Exodus Chapter 33
1 Yahveh told Moses,
“Leave here and go to the land I swore I’d give the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 2 I’ll send an angel ahead of you to drive out the Canaanite, Amorite, Hittite, Perizzite, Hivite, and Jebusite. 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey. I won’t go up with you, because you’re stubborn, so I won’t destroy you on the way.”
4 When the people heard that discouraging word, they went into mourning; nobody put on jewelry. 5 Yahveh had told Moses, “Tell them, ‘You’re being stubborn. If I’d go up among you for a moment, I’d destroy you. So take off your jewelry so I’ll know what I’m to do with you.’” 6 They didn’t wear jewelry from Mount Horeb/Sinai on.
Ex 33:1-6
The Tent of Meeting
7 Moses would pitch a tent a good distance outside the camp—what he called The Tent of Meeting. Anybody that wanted to consult Yahveh would go out to it. 8 Whenever Moses went out, everybody would stand at the entrance of his tent and watch him till he went into the tent. 9 Then the pillar of cloud would come down and stand at the entrance, and Yahveh would talk to him. 10 When people saw the pillar, they would worship at their own tents. 11 Yahveh would speak to Moses directly, the way you talk to a friend. When Moses would come back to the camp, his assistant Joshua Ben-Nun, a young man, would stay behind at the tent.
Ex 33:7-11
Moses Sees the Glory of the LORD
12 Then Moses told Yahveh,
“You tell me to bring the people up, but you haven’t let me know who you’ll send with me. You’ve said you knew me by name, and you’ve been gracious to me. 13 Let me know your ways so I can know you and please you. Consider this nation your people.
14 “My presence will go with yousg, and I’ll give you rest.”
15 “If you don’t go with us, don’t take us away from here. 16 How can your people and I know we’re being pleasing to you? Isn’t it by having you with us so we can tell the difference between ourselves and other people?”
Ex 33:12-16
17 “I’ll do what you’ve asked, because you’re pleasing to me, and I know you by name.”
18 “Show me your glory.”
19 “I’ll make my goodness pass by in front of you, and show you who I am. I’ll decide who to give grace to and who to show mercy to. 20 But you can’t see my face. Nobody can see me and live! 21 Here’s a place beside me; stand on that rock. 22 While my glory is passing by, I’ll put you in a crevice in the rock and cover you with my hand till I’m past. 23 Then I’ll take my hand away, and you can see my back; but you won’t see my face.”
Ex 33:17-23