出埃及 33
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
神命令以色列人起行
33 耶和华对摩西说：“你和你从埃及地领出来的人民要离开这里，上我曾经起誓应许给亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的地去，我曾应许：‘我要把这地赐给你的后裔。’ 2 我要差派使者在你前面；我要把迦南人、亚摩利人、赫人、比利洗人、希未人、耶布斯人赶出去， 3 你们要上那流奶与蜜的地方去；我不与你们一同上去，因为你们是硬着颈项的人民，免得我在路上把你们消灭。” 4 人民一听见这凶信，就悲伤起来，也没有人穿戴装饰。 5 耶和华对摩西说：“你要对以色列人说：‘你们是硬着颈项的民；我若是霎时间与你们同行，我会把你们消灭的；所以，现在你们要把你们身上的装饰脱下来，使我知道我要怎样处置你们。’” 6 于是，以色列人离开何烈山以后，就把身上的装饰脱下来。
会幕
7 摩西一向把会幕支搭在营外，离营远些；摩西称它为会幕。凡是寻求耶和华的，就出到营外的会幕那里去。 8 摩西出营到会幕去的时候，全体的人民都起来，各人站在自己帐幕的门口，望着摩西，直到他进了会幕。 9 摩西进会幕的时候，就有云柱降下来，停在会幕门口上面；耶和华就与摩西谈话。 10 全体的人民看见了云柱停在会幕门口上面，就都起来，各人在自己帐幕的门口下拜。 11 耶和华与摩西面对面说话，好象人对朋友说话一样。然后，摩西回到营里去，只有他的侍从，一个少年人，就是嫩的儿子约书亚，不离开会幕。
摩西的祈求与耶和华的荣耀
12 摩西对耶和华说：“看，你吩咐我说：‘把这百姓领上去’，可是你却没有让我知道你要差派谁与我同去；只是你曾经说过：‘我按着你的名字认识你，你在我眼前也蒙了恩。’ 13 现在我若是在你眼前蒙恩，求你把你的道路指示我，使我可以认识你，可以在你眼前蒙恩；也求你想到这民族是你的人民。” 14 耶和华说：“我必亲自与你同去，也必给你安息。” 15 摩西对他说：“你若是不亲自与我们同去，就不要把我们从这里领上去。 16 人在甚么事上可以知道我和你的人民在你眼前蒙恩呢？不是因为你与我们同去，使我和你的人民可以和地上所有的人有分别吗？”
17 耶和华对摩西说：“你所说的这件事我也要作，因为你在我眼前蒙恩，并且我按着你的名字认识了你。” 18 摩西说：“求你给我看看你的荣耀。” 19 耶和华说：“我要使我的一切美善都在你面前经过，并且要把我的名字耶和华在你面前宣告出来；我要恩待谁，就恩待谁；我要怜悯谁，就怜悯谁。” 20 他又说：“你不能看我的脸，因为没有人看见了我还能活着。” 21 耶和华说：“看哪，我这里有个地方，你要站在盘石上。 22 我的荣耀经过的时候，我要把你放在盘石隙中，我要用我的手掌遮盖你，直到我过去了。 23 然后，我要收回我的手掌，你就会看见我的背后，却不能看见我的脸。”
Exodus 33
The Voice
33 Eternal One (instructing Moses): The time has now arrived. Leave, and take all the people you have led out of Egypt with you. Go to the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to whom I said, “I will give this land to your future generations.” 2 I will send a messenger to guide you, and I will force out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and the Jebusites. 3 Travel to the land that flows with milk and honey, the land of your inheritance. However, because you are such an incredibly stubborn people, I will not be going with you. Otherwise, I would completely destroy you during the journey.
4 When everyone heard the dreadful news, they began to grieve and stopped wearing their jewelry to remind them of the calf made from their gold earrings. 5 You see the Eternal One had instructed Moses, “Give the Israelites this message: ‘You are such an incredibly stubborn people, therefore I am not going to travel with you. If I allowed Myself to travel with you for only a moment, I would completely destroy you. Stop wearing your jewelry so I can figure out what to do with you.’” 6 So the Israelites took off all of their jewelry from the time they left Mount Horeb.
7 Moses used to take a tent[a] and put it up far away from the camp. He referred to it as the meeting tent. Everyone who sought the Eternal One would go out to the meeting tent, which was located well outside the camp. 8 When the people heard that Moses was going out to the tent, they would get up and stand at the entrance of their own tents and watch him until he had gone inside. 9 When Moses entered the tent, the cloud pillar descended to the tent’s entrance, and the Eternal would talk with Moses. 10 When people witnessed the cloud pillar standing at the meeting tent’s entrance, they would stand and bow in worship at the entrance of their own tents. 11 The Eternal spoke with Moses face-to-face, just as a friend speaks to another friend. After they were done, Moses would come back to camp but his young assistant Joshua (Nun’s son) would remain behind.
The golden-calf incident creates a deep rift between God and His people. For their safety, God refuses to travel with them to the land of promise; instead, He sends His messenger to guide them. The people’s response to God’s threatened absence is to mourn and refuse to wear their jewelry and fine clothes. The meeting tent and the congregation tent reflect this rift too. The congregation tent is to be God’s unique dwelling with His people, so it is located right in the middle of the camp. But now there is another tent, the meeting tent set up a long way from camp, far from the contagion of evil spreading there. From time to time, God and Moses meet there to talk; and Joshua stands watch over this intimate encounter, for only Joshua and Moses are not imperiled when the rest of Israel violates God’s directive and worships the golden calf. Moses speaks with God and does his best to get God back on good terms with His covenant people.
Moses (to the Lord): 12 Look, You tell me, “Lead these people!” but You haven’t yet told me whom You will send to accompany me. Yet You tell me, “I know you by name, and you have gained My trust and blessing.” 13 If I have gained Your trust and blessing, reveal Your way to me so that I can truly know You, and so that I may gain Your favor. Remember that this nation is Your covenant people.
Eternal One: 14 My presence will travel with you, and I will give you rest.
Moses: 15 If Your presence doesn’t travel with me, then don’t lead us away from here. 16 How will the people know that I have gained Your trust and blessing if You do not travel with us? Isn’t it the very fact that Your presence travels with us that distinguishes us from every other people on earth?
Eternal One: 17 I will do what you have said because you have gained My trust and blessing, and I know you by name.
Moses: 18 If Your presence will go with us, then let me see Your glory!
Eternal One: 19 I will cause all My goodness to pass before you, and I will declare My name, the Eternal One, before you. I will show mercy to whomever I choose to show mercy, and I will demonstrate compassion on whomever I choose to have compassion.[b] 20 You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live. 21 Look, there is a place next to Me on the rock where you may stand. 22 While My glory is passing by you, I will place you in a large crevice of the rock and hide you beneath My hand until I have completely passed by. 23 Then I will remove My hand, and you will see only My back. But you won’t be able to see My face.
Footnotes
- 33:7 Greek manuscripts read “his tent.”
- 33:19 Romans 9:15
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.