1 Then the LORDspoke to Moses, "Depart, go up from here, you and the peoplewhom you have brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land of which1I swore to Abraham, 2Isaac, and 3Jacob, saying, '4To your descendants I will give it.'
2
"I will send5an angelbefore you and 6I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite.
3
"Go up to a land7flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, because you are 8an obstinate*people, and 9I mightdestroy you on the way."
4
When the peopleheardthissadword, 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 onemoment, I would destroy you. Now therefore, putoff your ornaments from you, that I may knowwhat I shall do with you.' "
6
So the sons of Israelstripped themselves of their ornaments, from MountHoreb onward.
7
Now Moses used to take12the tent and pitch it outside* the camp, a gooddistance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And 13everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meetingwhich was outside* the camp.
8
And it came about, whenever Moseswent out to the tent, that all the people would arise and stand, each at the entrance of his tent, and gazeafterMosesuntil he entered the tent.
9
Whenever Mosesentered 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 peoplesaw the pillar of cloudstanding 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 Mosesface to face, just as a manspeaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, 17his servantJoshua, the son of Nun, a youngman, would not depart from the tent.
Moses Intercedes
12 Then Mosessaid to the LORD, "See, You say to me, '18Bring up thispeople!' But You Yourself have not let me know19whom You will send with me. 20Moreover, You have said, 'I have known you by name, and you have alsofoundfavor in My sight.'
13
"Now therefore, I pray You, if I have foundfavor in Your sight, 21let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may findfavor in Your sight. 22Consider too, that thisnation is Your people."
14
And He said, "23My presence shall go with you, and 24I will give you rest."
15
Then he said to Him, "25If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.
16
"For howthen can it be known that I have foundfavor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that 26we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other peoplewho are upon the face of the earth?"
17
The LORDsaid to Moses, "I will alsodothisthing of which you have spoken; 27for you have foundfavor in My sight and I have known you by name."
18
28Then Moses said, "I pray You, show me Your glory!"
19
And He said, "29I Myself will make all My goodnesspassbefore* you, and will proclaim the name of the LORDbefore you; and 30I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will showcompassion on whom I will showcompassion."
20
But He said, "You cannot*see My face, 31for noman can see Me and live!"
21
Then the LORDsaid, "Behold, there is a place by Me, and 32you 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 33cover you with My handuntil I have passed by.
23
"Then I will take My handaway and you shall see My back, but 34My face shall not be seen."