Exodus 33:23
New International Version
Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”

New Living Translation
Then I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen.”

English Standard Version
Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”

Berean Standard Bible
Then I will take My hand away, and you will see My back; but My face must not be seen.”

King James Bible
And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

New King James Version
Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.”

New American Standard Bible
Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.”

NASB 1995
“Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.”

NASB 1977
“Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then I will remove My hand, and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.”

Amplified Bible
Then I will take away My hand and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.”

Christian Standard Bible
Then I will take my hand away, and you will see my back, but my face will not be seen.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then I will take My hand away, and you will see My back, but My face will not be seen.”

American Standard Version
and I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back; but my face shall not be seen.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And as my glory passes by, I shall put you in the cave of flint and I shall rest my hand over you until I shall pass:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I will remove my hand, and then shalt thou see my back parts; but my face shall not appear to thee.

Contemporary English Version
Then I will take my hand away, and you will see my back. You will not see my face.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face thou canst not see.

English Revised Version
and I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back: but my face shall not be seen.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then I will take my hand away, and you'll see my back, but my face must not be seen."

Good News Translation
Then I will take my hand away, and you will see my back but not my face."

International Standard Version
Then I'll remove my hand so you may see my back, but my face must not be seen."

JPS Tanakh 1917
And I will take away My hand, and thou shalt see My back; but My face shall not be seen.'

Literal Standard Version
and I have turned aside My hands, and you have seen My back parts, and My face is not seen.”

Majority Standard Bible
Then I will take My hand away, and you will see My back; but My face must not be seen.”

New American Bible
Then I will remove my hand, so that you may see my back; but my face may not be seen.

NET Bible
Then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back, but my face must not be seen."

New Revised Standard Version
then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”

New Heart English Bible
then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back; but my face shall not be seen."

Webster's Bible Translation
And I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

World English Bible
then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”

Young's Literal Translation
and I have turned aside My hands, and thou hast seen My back parts, and My face is not seen.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Glory of the LORD
22and when My glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. 23Then I will take My hand away, and you will see My back; but My face must not be seen.”

Cross References
John 1:18
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father's side, has made Him known.

Exodus 33:20
But He added, "You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live."


Treasury of Scripture

And I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

thou shalt

Exodus 33:20
And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

Job 11:7
Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

Job 26:14
Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?

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Exodus 33
1. The Lord refuses to go as he had promised with the people
4. The people mourn there
7. The tabernacle is removed out of the camp
9. The Lord talks familiarly with Moses
12. Moses prevails with God, and desires to see his glory














Verse 23. - Thou shalt see my back parts. Literally, "my back." The anthropomorphisms of the passage are numerous and strong - they must, of course, be regarded as accommodations to human ideas. After the Divine Presence had passed by, Moses was to be permitted to look out, and would see so much of the Divine glory as he would be able to bear; but still something far short of that which he had desired to see. The explanation that "the back of God" means "his works - the consequences of his activity" (Kalisch) is fanciful, and not borne out by the context. My face cannot be seen. See above, ver. 20; and. compare John 1:18; John 6:46; 1 Timothy 1:17; 1 John 4:12.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then I will take My hand
כַּפִּ֔י (kap·pî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 3709: Hollow or flat of the hand, palm, sole (of the foot), a pan

away,
וַהֲסִרֹתִי֙ (wa·hă·si·rō·ṯî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5493: To turn aside

and you will see
וְרָאִ֖יתָ (wə·rā·’î·ṯā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

My back;
אֲחֹרָ֑י (’ă·ḥō·rāy)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 268: The hinder part, behind, backward, the West

but My face
וּפָנַ֖י (ū·p̄ā·nay)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6440: The face

must not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

be seen.”
יֵרָאֽוּ׃ (yê·rā·’ū)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7200: To see


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OT Law: Exodus 33:23 Then I will take away my hand (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 33:22
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