Exodus 33

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.

Moses Intercedes

12 Then Moses said to the LORD, "See, You say to me, '18Bring up this people!' But You Yourself have not let me know 19whom You will send with me. 20Moreover, 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, 21let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. 22Consider too, that this nation 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 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 26we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?"
17 The LORD said to Moses, "I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; 27for you have found favor 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 goodness pass before * you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and 30I 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, 31for no man can see Me and live!"
21 Then the LORD said, "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 hand until I have passed by.
23 "Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but 34My face shall not be seen."

Cross References 34

  • 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
  • 18. Exodus 3:10; Exodus 32:34
  • 19. Exodus 33:2
  • 20. Exodus 33:17
  • 21. Psalms 25:4; Psalms 27:11; Psalms 51:13; Psalms 86:11; Psalms 119:33
  • 22. Exodus 3:7, 10; Exodus 5:1; Exodus 32:12, 14; Deuteronomy 9:26, 29
  • 23. Deuteronomy 4:37; Isaiah 63:9
  • 24. Deuteronomy 12:10; Deuteronomy 25:19; Joshua 21:44; Joshua 22:4
  • 25. Ps 80:3, 7, 19
  • 26. Leviticus 20:24, 26
  • 27. Exodus 33:12
  • 28. Exodus 33:20-23
  • 29. Exodus 34:6, 7
  • 30. Romans 9:15
  • 31. Isaiah 6:5; 1 Timothy 6:16
  • 32. Psalms 18:2, 46; Psalms 27:5; Psalms 61:2; Psalms 62:7
  • 33. Psalms 91:1, 4; Isaiah 49:2; Isaiah 51:16
  • 34. Exodus 33:20; John 1:18

Footnotes 9

Exodus 33 Commentaries

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