New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Exodus 33
1
Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, "Leave this place. You and the people you brought up out of Egypt must leave it. Go up to the land I promised with an oath to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I said to them, 'I will give it to your children after you.'
Reference
2
I will send an angel ahead of you. I will drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
Reference
3
"Go up to the land that has plenty of milk and honey. But I will not go with you. You are stubborn. I might destroy you on the way."
Reference
4
When the people heard those painful words, they became sad and began to sob. No one put on any jewelry.
Reference
5
The Lord had said to Moses, "Tell the people of Israel, 'You are stubborn. If I went with you even for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your jewelry. Then I will decide what to do with you.' "
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 139:23
Numbers 16:21
Psalm 73:19
Job 34:20
Genesis 22:12
Lamentations 4:6
References Lord
Isaiah 22:12
Deuteronomy 8:2
6
So the people took off their jewelry at Mount Horeb.
Reference
📍 Mount Horeb
Parallel theme
Exodus 33:4
7
Moses used to take a tent and set it up far outside the camp. He called it the "tent of meeting." Anyone who wanted to ask the Lord a question would go to the tent of meeting that was outside the camp.
Reference
8
When Moses would go out to the tent, all of the people would get up and stand at the entrances to their tents. They would watch Moses until he entered the tent.
Reference
Temple
Numbers 16:27
9
As Moses would go into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down. It would stay at the entrance while the Lord spoke with Moses.
Reference
10
The people would see the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent. Then all of them would stand and worship at the entrances to their tents.
11
The Lord would speak to Moses face to face. It was like a man speaking to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp. But Joshua, his young helper, didn't leave the tent. Joshua was the son of Nun.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
Genesis 32:30
John 11:11
James 2:23
References Lord
Numbers 12:8
Deuteronomy 34:10
Deuteronomy 5:4
Isaiah 42:8
References Moses
Exodus 24:13
Exodus 32:17
Temple
Exodus 33:9
12
Moses said to the Lord, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people.' But you haven't let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know your name. I know all about you. And I am pleased with you.'
Reference
Grace
Exodus 33:17
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 1:5
Exodus 32:34
Exodus 3:10
References Lord
Isaiah 43:1
Genesis 18:19
2 Timothy 2:19
Exodus 33:1
Psalm 1:6
13
If you are pleased with me, teach me more about yourself. Then I can know you. And I can continue to please you. Remember that this nation is your people."
Reference
16
How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and your people? You must go with us. How else will we be different from all of the other people on the face of the earth?"
Reference
17
The Lord said to Moses, "I will do exactly what you have asked. I am pleased with you. And I know your name. I know all about you."
Reference
18
Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory."
Reference
Glory
Revelation 21:23
Titus 2:13
2 Corinthians 4:6
2 Corinthians 3:18
Parallel theme
Exodus 33:20
John 1:18
1 Timothy 6:16
19
The Lord said, "I will make all of my goodness pass in front of you. And I will announce my name, The Lord, in front of you. I will have mercy on whom I have mercy. And I will show love to those I love.
Reference
Good
Jeremiah 31:14
Jeremiah 31:12
Zechariah 9:17
Nehemiah 9:25
Parallel theme
Isaiah 9:6
References Lord
Isaiah 7:14
Isaiah 12:4
21
The Lord continued, "There is a place near me where you can stand on a rock.
22
When my glory passes by, I will put you in an opening in the rock. I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by.
Reference
Summary of Exodus 33
Exodus chapter 33 continues the narrative following the Israelites sin with the golden calf. God instructs Moses to guide the people towards the promised land, but He forewarns that His presence will not accompany them due to their persistent unfaithfulness. Moses takes up their plea and begs to continue to experience God’s presence.
God commands Moses to lead Israel away from the mountain and into the land that he promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He further instructs Moses to inform the people that He will send an Angel to lead them and to drive away the inhabitants of Canaan, including the Hittites, Jebusites, Hivites, Perizzites, and Amorites, from the land flowing with milk and honey.
However, God refuses to proceed with them because they are a stiff-necked people whose actions will lead to His destruction if He goes with them. Instead, He urges them to strip off their ornaments and allows him to consider what He should do with them. The people mourn when they realize that God’s presence may not be with them as it was during their exodus from Egypt.
They understand that God’s presence among them is the only manifestation of his love for them. At this point, the children of Israel remove their ornaments and Moses disallows them from wearing them again.
It was Moses’s order that the tabernacle be erected outside the camp for him to meet with God, not that he would bring the people with him. They named it the “tabernacle of the congregation.” Wherever the cloud above the tabernacle stood, the people remained there as well. Whenever Moses met with God, the cloudy pillar would descend and stand at the door of the tabernacle, which signified that God was about to speak to him.
