EXODUS 33

Then Yehowah said to Moses, Depart, go up from here, you and the people which you have brought out of the land of Egypt, to the land which I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, when I said, To your descendants I will give it. 2 And I will send an angel before you; and I will 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 will not go up in your midst, for you are a stiffnecked people, or else I should consume you on the way.

4 When the people heard this evil news, they mourned; and no man put on his ornaments. 5 For Yehowah had said to Moses, Say to the sons of Israel, You are a stiffnecked people; if I were to go up in your midst for one moment, I should make an end of you. Therefore now put off your ornaments, so that I may know what I shall do to you. 6 So the sons of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments at Mount Horeb.

7 Now Moses was accustomed to take a tent and pitch it for himself outside the camp, far away from the camp; and he called it the tent of meeting. And every one who wished to enquire of Yehowah would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. 8 And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise up and each man would stand at the door of his tent; and they would watch Moses until he had gone into the tent. 9 And when Moses had entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the door of the tent; then he would speak with Moses. 10 And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the door of the tent, all the people would rise and bow down, each man at the door of his tent. 11 And Yehowah used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his companion. And when he returned to the camp, his minister Joshua the son of Nun, a youth, did not leave the tent.

12 Then Moses said to Yehowah, See, thou sayest to me, Lead this people; but thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. And thou hast said, I know you by name, and also you have found favour in my eyes. 13 Now therefore, I pray, if I have found favour in thine eyes, make thy ways known to me, I pray, so that I may know thee and find favour in thine eyes. Remember also that this nation is thy people. 14 And he said, My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest. 15 And he said to him, If thy presence will not go with me, do not lead us from here. 16 But how then shall it be known that I have found favour in thine eyes, I and thy people? Is it not in thy going with us? In that way we are distinguished, I and thy people, from all the people which are on the face of the earth.

17 Then Yehowah said to Moses, I will do this thing also that you have said; for you have found favour in my eyes, and I know you by name. 18 And he said, Please show me thy glory. 19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before your face, and I will proclaim the name of Yehowah before your face; and I will show favour to whom I will show favour, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 Yet, he said, you cannot see my face; for no man may see me and live. 21 And Yehowah said, See, there is a place by me, where you may stand on the rock; 22 and while my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with my hand till I have passed by. 23 Then I will take my hand away, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.