Exodus 33:7-34:16

New International Version

The Tent of Meeting

⁷ Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.”^(A) Anyone inquiring^(B) of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. ⁸ And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents,^(C) watching Moses until he entered the tent. ⁹ As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud^(D) would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke^(E) with Moses. ¹⁰ Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent.^{(F) 11} The Lord would speak to Moses face to face,^(G) as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua^(H) son of Nun did not leave the tent.

Moses and the Glory of the Lord

¹² Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’^(I) but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name^(J) and you have found favor^(K) with me.’ ¹³ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways^(L) so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”^(M)

¹⁴ The Lord replied, “My Presence^(N) will go with you, and I will give you rest.”^(O)

¹⁵ Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence^(P) does not go with us, do not send us up from here. ¹⁶ How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us?^(Q) What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”^(R)

¹⁷ And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked,^(S) because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”^(T)

¹⁸ Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”^(U)

¹⁹ And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass^(V) in front of you, and I will proclaim my name,^(W) the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.^{(X) 20} But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see^(Y) me and live.”

²¹ Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. ²² When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock^(Z) and cover you with my hand^(AA) until I have passed by. ²³ Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”

The New Stone Tablets

34 The Lord said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones,^(AB) and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets,^(AC) which you broke.^{(AD) 2} Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai.^(AE) Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain. ³ No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain;^(AF) not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain.”

⁴ So Moses chiseled^(AG) out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the Lord had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands.^{(AH) 5} Then the Lord came down in the cloud^(AI) and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord.^{(AJ) 6} And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate^(AK) and gracious God, slow to anger,^(AL) abounding in love^(AM) and faithfulness,^{(AN) 7} maintaining love to thousands,^(AO) and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.^(AP) Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished;^(AQ) he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”^(AR)

⁸ Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. ⁹ “Lord,” he said, “if I have found favor^(AS) in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us.^(AT) Although this is a stiff-necked^(AU) people, forgive our wickedness and our sin,^(AV) and take us as your inheritance.”^(AW)

¹⁰ Then the Lord said: “I am making a covenant^(AX) with you. Before all your people I will do wonders^(AY) never before done in any nation in all the world.^(AZ) The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you. ¹¹ Obey what I command^(BA) you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.^{(BB) 12} Be careful not to make a treaty^(BC) with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare^(BD) among you. ¹³ Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles.^{[a](BE) 14} Do not worship any other god,^(BF) for the Lord, whose name^(BG) is Jealous, is a jealous God.^(BH)

¹⁵ “Be careful not to make a treaty^(BI) with those who live in the land; for when they prostitute^(BJ) themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you and you will eat their sacrifices.^{(BK) 16} And when you choose some of their daughters as wives^(BL) for your sons and those daughters prostitute themselves to their gods,^(BM) they will lead your sons to do the same.