Exodus 33

1 AND the Lord said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it:

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.’

2 And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:

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

3 Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.

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.”

4 And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.

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

5 For the Lord had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.

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.’”

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

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

7 And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the Lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.

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.

8 And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.

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.

9 And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses.

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

10 And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.

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.

11 And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.

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.

12 And Moses said unto the Lord, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.

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.’

13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.

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.”

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

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

15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.

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

16 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.

“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?”

17 And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.

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

18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

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

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

“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.

20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

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

21 And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:

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

22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

“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.

23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

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