The Command to Leave Sinai

33 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Depart and go up from here, you aand the people whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, b‘To your descendants I will give it.’ 2 cAnd I will send My Angel before you, dand I will drive out the Canaanite and the Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. 3 Go up eto a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, lest fI 1consume you on the way, for you are a gstiff-necked 2people.”

4 And when the people heard this bad news, hthey mourned, iand no one put on his ornaments. 5 For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the children of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. I could come up into your midst in one moment and consume you. Now therefore, take off your 3ornaments, that I may jknow what to do to you.’ ” 6 So the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by Mount Horeb.

Moses Meets with the Lord

7 Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and kcalled it the tabernacle of meeting. And it came to pass that everyone who lsought the Lord went out to the tabernacle of meeting which was outside the camp. 8 So it was, whenever Moses went out to the tabernacle, that all the people rose, and each man stood mat his tent door and watched Moses until he had gone into the tabernacle. 9 And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord ntalked with Moses. 10 All the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the tabernacle door, and all the people rose and oworshiped, each man in his tent door. 11 So pthe Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but qhis servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.

The Promise of God’s Presence

12 Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, rYou say to me, ‘Bring up this people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, s‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.’ 13 Now therefore, I pray, tif I have found grace in Your sight, ushow me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is vYour people.”

14 And He said, w“My Presence will go with you, and I will give you xrest.”

15 Then he said to Him, y“If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, zexcept You go with us? So we ashall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.”

17 So the Lord said to Moses, b“I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.”

18 And he said, “Please, show me cYour glory.”

19 Then He said, “I will make all My dgoodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. eI will be gracious to whom I will be fgracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” 20 But He said, “You cannot see My face; for gno man shall see Me, and live.” 21 And the Lord said, “Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. 22 So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you hin the cleft of the rock, and will icover you with My hand while I pass by. 23 Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall jnot be seen.”