Exodus 33

1 The LORD spoke to Moses, “Depart, go up from here, you and the people that you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your offspring.’

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: God, get thee up from this place, thou and thy people which thou has brought out of the land of Egypt, into the land concerning which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying: To thy seed I will give it.

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

And I will send an angel before thee, that I may cast out the Chanaanite, and the Amorrhite, and the Hethite, and the Pherezite, and the Hevite, and the Jebusite.

3 Go to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up amongst you, for you are a stiff-necked people, lest I consume you on the way.”

That thou mayst enter into the land that floweth with milk and honey. For I will not go up with thee, because thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I destroy thee in the way.

4 When the people heard this evil news, they mourned; and no one put on his jewellery.

And the people hearing these very bad tidings, mourned: and no man put on his ornaments according to custom.

5 The LORD had said to Moses, “Tell the children of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go up amongst you for one moment, I would consume you. Therefore now take off your jewellery from you, that I may know what to do to you.’”

And the Lord said to Moses: Say to the children of Israel: Thou are a stiffnecked people; once I shall come up in the midst of thee, and shall destroy thee. Now presently lay aside thy ornaments, that I may know what to do with thee.

6 The children of Israel stripped themselves of their jewellery from Mount Horeb onward.

So the children of Israel laid aside their ornaments by mount Horeb.

7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far away from the camp, and he called it “The Tent of Meeting.” Everyone who sought the LORD went out to the Tent of Meeting, which was outside the camp.

Moses also taking the tabernacle, pitched it without the camp afar off, and called the name thereof, The tabernacle of the covenant. And all the people that had any question, went forth to the tabernacle of the covenant, without the camp.

8 When Moses went out to the Tent, all the people rose up, and stood, everyone at their tent door, and watched Moses, until he had gone into the Tent.

And when Moses went forth to the tabernacle, all the people rose up, and every one stood in the door of his pavilion, and they beheld the back of Moses, till he went into the tabernacle.

9 When Moses entered into the Tent, the pillar of cloud descended, stood at the door of the Tent, and the LORD spoke with Moses.

And when he was gone into the tabernacle of the covenant, the pillar of the cloud came down, and stood at the door, and he spoke with Moses.

10 All the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the door of the Tent, and all the people rose up and worshipped, everyone at their tent door.

And all saw that the pillar of the cloud stood at the door of the tabernacle. And they stood, and worshipped at the doors of their tents.

11 The LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. He turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, didn’t depart from the Tent.

And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man is wont to speak to his friend. And when he returned into the camp, his servant Josue the son of Nun, a young man, departed not from the tabernacle.

12 Moses said to the LORD, “Behold, you tell me, ‘Bring up this people;’ and you haven’t let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favour in my sight.’

And Moses said to the Lord; Thou commandest me to lead forth this people: and thou dost not let me know whom thou wilt send with me, especially whereas thou hast said: I know thee by name, and thou hast found favour in my sight.

13 Now therefore, if I have found favour in your sight, please show me your way, now, that I may know you, so that I may find favour in your sight; and consider that this nation is your people.”

If therefore I have found favour in thy sight, show me thy face, that I may know thee, and may find grace before thy eyes: look upon thy people this nation.

14 He said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

And the Lord said: My face shall go before thee, and I will give thee rest.

15 Moses said to him, “If your presence doesn’t go with me, don’t carry us up from here.

And Moses said: If thou thyself dost not go before, bring us not out of this place.

16 For how would people know that I have found favour in your sight, I and your people? Isn’t it that you go with us, so that we are separated, I and your people, from all the people who are on the surface of the earth?”

For how shall we be able to know, I and thy people, that we have found grace in thy sight, unless thou walk with us, that we may be glorified by all people that dwell upon the earth?

17 The LORD said to Moses, “I will do this thing also that you have spoken; for you have found favour in my sight, and I know you by name.”

And the Lord said to Moses: This word also, which thou hast spoken, will I do: for thou hast found grace before me, and thee I have known by name.

18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”

And he said: Shew me thy glory.

19 He said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the LORD’s name before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”

He answered: I will shew thee all good, and I will proclaim in the name of the Lord before thee: and I will have mercy on whom I will, and I will be merciful to whom it shall please me.

20 He said, “You cannot see my face, for man may not see me and live.”

And again he said: Thou canst not see my face: for man shall not see me and live.

21 The LORD also said, “Behold, there is a place by me, and you shall stand on the rock.

And again he said: Behold there is a place with me, and thou shalt stand upon the rock.

22 It will happen, while my glory passes by, that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with my hand until I have passed by;

And when my glory shall pass, I will set thee in a hole of the rock, and protect thee with my right hand, till I pass:

23 then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”

And I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face thou canst not see.