The Meaning of Exodus 33:13 Explained

Exodus 33:13

KJV: Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.

YLT: And now, if, I pray Thee, I have found grace in Thine eyes, cause me to know, I pray Thee, Thy way, and I know Thee, so that I find grace in Thine eyes, and consider that this nation is Thy people;'

Darby: And now, if indeed I have found grace in thine eyes, make me now to know thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thine eyes; and consider that this nation is thy people!

ASV: Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found favor in thy sight, show me now thy ways, that I may know thee, to the end that I may find favor in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found  grace  in thy sight,  shew  me now thy way,  that I may know  thee, that I may find  grace  in thy sight:  and consider  that this nation  [is] thy people. 

What does Exodus 33:13 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 33:13 mean?

Now therefore if I pray I have found grace in Your sight show me now - Your way that I may know You that I may find in Your sight And consider that Your people nation [is] this
וְעַתָּ֡ה אִם־ נָא֩ מָצָ֨אתִי חֵ֜ן בְּעֵינֶ֗יךָ הוֹדִעֵ֤נִי נָא֙ אֶת־ דְּרָכֶ֔ךָ וְאֵדָ֣עֲךָ֔ לְמַ֥עַן אֶמְצָא־ בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ וּרְאֵ֕ה כִּ֥י עַמְּךָ֖ הַגּ֥וֹי הַזֶּֽה

וְעַתָּ֡ה  Now  therefore 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
נָא֩  I  pray 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
מָצָ֨אתִי  I  have  found 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
חֵ֜ן  grace 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵן  
Sense: favour, grace, charm.
בְּעֵינֶ֗יךָ  in  Your  sight 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc, second person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
הוֹדִעֵ֤נִי  show  me 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
נָא֙  now 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
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.
דְּרָכֶ֔ךָ  Your  way 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
וְאֵדָ֣עֲךָ֔  that  I  may  know  You 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
לְמַ֥עַן  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
אֶמְצָא־  I  may  find 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ  in  Your  sight 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc, second person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
וּרְאֵ֕ה  And  consider 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
כִּ֥י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
עַמְּךָ֖  Your  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הַגּ֥וֹי  nation  [is] 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
הַזֶּֽה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.