Exodus 33

1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, Depart, go up hence, thou and the people that thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land of which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it:

Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Go from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt. Go to the land about which I made an oath to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.'

2 and I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:

I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

3 unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee, for thou art a stiffnecked people, lest I consume thee in the way.

Go to that land, which is flowing with milk and honey, but I will not go up with you, because you are a stubborn people. I might destroy you on the way.”

4 And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.

When the people heard these troubling words, they mourned, and no one put on any jewelry.

5 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people; if I go up into the midst of thee for one moment, I shall consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.

Yahweh had said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, 'You are a stubborn people. If I went among you for even one moment, I would destroy you. So now, take off your jewelry so that I may decide what to do with you.'”

6 And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments from mount Horeb onward.

So the Israelites wore no jewelry from Mount Horeb onward.

7 Now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it without the camp, afar off from the camp; and he called it, The tent of meeting. And it came to pass, that every one that sought Jehovah went out unto the tent of meeting, which was without the camp.

Moses took a tent and pitched it outside the camp, some distance from the camp. He called it the tent of meeting. Everyone who asked Yahweh for anything went out to the tent of meeting, outside the camp.

8 And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the Tent, that all the people rose up, and stood, every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the Tent.

When Moses would go out to the tent, all the people would stand up at their tent entrances and look at Moses until he had gone inside.

9 And it came to pass, when Moses entered into the Tent, the pillar of cloud descended, and stood at the door of the Tent: and [Jehovah] spake with Moses.

Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stand at the tent entrance, and Yahweh would speak with Moses.

10 And all the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the door of the Tent: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man at his tent door.

Whenever all the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the entrance to the tent, they would get up and worship, every man at his own tent entrance.

11 And Jehovah spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his minister Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent.

Yahweh would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua son of Nun, a young man, would stay in the tent.

12 And Moses said unto Jehovah, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found favor in my sight.

Moses said to Yahweh, “See, you have been saying to me, 'Take this people on their journey,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my eyes.'

13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found favor in thy sight, show me now thy ways, that I may know thee, to the end that I may find favor in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.

Now if I have found favor in your eyes, show me your ways so that I may know you and continue to find favor in your eyes. Remember that this nation is your people.”

14 And he said, My presence shall go [with thee], and I will give thee rest.

Yahweh answered, “My own presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not [with me], carry us not up hence.

Moses said to him, “If your presence does not go with us, do not take us up from here.

16 For wherein now shall it be known that I have found favor in thy sight, I and thy people? is it not in that thou goest with us, so that we are separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth?

For otherwise, how will it be known that I have found favor in your eyes, I and your people? Will it not only be if you go with us so that I and your people are different from all the other peoples that are on the surface of the earth?”

17 And Jehovah said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken; for thou hast found favor in my sight, and I know thee by name.

Yahweh said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have requested, for you have found favor in my eyes, and I know you by name.”

18 And he said, Show me, I pray thee, thy glory.

Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”

19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and will proclaim the name of Jehovah before thee; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.

Yahweh said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim my name 'Yahweh' before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”

20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face; for man shall not see me and live.

But Yahweh said, “You may not see my face, for no one can see me and live.”

21 And Jehovah said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon the rock:

Yahweh said, “See, here is a place by me; you will stand on this rock.

22 and it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand until I have passed by:

While my glory passes by, I will put you in a crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.

23 and I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back; but my face shall not be seen.

Then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back, but my face will not be seen.”