# Exodus 33.22-23 **Book:** [Exodus](/codex/exodus/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT ## Immediate context (±2 verses) **ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/)) > 20. And he said, Thou canst not see my face; for man shall not see me and live. 21. And Jehovah said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon the rock: > > **22. and it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand until I have passed by: 23. and I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back; but my face shall not be seen.** (Exodus 33:20-23, ASV) **WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/)) > 20. He said, “You cannot see my face, for man may not see me and live.” 21. Yahweh also said, “Behold, there is a place by me, and you shall stand on the rock. > > **22. It will happen, while my glory passes by, that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; 23. then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”** (Exodus 33:20-23, WEB) **KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/)) > 20. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. 21. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: > > **22. And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: 23. And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.** (Exodus 33:20-23, KJV) **YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/)) > 20. He saith also, 'Thou art unable to see My face, for man doth not see Me, and live;' 21. Jehovah also saith, 'Lo, a place [is] by Me, and thou hast stood on the rock, > > **22. and it hath come to pass, in the passing by of Mine honour, that I have set thee in a cleft of the rock, and spread out My hands over thee, until My passing by, 23. and I have turned aside My hands, and thou hast seen My back parts, and My face is not seen.'** (Exodus 33:20-23, YLT) ## Setting - **Speaker:** Moses (traditional) - **Audience:** Israelite congregation post-Exodus - **Location:** Egypt → Sinai wilderness - **Time period:** events c. 1446-1445 BC; composed c. 1446-1406 BC ## Theological reading ## Key words - [H3519 - kavod](/codex/h3519-kavod/), *kavod* (Strong's H3519). Also appears in: [Exodus 33.18](/codex/exodus-33-18/), [Psalms 8.5](/codex/psalms-8-5/), [Psalms 19.1](/codex/psalms-19-1/). ## Why these four translations ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance. The four: - **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition. - **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English. - **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base. - **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff. See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses. ## Quoted in **Lexicon:** - [H3519 - kavod](/codex/h3519-kavod/), via [Exodus 33.18-23](/codex/exodus-33-18-23/) - [H8034 - shem](/codex/h8034-shem/), via [Exodus 33.18-23](/codex/exodus-33-18-23/) **Passages:** - [Exodus 33.18](/codex/exodus-33-18/) - [Ezekiel 39](/codex/ezekiel-39/) - [Isaiah 21](/codex/isaiah-21/) - [Isaiah 40.3-5](/codex/isaiah-40-3-5/) - [Isaiah 6](/codex/isaiah-6/) - [Isaiah 6.1-8](/codex/isaiah-6-1-8/) - [Isaiah 6.3](/codex/isaiah-6-3/) - [Isaiah 61.1-6](/codex/isaiah-61-1-6/) - [Isaiah 62](/codex/isaiah-62/) - [Malachi 1.6](/codex/malachi-1-6/) - [Proverbs 26.1](/codex/proverbs-26-1/) - [Psalms 24.10](/codex/psalms-24-10/) - [Psalms 24.8](/codex/psalms-24-8/) - [Psalms 29.1-2](/codex/psalms-29-1-2/) - [Psalms 8.5](/codex/psalms-8-5/) - [Zechariah 2.7-11](/codex/zechariah-2-7-11/)