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Exodus 33
International Standard Version
Exodus 33
International Standard Version
The Lord Instructs Israel to Leave
33 The Lord told Moses, “Go up[a] from here, you and the people whom you brought out of Egypt, to the land about which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob saying, ‘I’ll give it to your descendants.’[b] 2 I’ll send an angel in front of you and I’ll drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey, but I won’t go up among you, because you are an obstinate[c] people, and otherwise I might consume you along the way.”
4 When the people heard this troubling word, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments. 5 The Lord had told Moses, “Say to the Israelis, ‘You are an obstinate people,[d] and if for one moment I went up among you, I would put an end to you. Now take off your ornaments so I may decide[e] what to do with you.’” 6 So the Israelis did not wear[f] their ornaments from Mount Horeb onward.
God’s Presence at the Tent of Meeting
7 Moses used to take the tent and set it up outside the camp at a distance from the camp, and he called it the Tent of Meeting. When anyone sought the Lord, he would go out to the Tent of Meeting which was outside the camp. 8 When Moses would go out to the tent, all the people would get up, and each would stand in the doorway of his tent, watching Moses until he entered the tent. 9 When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stand at the doorway of the tent while God[g] spoke with Moses. 10 When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the doorway of the tent, all of them[h] would get up and prostrate themselves in worship, each one at the doorway of his tent. 11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face just as a man speaks with his friend. When Moses[i] returned to the camp, Nun’s son Joshua, his young servant, would not leave the tent.
The Promise of God’s Presence on the Journey
12 Moses told the Lord, “Look, you have told me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you haven’t let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name,’ and also, ‘You have found favor in my sight.’ 13 Now, if I’ve found favor in your sight, please show me your ways so I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. And remember,[j] this nation is your people.”
14 He said, “My presence will go with you, and I’ll give you rest.” 15 Then Moses[k] told the Lord,[l] “If your presence does not go with us,[m] don’t bring us up from here. 16 Otherwise,[n] how shall it be known that your people and I have received favor from you, unless you go with us and that we, your people and I, are distinguished from all the people on the surface of the earth?”
Moses Sees God’s Glory
17 The Lord told Moses, “I’ll do the very[o] thing that you have said, because you have found favor in my sight and I know you by name.”
18 Then Moses[p] said, “Please show me your glory.”
19 God[q] said, “I’ll cause all my goodness to pass before you, and I’ll proclaim the name ‘the Lord’ before you. I’ll be gracious to whom I’ll be gracious, and I’ll show compassion on whom I’ll show compassion. 20 But,” he said, “You cannot see my face, because a man cannot see me and live.”
21 The Lord said, “Look, there is a place near[r] me where you can stand on the rock; 22 and as my glory passes by, I’ll put you in a crevice in the rock, and cover you with my hand until I’ve passed by. 23 Then I’ll remove my hand so you may see my back, but my face must not be seen.”
Footnotes
- Exodus 33:1 Lit. go, go up
- Exodus 33:1 Lit. your seed
- Exodus 33:3 Lit. stiff-necked
- Exodus 33:5 Lit. stiff-necked
- Exodus 33:5 Lit. know
- Exodus 33:6 Lit. stripped themselves of
- Exodus 33:9 Lit. he
- Exodus 33:10 Lit. all the people
- Exodus 33:11 Lit. he
- Exodus 33:13 Or consider; Lit. see
- Exodus 33:15 Lit. he
- Exodus 33:15 Lit. to him
- Exodus 33:15 Lit. does not go
- Exodus 33:16 Lit. For
- Exodus 33:17 Lit. this
- Exodus 33:18 Lit. he
- Exodus 33:19 Lit. He
- Exodus 33:21 Or with
Exodus 33
New International Version
Exodus 33
New International Version
33 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath(A) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’(B) 2 I will send an angel(C) before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.(D) 3 Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey.(E) But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked(F) people and I might destroy(G) you on the way.”
4 When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn(H) and no one put on any ornaments. 5 For the Lord had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people.(I) If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy(J) you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.’” 6 So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.(K)
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.”(L) Anyone inquiring(M) 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,(N) watching Moses until he entered the tent. 9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud(O) would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke(P) 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.(Q) 11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face,(R) as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua(S) 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,’(T) but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name(U) and you have found favor(V) with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways(W) so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”(X)
14 The Lord replied, “My Presence(Y) will go with you, and I will give you rest.”(Z)
15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence(AA) 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?(AB) What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”(AC)
17 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked,(AD) because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”(AE)
18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”(AF)
19 And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass(AG) in front of you, and I will proclaim my name,(AH) 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.(AI) 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see(AJ) 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(AK) and cover you with my hand(AL) 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.”
Exodus 33
English Standard Version
Exodus 33
English Standard Version
The Command to Leave Sinai
33 The Lord said to Moses, “Depart; go up from here, you (A)and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To (B)your offspring I will give it.’ 2 I will send an (C)angel before you, (D)and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 3 (E)Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; (F)but I will not go up among you, (G)lest I consume you on the way, for you are a (H)stiff-necked people.”
4 When the people heard this disastrous word, they (I)mourned, and (J)no one put on his ornaments. 5 For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the people of Israel, ‘You are a (K)stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would (L)consume you. So now (M)take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do with you.’” 6 Therefore the people of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward.
The Tent of Meeting
7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and (N)he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who (O)sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. 8 Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise up, and (P)each would stand at his tent door, and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent. 9 When Moses entered the tent, the (Q)pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord[a] would speak with Moses. 10 And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door. 11 Thus (R)the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his (S)assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.
Moses' Intercession
12 Moses said to the Lord, “See, (T)you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, (U)‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ 13 Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please (V)show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is (W)your people.” 14 And he said, (X)“My presence will go with you, and (Y)I will give you rest.” 15 And he said to him, (Z)“If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? (AA)Is it not in your going with us, (AB)so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?”
17 And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, (AC)for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” 18 Moses said, “Please (AD)show me your glory.” 19 And he said, (AE)“I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And (AF)I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for (AG)man shall not see me and live.” 21 And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, 22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a (AH)cleft of the rock, and I will (AI)cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall (AJ)not be seen.”
Footnotes
- Exodus 33:9 Hebrew he
International Standard Version (ISV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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English Standard Version (ESV) 
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