Now Moses used to take (A)the tent and pitch it outside the camp, a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And (B)everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp. And it came about, whenever Moses went out to the tent, that all the people would arise and stand, each at the entrance of his tent, and gaze after Moses until he entered the tent. Whenever Moses entered the tent, (C)the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; (D)and [a]the Lord would speak with Moses. 10 When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would stand and worship, each at the entrance of his tent. 11 So (E)the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When [b]Moses returned to the camp, (F)his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 33:9 Lit He
  2. Exodus 33:11 Lit he

Speaking with the Lord at the meeting tent

Moses took the tent and pitched it outside the camp, far away from the camp. He called it the meeting tent. Everyone who wanted advice from the Lord would go out to the meeting tent outside the camp. Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise and stand at the entrance to their tents and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent. When Moses entered the tent, the column of cloud would come down and stand at the tent’s entrance while the Lord talked with Moses. 10 When all the people saw the column of cloud standing at the tent’s entrance, they would all rise and then bow down at the entrances to their tents. 11 In this way the Lord used to speak to Moses face-to-face, like two people talking to each other. Then Moses would come back to the camp. But his young assistant Joshua, Nun’s son, wouldn’t leave the tent.

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