Exodus 33

1 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, 'Go, ascend from this [place], thou and the people, whom thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I have sworn to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, To thy seed I give it,'

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 before thee a messenger, 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 unto a land flowing with milk and honey, for I do not go up in thy midst, for thou [art] a stiff-necked people — lest I consume thee 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 put 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 Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Say unto the sons of Israel, Ye [are] a stiff-necked people; one moment — I come up into thy midst, and have consumed thee; and now, put down thine ornaments from off thee, and I know what I do to thee;'

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 taketh the tent, and hath stretched it out at the outside of the camp, afar off from the camp, and hath called it, 'Tent of Meeting;' and it hath come to pass, every one seeking Jehovah goeth out unto 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 hath come to pass, at the going out of Moses unto 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 hath come to pass, at the going in of Moses to the tent, the pillar of the cloud cometh down, and hath stood at the opening of the tent, and He hath 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 Jehovah hath spoken unto Moses face unto face, as a man speaketh unto his friend; and he hath turned back unto the camp, and his minister Joshua, son of Nun, a youth, departeth not 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 saith unto Jehovah, 'See, Thou art saying unto me, Bring up this people, and Thou hast not caused me to know whom Thou dost send with me; and Thou hast said, I have known thee by name, and also thou hast found grace in Mine 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, I pray Thee, I have found grace in Thine eyes, cause me to know, I pray Thee, Thy way, and I know Thee, so that I find grace in Thine eyes, and consider that this nation [is] Thy 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 saith, 'My presence doth go, and I have given rest to thee.'

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

15 And he saith unto Him, 'If Thy presence is not going — take us not 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 Thine eyes — I and Thy people — is it not in Thy going with us? and we have been distinguished — I and Thy 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 Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Even this thing which thou hast spoken I do; for thou hast found grace in Mine eyes, and I know thee 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 saith, 'Shew me, I pray Thee, Thine honour;'

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

19 and He saith, 'I cause all My goodness to pass before thy face, and have called concerning the Name of Jehovah before thee, and favoured him whom I favour, 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 saith also, 'Thou art unable to see My face, for man doth not see Me, and live;'

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

21 Jehovah also saith, 'Lo, a place [is] by Me, and thou hast stood on the rock,

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

22 and it hath come to pass, in the passing by of Mine honour, that I have set thee in a cleft of the rock, and spread out My hands over thee, 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 thou hast 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.”