33:1 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go up1 from here, you and the people whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land I promised on oath2 to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’3 33:2 And I will send an angel4 before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.5 33:3 Go up6 to a land flowing with milk and honey. But7 I will not go up among you, for you are a stiff-necked people, and I might destroy you8 on the way.”
33:4 When the people heard this troubling word9 they mourned;10 no one put on his ornaments. 33:5 For11 the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I went up among you for a moment,12 I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments,13 that I may know14 what I should do to you.’”15 33:6 So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments by Mount Horeb.
The Presence of the Lord
33:716 Moses took17 the tent18 and pitched it outside the camp, at a good distance19 from the camp; and he called it the tent of meeting. And20 anyone seeking21 the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting that was outside the camp.
33:8 And when Moses went out22 to the tent, all the people would get up23 and stand at the entrance to their tents,24 and they would watch25 Moses until he entered the tent.26 33:9 And27 whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord28 would speak with Moses.29 33:10 When all the people would see the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people, each one at the entrance of his tent, would rise and worship.30 33:11 And the Lord would speak to Moses face to face,31 as a man speaks32 to his friend. And then Moses33 would return to the camp; but his servant, Joshua son of Nun, a young man, did not leave the tent.34
33:12 Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, you have been saying to me, ‘Bring this people up,’35 but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. But you said, ‘I know you by name,36 and also you have found favor in my sight.’ 33:13 And now, if I have found favor in your sight, show me37 your way, that I may know you,38 that I may continue to find39 favor in your sight. And see40 that this nation is your people.
33:14 And he said, “My presence41 will go with you,42 and I will give you rest.”43
33:15 And he said to him, “If your presence does not go44 with us,45 do not take us up from here.46 33:16 For in what way will it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we will be distinguished, I and your people, from all the people who are on the face of the earth?”47
33:17 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do this thing also that you have spoken, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know48 you by name.”
33:18 And he said, “Show me your glory.”49
33:19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness50 pass before your face, and I will proclaim the Lord by name51 before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy.”52 33:20 And he said, “You cannot see my face, for no one can53 see me and live.”54 33:21 And the Lord said, “Here55 is a place by me; you will station yourself56 on a rock. 33:22 And when my glory passes by,57 then I will put you in a cleft in the rock and will cover58 you with my hand59 while I pass by.60 33:23 Then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back,61 but my face must not be seen.62
The New Tablets of the Covenant