33 1 Our Father said to Moses, "Leave here, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, for the land I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: I will give it to your offspring." 2 I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey, but I won't go up among you, for you're a stubborn people, and I might destroy you on the way.
4 When the people heard this distressing news, they mourned, and no one put on their jewelry.
5 For our Father told Moses, 'Say to Israel's people: You are a stubborn people. If I went among you for one moment, I would destroy you. Now remove your ornaments, so I can decide what to do with you.'
6 So the people of Israel stripped off their jewelry from Mount Horeb onward.
The Tent of Meeting
7 Moses would take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far from the camp, calling it the tent of meeting. Everyone seeking our Father would go out to the tent of meeting, outside the camp. 8 Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood, each at his tent's entrance, watching him until he entered. 9 Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud descended, stood at the entrance, and our Father spoke with Moses. 10 When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the tent entrance, they would rise and worship, each at his own tent entrance. 11 So our Father would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks with a friend. Moses would return to camp, but his young servant Joshua son of Nun would not leave the tent. a a v11 To speak "face to face" means our Father spoke with Moses directly and intimately, as friends do — not that Moses saw his unveiled face, which verse 20 says no one can survive.
Our Father's Presence With Us
12 Moses said to our Father, "Look, you tell me, 'Bring up this people,' but you haven't told me whom you'll send with me. Yet you said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.'" 13 Now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please show me your ways, so I may know you and keep finding favor in your eyes. Remember too — this nation is your people.
14 And he said, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
15 Moses said to him, "If your presence doesn't go with us, don't bring us up from here." 16 How else will it be known that I have found favor with you, I and your people? Isn't it by your going with us, so we are set apart, I and your people, from every people on the face of the earth?
17 And our Father said to Moses, "This very thing you have asked I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name."
18 Then Moses said, "Please show me your glory."
19 He said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you and proclaim my name before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and show compassion on whom I will show compassion." 20 But he said, "You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live." 21 And our Father said, "There is a place beside me; you will stand on the rock," 22 While my glory passes by, I will put you in a rock crevice and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand, and you will see my back; my face will not be seen.
