Exodus 33

1 Then the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] said to Moses, “Leave [depart, go up from] this place, you and the people [nation, community] you brought up out of the land [earth, territory] of Egypt, and go to the land [promised territory] that I promised [swore an oath] to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give [bestow, grant] it to your descendants [seed, offspring].’ word study 2 And I will send [dispatch, commission] an angel [messenger, divine representative] before you, and I will drive out [expel, dispossess] the Canaanites [inhabitants of the promised land], Amorites [a Canaanite tribe], Hittites [descendants of Heth], Perizzites [indigenous people of Canaan], Hivites [an ancient tribe in Palestine], and Jebusites [original inhabitants of Jerusalem]. word study 3 Go up to a land flowing [flowing with abundance, richly fertile] with milk and honey [a sweet and valuable food]. But I will not go with you, because you are a [rebellious, stubborn] stiff-necked people [prone to disobedience]; otherwise, I might destroy [consume, bring to an end] you on the way [the path, the journey].” word study 4 When the people [a nation, the Israelites] heard these bad [evil, morally harmful] tidings, they went into mourning [to lament, to sorrow], and no one [not a single man] put on any of his jewelry [ornaments, fine clothing]. word study 5 For the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked [severe, stubborn] people. If I should go with you for a single moment [a brief instant], I would destroy [consume, annihilate] you. Now take off your jewelry [ornaments, fine clothing], and I will decide [know, ascertain] what to do with you.’” word study 6 So the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob] stripped themselves [took off, removed] of their jewelry [ornaments, fine clothing] from Mount [by the mountain] Horeb [Sinai, the mountain of God’s presence] onward [from that time on, forward]. word study 7 Now Moses [the Israelite leader] used to take the tent [a portable place of worship, the tabernacle] and pitch it at a distance [far away, a significant remove] outside the camp [the Israelite encampment]. He called it the Tent of Meeting [a sacred place of communion, ohel moed], and anyone inquiring [seeking, searching] of the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] would go to the Tent of Meeting [the tabernacle of congregation] outside the camp [in a separate, consecrated area]. word study 8 Then, whenever Moses [the Israelite leader, God’s chosen servant] went out to the tent [the tabernacle, a sacred dwelling place], all [every single one, the entire nation] the people would stand [rise up, take their position] at the entrances [doorways, openings] to their own tents and watch [look after, observe carefully] Moses until he entered [went into, approached] the tent [the place of God’s presence, the sacred meeting place]. word study 9 As Moses [the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed] entered the tent [the tabernacle, a nomad’s home], the pillar [a pillar or column] of cloud [a cloudy appearance, the visible presence of God] would come down [to go down, descend to a lower place] and remain at the entrance [the doorway, a place of transition], and the LORD [the supreme God, Yehovah] would speak [to communicate, to proclaim] with Moses. word study 10 When all [every single one] the people [nation, community] saw [gazed upon, looked at] the pillar [column, standing monument] of cloud [cloudy, heavenly presence] standing [erect, upright] at the entrance [doorway, threshold] to the tent [tabernacle, dwelling place], they would stand up [rise, get up] and worship [bow down, pay homage], each one [every individual, man] at the entrance [door, gateway] to his own [personal, individual] tent [home, dwelling]. word study 11 Thus the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] would speak to Moses [the Israelite leader, born to Amram and Jochebed] face to face [in His presence], as a man [a male person, an individual] speaks to his friend [neighbor, companion]. Then Moses would return [turn back, come again] to the camp [a group of people, an army], but his young [a youth, from infancy to adolescence] assistant Joshua [a leader, whose name means God is salvation] son of Nun [whose name means fish or posterity] would not leave [depart from, remove himself from] the tent [the tabernacle, a nomad’s home]. word study 12 Then Moses [the Israelite leader, a servant of God] said to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], “Look, You have been telling me, ‘Lead this people [nation, community] up [to the Promised Land, to a place of blessing],’ but You have not let me know [revealed, disclosed] whom [which angel, which person] You will send [accompany, assist] with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know [am intimately acquainted with, have chosen] you by name [your identity, character], and you have found [received, experienced] favor [grace, kindness] in My sight [My presence, My eyes].’ word study 13 Now [at this time, if I have found favor] if indeed I have found [received kindness, experienced graciousness] favor [unmerited kindness, divine grace] in Your sight [before Your eyes, in Your presence], please [I pray, I humbly ask] let me know [reveal to me, cause me to understand] Your ways [paths, manner of life], that I may know [intimately understand, have a deep relationship with] You and find [discover, attain] favor [acceptance, lovingkindness] in Your sight [before Your eyes, in Your presence]. Remember that this nation [people, community] is Your people [beloved ones, chosen ones].” word study 14 And the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] answered, “My Presence [face, being in front of someone] will go [walk, move from one place to another] with you, and I will give [bestow, grant] you rest [settling down, remaining in one place, inner peace].” word study 15 “If Your Presence [face, being before us] does not go [accompany, walk with] with us,” Moses replied, “do not [never, under no circumstances] lead us up [ascend, rise] from here [this place, this location]. word study 16 For how then [at that specific time, in that situation] can it be known [clearly understood, perceived] that Your people [nation, those belonging to You] and I [Moses, the leader] have found [received, attained] favor [graciousness, kindness] in Your sight [presence, before Your eyes], unless [if not] You go [walk, accompany] with us? How else [in what other way] will we be distinguished [set apart, separated] from all [every single one] the other people [nations, those who are not Yours] on the face [surface, presence] of the earth [land, ground]?” word study 17 So the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Moses, “I will do this very thing [exactly as you have spoken] you have asked, for you have found [attained, discovered] favor [graciousness, kindness] in My sight [My eyes, My presence], and I know [am intimately acquainted with] you by name [your identity, character].” word study 18 Then Moses said, “Please [I beseech thee, I pray] show me [let me see, reveal to me] Your [Thy, divine] glory [great honor, splendor, majestic presence].” word study 19 “I [the Lord God] will cause all My goodness [My beautiful, glorious nature, My kindness] to pass before you,” the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent One] replied, “and I will proclaim My name [My character, My reputation]—the LORD [Yehovah, the One who is]—in your presence [before your face, in your sight]. I will have mercy [show compassion, be gracious] on whom I have mercy [whom I choose to favor], and I will have compassion [show love, be merciful] on whom I have compassion [whom I desire to bless].” word study 20 But He added, “You [as a human] cannot see My face [My presence, My being], for no one [no human, no mortal] can see Me [experience My fullness] and live [remain alive, stay in existence].” word study 21 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] continued, “There is a place [location, region] near [with, close to] Me where you are to stand [station yourself, take a position] upon [on, above] a rock [boulder, refuge], word study 22 and when My [divine, heavenly] glory [great honor, splendor] passes by, I will put you in a cleft [hole, crevice] of the rock [boulder, refuge] and cover you with My hand [palm, protection] until I have passed by [crossed over, transitioned]. word study 23 Then I will take My hand [palm, the instrument of divine power] away, and you will see My back [rear side, what is behind]; but My face [presence, the front or countenance] must not be seen [looked upon, gazed at].” word study