The Lord Tells Israel To Leave Mount Sinai
1 The Lord said to Moses:
You led the people of Israel out of Egypt. Now get ready to lead them to the land I promised their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 2-3 It is a land rich with milk and honey, and I will send an angel to force out those people who live there—the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. But I will not go with my people. They are so rebellious that I would destroy them before they get there.
4-5 Even before the Lord said these harsh things, he had told Moses, “These people really are rebellious, and I would kill them at once, if I went with them. But tell them to take off their fancy jewelry, then I'll decide what to do with them.” So the people started mourning, 6 and after leaving Mount Sinai, they stopped wearing fancy jewelry.
The Lord Is with His People
7 Moses used to set up a tent far from camp. He called it the “meeting tent,” and whoever needed some message from the Lord would go there. 8 Each time Moses went out to this tent, everyone would stand at the entrance to their own tents and watch him enter. 9-11 Then they would bow down because a thick cloud would come down in front of the tent, and the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, just like a friend. Afterwards, Moses would return to camp, but his young assistant Joshua would stay at the tent.
The Lord Promises To Be with His People
12 Moses said to the Lord, “I know that you have told me to lead these people to the land you promised them. But you have not said who will go along to help me. You have said that you are my friend and that you are pleased with me. 13 If this is true, let me know what your plans are, then I can obey and continue to please you. And don't forget that you have chosen this nation to be your own.”
14 The Lord said, “I will go with you and give you peace.”
15 Then Moses replied, “If you aren't going with us, please don't make us leave this place. 16 But if you do go with us, everyone will know that you are pleased with your people and with me. That way, we will be different from the rest of the people on earth.”
17 So the Lord told him, “I will do what you have asked, because I am your friend and I am pleased with you.”
18 Then Moses said, “I pray that you will let me see you in all of your glory.”
19 The Lord answered:
All right. I am the Lord, and I show mercy and kindness to anyone I choose. I will let you see my glory and hear my holy name, 20 but I won't let you see my face, because anyone who sees my face will die. 21 There is a rock not far from me. Stand beside it, 22 and before I pass by in all of my shining glory, I will put you in a large crack in the rock. I will cover your eyes with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take my hand away, and you will see my back. You will not see my face.
1 Afterward the Lord sayd vnto Moses, Depart, goe vp from hence, thou, and the people (which thou hast brought vp out of lande of Egypt) vnto the lande which I sware vnto Abraham, to Izhak and to Iaakob, saying, Vnto thy seede will I giue it. 2 And I will send an Angel before thee and will cast out the Canaanites, the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, the Hiuites, and the Iebusites: 3 To a lande, I say, that floweth with milke and hony: for I will not goe vp with thee, because thou art a stiffe necked people, least I consume thee in the way. 4 And when the people heard this euill tydings, they sorowed, and no man put on his best rayment. 5 (For the Lord had said to Moses, Say vnto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffe necked people, I wil come suddenly vpon thee, and consume thee: therefore now put thy costly rayment from thee, that I may know what to do vnto thee) 6 So the children of Israel layed their good raiment from them, after Moses came downe from the mount Horeb. 7 Then Moses tooke his tabernacle, and pitched it without the host farre off from the hoste, and called it Ohel-moed. And whe any did seeke to the Lord, he went out vnto the Tabernacle of the Congregation, which was without the hoste. 8 And when Moses went out vnto the Tabernacle, all the people rose vp, and stood euery man at his tent doore, and looked after Moses, vntil he was gone into the Tabernacle. 9 And assoone as Moses was entred into the Tabernacle, the cloudie pillar descended and stood at the doore of the Tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. 10 Nowe when all the people saw the cloudie pillar stand at the Tabernacle doore, all the people rose vp, and worshipped euery man in his tent doore. 11 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, face to face, as a man speaketh vnto his friende. After he turned againe into the hoste, but his seruant Ioshua the sonne of Nun a yong man, departed not out of the Tabernacle. 12 Then Moses sayde vnto the Lord, See, thou sayest vnto me, Leade this people forth, and thou hast not shewed me whom thou wilt sende with mee: thou hast sayde moreouer, I knowe thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. 13 Nowe therefore, I pray thee, if I haue founde fauour in thy sight, shewe mee nowe thy way, that I may knowe thee, and that I may finde grace in thy sight: consider also that this nation is thy people. 14 And he answered, My presence shall go with thee, and I will giue thee rest. 15 Then he sayd vnto him, If thy presence go not with vs, cary vs not hence. 16 And wherein nowe shall it be knowen, that I and thy people haue found fauour in thy sight? shall it not be when thou goest with vs? so I, and thy people shall haue preeminence before all the people that are vpon the earth. 17 And the Lord sayde vnto Moses, I will doe this also that thou hast saide: for thou hast founde grace in my sight, and I knowe thee by name. 18 Againe he sayde, I beseech thee, shewe me thy glory. 19 And he answered, I wil make all my good go before thee, and I wil proclaime the Name of the Lord before thee: for I will shewe mercy to whom I will shewe mercy, and will haue compassion on whom I will haue compassion. 20 Furthermore he sayde, Thou canst not see my face, for there shall no man see me, and liue. 21 Also the Lord sayd, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand vpon the rocke: 22 And while my glory passeth by, I will put thee in a cleft of the rocke, and will couer thee with mine hand whiles I passe by. 23 After I will take away mine hande, and thou shalt see my backe parts: but my face shall not be seene.