Meaning, commentary and cross references
Exodus 33:14
“And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”In other translations
KJV · King James Version
And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
NIV · New International Version
The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
WEB · World English Bible
He said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
What does Exodus 33:14 mean?
John Gill · Exposition of the Entire Bible, on Exodus 33:14
And he said,.... In answer to his request: my presence shall go with thee; or before thee, both with Moses and before the people; meaning the Angel of his presence he had before promised, the eternal Word and Son of God, who saved them, redeemed them, bore and carried them all the days of old: or "my faces shall go" (y); all the three divine Persons, Father, Son, and Spirit; there was Jehovah the Father, whose the Angel of his presence was; and there was Jehovah the Son, Christ, whom they tempted in the wilderness; and there was Jehovah the Holy Spirit, whom they vexed, see Isaiah 63:9. and I will give thee rest; not ease, and peace and tranquillity of mind, or a freedom from the fear of…
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Matthew Henry · Commentary on the Whole Bible, on Exodus 33:12–23
He obtained an assurance of God's favour, (1.) To himself (Exo 33:14): "I will give thee rest, I will take care to make thee easy in this matter; however it be, thou shalt have satisfaction." Moses never entered Canaan, and yet God made good his word that he would give him rest, Dan 12:13. (2.)
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
John Calvin · Commentaries, on Exodus 33:14
And he said, My presence shall go with thee We gather from this answer what the desire of Moses was, for God, in accepting his prayer, affirms in one word that He will go before them as He was wont, and this was a sure pledge of His presence in no ordinary manner. For although the whole world is governed by His providence, still His face does not therein appear so conspicuously as in His protection of the Church's welfare. And, in fact, since the same Angel, who had before presided over the camp, now undertakes the charge of guiding the people, the eternal divinity of Christ is clearly proved from hence. This clause, "My face [367] shall go before," is equivalent to his saying, I will so go…
John Calvin, Commentaries (Calvin Translation Society English text). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Context: Exodus 33:11–17 (WEB)
11The LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. He turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, didn’t depart from the Tent. 12Moses said to the LORD, “Behold, you tell me, ‘Bring up this people;’ and you haven’t let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ 13Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me your way, now, that I may know you, so that I may find favor in your sight; and consider that this nation is your people.” 14He said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15Moses said to him, “If your presence doesn’t go with me, don’t carry us up from here. 16For how would people know that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Isn’t it that you go with us, so that we are separated, I and your people, from all the people who are on the surface of the earth?” 17The LORD said to Moses, “I will do this thing also that you have spoken; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”
Cross references
- Matthew 11:28
“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.
- Joshua 1:5
No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not fail you nor forsake you.
- Joshua 21:44
The LORD gave them rest all around, according to all that he swore to their fathers. Not a man of all their enemies stood before them. The LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.
- Isaiah 63:9
In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and in his pity he redeemed them. He bore them, and carried them all the days of old.
- Hebrews 4:8–9
For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day.
- Joshua 22:4
Now the LORD your God has given rest to your brothers, as he spoke to them. Therefore now return and go to your tents, to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan.
- Psalms 95:11
- Matthew 28:20
teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.