The Meaning of Exodus 33:12 Explained

Exodus 33:12

KJV: And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.

YLT: And Moses saith unto Jehovah, 'See, Thou art saying unto me, Bring up this people, and Thou hast not caused me to know whom Thou dost send with me; and Thou hast said, I have known thee by name, and also thou hast found grace in Mine eyes.

Darby: And Moses said to Jehovah, Behold, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people; but thou dost not let me know whom thou wilt send with me; and thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in mine eyes.

ASV: And Moses said unto Jehovah, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found favor in my sight.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Moses  said  unto the LORD,  See,  thou sayest  unto me, Bring up  this people:  and thou hast not let me know  whom thou wilt send  with me. Yet thou hast said,  I know  thee by name,  and thou hast also found  grace  in my sight. 

What does Exodus 33:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 33:12-23 - God's Presence Promised And His Glory Shown
When Moses found himself alone with God he made two outstanding requests:
(1) For God's presence. "If thou dost not go with me, I cannot go; angels are not enough. They are fair, and sweet, and strong, but I want thee. Wilt thou leave me-a lonely man-to thread these desert wastes with this people? Thou hast put the burden on me, and thou canst not leave me to carry it alone!" It is good when a man gets to close grips with God, and it was to him according to his faith. See Exodus 33:14.
(2) For a vision of God's glory. Again the answer came as he asked-"I will put thee in a cleft of the rock." The sides of the mountains are rent and scarred; but who can tell the anguish of Him who was "marred" for us? Yet, in the cleft wound of His side there is room for us to hide. "Rock of Ages, cleft for me!" On Calvary, a niche was hollowed out in which a world of sinners may find shelter. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Exodus 33:12 mean?

And said Moses to Yahweh See You say to me bring up - people this but You not have let me know - whom You will send with me And yet You have said I know you by name and also you have found grace in My sight
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶל־ יְהוָ֗ה רְ֠אֵה אַתָּ֞ה אֹמֵ֤ר אֵלַי֙ הַ֚עַל אֶת־ הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְאַתָּה֙ לֹ֣א הֽוֹדַעְתַּ֔נִי אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־ תִּשְׁלַ֖ח עִמִּ֑י וְאַתָּ֤ה אָמַ֙רְתָּ֙ יְדַעְתִּ֣יךָֽ בְשֵׁ֔ם וְגַם־ מָצָ֥אתָ חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינָֽי

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מֹשֶׁ֜ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
רְ֠אֵה  See 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֹמֵ֤ר  say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלַי֙  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַ֚עַל  bring  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָעָ֣ם  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הַזֶּ֔ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
וְאַתָּה֙  but  You 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
הֽוֹדַעְתַּ֔נִי  have  let  me  know 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
אֵ֥ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲשֶׁר־  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
תִּשְׁלַ֖ח  You  will  send 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
עִמִּ֑י  with  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
וְאַתָּ֤ה  And  yet  You 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
אָמַ֙רְתָּ֙  have  said 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְדַעְתִּ֣יךָֽ  I  know  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
בְשֵׁ֔ם  by  name 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
וְגַם־  and  also 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
מָצָ֥אתָ  you  have  found 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
חֵ֖ן  grace 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵן  
Sense: favour, grace, charm.
בְּעֵינָֽי  in  My  sight 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc, first person common singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.