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 the Lord said unto Moses, Depart, go up from here, thou and the people that thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which 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 before thee an angel; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Emorite, 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.”

Unto a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in the midst of thee, because thou art a stiffnecked 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 these evil tidings, they mourned; and no man did put his ornaments on him.

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.’”

For the Lord had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people; should I go up one moment in the midst of thee, I would consume thee; now therefore put off thy ornaments from thee, and I shall know what I will do unto thee.

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

The children of Israel then stripped themselves of their ornaments [they wore] from [the time they were 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 without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it, Tabernacle of the congregation; and it came to pass, that every one who sought [instruction of] the Lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without 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, that when Moses went out unto the tent, all the people would rise up, and stand every man at the door of his tent, and look after Moses, until he was gone 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, that as Moses entered into the tent, the pillar of cloud descended, and stood at the door of the tent, and spoke 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 when all the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the door of the tent: then all the people rose up and prostrated themselves, every man at the door 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 the Lord spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend; and then he returned into the camp; but his servant, Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of 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 unto the Lord, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people; but thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me: and yet thou hast said, I have chosen thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my 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.”

Now, therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy eyes, do make me know thy way, that I may know thee, in order that I may find grace in thy 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 in advance, 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 unto him, If thy presence go not [with us, ] carry us not up from here.

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?”

For wherein shall it be known in any wise that I have found grace in thy eyes, I with thy people? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be distinguished, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon 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 the Lord said unto Moses, Also this thing that thou hast spoken will I do; for thou hast found grace in my eyes, and I have chosen thee by name.

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

And he said, Let me see, I beseech thee, 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 cause all my goodness to pass before thy face, and I will proclaim, by name, the Lord before thee; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show mercy to whom I will show 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 no man can see me, and live.

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

And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon 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, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in the cleft of the rock, and I 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 then I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back parts; but my face shall not be seen.