Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oathd to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’e 2 I will send an angelf before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.g 3 Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey.h But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-neckedi people and I might destroyj you on the way.”

4 When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mournk and no one put on any ornaments. 5 For the Lord had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people.l If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroym you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.’ ” 6 So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.n

The Tent of Meeting

7 Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.”o Anyone inquiringp of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. 8 And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents,q watching Moses until he entered the tent. 9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloudr would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spokes with Moses. 10 Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent.t 11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face,u as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshuav son of Nun did not leave the tent.