Exodus 33:8

8 When Moses would go out to the tent, all of the people would get up and stand at the entrances to their tents. They would watch Moses until he entered the tent.

Exodus 33:8 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 33:8

And it came to pass, when Moses went out of the tabernacle,
&c.] For when he had pitched it he did not continue there; which shows it was not the tent or tabernacle he dwelt in, but whither he went to and fro, both to meet the Lord in it, and transact the affairs of the people, and especially the great affair now depending between God and them:

[that] all the people rose up:
in reverence of him as their ruler, and the minister of God, and as their Mediator between God and them, though they had but lately thought and spoke very meanly and contemptibly of him, ( Exodus 32:1 ) see ( Job 29:8 )

and stood every man at his tent door;
none offering to go in, nor to sit down until he was gone into the tabernacle, which was an instance of their respect to him:

and looked after Moses until he was gone into the tabernacle;
kept their eye on him as long as they could see him, thereby expressing their esteem of him, signifying their desire that he would intercede for them, and wishing him success therein: the Targum of Jonathan interprets all this of the ungodly among them that looked after Moses with an evil eye.

Exodus 33:8 In-Context

6 So the people took off their jewelry at Mount Horeb.

7 Moses used to take a tent and set it up far outside the camp. He called it the "tent of meeting." Anyone who wanted to ask the LORD a question would go to the tent of meeting that was outside the camp.

8 When Moses would go out to the tent, all of the people would get up and stand at the entrances to their tents. They would watch Moses until he entered the tent.

9 As Moses would go into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down. It would stay at the entrance while the LORD spoke with Moses.

10 The people would see the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent. Then all of them would stand and worship at the entrances to their tents.