Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
17 Yet they still continued to sin against Him,
To (A)rebel against the Most High in the desert.
18 And in their heart they (B)put God to the test
By asking (C)food according to their desire.
19 Then they spoke against God;
They said, “(D)Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
20 “Behold, He (E)struck the rock so that waters gushed out,
And streams were overflowing;
Can He give bread also?
Will He provide [a](F)meat for His people?”
7 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. 8 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. 9 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 arise and worship, each at the entrance of his tent. 11 Thus (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.
Moses Intercedes
12 Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘(G)Bring up this people!’ But You Yourself have not let me know (H)whom You will send with me. (I)Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’ 13 Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, (J)let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. (K)Consider too, that this nation is Your people.” 14 And He said, “(L)My presence shall go with you, and (M)I will give you rest.” 15 Then he said to Him, “(N)If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. 16 For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that (O)we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the [c]earth?”
17 The Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; (P)for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name.” 18 (Q)Then [d]Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” 19 And He said, “(R)I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and (S)I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” 20 But He said, “You cannot see My face, (T)for no man can see Me and live!” 21 Then the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place [e]by Me, and (U)you shall stand there on the rock; 22 and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and (V)cover you with My hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but (W)My face shall not be seen.”
30 “After forty years had passed, (A)an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning thorn bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he approached to look more closely, there came the voice of the Lord: 32 ‘(B)I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.’ Moses shook with fear and would not venture to look. 33 (C)But the Lord said to him, ‘(D)Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. 34 (E)I have certainly seen the oppression of My people in Egypt and have heard their groans, and I have come down to rescue them; [a](F)come now, and I will send you to Egypt.’
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.