The Command to Leave Sinai

(Deuteronomy 1:1-8)

1And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, ‘Go, ascend from this [place], thou and the people, whom thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I have sworn to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, To thy seed I give it,’ 2(and I have sent before thee a messenger, and have cast out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite,) 3unto a land flowing with milk and honey, for I do not go up in thy midst, for thou [art] a stiff-necked people — lest I consume thee in the way.’

4And the people hear this sad thing, and mourn; and none put his ornaments on him. 5And Jehovah saith unto Moses, ‘Say unto the sons of Israel, Ye [are] a stiff-necked people; one moment — I come up into thy midst, and have consumed thee; and now, put down thine ornaments from off thee, and I know what I do to thee;’ 6and the sons of Israel take off their ornaments at mount Horeb.

The Tent of Meeting

7And Moses taketh the tent, and hath stretched it out at the outside of the camp, afar off from the camp, and hath called it, ‘Tent of Meeting;’ and it hath come to pass, every one seeking Jehovah goeth out unto the tent of meeting, which [is] at the outside of the camp. 8And it hath come to pass, at the going out of Moses unto the tent, all the people rise, and have stood, each at the opening of his tent, and have looked expectingly after Moses, until his going into the tent. 9And it hath come to pass, at the going in of Moses to the tent, the pillar of the cloud cometh down, and hath stood at the opening of the tent, and He hath spoken with Moses; 10and all the people have seen the pillar of the cloud standing at the opening of the tent, and all the people have risen and bowed themselves, each at the opening of his tent. 11And Jehovah hath spoken unto Moses face unto face, as a man speaketh unto his friend; and he hath turned back unto the camp, and his minister Joshua, son of Nun, a youth, departeth not out of the tent.

The Glory of the Lord

12And Moses saith unto Jehovah, ‘See, Thou art saying unto me, Bring up this people, and Thou hast not caused me to know whom Thou dost send with me; and Thou hast said, I have known thee by name, and also thou hast found grace in Mine eyes. 13‘And now, if, I pray Thee, I have found grace in Thine eyes, cause me to know, I pray Thee, Thy way, and I know Thee, so that I find grace in Thine eyes, and consider that this nation [is] Thy people;’ 14and He saith, ‘My presence doth go, and I have given rest to thee.’ 15And he saith unto Him, ‘If Thy presence is not going — take us not up from this [place]; 16and in what is it known now, that I have found grace in Thine eyes — I and Thy people — is it not in Thy going with us? and we have been distinguished — I and Thy people — from all the people who [are] on the face of the ground.’

17And Jehovah saith unto Moses, ‘Even this thing which thou hast spoken I do; for thou hast found grace in Mine eyes, and I know thee by name.’ 18And he saith, ‘Shew me, I pray Thee, Thine honour;’ 19and He saith, ‘I cause all My goodness to pass before thy face, and have called concerning the Name of Jehovah before thee, and favoured him whom I favour, and loved him whom I love.’ 20He saith also, ‘Thou art unable to see My face, for man doth not see Me, and live;’ 21Jehovah also saith, ‘Lo, a place [is] by Me, and thou hast stood on the rock, 22and it hath come to pass, in the passing by of Mine honour, that I have set thee in a cleft of the rock, and spread out My hands over thee, until My passing by, 23and I have turned aside My hands, and thou hast seen My back parts, and My face is not seen.’