:34-38 | Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle... they would set out whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle. | The physical manifestation of God's presence leading Israel in the wilderness. |
| Num 10:35-36 | And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, "Arise, O LORD, and let Your enemies be scattered..." | The ark as a symbol of God's presence, leading Israel into battle and journey. |
| Deut 4:7 | For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon Him? | Israel's unique privilege of God's nearness/presence. |
| Josh 1:5 | No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. | God promises His continued presence and help to Joshua. |
| Ps 23:4 | Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me... | Comfort and safety derived from God's constant presence. |
| Ps 27:8 | You have said, "Seek My face." My heart says to You, "Your face, LORD, do I seek." | The yearning to seek and be in God's presence. |
| Ps 51:11 | Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. | David's plea not to lose God's presence and Spirit after sin. |
| Isa 7:14 | Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel. | Prophecy of Immanuel, meaning "God with us." |
| Matt 1:23 | "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel" (which means, God with us). | Fulfillment of Isa 7:14, Jesus as the ultimate manifestation of God's presence. |
| Matt 28:20 | And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. | Jesus' promise of His perpetual presence with His disciples/church. |
| John 14:16-17 | And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth... for He dwells with you and will be in you. | The Holy Spirit as the embodiment of God's continuing presence with believers. |
| Rom 8:9-11 | Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him... But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you... | The indwelling of the Spirit signifying God's presence in believers. |
| 2 Cor 6:16 | For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make My dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." | Believers as the new temple, where God's presence resides. |
| Heb 13:5 | ...for He has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." | Assurance of God's abiding presence based on His promises. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him... | The church's identity as a distinct people, chosen by God, implies His special presence among them. |
| Rev 21:3 | Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. | The ultimate fulfillment of God's desire to dwell eternally with His redeemed people. |
Exodus 33 verses
Exodus 33 15 Meaning
Exodus 33:15 conveys Moses' urgent plea to the LORD that unless God's personal, guiding presence accompanies the Israelites, they should not proceed on their journey to the Promised Land. This request highlights Moses' deep understanding that the divine presence, not merely divine assistance, is absolutely essential for their success, identity, and the fulfillment of God's promises. For Moses, reaching the physical destination was meaningless without God Himself leading and dwelling among them.
Exodus 33 15 Context
Exodus chapter 33 occurs immediately after the disastrous incident of the golden calf (Exod 32), where Israel betrayed the LORD shortly after receiving the Law at Sinai. God's furious response was to declare that He would no longer personally go up with the rebellious nation to the Promised Land but would send an angel to drive out the inhabitants before them (Exod 33:3). This withdrawal of His personal presence, though still offering assistance, posed a profound spiritual crisis for Israel. In response, Moses intercedes passionately on behalf of the people, drawing on his unique, face-to-face relationship with God (Exod 33:11). Exodus 33:15 is the climax of Moses' intercession, presenting his firm resolve that any progress or success without God's personal accompaniment would be utterly meaningless and indeed, impossible.
Exodus 33 15 Word analysis
And he said to Him, 'If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.'
And he said to Him: Refers to Moses speaking to the LORD. This intimate dialogue emphasizes the unique mediatorial relationship Moses had with God. Moses' direct address reveals his boldness born of his deep walk with the Almighty.
'If Your Presence...': The Hebrew word here is Panim (פָּנִים), which literally means "face." However, in context, panim often refers to the person of God, His immediate and intimate presence. It’s not merely a manifestation or an agent, but God Himself. This signifies God’s personal, direct, and abiding leadership. This term underscores that Moses desired nothing less than the LORD's direct, personal, and active involvement, not a surrogate.
'Your Presence does not go with us': does not go with us (Hebrew: lo' holekhih ‘immanim). Holekhih is related to the verb halakh, meaning "to go" or "to walk." This implies a continuous, accompanying, guiding movement. It signifies an active journey together. Moses wasn't just asking for God to be near, but for Him to lead the way and be present every step.
'do not bring us up from here.': The verb "bring us up" (Hebrew: ta‘alenu) comes from ‘alah, meaning "to go up" or "to ascend." Here it specifically refers to "bringing up" the Israelites from their current location (Sinai, specifically the area near the tent of meeting outside the camp) to the Promised Land. This phrase encapsulates the entire journey and destiny of Israel.
Word-Group Analysis:
- "If Your Presence does not go with us": This condition highlights the absolute centrality of God's personal involvement. Moses sees divine accompaniment as the sine qua non – the indispensable condition – for the journey's validity. Without it, the entire enterprise is spiritually bankrupt, regardless of military or logistical success. It rejects a utilitarian view of God where He is just a means to an end (reaching the land); rather, God Himself is the true blessing.
- "do not bring us up from here": This is a powerful prohibition and declaration. It asserts that to move forward without God’s presence would be a greater catastrophe than remaining stagnant in the wilderness. It's a statement of ultimate dependence and a profound theological insight: a promised land without the Promiser is no promised land at all. Moses places infinite value on God’s presence over any physical possession or material gain.
Exodus 33 15 Bonus section
The concept of God's Panim (face/presence) sought by Moses is closely linked to the Shekinah glory that would later indwell the Tabernacle and the Temple. Moses' request was not for a fleeting manifestation, but for a constant, guiding presence that differentiated Israel from all other nations. His plea was both personal and corporate; he recognized that the well-being of the entire community was dependent on this divine accompaniment. This pivotal moment underscores that God’s gracious willingness to maintain His personal presence amidst a sinful people became the foundation for the entire covenant relationship and indeed, for His ultimate dwelling among humanity in Christ. It also highlights God's preference for His people to yearn for Him personally rather than for His gifts or provisions alone.
Exodus 33 15 Commentary
Exodus 33:15 captures the spiritual genius and deep faith of Moses. Following Israel's egregious sin with the golden calf, God threatens to send an angel to lead them, implying He would withdraw His own personal, active presence from their midst due to their obstinacy. Moses, however, recognized that an angel's assistance, however powerful, was no substitute for the LORD Himself. He understood that Israel's distinctiveness, identity, and indeed, their very reason for being, hinged entirely upon God dwelling among them and going before them. For Moses, a future in the land of promise was undesirable if it meant an absence of the Living God. This verse teaches us that the journey with God is infinitely more valuable than the destination without Him. True prosperity is not reaching a certain place or acquiring certain things, but rather the abiding presence and fellowship with the Holy One.