All my goodness, or, my beauty; for so that Hebrew word is sometimes used, Genesis 6:2 1 Samuel 9:2; or my excellency, or my glory, as appears from Exodus 33:22, which was the thing Moses desired to see; and the difference between his request and God's answer doth not lie in glory and goodness, but in showing his glory so as Moses might gaze upon it, and making it only, as it follows, to pass before him, to wit, in a sudden and very transitory vision; though it may be understood properly of God's goodness and kindness to men, of which the following words speak, and that was the great, if not the only thing ascribed to God, Exodus 34:6,7. The name of the Lord, i.e. my name; the noun for the pronoun, as is very frequent. I will give thee notice when I come, that thou mayst attend; I will not surprise thee, nor steal by thee. Or will proclaim, or publish of the name of the Lord, or of my name, i.e. some part of it, especially my goodness, which may seem to be here principally intended,
1. By comparing this with Exodus 34:6,7.
2. By the following words, which seem a limitation of this general expression: q.d. I will proclaim, manifest, and impart my goodness, but with a difference, not to all men, but to whom I please.
3. By other places, where the name of the Lord is principally, if not solely, understood of his goodness, as Isaiah 1:10, and in many places of the Psalms. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious: this may seem to be added, with reference to the people for whom Moses is interceding, lest Moses should misunderstand or misapply what is said here, and Exodus 34:6,7. The sense is, I will show this peculiar favour to thee, I will also be gracious towards the people thou pleadest for, but not promiscuously. Some of them I will severely and eternally punish for this and their other sins; and some of them I will pardon and save, not because they are righteous, or innocent, or less sinners than the rest, but merely out of my own good pleasure and most free grace, whereby I will show mercy to some, when I will not show mercy to others. Thus this place is interpreted by the apostle, Romans 9:16, &c.