God Threatens to Leave the People
Study note
God told Moses to take the people and go to the Promised Land. He would send an angel ahead of them to drive out the other nations. But God said He would not go with them Himself, because they were so stubborn that He might destroy them along the way. When the people heard this terrible news, they mourned and took off their jewelry and fine clothes as a sign of sadness. Being in the Promised Land without God's presence would not truly be a blessing.
1 The Lord told Moses, "Get moving. Take the people you brought from Egypt and head for the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — the land I swore to give their descendants." And the LORD said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it:
2 "I will dispatch an angel to go ahead of you. I will clear out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites." And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:
3 "Go to that land — it overflows with good things. But I myself will not travel among you. You are so stubborn that I might destroy you along the way." Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.
4 This devastating news hit the people hard, and they went into mourning. Nobody put on jewelry or fancy clothes. And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.
5 The Lord had instructed Moses, "Tell the Israelites: 'You are a stubborn people. If I were to travel in your midst even briefly, I might wipe you out. Strip off all your fine jewelry while I figure out what to do with you.'" For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.
6 So at Mount Horeb, the Israelites took off all their jewelry and fine clothing. And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb.
The Tent of Meeting
Study note
Moses set up a tent outside the camp and called it the Tent of Meeting. Anyone who wanted to seek the Lord would go out to this tent. Whenever Moses went into the tent, a pillar of cloud would come down and stand at the entrance while God talked with Moses. The people would watch from their own tent doors and worship. The Bible says God spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. This shows the close and personal relationship Moses had with God. Joshua, Moses' young helper, stayed at the tent even when Moses left.
7 Moses had a habit of taking a tent and setting it up a good distance outside the camp. He named it the Tent of Meeting. Whenever anyone needed to seek the Lord's guidance, they would walk out to this tent beyond the camp. And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.
8 Every time Moses headed toward the tent, all the people would stand up. They would each step outside their own tent door and watch Moses until he disappeared inside. And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.
9 The moment Moses stepped inside the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and hover right at the entrance. Inside, the Lord was speaking with Moses. And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses.
10 The people saw the cloud pillar standing at the tent door. Every person would stand up. They worshiped at the door of their own tent. And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.
11 The Lord spoke to Moses personally and directly — the way you talk with a close friend. Afterward, Moses would head back to the camp. But Joshua, his young assistant and the son of Nun, never left the tent. And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.
Moses Asks to See God's Glory
Study note
Moses knew the people needed God's presence to survive. He begged God to continue going with them. God agreed, saying, 'My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.' Then Moses made an even bolder request: 'Show me your glory.' God said He would let all His goodness pass in front of Moses and would announce His name. But God warned that no one could see His face and live. So God placed Moses in a crack in the rock and covered him with His hand as He passed by. Moses would see God's back, but not His face.
12 Moses said to the Lord, "You keep telling me to lead these people forward, but you have not told me who will go with me. You also said, 'I know you personally, and you have my favor.'" And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.
13 "Well, if I truly have your favor, reveal your plans to me. Let me understand your ways so I can know you better and continue in your favor. And please remember — these people are yours." Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
14 The Lord answered, "I personally will go with you, and I will give you peace and rest." And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
15 Moses pressed, "If you yourself are not going to be with us, please do not send us forward from this place." And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
16 "How will anyone ever know that your people and I have found favor with you — unless you come with us? That is the one thing that will distinguish us from every other nation on earth." For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
17 The Lord told Moses, "I will do exactly what you are asking. You do have my favor, and I know you by name." And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
18 Moses made one more request: "Please, let me see your glory." And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
20 "But," he warned, "you cannot look at my face directly. No human being can see my face and survive." And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
21 The Lord added, "There is a spot right near me where you can stand on a rock." And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
22 "As my glory passes by, I will tuck you into a gap in the rock and shield you with my hand until I have gone past." And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
23 "Then I will lift my hand away and you will see my back. But my face cannot be seen." And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.