Charles Ellicott Commentary Exodus 33:18-23

"And he said, Show me, I pray thee, thy glory. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and will proclaim the name of Jehovah before thee; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face; for man shall not see me and live. and Jehovah said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon the rock: 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: and I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back; but my face shall not be seen." — Exodus 33:18-23 (ASV)

MOSES’ REQUEST TO SEE GOD’S GLORY, AND GOD’S REPLY TO IT.

Only after he had received full assurance of the people’s restoration to favor did Moses make any request for himself. Then, however, he made use of the privilege granted to him to speak with God, as a man speaketh unto his friend, in order to obtain a blessing for which his spiritual nature craved, and of which he could conceive nothing more desirable. Shew me, he said, I beseech thee, thy glory. All that he had until then seen of God was insufficient—it only raised his desire, only sharpened his appetite to see more. He craved for that “beatific vision,” which is the final reward of those who are perfected in another world.

God could not grant his request in full, for it is impossible, as long as we are in the flesh, to look on God and live. No man hath seen God at any time (John 1:18).

But He granted all that could be granted. He made all his goodness pass before Moses; He gave him a fresh revelation of His name (Exodus 34:6–7); and He even let him see some actual portion of His “glory”—as much as mortal man could possibly behold—more than any son of man had ever beheld before—more, probably, than any other son of man will ever behold until the consummation of all things (Exodus 33:22–23).