Exodus 33:19

“I will cause all My goodness to pass before you,” the LORD replied, “and I will proclaim My name—the LORD—in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD replies to Moses following Moses’s request to see His glory, establishing His sovereign authority before immediately adding that Moses cannot see His face and live.

The words — The Hebrew אַעֲבִיר ('a.'a.Vir) means “I will cause to pass by,” describing the manner in which God will display His goodness before Moses. The term וְ/קָרָ֧אתִֽי (ve./ka.Ra.ti) translates to “and I will proclaim,” marking God’s deliberate declaration of His name in Moses’s presence.

The thread — Paul cites this exact declaration in Romans 9:15 to ground his argument about divine mercy, while Jeremiah 31:14 echoes the same motif of God filling His people with His goodness.

Why it lands — The text requires a reader to accept that mercy and compassion are dispensed according to God’s independent will, not human merit or demand.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיֹּ֗אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said אֲנִ֨י'a.NiI אַעֲבִ֤יר'a.'a.VirI will cause to pass by כָּל־kol-all טוּבִי֙tu.V/igoodness/ my עַל־'al-on פָּנֶ֔יךָpa.Nei./khaface/ your וְקָרָ֧אתִֽיve./ka.Ra.tiand/ I will proclaim בְשֵׁ֛םve./Shem<in>/ [the] name of יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahweh לְפָנֶ֑יךָle./fa.Nei./kha<to>/ before/ you וְחַנֹּתִי֙ve./cha.no.Tiand/ I will show favor to אֶת־'et-<obj.>אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sher[those] whom אָחֹ֔ן'a.ChonI will show favor וְרִחַמְתִּ֖יve./ri.cham.Tiand/ I will have compassion on אֶת־'et-<obj.>אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sher[those] whom אֲרַחֵֽם׃'a.ra.ChemI will have compassion

King James Version

And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

Cross-references

Romans 9:15 For He says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
Ephesians 1:6 to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One.
Jeremiah 31:14 I will fill the souls of the priests abundantly, and will fill My people with My goodness,” declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 31:12 They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will be radiant over the bounty of the LORD—the grain, new wine, and oil, and the young of the flocks and herds. Their life will be like a well-watered garden, and never again will they languish.
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.
Exodus 34:5 And the LORD descended in a cloud, stood with him there, and proclaimed His name, the LORD.
Exodus 3:13 Then Moses asked God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ What should I tell them?”
Nehemiah 9:25 They captured fortified cities and fertile land and took houses full of all goods, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled; they grew fat and delighted in Your great goodness.
Isaiah 12:4 and on that day you will say: “Give praise to the LORD; proclaim His name! Make His works known among the peoples; declare that His name is exalted.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.