Exodus 33

1 And YHWH speaks to Moses, “Go, ascend from this [place], you and the people, whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land which I have sworn to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, I give it to your seed.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of the land of Egypt, and go to the land that I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’

2 And I have sent a Messenger before you, and have cast out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

And I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

3 [Go up] to a land flowing with milk and honey, for I do not go up in your midst, for you [are] a stiff-necked people—lest I consume you in the way.”

Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people; otherwise, I might destroy you on the way.”

4 And the people hear this sad thing, and mourn; and none puts his ornaments on him.

When the people heard these bad tidings, they went into mourning, and no one put on any of his jewelry.

5 And YHWH says to Moses, “Say to the sons of Israel: You [are] a stiff-necked people; [in] one moment I could come up into your midst and could have consumed you; and now, put down your ornaments from off you, and I know what I do to you”;

For the LORD had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I should go with you for a single moment, I would destroy you. Now take off your jewelry, and I will decide what to do with you.’”

6 and the sons of Israel take off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.

So the Israelites stripped themselves of their jewelry from Mount Horeb onward.

7 And Moses takes the tent, and has stretched it out at the outside of the camp, far off from the camp, and has called it, “Tent of Meeting”; and it has come to pass, everyone seeking YHWH goes out to the Tent of Meeting, which [is] at the outside of the camp.

Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it at a distance outside the camp. He called it the Tent of Meeting, and anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the Tent of Meeting outside the camp.

8 And it has come to pass, at the going out of Moses to the tent, all the people rise, and have stood, each at the opening of his tent, and have looked expectingly after Moses, until his going into the tent.

Then, whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would stand at the entrances to their own tents and watch Moses until he entered the tent.

9 And it has come to pass, at the going in of Moses to the tent, the pillar of the cloud comes down, and has stood at the opening of the tent, and He has spoken with Moses;

As Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and remain at the entrance, and the LORD would speak with Moses.

10 and all the people have seen the pillar of the cloud standing at the opening of the tent, and all the people have risen and bowed themselves, each at the opening of his tent.

When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they would stand up and worship, each one at the entrance to his own tent.

11 And YHWH has spoken to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend; and he has turned back to the camp, and his minister Joshua, son of Nun, a youth, does not depart out of the tent.

Thus the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua son of Nun would not leave the tent.

12 And Moses says to YHWH, “See, You are saying to me, Bring up this people, and You have not caused me to know whom You send with me; and You have said, I have known you by name, and you have also found grace in My eyes.

Then Moses said to the LORD, “Look, You have been telling me, ‘Lead this people up,’ but You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have found favor in My sight.’

13 And now, if, please, I have found grace in Your eyes, please cause me to know Your way, and I know You, so that I find grace in Your eyes, and consider that this nation [is] Your people”;

Now if indeed I have found favor in Your sight, please let me know Your ways, that I may know You and find favor in Your sight. Remember that this nation is Your people.”

14 and He says, “My presence goes, and I have given rest to you.”

And the LORD answered, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

15 And he says to Him, “If Your presence is not going—do not take us up from this [place];

“If Your Presence does not go with us,” Moses replied, “do not lead us up from here.

16 and in what is it known now, that I have found grace in Your eyes—I and Your people—is it not in Your going with us? And we have been distinguished—I and Your people—from all the people who [are] on the face of the ground.”

For how then can it be known that Your people and I have found favor in Your sight, unless You go with us? How else will we be distinguished from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

17 And YHWH says to Moses, “Even this thing which you have spoken I do; for you have found grace in My eyes, and I know you by name.”

So the LORD said to Moses, “I will do this very thing you have asked, for you have found favor in My sight, and I know you by name.”

18 And he says, “Please show me Your glory”;

Then Moses said, “Please show me Your glory.”

19 and He says, “I cause all My goodness to pass before your face, and have called concerning the Name of YHWH before you, and favored him whom I favor, and loved him whom I love.”

“I will cause all My goodness to pass before you,” the LORD replied, “and I will proclaim My name—the LORD—in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

20 He also says, “You are unable to see My face, for man does not see Me and live”;

But He added, “You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.”

21 YHWH also says, “Behold, a place [is] by Me, and you have stood on the rock,

The LORD continued, “There is a place near Me where you are to stand upon a rock,

22 and it has come to pass, in the passing by of My glory, that I have set you in a cleft of the rock, and spread out My hands over you until My passing by,

and when My glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by.

23 and I have turned aside My hands, and you have seen My back parts, and My face is not seen.”

Then I will take My hand away, and you will see My back; but My face must not be seen.”