Exodus 33

1 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Go from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt. Go to the land about which I made an oath to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.'

Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Leave this place and go with the people whom you led out of Egypt. Go to the land that I promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that I would give to their descendants.

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

I will send my angel ahead of you all, and I will expel [from that land] the Canaan, Amor, Heth, Periz, Hiv, and Jebus people-groups.

3 Go to that land, which is flowing with milk and honey, but I will not go up with you, because you are a stubborn people. I might destroy you on the way.”

You will go to a land that will be very good for raising livestock and growing crops [IDM]. But I will not go with you myself, because [if I did that], I might get rid of you while you are traveling, because you are very stubborn [IDM] people.”

4 When the people heard these troubling words, they mourned, and no one put on any jewelry.

Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Tell the Israeli people, ‘You are very stubborn [IDM]. If I would go with you for even a moment, I would completely (get rid of you/wipe you out). Now take off your jewelry [to show that you are sorry for having sinned]. Then I will decide how I will punish you (OR, if I should punish you).’” So when Moses/I told to the people what God said, they started to mourn, and they all took off their jewelry.

5 Yahweh had said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, 'You are a stubborn people. If I went among you for even one moment, I would destroy you. So now, take off your jewelry so that I may decide what to do with you.'”

6 So the Israelites wore no jewelry from Mount Horeb onward.

After the Israeli people left Sinai Mountain, they did not wear jewelry any more.

7 Moses took a tent and pitched it outside the camp, some distance from the camp. He called it the tent of meeting. Everyone who asked Yahweh for anything went out to the tent of meeting, outside the camp.

[When the Israeli people traveled], whenever they stopped and set up their tents, Moses/I had them set up a tent outside the camp, far from the camp. I called it ‘the Sacred Tent where God and I talk together’. Everyone who wanted Yahweh to decide something for them would go out of the camp to the Sacred Tent.

8 When Moses would go out to the tent, all the people would stand up at their tent entrances and look at Moses until he had gone inside.

Whenever Moses/I went out to the Sacred Tent, all the people would stand at the entrances of their tents and watch him/me until he/I had entered the Sacred Tent.

9 Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stand at the tent entrance, and Yahweh would speak with Moses.

When Moses/I entered the Sacred Tent, the tall cloud that looked like a fire would come down and stay at the entrance of the Sacred Tent, and then Yahweh would talk with Moses/me.

10 Whenever all the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the entrance to the tent, they would get up and worship, every man at his own tent entrance.

When the people saw the tall cloud at the entrance of the Sacred Tent, they would all prostrate themselves on the ground and worship Yahweh.

11 Yahweh would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua son of Nun, a young man, would stay in the tent.

Yahweh would speak to Moses/me directly, like someone speaks to his friend. Then Moses/I would return to the camp. But his/my young helper, Joshua, the son of Nun, stayed in the Sacred Tent.

12 Moses said to Yahweh, “See, you have been saying to me, 'Take this people on their journey,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my eyes.'

Moses/I said to Yahweh, “It is true that you have told me, ‘Lead the people to the land [that I will show you],’ and you have said that you know me well and that you are pleased with me, but you have not told me whom you will send with me!

13 Now if I have found favor in your eyes, show me your ways so that I may know you and continue to find favor in your eyes. Remember that this nation is your people.”

So now, if you are truly pleased with me, I ask you, tell me the things that you intend/plan to do, in order that I will know you [better] and continue to please you. Also, do not forget that the [Israeli] people are the people whom you chose to belong to you.”

14 Yahweh answered, “My own presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Yahweh replied, “I will go with you, and I will give you inner peace.”

15 Moses said to him, “If your presence does not go with us, do not take us up from here.

Moses/I replied, “If you do not go with me, do not force us to leave this place.

16 For otherwise, how will it be known that I have found favor in your eyes, I and your people? Will it not only be if you go with us so that I and your people are different from all the other peoples that are on the surface of the earth?”

The only way that [other] people will know that you are pleased with me and with your people is if you go with us [RHQ]! (If you go with us, [that will show that] we are different from all the other people on the earth./If you do not go with us, what will show that we are different from all the other people on the earth?)” [RHQ]

17 Yahweh said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have requested, for you have found favor in my eyes, and I know you by name.”

Yahweh replied to Moses/me, “What you have asked is exactly what I will do, because I know you well and I am pleased with you.”

18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”

Then Moses/I said, “Please let me see your glorious presence!”

19 Yahweh said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim my name 'Yahweh' before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”

Yahweh replied, “I will let you see how great and glorious I am, and I will tell you clearly that my name is Yahweh. I will act very kindly and be merciful to all those whom I choose.

20 But Yahweh said, “You may not see my face, for no one can see me and live.”

But you are not allowed to see my face, because anyone who sees my face will (die/not continue to stay alive).

21 Yahweh said, “See, here is a place by me; you will stand on this rock.

[But look]! Here is a place close to me where you can stand on a [large] rock.

22 While my glory passes by, I will put you in a crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.

When my glorious presence comes past you, I will put you in a large crevice/opening in the rock, and I will cover your face 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 will not be seen.”

Then I will take my hand away, and you will see my back, but you will not see my face.”