Exodus 33

The Journey Resumed

1Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Depart, go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land of which 1I swore to Abraham, 2Isaac, and 3Jacob, saying, ‘4To your 5descendants I will give it.’ 2I will send 6an angel before you and 7I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. 3Go up to a land 8flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, because you are 910an obstinate people, and 11I might destroy you on the way.”

4When the people heard this 12sad word, 13they went into mourning, and none of them put on his ornaments. 5For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘You are 1415an obstinate people; should I go up in your midst for one moment, I would destroy you. Now therefore, put off your ornaments from you, that I may know what I shall do with you.’” 6So the sons of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward.

7Now Moses used to take 16the tent and pitch it outside the camp, a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And 17everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp. 8And it came about, whenever Moses went out to the tent, that all the people would arise and stand, each at the entrance of his tent, and gaze after Moses until he entered the tent. 9Whenever Moses entered the tent, 18the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; 19and 20the Lord would speak with Moses. 10When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would arise and worship, each at the entrance of his tent. 11Thus 21the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When 22Moses returned to the camp, 23his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

Moses Intercedes

12Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘24Bring up this people!’ But You Yourself have not let me know 25whom You will send with me. 26Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’ 13Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, 27let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. 28Consider too, that this nation is Your people.” 14And He said, “29My presence shall go with you, and 30I will give you rest.” 15Then he said to Him, “31If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. 16For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that 32we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the 33earth?”

17The Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; 34for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name.” 1835Then 36Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” 19And He said, “37I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and 38I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” 20But He said, “You cannot see My face, 39for no man can see Me and live!” 21Then the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place 40by Me, and 41you shall stand there on the rock; 22and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and 42cover you with My hand until I have passed by. 23Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but 43My face shall not be seen.”