Bible Gateway passage: Exodus 33 - New International Version (2025)

33Then 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) 2}I will send an angel^(C) before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.^{(D) 3}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.”

⁴When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn^(H) and no one put on any ornaments. ⁵For 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.’” ⁶So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.^(K)

The Tent of Meeting

⁷Now 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. ⁸And 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. ⁹As 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. ¹⁰Whenever 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

¹²Moses 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.’ ¹³If 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)

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

¹⁵Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence^(AA) does not go with us, do not send us up from here. ¹⁶How 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)

¹⁷And 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)

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

¹⁹And 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.”

²¹Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. ²²When 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. ²³Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”

Cross references

1. Exodus 33:1 : S Ex 13:11; S Nu 14:23; Heb 6:13
2. Exodus 33:1 : S Ge 12:7
3. Exodus 33:2 : S Ex 14:19
4. Exodus 33:2 : S Ex 23:28
5. Exodus 33:3 : S Ex 3:8
6. Exodus 33:3 : Ex 32:9; Ac 7:51
7. Exodus 33:3 : S Ex 32:10
8. Exodus 33:4 : Nu 14:39; Ezr 9:3; Est 4:1; Ps 119:53
9. Exodus 33:5 : S Ex 32:9
10. Exodus 33:5 : S Ex 32:10
11. Exodus 33:6 : S Ex 3:1
12. Exodus 33:7 : S Ex 27:21
13. Exodus 33:7 : S Ge 25:22; S 1Ki 22:5
14. Exodus 33:8 : ver 10; Nu 16:27
15. Exodus 33:9 : Ex 13:21; S 19:9; Dt 31:15; 1Co 10:1
16. Exodus 33:9 : S Ex 29:42; 31:18; Ps 99:7
17. Exodus 33:10 : S ver 8
18. Exodus 33:11 : Nu 12:8; Dt 5:4; 34:10
19. Exodus 33:11 : S Ex 17:9
20. Exodus 33:12 : Ex 3:10; S 15:17
21. Exodus 33:12 : ver 17; Isa 43:1; 45:3; 49:1; Jn 10:14-15; 2Ti 2:19
22. Exodus 33:12 : S Ge 6:8
23. Exodus 33:13 : Ps 25:4; 27:11; 51:13; 86:11; 103:7; 143:8
24. Exodus 33:13 : Ex 3:7; Dt 9:26, 29; Ps 77:15
25. Exodus 33:14 : S Ex 13:21; Dt 4:37; Isa 63:9; Hag 1:13; 2:4
26. Exodus 33:14 : Dt 12:9, 10; 25:19; Jos 1:13; 11:23; 21:44; 22:4; 23:1; 1Ki 8:56; Isa 63:14; Jer 31:2; Mt 11:28; Heb 4:1-11
27. Exodus 33:15 : ver 3; Ex 34:9; 2Ki 13:23; 17:18; 23:27; 24:20; Ps 51:11; 80:3, 7, 19; Jer 7:15; 52:3
28. Exodus 33:16 : Ex 34:5; 40:34, 35; Nu 9:15; 14:14
29. Exodus 33:16 : Ex 34:10; Lev 20:24, 26; Nu 23:9; Dt 4:7, 32, 34; 32:9; 33:28
30. Exodus 33:17 : Ex 34:28; Dt 9:18, 25; 10:10; Jas 5:16
31. Exodus 33:17 : S Ge 6:8
32. Exodus 33:18 : S Ex 16:7; Jn 1:14; 12:41; 1Ti 6:16; Rev 15:8
33. Exodus 33:19 : 1Ki 19:11
34. Exodus 33:19 : Ex 6:3; 34:5-7
35. Exodus 33:19 : Ro 9:15*
36. Exodus 33:20 : S Ge 16:13; S Ex 3:6; S Dt 5:26; S Jn 1:18
37. Exodus 33:22 : Ge 49:24; 1Ki 19:9; Ps 27:5; 31:20; 62:7; 91:1; Isa 2:21; Jer 4:29
38. Exodus 33:22 : Ps 91:4; Isa 49:2; 51:16