The Tent Outside the Camp

33 The Lord spoke to Moses: “Go up from here, you and the people you brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying: I will give it to your offspring.^{(A) 2} I will send an angel ahead of you and will drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hethites, Perizzites,^[a] Hivites, and Jebusites.^{(B) 3} Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go up with you because you are a stiff-necked people; otherwise, I might destroy you on the way.”^{(C) 4} When the people heard this bad news, they mourned and didn’t put on their jewelry.^(D)

⁵ For the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites: You are a stiff-necked people. If I went up with you for a single moment, I would destroy you. Now take off your jewelry, and I will decide what to do with you.” ⁶ So the Israelites remained stripped of their jewelry from Mount Horeb onward.

⁷ Now Moses took a tent and pitched it outside the camp, at a distance from the camp; he called it the tent of meeting. Anyone who wanted to consult the Lord would go to the tent of meeting that was outside the camp.^{(E) 8} Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would stand up, each one at the door of his tent, and they would watch Moses until he entered the tent. ⁹ When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and remain at the entrance to the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses.^{(F) 10} As all the people saw the pillar of cloud remaining at the entrance to the tent, they would stand up, then bow in worship, each one at the door of his tent. ¹¹ The Lord would speak with Moses face to face, just as a man speaks with his friend, then Moses would return to the camp. His assistant, the young man Joshua son of Nun, would not leave the inside of the tent.^(G)

The Lord’s Glory

¹² Moses said to the Lord, “Look, you have told me, ‘Lead this people up,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You said, ‘I know you by name,^(H) and you have also found favor with me.’ ¹³ Now if I have indeed found favor with you, please teach me your ways,^(I) and I will know you, so that I may find favor with you. Now consider that this nation is your people.”^(J)

¹⁴ And he replied, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”^(K)

¹⁵ “If your presence does not go,” Moses responded to him, “don’t make us go up from here. ¹⁶ How will it be known that I and your people have found favor with you unless you go with us? I and your people will be distinguished by this from all the other people on the face of the earth.”^(L)

¹⁷ The Lord answered Moses, “I will do this very thing you have asked, for you have found favor with me, and I know you by name.”

Psalm 23

The Good Shepherd

A psalm of David.

The Vine and the Branches

15 “I am^(A) the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes,^(B) and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. ³ You are already clean^(C) because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me.^{(D) 5} I am the vine; ^(E) you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit,^(F) because you can do nothing without me. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside^(G) like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire,^(H) and they are burned.^{(I) 7} If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.^{(J) 8} My Father is glorified^(K) by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be^[a] my disciples.

Christlike Love

⁹ “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love.^{(L) 10} If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.^(M)

¹¹ “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.^(N)