Exodus 33

vayedabber Adonai el-mosheh lekh aleh mizzeh attah veha'am asher he'elita me'erets mitsrayim el-ha'arets asher nishbati le'avraham leyitskhaq uleya'aqov lemor lezarakha ettenennah

Then GOD said to Moses, “Set out from here, you and the people that you have brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your offspring will I give it’—

veshalakhti lefanekha malakh vegerashti et-hakkena'ani ha'emori vehakhitti vehapperizzi hakhivvi vehayevusi

I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites—

el-erets zavat khalav udevash ki lo e'eleh beqirbekha ki am-qesheh-oref attah pen-akhelkha baddarekh

a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go in your midst, since you are a stiffnecked people, lest I destroy you on the way.”

vayyishma ha'am et-haddavar hara hazzeh vayyitabbalu velo-shatu ish edyo alayw

When the people heard this harsh word, they went into mourning, and no one put on finery.

vayyomer Adonai el-mosheh emor el-bene-yisra'el attem am-qesheh-oref rega ekhad e'eleh veqirbekha vekhillitikha ve'attah hored edyekha me'alekha ve'ede'ah mah e'eseh-llakh

GOD said to Moses, “Say to the Israelite people, ‘You are a stiffnecked people. If I were to go in your midst for one moment, I would destroy you. Now, then, leave off your finery, and I will consider what to do to you.’”

vayyitnatselu vene-yisra'el et-edyam mehar khorev

So the Israelites remained stripped of their finery from Mount Horeb on.

umosheh yiqqakh et-ha'ohel venatah-lo mikhuts lammakhaneh harkheq min-hammakhaneh veqara lo ohel mo'ed vehayah kol-mevaqqesh Adonai yetse el-ohel mo'ed asher mikhuts lammakhaneh

Now Moses would take the Tent and pitch it outside the camp, at some distance from the camp. It was called the Tent of Meeting, and whoever sought GOD would go out to the Tent of Meeting that was outside the camp.

vehayah ketset mosheh el-ha'ohel yaqumu kol-ha'am venitsevu ish petakh oholo vehibbitu akhare mosheh ad-bo'o ha'ohelah

Whenever Moses went out to the Tent, all the people would rise and stand, at the entrance of each tent, and gaze after Moses until he had entered the Tent.

vehayah kevo mosheh ha'ohelah yered ammud he'anan ve'amad petakh ha'ohel vedibber im-mosheh

And when Moses entered the Tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the Tent, while [God] spoke with Moses.

vera'ah khol-ha'am et-ammud he'anan omed petakh ha'ohel veqam kol-ha'am vehishtakhavu ish petakh oholo

When all the people saw the pillar of cloud poised at the entrance of the Tent, all the people would rise and bow low, at the entrance of each tent.

vedibber Adonai el-mosheh panim el-panim ka'asher yedabber ish el-re'ehu veshav el-hammakhaneh umeshareto yehoshua bin-nun na'ar lo yamish mittokh ha'ohel

GOD would speak to Moses face to face, as one person speaks to another. And he would then return to the camp; but his attendant, Joshua son of Nun, [serving as] deputy, would not stir out of the Tent.

vayyomer mosheh el-Adonai re'eh attah omer elay ha'al et-ha'am hazzeh ve'attah lo hodatani et asher-tishlakh immi ve'attah amarta yedatikha veshem vegam-matsata khen be'enay

Moses said to GOD, “See, You say to me, ‘Lead this people forward,’ but You have not made known to me whom You will send with me. Further, You have said, ‘I have singled you out by name, and you have, indeed, gained My favor.’

ve'attah im-na matsati khen be'enekha hodi'eni na et-derakhekha ve'eda'akha lema'an emtsa-khen be'enekha ure'eh ki ammekha haggoy hazzeh

Now, if I have truly gained Your favor, pray let me know Your ways, that I may know You and continue in Your favor. Consider, too, that this nation is Your people.”

vayyomar panay yelekhu vahanikhoti lakh

And [God] said, “I will go in the lead and will lighten your burden.”

vayyomer elayw im-en panekha holekhim al-ta'alenu mizzeh

And he replied, “Unless You go in the lead, do not make us leave this place.

uvammeh yivvada efo ki-matsati khen be'enekha ani ve'ammekha halo belekhtekha immanu veniflinu ani ve'ammekha mikkol-ha'am asher al-pene ha'adamah

For how shall it be known that Your people have gained Your favor unless You go with us, so that we may be distinguished, Your people and I, from every people on the face of the earth?”

vayyomer Adonai el-mosheh gam et-haddavar hazzeh asher dibbarta e'eseh ki-matsata khen be'enay va'eda'akha beshem

And GOD said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have asked; for you have truly gained My favor and I have singled you out by name.”

vayyomar hareni na et-kevodekha

He said, “Oh, let me behold Your Presence!”

vayyomer ani a'avir kol-tuvi al-panekha veqarati veshem Adonai lefanekha vekhannoti et-asher akhon verikhamti et-asher arakhem

And [God] answered, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim before you the name GOD [יהוה], and the grace that I grant and the compassion that I show,”

vayyomer lo tukhal lirot et-panay ki lo-yirani ha'adam vakhay

continuing, “But you cannot see My face, for no mortal may see Me and live.”

vayyomer Adonai hinneh maqom itti venitsavta al-hatsur

And GOD said, “See, there is a place near Me. Station yourself on the rock

vehayah ba'avor kevodi vesamtikha beniqrat hatsur vesakkoti khappi alekha ad-ovri

and, as My Presence passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and shield you with My hand until I have passed by.

vahasiroti et-kappi vera'ita et-akhoray ufanay lo yera'u

Then I will take My hand away and you will see My back; but My face must not be seen.”