The Meaning of Exodus 33:16 Explained

Exodus 33:16

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.

YLT: and in what is it known now, that I have found grace in Thine eyes -- I and Thy people -- is it not in Thy going with us? and we have been distinguished -- I and Thy people -- from all the people who are on the face of the ground.'

Darby: And how shall it be known then that I have found grace in thine eyes I and thy people? Is it not by thy going with us? so shall we be distinguished, I and thy people, from every people that is on the face of the earth.

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 Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Exodus 33:16 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 33:16 mean?

For by what [then] will it be known here that have found grace in Your sight I and Your people except You go with us so we shall be separate and Your people from all the people who [are] upon the face of the earth -
וּבַמֶּ֣ה ׀ יִוָּדַ֣ע אֵפ֗וֹא כִּֽי־ מָצָ֨אתִי חֵ֤ן בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲנִ֣י ؟ וְעַמֶּ֔ךָ הֲל֖וֹא בְּלֶכְתְּךָ֣ עִמָּ֑נוּ וְנִפְלֵ֙ינוּ֙‪‬ וְעַמְּךָ֔ מִכָּ֨ל־ הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־ פְּנֵ֥י ؟ הָאֲדָמָֽה פ

וּבַמֶּ֣ה ׀  For  by  what  [then] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
יִוָּדַ֣ע  will  it  be  known 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
אֵפ֗וֹא  here 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אֵפֹוא  
Sense: then, now, so.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
מָצָ֨אתִי  have  found 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
חֵ֤ן  grace 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵן  
Sense: favour, grace, charm.
בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙  in  Your  sight 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc, second person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
؟ וְעַמֶּ֔ךָ  and  Your  people 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הֲל֖וֹא  except 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
בְּלֶכְתְּךָ֣  You  go 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
עִמָּ֑נוּ  with  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
וְנִפְלֵ֙ינוּ֙‪‬  so  we  shall  be  separate 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common plural
Root: פָּלָה  
Sense: to be distinct, marked out, be separated, be distinguished.
וְעַמְּךָ֔  and  Your  people 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
מִכָּ֨ל־  from  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָעָ֔ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אֲשֶׁ֖ר  who  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
פְּנֵ֥י  the  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
؟ הָאֲדָמָֽה  of  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation