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I Will Not Go With You

33 Then the Lord said to Moses, “You and the people you brought out of Egypt must leave this place. Go to the land that I promised to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I promised them that I would give that land to their descendants. So I will send an angel to go before you, and I will defeat the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. I will force them to leave your land. So go to the land filled with many good things,[a] but I will not go with you. You people are very stubborn. If I go with you, I might destroy you along the way.”

The people heard this bad news and became very sad, so they stopped wearing jewelry. This was because the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stubborn people. I might destroy you even if I travel with you only a short time. So take off all your jewelry while I decide[b] what to do with you.’” So the Israelites stopped wearing their jewelry at Mount Horeb.

The Temporary Meeting Tent

Moses used to take a tent a short way outside the camp. He called it “the meeting tent.[c]” Anyone who wanted to ask something from the Lord would go to the meeting tent outside the camp. Any time Moses went out to the tent, all the people watched him. They stood at the entrance of their tents and watched Moses until he entered the meeting tent. Whenever Moses went into the tent, the tall cloud would come down and stay at the entrance to the tent. And the Lord would speak with Moses. 10 So when the people saw the cloud at the entrance of the tent, they would go to the entrance of their own tents and bow down to worship God.

11 In this way the Lord spoke to Moses face to face like a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would go back to the camp, but his helper, Joshua son of Nun, always stayed in the tent.

Moses Sees the Glory of the Lord

12 Moses said to the Lord, “You told me to lead these people, but you did not say who you would send with me. You said to me, ‘I know you very well, and I am pleased with you.’ 13 If I have really pleased you, then teach me your ways. I want to know you. Then I can continue to please you. Remember that these people are your nation.”

14 The Lord answered, “I myself will go with you. I will lead you.”[d]

15 Then Moses said to him, “If you don’t go with us, then don’t make us leave this place. 16 Also, how will we know if you are pleased with me and these people? If you go with us, we will know for sure. If you don’t go with us, these people and I will be no different from any other people on the earth.”

17 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will do what you ask. I will do this because I am pleased with you and because I know you very well.”[e]

18 Then Moses said, “Now, please show me your Glory.”

19 Then the Lord answered, “I will show my love and mercy to anyone I want to. So I will cause my perfect goodness to pass by in front of you, and I will speak my name, Yahweh, so that you can hear it. 20 But you cannot see my face. No one can see me and continue to live.”

21 Then the Lord said, “Here is a place for you to stand by me on this large rock. 22 I will put you in a large crack in that rock. Then I will cover you with my hand, and my Glory will pass by. 23 Then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back. But you will not see my face.”

The New Stone Tablets

34 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make two more stone tablets like the first two that were broken. I will write the same words on these stones that were written on the first two stones. Be ready tomorrow morning and come up on Mount Sinai. Stand before me there on the top of the mountain. No one will be allowed to come with you. No one should even be seen anywhere on the mountain. Even your herds of animals or flocks of sheep will not be allowed to eat grass at the bottom of the mountain.”

So Moses made two more stone tablets like the first ones. Early the next morning Moses went up Mount Sinai, just as the Lord had commanded. Moses carried the two stone tablets with him. Then the Lord came down to him in a cloud, stood there with Moses, and spoke his own name. That is, the Lord passed in front of Moses and said, “Yahweh, the Lord, is a kind and merciful God. He is slow to become angry. He is full of great love. He can be trusted. He shows his faithful love to thousands of people.[f] He forgives people for the wrong things they do, but he does not forget to punish guilty people. Not only will he punish the guilty people, but their children, their grandchildren, and their great-grandchildren will also suffer for the bad things these people do.”

Then Moses quickly bowed to the ground and worshiped the Lord. Moses said, “Lord, if you are pleased with me, please go with us. I know that these are stubborn people, but forgive us for the bad things we did. Accept us as your people.”

10 Then the Lord said, “I am making this agreement with all of your people. I will do amazing things that have never before been done for any other nation on earth. The people with you will see that I, the Lord, am very great. They will see the wonderful things that I will do for you. 11 Obey what I command you today, and I will force your enemies to leave your land. I will force out the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 12 Be careful! Don’t make any agreement with the people who live in the land where you are going. If you make an agreement with them, it will bring you trouble. 13 So destroy their altars, break the stones they worship, and cut down their idols.[g] 14 Don’t worship any other god. I am Yahweh Kanah—the jealous Lord. That is my name. I hate for my people to worship other gods.[h]

15 “Be careful not to make any agreements with the people who live in that land. If you do this, you might join them when they worship their gods. They will invite you to join them, and you will eat their sacrifices. 16 You might choose some of their daughters as wives for your sons. Those daughters serve false gods. They might lead your sons to do the same thing.

17 “Don’t make idols.

18 “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For seven days, eat the bread made without yeast as I commanded you before. Do this during the month I have chosen, the month of Abib, because that is the month you came out of Egypt.

19 “A woman’s first baby always belongs to me. Even the first animals that are born from your cattle or sheep belong to me. 20 If you want to keep a donkey that is the first born, then you can buy it with a lamb. But if you don’t buy that donkey with a lamb, you must break the donkey’s neck. You must buy back all of your firstborn sons from me. No one should come before me without a gift.

21 “You will work for six days, but on the seventh day you must rest. You must rest even during the times of planting and harvesting.

22 “Celebrate the Festival of Harvest. Use the first grain from the wheat harvest for this festival. And in the fall[i] celebrate the Festival of Shelters.

23 “Three times each year all your men must go to be with the Lord God, the God of Israel.

24 “When you go into your land, I will force your enemies out of that land. I will expand your borders—you will get more and more land. You will go before the Lord your God three times each year. At that time no one will try to take your land from you.

25 “When you kill an animal and offer its blood as a sacrifice, you must not include anything that has yeast in it.

“Don’t let any of the meat from the Passover meal remain until morning.

26 “Give the Lord the very first crops that you harvest. Bring them to the house[j] of the Lord your God.

“Never cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.”

27 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write everything that I have told you. This is the agreement that I made with you and the Israelites.”

28 Moses stayed there with the Lord for 40 days and 40 nights. Moses did not eat any food or drink any water. And he wrote the words of the agreement (the Ten Commandments) on the two stone tablets.

Moses’ Shining Face

29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, he carried the two stone tablets of the agreement. Because he had talked with the Lord, his face was shining, but he did not know it. 30 Aaron and all the people of Israel saw that Moses’ face was shining bright. So they were afraid to go near him. 31 But Moses called to them. So Aaron and all the leaders of the people went to him. Moses talked with them. 32 After that all the Israelites came near Moses, and he gave them the commands that the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai.

33 When Moses finished speaking to the people, he put a covering over his face. 34 Any time Moses went before the Lord to speak with him, Moses took off the covering. Then Moses would come out and tell the Israelites what the Lord commanded. 35 The people would see that Moses’ face was shining bright, so he would cover his face again. He kept his face covered until the next time he went in to speak with the Lord.

Rules About the Sabbath

35 Moses gathered all the Israelites together and said to them, “I will tell you what the Lord has commanded you to do:

“There are six days for working, but the seventh day will be a very special day of rest for you. You will honor the Lord by resting on that special day. Anyone who works on the seventh day must be killed. On the Sabbath you should not even light a fire in any of the places where you live.”

Things for the Holy Tent

Moses said to all the Israelites, “This is what the Lord commanded: Gather special gifts for the Lord. Each of you should decide in your heart what you will give. And then you should bring that gift to the Lord. Bring gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple, and red yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and fine leather; acacia wood; oil for the lamps; spices for the anointing oil and spices for the sweet-smelling incense. Also, bring onyx stones and other jewels to be put on the ephod and the judgment pouch.

10 “All of you who are skilled workers should make all the things the Lord commanded: 11 the Holy Tent, its outer tent, and its covering; the hooks, boards, braces, posts, and bases; 12 the Holy Box, its poles, the mercy-cover, and the curtain that covers the area where the Box stays; 13 the table and its poles, all the things on the table, and the special bread on the table; 14 the lampstand that is used for light and the things used with the lampstand, the lamps, and oil for the light; 15 the altar for burning incense and its poles; the anointing oil and the sweet-smelling incense; the curtain that covers the door at the entrance to the Holy Tent; 16 the altar for burning offerings and its bronze grating, the poles, and all the things used at the altar; the bronze bowl and its base; 17 the curtains around the yard, their posts and bases, and the curtain that covers the entrance to the yard; 18 the pegs used to support the Tent and the wall of curtains around the courtyard, and the ropes that tie to the pegs; 19 and the special woven clothes for the priest to wear in the Holy Place. These are the special clothes for Aaron the priest and his sons to wear when they serve as priests.”

