Exodus 33
The Lord instructs Moses to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, but warns that He will not go with them because of their stiff-necked nature, instead sending an angel to guide them. The people mourn and remove their ornaments as a sign of repentance. Moses sets up the Tabernacle of the Covenant outside the camp, where he meets with the Lord face to face. Moses asks the Lord to show His face and to precede the Israelites into the Promised Land, and the Lord agrees, but warns Moses that no man can see His face and live. The Lord promises to show Moses His glory, but only from behind, and to protect him with His right hand as He passes by.
1And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: "Go forth, ascend from this place, you and your people, whom you led away from the land of Egypt, into the land that I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying: To your offspring, I will give it2And I will send an Angel to precede you, so that I may cast out the Canaanite, and the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite3and so that you may enter into a land flowing with milk and honey. For I will not go up with you, since you are a stiff-necked people, lest perhaps I may destroy you on the way.4And upon hearing this very bad news, the people mourned; and no one put on his finery according to custom5And the Lord said to Moses: "Say to the sons of Israel: You are a stiff-necked people. I should at once go up into your midst and destroy you. Now immediately put aside your ornaments, so that I may know what to do to you.6Therefore, the sons of Israel put aside their ornaments before Mount Horeb7Also, Moses took the tabernacle and pitched it beyond the camp at a distance, and he called its name: ‘Tabernacle of the Covenant.’ And all the people, who had any kind of question, went out to the Tabernacle of the Covenant, beyond the camp8And when Moses went out to the tabernacle, all the people rose up, and each one stood at the door of his pavilion, and they beheld the back of Moses until he entered the tent9And when he had gone into the Tabernacle of the Covenant, the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door, and he spoke with Moses10And all discerned that the pillar of cloud stood at the door of the Tabernacle. And they stood and worshipped at the doors of their tents11But the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, just as a man is used to speaking to his friend. And when he returned to the camp, his minister Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, did not withdraw from the Tabernacle12Then Moses said to the Lord: "You instruct me to lead this people away, and you do not reveal to me whom you will send with me, particularly since you have said: ‘I know you by name, and you have found favor before me.13If, therefore, I have found favor in your sight, show your face to me, so that I may know you and may find grace before your eyes. Look favorably on your people, this nation.14And the Lord said, "My face will precede you, and I will give you rest.15And Moses said: "If you will not yourself precede us, then do not lead us away from this place16For how will we be able to know, I and your people, that we have found grace in your sight, unless you walk with us, so that we may be glorified out of all the people who live upon the earth?17Then the Lord said to Moses: "This word also, which you have spoken, I will do. For you have found grace before me, and I have known you by name.18And he said, "Show me your glory.19He responded: "I will show you all that is good, and I will call out with the name of the Lord before you. And I will take pity on whomever I will, and I will be lenient to whomever it will please me.20And again he said: "You are not able to see my face. For man shall not see me and live.21And again, he said: "Behold, there is a place with me, and you shall stand upon the rock22And when my glory will cross over, I will set you in a cleft of the rock, and I will protect you with my right hand, until I pass by23And I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back. But my face you are not able to see.
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