The Lord wants to go away from the Israelites
1The Lord said to Moses: ‘Go away from here now, you and the people who came with you from Egypt. Go to the land that I gave to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I promised it to them and said: “I will give this land to your descendants.”
2I will send an angel before you and I will chase away the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites. I will chase them out of the land. 3You must go to the land where there is lots of food, milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are stubborn. If I go with you, then maybe I will kill you before you get into the land.’
4When the Israelites heard what the Lord said, they were very sad and they took off all their jewellery. 5The Lord said to Moses: ‘Tell the Israelites: You are stubborn people. If I go with you, I will kill you immediately. Take off all your jewellery. I will decide what I will do with you.’
6From that time the Israelites did not put on jewellery anymore. It was when they went away from Mount Sinai.
Moses talks to God
7Moses took the tent and put it up outside the camp, far away from the other people. He named it the ‘Meeting Tent’ because that was where God always appeared to them and met them. When someone wanted to know what the Lord said, he went to the tent of the Lord outside the camp. 8When Moses went to the tent, all the people stood up. They all stood at the door of their tents and looked at Moses until he went into the tent. 9When Moses went into the tent, a cloud came down and stayed at the door of the tent and then the Lord talked to Moses. 10When all the people saw the cloud at the door of the tent of the Lord, they all stood up and bowed down at the door of their tents. 11The Lord talked to Moses like a man talks to his friend. And then Moses came back to the camp, but Joshua, the young man who helped Moses, did not go away from the tent of the Lord. Joshua was the son of Nun.
Moses wants to see the Lord
12Moses said to the Lord: ‘You told me I must take the people, but You did not tell me who You will send with me. You said: “I know you, and I am pleased with you.” 13That is why I am asking You now, if you are really pleased with me, tell me what You want to do, so that I can know You and know what to do and You can keep on being pleased with me. Remember, You have chosen these people to be your own.’
14The Lord said to Moses: ‘I, Myself, will go with you and I will bring you into the land.’ 15Moses said to Him: ‘If You do not come with us, then You must not send us away from here. 16How will we know that You are pleased with us, with me and your people, if You are not going with us? Your people and I will know that we are different from all the other nations on earth if You, Yourself, go with us.’
17The Lord said to Moses: ‘I will do what you have asked. I will do it because I am pleased with you and I know you.’
18Then Moses said: ‘I pray that You will let me see your glory.’ 19The Lord said: ‘I will make all my goodness go past you and I will say my name, Yahweh, before you so that you can hear it. I will show my love and mercy to anyone I want. 20But you can not see my face, because if any person sees Me, he will die.’
21The Lord also said: ‘There is a place near Me where you can stand on a rock. 22When my glory goes past you as I appear, I will put you in a hole in the rock and I will put my hand over you until I have passed. 23Then I will take away my hand and you can see my back, but you can not see my face. No one can see my face.’
