Exodus 33:1-11

The Journey Resumed

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, "Depart, go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land of which ¹I swore to Abraham, ²Isaac, and ³Jacob, saying, '⁴To your descendants I will give it.'

2 "I will send ⁵an angel before you and ⁶I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite.

3 "Go up to a land ⁷flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, because you are ⁸an obstinate * people, and ⁹I might destroy you on the way."

4 When the people heard this sad word, ¹⁰they went into mourning, and none * of them put on his ornaments.

5 For the LORD had said to Moses, "Say to the sons of Israel, 'You are ¹¹an obstinate * people; should I go up in your midst for one moment, I would destroy you. Now therefore, put off your ornaments from you, that I may know what I shall do with you.' "

6 So the sons of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward.

7 Now Moses used to take ¹²the tent and pitch it outside * the camp, a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And ¹³everyone 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, ¹⁴the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; ¹⁵and 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 ¹⁶the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, ¹⁷his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

Exodus 33:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 33

This chapter informs us, that the Lord refusing to go with the people, only sending an angel with them, they are filled with concern, and troubled, Ex 33:1-6. Moses upon this pitched the tabernacle without the camp, where everyone that sought the Lord went; Moses entered into it himself, and the Lord talked to him in a friendly manner in the cloudy pillar that stood at the door of it, and the people worshipped, every man at his own tent door; all which foreboded good, and tended to reconciliation, Ex 33:7-11. Moses improved the opportunity, and entreats the presence of God to go with them, which was granted, Ex 33:12-17 and that he might have a sight of the glory of God; and this is promised to pass before him, he being put into the cleft of the rock, Ex 33:18-23.

Cross References

• 1. Exodus 32:13
• 2. Genesis 26:1-3
• 3. Genesis 28:10
• 4. Genesis 12:7
• 5. Exodus 32:34
• 6. Exodus 23:27-31; Joshua 24:11
• 7. Exodus 3:8, 17
• 8. Exodus 32:9; Exodus 33:5
• 9. Exodus 32:10
• 10. Numbers 14:1, 39
• 11. Exodus 33:3
• 12. Ex 18:7, 12-16
• 13. Exodus 29:42
• 14. Exodus 13:21
• 15. Psalms 99:7
• 16. Numbers 12:8; Deuteronomy 34:10
• 17. Exodus 24:13

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "seed"
• [b]. Lit "a stiff-necked"
• [c]. Lit "evil"
• [d]. Lit "a stiff-necked"
• [e]. Lit "He"
• [f]. Lit "he"