The Great Offering From the People

20 Then all the Israelites went away from Moses. 21 All the people who wanted to give came and brought a gift to the Lord. These gifts were used for making the Meeting Tent, everything in the Tent, and the special clothes. 22 All the men and women who wanted to give brought gold jewelry of all kinds. They brought pins,[k] earrings, rings, and other jewelry. They all gave their jewelry as a special offering to the Lord.

23 Everyone who had fine linen and blue, purple, and red yarn brought it to the Lord. Anyone who had goat hair or ram skins dyed red or fine leather brought it to the Lord. 24 Everyone who wanted to give silver or bronze brought that as a gift to the Lord. Everyone who had acacia wood came and gave it to the Lord. 25 Every skilled woman made fine linen and blue, purple, and red yarn. 26 And all the women who were skilled and wanted to help made cloth from the goat hair.

27 The leaders brought onyx stones and other jewels. These stones and jewels were put on the ephod and judgment pouch of the priest. 28 The people also brought spices and olive oil. These things were used for the sweet-smelling incense, the anointing oil, and the oil for the lamps.

29 All the Israelites who wanted to help brought gifts to the Lord. They gave these gifts freely, because they wanted to. These gifts were used to make everything the Lord had commanded Moses and the people to make.

Bezalel and Oholiab

30 Then Moses said to the Israelites, “Look, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, from the tribe of Judah. (Uri was the son of Hur.) 31 And he has filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God—he gave Bezalel special skill and knowledge to do all kinds of things. 32 He can design and make things with gold, silver, and bronze. 33 He can cut and set stones and jewels. He can work with wood and make all kinds of things. 34 The Lord has given Bezalel and Oholiab special skills to teach other people. (Oholiab was the son of Ahisamach from the tribe of Dan.) 35 He has given both of these men special skills to do all kinds of work. They are able to do the work of carpenters and metalworkers. They can weave cloth with designs in it from blue, purple, and red yarn and fine linen. And they are able to weave things with wool.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 33:3 land … things Literally, “land flowing with milk and honey.”
  2. Exodus 33:5 jewelry … decide This is a wordplay in Hebrew, but people often wore jewelry to remind them of their false gods.
  3. Exodus 33:7 meeting tent This is probably a tent that Moses used only until the real Meeting Tent was built.
  4. Exodus 33:14 lead you Or “give you rest.”
  5. Exodus 33:17 I know you very well Literally, “I know you by name.”
  6. Exodus 34:7 people Or “generations.”
  7. Exodus 34:13 stones … idols Literally, “memorials … Asherah poles.” These were stone markers and wood poles that the people set up to help them remember and honor false gods.
  8. Exodus 34:14 I hate … gods Or “I am El Kanah—the Jealous God.”
  9. Exodus 34:22 fall Literally, “at the changing of the year.”
  10. Exodus 34:26 house The “Holy Tent” where the people went to meet with God. See Ex. 25:8, 9.
  11. Exodus 35:22 pins Or “hooks.” These were like safety pins and were used like buttons to fasten their robes.

33 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 oath(A) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’(B) I will send an angel(C) before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.(D) Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey.(E) But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked(F) people and I might destroy(G) you on the way.”

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

The Tent of Meeting

Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.”(L) Anyone inquiring(M) of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents,(N) watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud(O) would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke(P) 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.(Q) 11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face,(R) as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua(S) son of Nun did not leave the tent.

Moses and the Glory of the Lord

12 Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’(T) but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name(U) and you have found favor(V) with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways(W) so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”(X)

14 The Lord replied, “My Presence(Y) will go with you, and I will give you rest.”(Z)

15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence(AA) does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us?(AB) What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”(AC)

17 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked,(AD) because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”(AE)

18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”(AF)

19 And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass(AG) in front of you, and I will proclaim my name,(AH) the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.(AI) 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see(AJ) me and live.”

21 Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock(AK) and cover you with my hand(AL) until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”

The New Stone Tablets

34 The Lord said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones,(AM) and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets,(AN) which you broke.(AO) Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai.(AP) Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain. No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain;(AQ) not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain.”

