CHAPTER 33
Then the LORD
said
to
Moses,
“Leave
this place,
you
and the people
you brought up
out of the land
of Egypt,
and go
to
the land
I promised
to Abraham,
Isaac,
and Jacob
when I said,
'I will give it
to your descendants.'
And I will send
an angel
before you
and drive out
the Canaanites,
Amorites,
Hittites,
Perizzites,
Hivites,
and Jebusites.
Go up to
a land
flowing
with milk
and honey.
But
I will not
go
with you,
because
you
are a stiff-necked
people;
otherwise,
I might destroy
you on the way.”
When the people
heard
these
bad
tidings,
they went into mourning,
and no
one
put on
any of his jewelry.
For the LORD
had said
to
Moses,
“Tell
the Israelites,
‘You
are a stiff-necked
people.
If I should go
with you
for a single
moment,
I would destroy you.
Now
take off
your jewelry,
and I will decide
what
to do
with you.'"
Now Moses
used to take
the tent
and pitch
it
at a distance
outside
the camp.
He called
it the Tent
of Meeting,
and
anyone
inquiring of
the LORD
would go
to
the Tent
of Meeting
outside
the camp.
Then,
whenever Moses
went out
to
the tent,
all
the people
would stand
at the entrances
of their tents
and watch
Moses
until
he entered
the tent.
As
Moses
entered
the tent,
the pillar
of cloud
would come down
and remain
at the entrance,
and the LORD would speak
with
Moses.
When all
the people
saw
the pillar
of cloud
standing
at the entrance
to the tent,
they
would stand up
and worship,
each one
at the entrance
to his tent.
Thus the LORD
would speak
to
Moses
face
to
face,
as
a man
speaks
with
his friend.
Then Moses would return
to
the camp,
but his young
assistant
Joshua
son
of Nun
would not
leave
the tent.
Moses
said
to
the LORD,
“Look,
You
have been telling me,
‘Lead
this
people up,’
but You
have not
let me know
whom
You will send
with me.
Yet You
have said,
‘I know
you by name,
and you have
found
favor
in My sight.’
Now
if
indeed
I have found
favor
in Your sight,
please
let me know
Your ways,
that I may know You
and find
favor
in Your sight.
Remember
that
this
nation
is Your people.”
For how then
can it be known
that
Your people
and I
have found
favor
in Your sight,
unless
You go
with us?
How else will we
be distinguished
from all
the other people
on
the face
of the earth?”
And the LORD
said
to
Moses,
“I will do
this
very
thing
you have asked,
for
you have found
favor
in My sight,
and I know
you by name.”
“I
will cause all
My goodness
to pass
in
front of you,”
the LORD replied,
“and I will proclaim
My name—
the LORD—
before you.
I will have mercy
on whom
I have mercy,
and I will have compassion
on whom
I have compassion.”
and when
My glory
passes by,
I will put you
in a cleft
of the rock
and cover you
with My hand
until
I have passed by.