King James Version

Exodus 33:20

And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֕אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…לֹ֥אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…תוּכַ֖לtukhalbe ableיָכֹלverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “be able”, an unfinished actionH3201to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)be able, any at all (ways), attain, can (away with, (-not)), could, endure, might, overcome, have power, prevail, still, suffer.לִרְאֹ֣תlirotto seeרָאָהpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to see”, the to-form of the verbH7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), m…אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).פָּנָ֑יpanaya- foreפָּנִיםnoun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…כִּ֛יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…לֹֽאlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יִרְאַ֥נִיyiraniseeרָאָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “see”, an unfinished actionH7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), m…הָאָדָ֖םhaadamthe personאָדָםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the person”, the ordinary formH120ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)[idiom] another, [phrase] hypocrite, [phrase] common sort, [idiom] low, man (mean, of low degree), person.וָחָֽיvachayand liveחָיַיconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and live”, a completed action in a sequenceH2425to live; causatively to revivelive, save life.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And He said: 'Thou canst not see My face, for man shall not see Me and live.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And he said, Thou canst not see my face; for man shall not see me and live.

Young’s Literal Translation

He saith also, 'Thou art unable to see My face, for man doth not see Me, and live;'

World English Bible

He said, “You cannot see my face, for man may not see me and live.”

Darby Translation

And he said, Thou canst not see my face; for Man shall not see me, and live.

Douay-Rheims

And again he said: Thou canst not see my face: for man shall not see me and live.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And He said: 'Thou canst not see My face, for man shall not see Me and live.'

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And God said, Thou shalt not be able to see my face; for no man shall see my face, and live.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπε, οὐ δυνήσῃ ἰδεῖν τὸ πρόσωπόν μου· οὐ γὰρ μὴ ἴδῃ ἄνθρωπος τὸ πρόσωπόν μου, καὶ ζήσεται.