So Moses chiseled(AR) out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the Lord had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands.(AS) Then the Lord came down in the cloud(AT) and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord.(AU) And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate(AV) and gracious God, slow to anger,(AW) abounding in love(AX) and faithfulness,(AY) maintaining love to thousands,(AZ) and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.(BA) Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished;(BB) he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”(BC)

Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. “Lord,” he said, “if I have found favor(BD) in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us.(BE) Although this is a stiff-necked(BF) people, forgive our wickedness and our sin,(BG) and take us as your inheritance.”(BH)

10 Then the Lord said: “I am making a covenant(BI) with you. Before all your people I will do wonders(BJ) never before done in any nation in all the world.(BK) The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you. 11 Obey what I command(BL) you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.(BM) 12 Be careful not to make a treaty(BN) with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare(BO) among you. 13 Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles.[a](BP) 14 Do not worship any other god,(BQ) for the Lord, whose name(BR) is Jealous, is a jealous God.(BS)

15 “Be careful not to make a treaty(BT) with those who live in the land; for when they prostitute(BU) themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you and you will eat their sacrifices.(BV) 16 And when you choose some of their daughters as wives(BW) for your sons and those daughters prostitute themselves to their gods,(BX) they will lead your sons to do the same.

17 “Do not make any idols.(BY)

18 “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread.(BZ) For seven days eat bread made without yeast,(CA) as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv,(CB) for in that month you came out of Egypt.

19 “The first offspring(CC) of every womb belongs to me, including all the firstborn males of your livestock, whether from herd or flock. 20 Redeem the firstborn donkey with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck.(CD) Redeem all your firstborn sons.(CE)

“No one is to appear before me empty-handed.(CF)

21 “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest;(CG) even during the plowing season and harvest(CH) you must rest.

22 “Celebrate the Festival of Weeks with the firstfruits(CI) of the wheat harvest, and the Festival of Ingathering(CJ) at the turn of the year.[b] 23 Three times(CK) a year all your men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord, the God of Israel. 24 I will drive out nations(CL) before you and enlarge your territory,(CM) and no one will covet your land when you go up three times each year to appear before the Lord your God.

25 “Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me along with anything containing yeast,(CN) and do not let any of the sacrifice from the Passover Festival remain until morning.(CO)

26 “Bring the best of the firstfruits(CP) of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.

“Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.”(CQ)

27 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write(CR) down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant(CS) with you and with Israel.” 28 Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights(CT) without eating bread or drinking water.(CU) And he wrote on the tablets(CV) the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments.(CW)

The Radiant Face of Moses

29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai(CX) with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands,(CY) he was not aware that his face was radiant(CZ) because he had spoken with the Lord. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community(DA) came back to him, and he spoke to them. 32 Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands(DB) the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai.

33 When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil(DC) over his face. 34 But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 they saw that his face was radiant.(DD) Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord.

Sabbath Regulations

35 Moses assembled the whole Israelite community and said to them, “These are the things the Lord has commanded(DE) you to do: For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a day of sabbath(DF) rest to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it is to be put to death.(DG) Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.(DH)

Materials for the Tabernacle(DI)(DJ)

Moses said to the whole Israelite community, “This is what the Lord has commanded: From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering of gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather[c]; acacia wood; olive oil(DK) for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.

10 “All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded:(DL) 11 the tabernacle(DM) with its tent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; 12 the ark(DN) with its poles and the atonement cover and the curtain(DO) that shields it; 13 the table(DP) with its poles and all its articles and the bread of the Presence; 14 the lampstand(DQ) that is for light with its accessories, lamps and oil for the light; 15 the altar(DR) of incense with its poles, the anointing oil(DS) and the fragrant incense;(DT) the curtain for the doorway at the entrance to the tabernacle;(DU) 16 the altar(DV) of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the bronze basin(DW) with its stand; 17 the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard;(DX) 18 the tent pegs(DY) for the tabernacle and for the courtyard, and their ropes; 19 the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary—both the sacred garments(DZ) for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests.”

20 Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence, 21 and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments. 22 All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the Lord. 23 Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn(EA) or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or the other durable leather brought them. 24 Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it. 25 Every skilled woman(EB) spun with her hands and brought what she had spun—blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen. 26 And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. 27 The leaders(EC) brought onyx stones and other gems(ED) to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. 28 They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense.(EE) 29 All the Israelite men and women who were willing(EF) brought to the Lord freewill offerings(EG) for all the work the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do.

Bezalel and Oholiab(EH)

30 Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills(EI) 32 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 33 to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts. 34 And he has given both him and Oholiab(EJ) son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach(EK) others. 35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work(EL) as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 34:13 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah
  2. Exodus 34:22 That is, in the autumn
  3. Exodus 35:7 Possibly the hides of large aquatic mammals; also in verse 23