Exodus 33

1 Then the Lord told Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you led out of Egypt, and go to the land I promised with an oath to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, telling them, ‘I will give this land to your descendants.’

Then spake Yahweh unto Moses—Get thee away, go up from hence, thou, and the people whom thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, —into the land of which I sware to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob, saying, To thy seed, will I give it;

2 I will send an angel out in front of you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

And I will send before thee a messenger, -and will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite;

3 Enter a land flowing with milk and honey, but I will not accompany you because you are a rebellious people. Otherwise I would destroy you on the way.”

into a land flowing with milk and honey, —for I will not go up in thy midst in that a stiff-necked people, thou art, lest I consume thee in the way.

4 When the people heard these words of criticism, they mourned and didn't put on their jewelry.

And when the people heard these evil tidings, they afflicted themselves, —and they put not, any man, his ornaments upon him.

5 For the Lord had previously told Moses, “Tell the people of Israel, ‘You are a rebellious people. If I was with you for just a moment, I would wipe you out. Now remove your jewelry, and I'll decide what to do with you.’”

Then said Yahweh unto Moses—Say unto the sons of Israel, Ye, are a stiff-necked people, in one moment—if I should go up in thy midst, should I make an end of thee, —Now, therefore lay down thine ornaments from off thee, that I may see what I must do with thee.

6 So the Israelites took off their jewelry from the time they left Mount Sinai.

So then the sons of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, [and moved on] from Mount Horeb.

7 Moses used to set up the Tent of Meeting some way outside the camp. Anyone who wanted to ask the Lord anything could go out there to the Tent of Meeting.

And, Moses, proceeded to take a tent, and pitch it by itself outside the camp, afar off from the camp, and he called it, The Tent of Meeting, —and so it came to pass that whosoever was seeking Yahweh went out unto the tent of meeting, which was on the outside of the camp.

8 Whenever Moses went out to the Tent, all the people would go and stand at the entrance of their tents. They would watch him until he had gone inside.

And it came about, that, when Moses went out unto the tent, all the people used to rise up, and station themselves every man at the opening of his tent, —and they watched Moses, until he entered the tent.

9 As soon as Moses went into the Tent, the cloud column would descend and stand in the doorway as the Lord spoke with Moses.

And it came to pass that when Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud came down, and stood at the opening of the tent, —and spake with Moses.

10 When the people saw the cloud column standing in the doorway to the Tent, everyone would stand up and bow in worship at the entrance of their tents.

And when all the people beheld the pillar of cloud, standing at the opening of the tent, then all the people rose up and bowed themselves down, every man at the entrance of his tent.

11 Moses would speak to the Lord face to face as you would talk to a friend, and then returned to the camp. However, his young assistant Joshua, son of Nun, stayed in the Tent.

Thus Yahweh used to speak unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend, —and when he returned unto the camp, his attendant Joshua son of Nun, a young man, moved not from the midst of the tent.

12 Moses said to the Lord, “Look, you've been telling me, ‘Go and lead these people,’ but you haven't let me know who you're going to send with me. And yet you have stated, ‘I know you personally, and I'm happy with you.’

Then said Moses, unto Yahweh, See! thou art saying unto me—Take up this people, and yet thou hast no let me know whom thou wilt send with me, —though thou thyself, didst say—I acknowledge thee by name, Yea, moreover, thou hast found favour in mine eyes.

13 Now if it's true that you're happy with me, please teach me your ways so I can get to know you, and go on pleasing you. Remember that the people of this nation are yours.”

Now, therefore, if, I pray thee, I have found favour in thine eyes, let me know, I beseech thee, thy way, that I may acknowledge thee, to the intent I may find favour in thine eyes, —see thou, therefore, that this nation is thine own people.

14 The Lord replied, “I myself will go with you, and I will support you.”

So then he said, —Mine own presence, shall go on thus will I give thee rest.

15 “If you don't go with us yourself, then please don't take us away from here,” Moses responded.

And he said unto him, If thy presence is not going on, do not take us up from hence.

16 “How will others know that you are happy with me, and with your people, if you don't accompany us? How would anyone tell us apart—me and your people—from every other people who live on the earth?”

Whereby, indeed, shall it be known then that I have found favour in thine eyes, I, and thy people? Shall it not be, by thy going on with us? So shall we be more distinguished, I, and thy people, than any people that are on the face of the ground.

17 The Lord told Moses, “I promise do what you've asked, because I'm happy with you and I know you personally.”

Then said Yahweh unto Moses: Even this thing, which thou hast spoken, will I do—For thou hast found favour in mine eyes, And I have acknowledged thee by name.

18 “Now please reveal to me your glory,” Moses asked.

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

19 “I will make all the goodness of my character pass in front of you, I will call out the name ‘Yahweh,’ I will show grace to those I want to show grace, and I will show mercy to those I want to show mercy.

And he said, —I, will cause all my goodness to pass before thee. And will proclaim myself by the name Yahweh, before thee, And will show favour, unto whom I may show favour, And will have compassion on whom I may have compassion.

20 But you won't be able to see my face, because no one can see my face and live.”

But he said—Thou canst not see my face, For no son of earth can see me, and live

21 “Come here and stand by me on this rock,” the Lord went on,

And Yahweh, said, Lo! a place near me, —So then thou shalt station thyself upon the rock:

22 “and as my glory goes by I'll put you in a crevice of the rock, and I'll cover you with my hand until I have passed by.

And it shall be while my glory passeth by, I will put thee in the cleft of the rock, —and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

23 Then I'll take my hand away and you'll see my back; but you won't see my face.”

Then will I take away my hand, and thou shalt see behind me, But, my face, must not be seen.