New Living Translation
Exodus 33:11
11Inside the Tent of Meeting, the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Afterward Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting.
Exodus 33:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.
- New International Version (NIV)The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.
Context of Exodus 33:11
9As he went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and hover at its entrance while the Lord spoke with Moses. 10When the people saw the cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, they would stand and bow down in front of their own tents. Inside the Tent of Meeting, the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Afterward Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting. 12One day Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Take these people up to the Promised Land.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. You have told me, ‘I know you by name, and I look favorably on you.’ 13If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people.”
Read all of Exodus 33Exodus 33:11 word by word
וְדִבֶּ֨ר יְהוָ֤ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֙ פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יְדַבֵּ֥ר אִ֖ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְשָׁב֙ אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וּמְשָׁ֨רְת֜וֹ יְהוֹשֻׁ֤עַ בִּן־נוּן֙ נַ֔עַר לֹ֥א יָמִ֖ישׁ מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָאֹֽהֶל׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- unto Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- as a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- unto his friendרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
- And he turned againשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- into the campמַחֲנֶהmachăneh · campH4264
- but his servantשָׁרַתshârath · to ministerH8334
- Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091
- the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Nunנוּןnûn nôn · NunH5126
- a young manנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- departedמוּשׁmûsh · to removeH4185
- not outתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- of the tabernacleאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
Cross-references for Exodus 33:11
- Exodus 33:9As he went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and hover at its entrance while the Lord spoke with Moses.
- Genesis 32:30Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.”
- Numbers 12:8I speak to him face to face, clearly, and not in riddles! He sees the Lord as he is. So why were you not afraid to criticize my servant Moses?”
- Deuteronomy 5:4At the mountain the Lord spoke to you face to face from the heart of the fire.
- Deuteronomy 34:10There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.
- 2 Chronicles 20:7O our God, did you not drive out those who lived in this land when your people Israel arrived? And did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham?
- Job 16:21I need someone to mediate between God and me, as a person mediates between friends.
- Isaiah 42:8“I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols.
- John 3:29It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the bridegroom’s friend is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success.
- John 11:11Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.”
- John 15:14You are my friends if you do what I command.
- James 2:23And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God.
- Exodus 17:9Moses commanded Joshua, “Choose some men to go out and fight the army of Amalek for us. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill, holding the staff of God in my hand.”
- Exodus 24:13So Moses and his assistant Joshua set out, and Moses climbed up the mountain of God.
- Exodus 32:17When Joshua heard the boisterous noise of the people shouting below them, he exclaimed to Moses, “It sounds like war in the camp!”
Commentaries on Exodus 33:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11The Lord spake unto Moses face to face - That there was no personal appearance here we may readily conceive; and that the communications made by God to Moses were not by visions, ecstasies, dreams, inward inspirations, or the mediation of angels, is sufficiently evident: we may therefore consider the passage as implying that familiarity and confidence with which the Divine Being treated his servant, and that he spake with him by articulate sounds in his…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11Face to face - See Exodus 33:20 note.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-11Verses 7-11 Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp. This seems to have been a temporary building, set up for worship, and at which he judged disputes among the people. The people looked after him; they were very desirous to be at peace with God, and concerned to know what would come to pass. The cloudy pillar which had withdrawn from the camp when it was polluted with idolatry, now returned. If our hearts go forth toward God to meet…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11Joshua had earlier gained experience as a military leader (see 17:9–13). Now, he was gaining experience as a spiritual leader (see also 24:13). He may have stayed behind to guard the tent, a function the Levites would later fulfill with the tabernacle (1 Chronicles 26).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-119-11. the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle--How would the downcast hearts of the people revive--how would the tide of joy swell in every bosom, when the symbolic cloud was seen slowly and majestically to descend and stand at the entrance of the tabernacle! as Moses entered--It was when he appeared as their mediator, when he repaired from day to day to intercede for them, that welcome token of assurance was given that his…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 33:11
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 33
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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