1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Depart, go up from here, you and the people that you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your seed.' 2 I will send an angel before you; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: 3 to a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of you, for you are a stiff-necked people, lest I consume you in the way." 4 When the people heard this evil news, they mourned: and no one put on his jewelry. 5 Yahweh said to Moses, "Tell the children of Israel, 'You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go up into your midst for one moment, I would consume you. Therefore now take off your jewelry from you, that I may know what to do to you.'" 6 The children of Israel stripped themselves of their jewelry from Mount Horeb onward. 7 Now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it outside the camp, far away from the camp, and he called it "The Tent of Meeting." It happened that everyone who sought Yahweh went out to the Tent of Meeting, which was outside the camp. 8 It happened that when Moses went out to the Tent, that all the people rose up, and stood, everyone at their tent door, and watched Moses, until he had gone into the Tent. 9 It happened, when Moses entered into the Tent, that the pillar of cloud descended, stood at the door of the Tent, and spoke with Moses. 10 All the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the door of the Tent, and all the people rose up and worshiped, everyone at their tent door. 11 Yahweh spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. He turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, didn't depart out of the Tent. 12 Moses said to Yahweh, "Behold, you tell me, 'Bring up this people:' and you haven't let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.' 13 Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you, so that I may find favor in your sight: and consider that this nation is your people." 14 He said, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." 15 He said to him, "If your presence doesn't go with me, don't carry us up from here. 16 For how would people know that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Isn't it in that you go with us, so that we are separated, I and your people, from all the people who are on the surface of the earth?" 17 Yahweh said to Moses, "I will do this thing also that you have spoken; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name." 18 He said, "Please show me your glory." 19 He said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of Yahweh before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy." 20 He said, "You cannot see my face, for man may not see me and live." 21 Yahweh also said, "Behold, there is a place by me, and you shall stand on the rock. 22 It will happen, while my glory passes by, that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; 23 then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back; but my face shall not be seen."
Moses is commanded to depart from the mount, and lead up the people towards the promised land, Exodus 33:1. An angel is promised to be their guide, Exodus 33:2. The land is described, and the Lord refuses to go with them, Exodus 33:3. The people mourn, and strip themselves of their ornaments, Exodus 33:4-6. The tabernacle or tent is pitched without the camp, Exodus 33:7. Moses goes to it to consult the Lord, and the cloudy pillar descends on it, Exodus 33:8, Exodus 33:9. The people, standing at their tent doors, witness this, Exodus 33:10. The Lord speaks familiarly with Moses; he returns to the camp, and leaves Joshua in the tabernacle, Exodus 33:11. Moses pleads with God, and desires to know whom he will send to be their guide, and to be informed of the way of the Lord, Exodus 33:12, Exodus 33:13. The Lord promises that his presence shall go with them, Exodus 33:14. Moses pleads that the people may be taken under the Divine protection, Exodus 33:15, Exodus 33:16. The Lord promises to do so, Exodus 33:17. Moses requests to see the Divine glory, Exodus 33:18. And God promises to make his goodness pass before him, and to proclaim his name, Exodus 33:19. Shows that no man can see his glory and live, Exodus 33:20; but promises to put him in the cleft of a rock, and to cover him with his hand while his glory passed by, and then to remove his hand and let him see his back parts, Exodus 33:21-23.
INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 33
This chapter informs us, that the Lord refusing to go with the people, only sending an angel with them, they are filled with concern, and troubled, Exodus 33:1. Moses upon this pitched the tabernacle without the camp, where everyone that sought the Lord went; Moses entered into it himself, and the Lord talked to him in a friendly manner in the cloudy pillar that stood at the door of it, and the people worshipped, every man at his own tent door; all which foreboded good, and tended to reconciliation, Exodus 33:7. Moses improved the opportunity, and entreats the presence of God to go with them, which was granted, Exodus 33:12 and that he might have a sight of the glory of God; and this is promised to pass before him, he being put into the cleft of the rock, Exodus 33:18.
(Exodus 33:1-6) The Lord refuses to go with Israel.
(Exodus 33:7-11) The tabernacle of Moses removed without the camp.
(Exodus 33:12-23) Moses desires to see the glory of God.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.