Exodus 33:12
ESV
Moses said to the Lord, "See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’
NIV
Moses said to the Lord, "You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’
NASB
Then Moses said to the Lord, 'See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people!’ But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’
CSB
Moses said to the Lord, "Look, you have told me, ‘Lead this people up,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor with me.’
NLT
One day Moses said to the Lord, 'You have been telling me, ‘Take these people up to the Promised Land.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. You have told me, ‘I know you by name, and I look favorably on you.’
KJV
And Moses said unto the Lord, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.
NKJV
Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.’
What does Exodus 33:12 mean?
God recently said that He could destroy the entire nation of Israel for their blatant sin (Exodus 32:7–10). The people committed idolatry (Exodus 32:1–6) shortly after being told it was forbidden (Exodus 20:3–6). Mercifully, that was not part of His plan (Exodus 32:13–14). Yet He withdrew His presence from Israel in some way (Exodus 33:1–3). Instead of His usual presence, God spoke of sending an unspecified angel (Exodus 32:34). Moses and God are meeting in a tent set up outside the Israelite camp (Exodus 33:7–11).In this passage, the Lord draws out an expression of faith from Moses. As Moses explains his concerns, God replies with reassurances. Moses is convinced that the Lord is on his side. Yet he also knows that without direct divine help, they will never reach the Promised Land (Genesis 15:18–21). He presents his struggle to the Lord: someone must be accompanying Israel. If not God, it must be someone or something else.
