Exodus 33:16
in Exodus 33For how then can it be known that Your people and I have found favor in Your sight, unless You go with us? How else will we be distinguished from all the other people on the face of the earth?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For wherein now shall it be known that I have found favor in thy sight, I and thy people? is it not in that thou goest with us, so that we are separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth?
KJV
For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
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This verse in Exodus 33
Commentary
7 notes on this verseSo shall we be separated - By having this Divine protection we shall be saved from idolatry, and be preserved in thy truth and in the true worshipping of thee; and thus shall we be separated from all the people that are upon the face of the earth: as all the nations of the world, the Jews only excepted, were at this time idolaters.
This site's exposition
If thy presence go not with me
on Exodus 33:15-16
Moses turns down the land on the terms offered and asks to be left where he stands rather than to go up with less. His reason at verse 16 is that the presence is the one mark that separates Israel from all the people that are upon the face of the earth, since a nation with a law and a land and no God in the middle of it looks like the rest. This is his fourth intervention in three chapters, after 32:11-14, 32:31-32 and the plea of verses 12 and 13, and at 34:9 he will make the stiff neck itself his reason for asking God to come along.
This site's exposition
How else will we be distinguished
Albert Barnes gives the verb the sense distinguished, the word the Berean uses. The Presence of the LORD going with His people is what sets them apart from every people on the earth. David asks the same at 2 Samuel 7:23.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
): " Wherein shall it be known to the nations that have their eyes upon us that I and thy people (with whom my interests are all blended) have found grace in thy sight, distinguishing favour, so as to be separated from all people on earth? How will it appear that we are indeed thus honoured? Is it not in that thou goest with us?
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
Commentary on Chapter XXXIII 5. I will come up - As if he had said, ye deserve that I should do so. Put off thine ornaments, that I may know what to do with thee - That is, put thyself into the posture of a penitent, that the dispute may be determined in thy favour, and mercy may rejoice against judgment.
For wherein shall it be known here,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Thou goest with us - It was this which alone distinguished (rather than “separated”) them from other nations, and which alone would render the land of promise a home to be desired. Compare 2Sa 7:23.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּבַמֶּ֣ה׀ | uvameh | and <in> how? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| יִוָּדַ֣ע | yivada' | will it be known | H3045 → | 945 times |
| אֵפ֗וֹא | ʾefo' | then | H645 → | |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מָצָ֨אתִי | matzati | I have found | H4672 → | 455 times |
| חֵ֤ן | chen | favor | H2580 → | 69 times |
| בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ | beeineikha | in view your | H5869 → | 887 times |
| אֲנִ֣י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| וְעַמֶּ֔ךָ | veamekha | and people your | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הֲל֖וֹא | halo' | ¿ not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| בְּלֶכְתְּךָ֣ | belekhtekha | by going you | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| עִמָּ֑נוּ | ʾimanu | with us | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| וְנִפְלֵ֙ינוּ֙ | venifleinu | and we will be distinguished | H6395 → | 7 times |
| אֲנִ֣י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| וְעַמְּךָ֔ | veamekha | and people your | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| מִכָּ֨ל־ | mikol | from every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָעָ֔ם | haam | <the> people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֖ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | [is] on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| פְּנֵ֥י | penei | [the] surface of | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ פ | haadamah | the ground | H127 → | 225 times |
וּבַמֶּ֣ה׀and <in> how?
uvamehH4100 →752 times
יִוָּדַ֣עwill it be known
yivada'H3045 →945 times
אֵפ֗וֹאthen
ʾefo'H645 →
כִּֽי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
מָצָ֨אתִיI have found
matzatiH4672 →455 times
חֵ֤ןfavor
chenH2580 →69 times
בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙in view your
beeineikhaH5869 →887 times
אֲנִ֣יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
וְעַמֶּ֔ךָand people your
veamekhaH5971 →1873 times
הֲל֖וֹא¿ not
halo'H3808 →5168 times
בְּלֶכְתְּךָ֣by going you
belekhtekhaH1980 →1546 times
עִמָּ֑נוּwith us
ʾimanuH5973 →1050 times
וְנִפְלֵ֙ינוּ֙and we will be distinguished
venifleinuH6395 →7 times
אֲנִ֣יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
וְעַמְּךָ֔and people your
veamekhaH5971 →1873 times
מִכָּ֨ל־from every
mikolH3605 →5413 times
הָעָ֔ם<the> people
haamH5971 →1873 times
אֲשֶׁ֖רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
עַל־[is] on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
פְּנֵ֥י[the] surface of
peneiH6440 →2123 times
הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ פthe ground
haadamahH127 →225 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 1:23“Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us”).
it leads to
- Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.
- Isaiah 9:6–7
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of…
- Psalms 46:11
The LORD of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
- John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- Isaiah 12:2
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. For the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and He also has become my salvation.”
- Isaiah 7:14
Through
Deuteronomy 4:7For what nation is great enough to have a god as near to them as the LORD our God is to us whenever we call on Him?
it leads to
- Psalms 145:18
The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call out to Him in truth.
- 2 Samuel 7:23
And who is like Your people Israel—the one nation on earth whom God went out to redeem as a people for Himself and to make a name for Himself? You performed great and awesome…
- Psalms 34:18
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit.
- Psalms 145:18
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Exodus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Calvin, Commentary on the Four Last Books of Moses Arranged in the Form of a Harmony; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.