Exodus 33

1 Then the Lord told Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you led out of Egypt, and go to the land I promised with an oath to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, telling them, ‘I will give this land to your descendants.’

And Jehovah said to Moses, Depart, go up hence, thou and the people that thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, into the land that I swore unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it,

2 I will send an angel out in front of you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

(and I will send an angel before thee, and dispossess the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, )

3 Enter a land flowing with milk and honey, but I will not accompany you because you are a rebellious people. Otherwise I would destroy you on the way.”

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

4 When the people heard these words of criticism, they mourned and didn't put on their jewelry.

And when the people heard this evil word, they mourned; and no man put on his ornaments.

5 For the Lord had previously told Moses, “Tell the people of Israel, ‘You are a rebellious people. If I was with you for just a moment, I would wipe you out. Now remove your jewelry, and I'll decide what to do with you.’”

Now Jehovah had said to Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiff-necked people: in one moment I will come up into the midst of thee and will consume thee. And now put off thine ornaments from thee, and I will know what I will do unto thee.

6 So the Israelites took off their jewelry from the time they left Mount Sinai.

And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments at mount Horeb.

7 Moses used to set up the Tent of Meeting some way outside the camp. Anyone who wanted to ask the Lord anything could go out there to the Tent of Meeting.

And Moses took the tent, and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the Tent of meeting. And it came to pass [that] every one who sought Jehovah went out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp.

8 Whenever Moses went out to the Tent, all the people would go and stand at the entrance of their tents. They would watch him until he had gone inside.

And it came to pass, when Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose up, and stood every man at the entrance of his tent, and they looked after Moses until he entered into the tent.

9 As soon as Moses went into the Tent, the cloud column would descend and stand in the doorway as the Lord spoke with Moses.

And it came to pass when Moses entered into the tent, the pillar of cloud descended, and stood at the entrance of the tent, and [Jehovah] talked with Moses.

10 When the people saw the cloud column standing in the doorway to the Tent, everyone would stand up and bow in worship at the entrance of their tents.

And all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent; and all the people rose and worshipped, every man at the entrance of his tent.

11 Moses would speak to the Lord face to face as you would talk to a friend, and then returned to the camp. However, his young assistant Joshua, son of Nun, stayed in the Tent.

And Jehovah spoke with Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. And he returned to the camp; but his attendant, Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, departed not from within the tent.

12 Moses said to the Lord, “Look, you've been telling me, ‘Go and lead these people,’ but you haven't let me know who you're going to send with me. And yet you have stated, ‘I know you personally, and I'm happy with you.’

And Moses said to Jehovah, Behold, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people; but thou dost not let me know whom thou wilt send with me; and thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in mine eyes.

13 Now if it's true that you're happy with me, please teach me your ways so I can get to know you, and go on pleasing you. Remember that the people of this nation are yours.”

And now, if indeed I have found grace in thine eyes, make me now to know thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thine eyes; and consider that this nation is thy people!

14 The Lord replied, “I myself will go with you, and I will support you.”

And he said, My presence shall go, and I will give thee rest.

15 “If you don't go with us yourself, then please don't take us away from here,” Moses responded.

And he said to him, If thy presence do not go, bring us not up hence.

16 “How will others know that you are happy with me, and with your people, if you don't accompany us? How would anyone tell us apart—me and your people—from every other people who live on the earth?”

And how shall it be known then that I have found grace in thine eyes — I and thy people? [Is it] not by thy going with us? so shall we be distinguished, I and thy people, from every people that is on the face of the earth.

17 The Lord told Moses, “I promise do what you've asked, because I'm happy with you and I know you personally.”

And Jehovah said to Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast said; for thou hast found grace in mine eyes, and I know thee by name.

18 “Now please reveal to me your glory,” Moses asked.

And he said, Let me, I pray thee, see thy glory.

19 “I will make all the goodness of my character pass in front of you, I will call out the name ‘Yahweh,’ I will show grace to those I want to show grace, and I will show mercy to those I want to show mercy.

And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thy face, and I will proclaim the name of Jehovah before thee; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

20 But you won't be able to see my face, because no one can see my face and live.”

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

21 “Come here and stand by me on this rock,” the Lord went on,

And Jehovah said, Behold, [there is] a place by me: there shalt thou stand on the rock.

22 “and as my glory goes by I'll put you in a crevice of the rock, and I'll cover you with my hand until I have passed by.

And it shall come to pass, when my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand, until I have passed by.

23 Then I'll take my hand away and you'll see my back; but you won't see my face.”

And I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see me from behind; but my face shall not be seen.