KJV ORIGINAL
And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
And I will take away my hand, and you will see my back, but you will not be able to see my face.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
God is telling Moses that he can only see a glimpse of God's glory from behind, because seeing God's full presence directly would be too overwhelming for any human to survive.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs after Moses asked to see God's glory following the golden calf incident. God had just promised to show Moses His goodness and proclaim His name, but explained that no human can see His face and live. God is providing a way for Moses to experience His presence while protecting him from the full intensity of divine glory.
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