Exodus 33

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Go forth, ascend from this place, you and your people, whom you led away from the land of Egypt, into the land that I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying: To your offspring, I will give it.

Then spake Yahweh unto Moses—Get thee away, go up from hence, thou, and the people whom thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, —into the land of which I sware to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob, saying, To thy seed, will I give it;

2 And I will send an Angel to precede you, so that I may cast out the Canaanite, and the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite,

And I will send before thee a messenger, -and will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite;

3 and so that you may enter into a land flowing with milk and honey. For I will not go up with you, since you are a stiff-necked people, lest perhaps I may destroy you on the way.”

into a land flowing with milk and honey, —for I will not go up in thy midst in that a stiff-necked people, thou art, lest I consume thee in the way.

4 And upon hearing this very bad news, the people mourned; and no one put on his finery according to custom.

And when the people heard these evil tidings, they afflicted themselves, —and they put not, any man, his ornaments upon him.

5 And the Lord said to Moses: “Say to the sons of Israel: You are a stiff-necked people. I should at once go up into your midst and destroy you. Now immediately put aside your ornaments, so that I may know what to do to you.”

Then said Yahweh unto Moses—Say unto the sons of Israel, Ye, are a stiff-necked people, in one moment—if I should go up in thy midst, should I make an end of thee, —Now, therefore lay down thine ornaments from off thee, that I may see what I must do with thee.

6 Therefore, the sons of Israel put aside their ornaments before Mount Horeb.

So then the sons of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, [and moved on] from Mount Horeb.

7 Also, Moses took the tabernacle and pitched it beyond the camp at a distance, and he called its name: ‘Tabernacle of the Covenant.’ And all the people, who had any kind of question, went out to the Tabernacle of the Covenant, beyond the camp.

And, Moses, proceeded to take a tent, and pitch it by itself outside the camp, afar off from the camp, and he called it, The Tent of Meeting, —and so it came to pass that whosoever was seeking Yahweh went out unto the tent of meeting, which was on the outside of the camp.

8 And when Moses went out to the tabernacle, all the people rose up, and each one stood at the door of his pavilion, and they beheld the back of Moses until he entered the tent.

And it came about, that, when Moses went out unto the tent, all the people used to rise up, and station themselves every man at the opening of his tent, —and they watched Moses, until he entered the tent.

9 And when he had gone into the Tabernacle of the Covenant, the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door, and he spoke with Moses.

And it came to pass that when Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud came down, and stood at the opening of the tent, —and spake with Moses.

10 And all discerned that the pillar of cloud stood at the door of the Tabernacle. And they stood and worshipped at the doors of their tents.

And when all the people beheld the pillar of cloud, standing at the opening of the tent, then all the people rose up and bowed themselves down, every man at the entrance of his tent.

11 But the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, just as a man is used to speaking to his friend. And when he returned to the camp, his minister Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, did not withdraw from the Tabernacle.

Thus Yahweh used to speak unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend, —and when he returned unto the camp, his attendant Joshua son of Nun, a young man, moved not from the midst of the tent.

12 Then Moses said to the Lord: “You instruct me to lead this people away, and you do not reveal to me whom you will send with me, particularly since you have said: ‘I know you by name, and you have found favor before me.’

Then said Moses, unto Yahweh, See! thou art saying unto me—Take up this people, and yet thou hast no let me know whom thou wilt send with me, —though thou thyself, didst say—I acknowledge thee by name, Yea, moreover, thou hast found favour in mine eyes.

13 If, therefore, I have found favor in your sight, show your face to me, so that I may know you and may find grace before your eyes. Look favorably on your people, this nation.”

Now, therefore, if, I pray thee, I have found favour in thine eyes, let me know, I beseech thee, thy way, that I may acknowledge thee, to the intent I may find favour in thine eyes, —see thou, therefore, that this nation is thine own people.

14 And the Lord said, “My face will precede you, and I will give you rest.”

So then he said, —Mine own presence, shall go on thus will I give thee rest.

15 And Moses said: “If you will not yourself precede us, then do not lead us away from this place.

And he said unto him, If thy presence is not going on, do not take us up from hence.

16 For how will we be able to know, I and your people, that we have found grace in your sight, unless you walk with us, so that we may be glorified out of all the people who live upon the earth?”

Whereby, indeed, shall it be known then that I have found favour in thine eyes, I, and thy people? Shall it not be, by thy going on with us? So shall we be more distinguished, I, and thy people, than any people that are on the face of the ground.

17 Then the Lord said to Moses: “This word also, which you have spoken, I will do. For you have found grace before me, and I have known you by name.”

Then said Yahweh unto Moses: Even this thing, which thou hast spoken, will I do—For thou hast found favour in mine eyes, And I have acknowledged thee by name.

18 And he said, “Show me your glory.”

And he said, —Show me, I pray thee, thy glory.

19 He responded: “I will show you all that is good, and I will call out with the name of the Lord before you. And I will take pity on whomever I will, and I will be lenient to whomever it will please me.”

And he said, —I, will cause all my goodness to pass before thee. And will proclaim myself by the name Yahweh, before thee, And will show favour, unto whom I may show favour, And will have compassion on whom I may have compassion.

20 And again he said: “You are not able to see my face. For man shall not see me and live.”

But he said—Thou canst not see my face, For no son of earth can see me, and live

21 And again, he said: “Behold, there is a place with me, and you shall stand upon the rock.

And Yahweh, said, Lo! a place near me, —So then thou shalt station thyself upon the rock:

22 And when my glory will cross over, I will set you in a cleft of the rock, and I will protect you with my right hand, until I pass by.

And it shall be while my glory passeth by, I will put thee in the cleft of the rock, —and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

23 And I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back. But my face you are not able to see.”

Then will I take away my hand, and thou shalt see behind me, But, my face, must not be seen.