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. 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 the land where much food grows. But I will not go with you. This is because I might destroy you on the way. You are such a stubborn people.”
4The people heard this bad news, and they became very sad. 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. Then 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. Moses called it the “Meeting Tent.” A person might want to ask the Lord about something. Then he would go to the Meeting Tent outside the camp. 8Anytime Moses went out to the Tent, all the people would rise. They stood at the entrances of their tents and watched Moses until he entered the Meeting Tent. 9When Moses went into the Tent, the pillar of cloud would always come down. It would stay at the entrance of the Tent while the Lord spoke with Moses. 10The people saw the pillar of cloud at the entrance of the Tent. Then 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. I am pleased with you.’ 13If I have truly pleased you, show me your plans. Then 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 your people. These people and I would be no different from any other people on earth.”
17Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will do what you ask. This is because I know you very well, and I am pleased with you.”
Moses and God’s Greatness
18Then Moses said, “Now, please show me your greatness.”
19The Lord answered, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you. I will announce my name, the Lord, so you can hear it. I will show kindness to anyone I want to show kindness. I will show mercy to anyone I want to show mercy. 20But you cannot see my face. No one can see me and stay alive.
21“There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22My greatness will pass that place. I will put you in a large crack in that rock. And I will 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: ICB
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Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Exodus 33
33
1 THE Lord said to Moses, Depart, go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought from the land of Egypt, to the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, To your descendants I will give it.
2 I will send an Angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite, Amorite, Hittite, Perizzite, Hivite, and Jebusite. [Exod. 23:23; 34:11.]
3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, for you are a stiff-necked people, lest I destroy you on the way.
4 When the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned and no man put on his ornaments.
5 For the Lord had said to Moses, Say to the Israelites, You are a stiff-necked people! If I should come among you for one moment, I would consume and destroy you. Now therefore [penitently] leave off your ornaments, that I may know what to do with you.
6 And the Israelites left off all their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward.
7 Now Moses used to take [his own] tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting [of God with His own people]. And everyone who sought the Lord went out to [that temporary] tent of meeting which was outside the camp.
8 When Moses went out to the tent of meeting, all the people rose and stood, every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses until he had gone into the tent.
9 When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the door of the tent, and the Lord would talk with Moses.
10 And all the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the tent door, and all the people rose up and worshiped, every man at his tent door.
11 And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Moses returned to the camp, but his minister Joshua son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the [temporary prayer] tent.
12 Moses said to the Lord, See, You say to me, Bring up this people, but You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You said, I know you by name and you have also found favor in My sight.
13 Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You [progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with You, perceiving and recognizing and understanding more strongly and clearly] and that I may find favor in Your sight. And [Lord, do] consider that this nation is Your people.
14 And the Lord said, My Presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.
15 And Moses said to the Lord, If Your Presence does not go with me, do not carry us up from here!
16 For by what shall it be known that I and Your people have found favor in Your sight? Is it not in Your going with us so that we are distinguished, I and Your people, from all the other people upon the face of the earth?
17 And the Lord said to Moses, I will do this thing also that you have asked, for you have found favor, loving-kindness, and mercy in My sight and I know you personally and by name. [Rev. 2:17.]
18 And Moses said, I beseech You, show me Your glory.
19 And God said, I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim My name, THE Lord, before you; for I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy and loving-kindness on whom I will show mercy and loving-kindness. [Rom. 9:15, 16.]
20 But, He said, You can not see My face, for no man shall see Me and live.
21 And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place beside Me, and you shall stand upon the rock,
22 And while 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 Then I will take away My hand and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.
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