1 Jehovah said to Moses: »You and the people you brought out of Egypt must leave this place. Go to the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with an oath, saying: ‘I will give it to your descendants.’«

2 »I will send an angel ahead of you. I will force out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

3 »Go to that land flowing with milk and honey. I will not be with you, because you are impossible to deal with. I would probably destroy you on the way.«

4 The people heard this bad news and acted as if someone had died. No one wore any jewelry.

5 Jehovah said to Moses: »Tell the Israelites: You are impossible to deal with. If I were with you, I might destroy you at any time. Take off your jewelry and I will decide what to do with you.«

6 The Israelites no longer wore their jewelry after they left Mount Horeb.

7 Moses used to take a tent and set it up far outside the camp. He called it the tent of meeting. Anyone who was seeking Jehovah’s will used to go outside the camp to the tent of meeting.

8 Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise and stand at the entrances to their tents and watch Moses until he went in.

9 After Moses entered, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the door of the Tent. Jehovah would speak to Moses from the cloud.

10 The people would bow down as soon they saw the pillar of cloud at the door of the Tent.

11 Jehovah would speak with Moses in person intimatelyface to face just as someone speaks with a friend. Moses would then return to the camp. But the young man who was his helper, Joshua son of Nun, stayed in the Tent.

12 Moses said to Jehovah: »It is true that you have told me to lead these people to that land, but you did not tell me whom you would send with me. You said that you know me well and are pleased with me.

13 If you are, tell me your plans, so that I may serve you and continue to please you. Remember also that you have chosen this nation to be your own.«

14 Jehovah replied: »I will go with you and give you peace.«

15 Moses said: »If you are not going with us, please do not make us leave this place.

16 »If you do go with us, everyone will know that you are pleased with your people and with me. That way, we will be different from the rest of the people on earth.«

17 Jehovah said to Moses: »I will do this thing of which you have spoken. You have found favor in my sight. I have known you by name.

18 Then Moses said: Please show me your glory!«

19 Jehovah said: »I will make all my goodness pass in front of you. I will call out my name, JEHOVAH. I will be kind to anyone I want to. I will be merciful to anyone I want to.«

20 But he said: »You cannot see my face, because no one may see me and live.«

21 Then Jehovah said: »Look, there is a place near me. Stand by this rocky cliff.

22 »When my glory passes by, I will put you in a crevice in the cliff and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.

23 »Then I will take my hand away, and you will see my back, but my face must not be seen.«