Exodus 33

1 YHWH spoke to Moses, "Depart, go up from here, you and the people that you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants.'

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 I will send an angel before you; and I will drive out the Canaanite, and the Amorite, and the Hethite, and the Perizzite, and the Girgashite, and 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 to a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of you, for you are a stiff-necked people, lest I consume you 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 When the people heard this evil news, they mourned: and no one put on his jewelry.

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

5 YHWH said to Moses, "Tell the children of Israel, 'You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go up into your midst for one moment, I would consume you. Therefore now take off your jewelry from you, that I may know what to do to you.'"

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 The children of Israel stripped themselves of their jewelry from Mount Horeb onward.

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

7 Now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it outside the camp, far away from the camp, and he called it "The Tent of Meeting." It happened that everyone who sought YHWH went out to the Tent of Meeting, which was outside 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 It happened that when Moses went out to the Tent, that all the people rose up, and stood, everyone at their tent door, and watched Moses, until he had gone into the Tent.

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 It happened, when Moses entered into the Tent, that the pillar of cloud descended, stood at the door of the Tent, and spoke 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 All the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the door of the Tent, and all the people rose up and worshiped, everyone at their 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 YHWH spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. He turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart out of the Tent.

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 Moses said to YHWH, "Look, you tell me, 'Bring up this people:' and you haven't let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found favor 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, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you, so that I may find favor in your sight: and consider that this nation is your 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 He said, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

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

15 He said to him, "If your presence doesn't go with me, do not carry us up from here.

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

16 For how would people know that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Isn't it in that you go with us, so that we are separated, I and your people, from all the people who are on the surface 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 YHWH said to Moses, "I will do this thing also that you have spoken; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you 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 He said, "Please show me your glory."

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

19 He said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of YHWH before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show 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 He said, "You cannot see my face, for man may not see me and live."

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

21 YHWH also said, "Look, there is a place by me, and you are to station yourself on the rock.

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

22 It will happen, while my glory passes by, that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with my hand until I have passed 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 then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back; 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.”