The people would all wait at the entrances of their tents when they heard that Moses had gone up to the tabernacle. They would stand and worship when they saw the cloudy pillar at the door of the tabernacle. The Lord would speak to Moses face-to-face because he was in the cloud as if conversing with a friend. All the people saw was the back of God when they reached the top of the mountain. Moses would return to the camp after speaking with God, but Joshua, the son of Nun, would remain at the tabernacle.
Moses reminds God that he had led the people according to His command, but he had not revealed to him the name of the Angel that He sent to guide them. He further reminds God that he had asked him to show them His glory so that they could know that he had indeed spoken to them. They needed his counsel to continue leading Israel as a people.
God assures Moses that He will give him rest, and his promise will guarantee that his people will continue to trust him. Moses replies that they will only follow him if his Angel goes with them, and he will reveal to him the name of the Angel that He sent to guide them.
Moses reminds God of his promise to make Israel a great nation, and if he does not see his presence any longer with them, it will be difficult for him to lead them. However, God assures Moses that he will reveal to him His glory because he knows him by name, and he has found grace in his sight.
Moses asks God to show him His glory, but He replies that he cannot see his face as it is too overwhelming, and He will let him see His back. God further instructs Moses to stand on a rock and assures him that He will pass before him and allow him to see His glory.
God replies that he must put him on the rock and cover his eyes with his hand so that he can see his back as He passes before him. Exodus chapter 33 mainly focuses on God’s anger at Israel’s unfaithfulness and Moses’s pleas for mercy for them.
While the narration focuses on the relationship between the Israelites and God, it also highlights Moses’s unique relationship with God. Moses does not only beg God to reveal his glory to the people but also reminds him that they need his guidance. While Moses is confident that God will continue to care for them, he still asks God to reveal to them his presence through his glory.
God finally assured Moses that Israel would continue to be his people despite their unfaithfulness. Moses is granted a vision of God’s glory as he promised to reveal it to him.
God commands Moses to lead Israel away from the mountain and into the land that he promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He further instructs Moses to inform the people that He will send an Angel to lead them and to drive away the inhabitants of Canaan, including the Hittites, Jebusites, Hivites, Perizzites, and Amorites, from the land flowing with milk and honey.
However, God refuses to proceed with them because they are a stiff-necked people whose actions will lead to His destruction if He goes with them. Instead, He urges them to strip off their ornaments and allows him to consider what He should do with them. The people mourn when they realize that God’s presence may not be with them as it was during their exodus from Egypt.
They understand that God’s presence among them is the only manifestation of his love for them. At this point, the children of Israel remove their ornaments and Moses disallows them from wearing them again.
It was Moses’s order that the tabernacle be erected outside the camp for him to meet with God, not that he would bring the people with him. They named it the “tabernacle of the congregation.” Wherever the cloud above the tabernacle stood, the people remained there as well. Whenever Moses met with God, the cloudy pillar would descend and stand at the door of the tabernacle, which signified that God was about to speak to him.
The people would all wait at the entrances of their tents when they heard that Moses had gone up to the tabernacle. They would stand and worship when they saw the cloudy pillar at the door of the tabernacle. The Lord would speak to Moses face-to-face because he was in the cloud as if conversing with a friend. All the people saw was the back of God when they reached the top of the mountain. Moses would return to the camp after speaking with God, but Joshua, the son of Nun, would remain at the tabernacle.
Moses reminds God that he had led the people according to His command, but he had not revealed to him the name of the Angel that He sent to guide them. He further reminds God that he had asked him to show them His glory so that they could know that he had indeed spoken to them. They needed his counsel to continue leading Israel as a people.
God assures Moses that He will give him rest, and his promise will guarantee that his people will continue to trust him. Moses replies that they will only follow him if his Angel goes with them, and he will reveal to him the name of the Angel that He sent to guide them.
Moses reminds God of his promise to make Israel a great nation, and if he does not see his presence any longer with them, it will be difficult for him to lead them. However, God assures Moses that he will reveal to him His glory because he knows him by name, and he has found grace in his sight.
Moses asks God to show him His glory, but He replies that he cannot see his face as it is too overwhelming, and He will let him see His back. God further instructs Moses to stand on a rock and assures him that He will pass before him and allow him to see His glory.
God replies that he must put him on the rock and cover his eyes with his hand so that he can see his back as He passes before him. Exodus chapter 33 mainly focuses on God’s anger at Israel’s unfaithfulness and Moses’s pleas for mercy for them.
While the narration focuses on the relationship between the Israelites and God, it also highlights Moses’s unique relationship with God. Moses does not only beg God to reveal his glory to the people but also reminds him that they need his guidance. While Moses is confident that God will continue to care for them, he still asks God to reveal to them his presence through his glory.
God finally assured Moses that Israel would continue to be his people despite their unfaithfulness. Moses is granted a vision of God’s glory as he promised to reveal it to him.