Exodus 33
33
1Then the Lord said to Moses, “You and the people you brought out of Egypt must leave this place. Go to the land that I promised with an oath to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give that land to your descendants.’ 2I will send an angel to lead you, and I will force these people out of the land: the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 3Go up to a fertile land. But I will not go with you, because I might destroy you on the way, since you are such a stubborn people.”
4When the people heard this bad news, they became very sad, and none of them put on jewelry. 5This was because the Lord had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stubborn people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I would destroy you. So take off all your jewelry, and I will decide what to do with you.’ ” 6So the people of Israel took off their jewelry at Mount Sinai.
The Meeting Tent
7Moses used to take a tent and set it up a long way outside the camp; he called it the “Meeting Tent.” Anyone who wanted to ask the Lord about something would go to the Meeting Tent outside the camp. 8Whenever Moses went out to the Tent, all the people would rise and stand at the entrances of their tents, watching him until he entered the Meeting Tent. 9When Moses went into the Tent, the pillar of cloud would always come down and stay at the entrance of the Tent while the Lord spoke with Moses. 10Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud at the entrance of the Tent, they stood and worshiped, each person at the entrance of his own tent.
11The Lord spoke to Moses face to face as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but Moses’ young helper, Joshua son of Nun, did not leave the Tent.
12Moses said to the Lord, “You have told me to lead these people, but you did not say whom you would send with me. You have said to me, ‘I know you very well, and I am pleased with you.’ 13If I have truly pleased you, show me your plans so that I may know you and continue to please you. Remember that this nation is your people.”
14The Lord answered, “I myself will go with you, and I will give you victory.”
15Then Moses said to him, “If you yourself don’t go with us, then don’t send us away from this place. 16If you don’t go with us, no one will know that you are pleased with me and with your people. These people and I will be no different from any other people on earth.”
17Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will do what you ask, because I know you very well, and I am pleased with you.”
Moses Sees God’s Glory
18Then Moses said, “Now, please show me your glory.”
19The Lord answered, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will announce my name, the Lord, so you can hear it. I will show kindness to anyone to whom I want to show kindness, and I will show mercy to anyone to whom I want to show mercy. 20But you cannot see my face, because no one can see me and live.
21“There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22When my glory passes that place, I will put you in a large crack in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23Then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back. But my face must not be seen.”
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Exodus 33: NCV
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Exodus 33
33
1The Lord spoke to Moses: Go! You and the people whom you have brought up from the land of Egypt are to go up from here to the land about which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: I will give it to your descendants.#Gn 12:7. 2Driving out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, I will send an angel before you#Ex 23:23. 3to a land flowing with milk and honey. But I myself will not go up in your company, because you are a stiff-necked people; otherwise I might consume you on the way. 4When the people heard this painful news, they mourned, and no one wore any ornaments.
5The Lord spoke to Moses: Speak to the Israelites: You are a stiff-necked people. Were I to go up in your company even for a moment, I would destroy you. Now off with your ornaments! Let me think what to do with you. 6So, from Mount Horeb onward, the Israelites stripped off their ornaments.
Moses’ Intimacy with God. 7Moses used to pitch a tent#Ex 29:42–43. outside the camp at some distance. It was called the tent of meeting. Anyone who wished to consult the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. 8Whenever Moses went out to the tent, the people would all rise and stand at the entrance of their own tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. 9As Moses entered the tent, the column of cloud would come down and stand at its entrance while the Lord spoke with Moses. 10On seeing the column of cloud stand at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise and bow down at the entrance of their own tents. 11The Lord used to speak to Moses face to face,#Nm 12:8; Dt 34:10; Sir 45:4–5. as a person speaks to a friend. Moses would then return to the camp, but his young assistant, Joshua, son of Nun, never left the tent. 12Moses said to the Lord, “See, you are telling me: Lead this people.#Ex 32:34. But you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said: You are my intimate friend;#Intimate friend: lit., “know by name.” The root word meaning “know” or “make known” appears four times in vv. 12–13. You have found favor with me. 13Now, if I have found favor with you, please let me know your ways so that, in knowing you, I may continue to find favor with you. See, this nation is indeed your own people. 14The Lord answered: I myself#I myself: lit., “my face,” that is, “my presence.” The making of the calf (32:1–4) is an attempt to control the Lord’s presence. In response the Lord refuses to accompany the people (33:3) until Moses persuades him. will go along, to give you rest. 15Moses replied, “If you are not going yourself, do not make us go up from here. 16For how can it be known that I and your people have found favor with you, except by your going with us? Then we, your people and I, will be singled out from every other people on the surface of the earth.” 17The Lord said to Moses: This request, too, which you have made, I will carry out, because you have found favor with me and you are my intimate friend.
18Then Moses said, “Please let me see your glory!” 19The Lord answered: I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim my name, “Lord,” before you; I who show favor to whom I will, I who grant mercy to whom I will.#Rom 9:15. 20But you cannot see my face,#Jn 1:18; 1 Tm 6:16. for no one can see me and live.#No one can see me and live: reflecting the tradition that to see God meant instant death. This is contradicted by the statements that Hagar (Gn 16:13), Jacob (Gn 32:31), and Manoah and his wife (Jgs 13:22) all “see God” and yet live (see also Ex 24:10–11). 21Here, continued the Lord, is a place near me where you shall station yourself on the rock. 22When my glory passes I will set you in the cleft of the rock and will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23Then I will remove my hand, so that you may see my back; but my face may not be seen.
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