The Command to Leave Sinai (Deuteronomy 1:1–8)
1 Brenton And the Lord said to Moses, Go forward, go up hence, thou and thy people, whom thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, into the land which I swore to Abraam, and Isaac, and Jacob, saying, I will give it to your seed. BSB BSB: Then the LORD said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of the land of Egypt, and go to the land that I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’
2 Brenton And I will send at the same time my angel before thy face, and he shall cast out the Amorite and the Chettite, and the Pherezite and Gergesite, and Evite, and Jebusite, and Chananite. BSB BSB: And I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
3 Brenton And I will bring thee into a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up with thee, because thou art a stiff-necked people, lest I consume thee by the way. BSB BSB: Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people; otherwise, I might destroy you on the way.”
4 Brenton And the people having heard this grievous saying, mourned in mourning apparel. BSB BSB: When the people heard this bad news, they went into mourning, and no one put on any of his jewelry.
5 Brenton For the Lord said to the children of Israel, Ye are a stiff-necked people; take heed lest I bring on you another plague, and destroy you: now then put off your glorious apparel, and your ornaments, and I will shew thee what I will do to thee. BSB BSB: For the LORD had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I should go with you for a single moment, I would destroy you. Now take off your jewelry, and I will decide what to do with you.’”
6 Brenton So the sons of Israel took off their ornaments and their array at the mount of Choreb. BSB BSB: So the Israelites stripped themselves of their jewelry from Mount Horeb onward.
The Tent of Meeting 7 Brenton And Moses took his tabernacle and pitched it without the camp, at a distance from the camp; and it was called the Tabernacle of Testimony: and it came to pass that every one that sought the Lord went forth to the tabernacle which was without the camp. BSB BSB: Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it at a distance outside the camp. He called it the Tent of Meeting, and anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the Tent of Meeting outside the camp.
8 Brenton And whenever Moses went into the tabernacle without the camp, all the people stood every one watching by the doors of his tent; and when Moses departed, they took notice until he entered into the tabernacle. BSB BSB: Then, whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would stand at the entrances to their own tents and watch Moses until he entered the tent.
9 Brenton And when Moses entered into the tabernacle, the pillar of the cloud descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and God talked to Moses. BSB BSB: As Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and remain at the entrance, and the LORD would speak with Moses.
10 Brenton And all the people saw the pillar of the cloud standing by the door of the tabernacle, and all the people stood and worshipped every one at the door of his tent. BSB BSB: When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they would stand up and worship, each one at the entrance to his own tent.
11 Brenton And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as if one should speak to his friend; and he retired into the camp: but his servant Joshua the son of Naue, a young man, departed not forth from the tabernacle. BSB BSB: Thus the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua son of Nun would not leave the tent.
The Promise of God’s Presence 12 Brenton And Moses said to the Lord, Lo! thou sayest to me, Lead on this people; but thou hast not shewed me whom thou wilt send with me, but thou hast said to me, I know thee above all, and thou hast favour with me. BSB BSB: Then Moses said to the LORD, “Look, You have been telling me, ‘Lead this people up,’ but You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have found favor in My sight.’
13 Brenton If then I have found favour in thy sight, reveal thyself to me, that I may evidently see thee; that I may find favour in thy sight, and that I may know that this great nation is thy people. BSB BSB: Now if indeed I have found favor in Your sight, please let me know Your ways, that I may know You and find favor in Your sight. Remember that this nation is Your people.”
14 Brenton And he says, I myself will go before thee, and give thee rest. BSB BSB: And the LORD answered, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
15 Brenton And he says to him, If thou go not up with us thyself, bring me not up hence. BSB BSB: “If Your Presence does not go with us,” Moses replied, “do not lead us up from here.
16 Brenton And how shall it be surely known, that both I and this people have found favour with thee, except only if thou go with us? So both I and thy people shall be glorified beyond all the nations, as many as are upon the earth. BSB BSB: For how then can it be known that Your people and I have found favor in Your sight, unless You go with us? How else will we be distinguished from all the other people on the face of the earth?”
17 Brenton And the Lord said to Moses, I will also do for thee this thing, which thou hast spoken; for thou hast found grace before me, and I know thee above all. BSB BSB: So the LORD said to Moses, “I will do this very thing you have asked, for you have found favor in My sight, and I know you by name.”
18 Brenton And Moses says, Manifest thyself to me. BSB BSB: Then Moses said, “Please show me Your glory.”
19 Brenton And God said, I will pass by before thee with my glory, and I will call by my name, the Lord, before thee; and I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and will have pity on whom I will have pity. BSB BSB: “I will cause all My goodness to pass before you,” the LORD replied, “and I will proclaim My name—the LORD—in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
20 Brenton And God said, Thou shalt not be able to see my face; for no man shall see my face, and live. BSB BSB: But He added, “You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.”
21 Brenton And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me: thou shalt stand upon the rock; BSB BSB: The LORD continued, “There is a place near Me where you are to stand upon a rock,
22 Brenton and when my glory shall pass by, then I will put thee into a hole of the rock; and I will cover thee over with my hand, until I shall have passed by. BSB BSB: and when My glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by.
23 Brenton And I will remove my hand, and then shalt thou see my back parts; but my face shall not appear to thee. BSB BSB: Then I will take My hand away, and you will see My back; but My face must not be seen.”