King James Bible
"For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth."
Moses poses a rhetorical question about how God's favor toward Israel will be evident to others. This follows God's threat to send an angel instead of personally accompanying Israel after the golden calf incident, highlighting Moses' concern for visible proof of divine approval. Moses answers his own question, asserting that God's personal presence—not mere blessings or angelic mediation—is the ultimate sign of grace. This reflects the ancient Near Eastern understanding that a deity's presence with a people demonstrated special relationship and protection. God's accompanying presence would distinguish Israel from all other nations, marking them as uniquely chosen. This separation isn't merely ethnic but theological—a people defined by their relationship with the living God rather than territory or ethnicity alone.