Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

The Lord said to Moses, "Depart from here, you and the people you have brought out of Egypt, and go up to the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites from your path.

I will lead you to a land flowing with milk and honey, but I won't go up among you because you are a stiff-necked people. If I did, I would consume you on the way, so I'll send my angel to guide you instead.

When the Israelites heard this news, they mourned, and no one put on their ornaments. The Lord said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites that you're a stiff-necked people, and if I don't take action soon, I will destroy them all. Remove your ornaments now."

The children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments at Mount Horeb. Moses took the tabernacle and set it up outside the camp, far away from the people, calling it the Tent of Meeting where everyone who sought the Lord could go out to.

As Moses left for the tabernacle, all the people rose up and stood at their tent doors watching him until he had gone inside. When Moses entered the tabernacle, a cloudy pillar descended and stood at its entrance, and the Lord spoke with him there.

All the people saw the cloudy pillar standing at the tabernacle door, and each man rose up to worship in his own tent. The Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as one friend talks with another, and when he finished speaking, he returned to the camp. But his servant Joshua, a young man from the tribe of Ephraim, remained behind at the tabernacle.

Moses said to the Lord, "You've told me to lead this people, but you haven't given me any guidance on who will accompany me on this journey. You have said that you know me by name and have found favor in my sight."

"If I have found favor in your eyes," Moses continued, "show me now your way, so I can understand you better and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people." The Lord replied, "My presence will go with you, and I'll give you rest wherever you go.

But if my presence doesn't accompany us, don't take us out of this place," Moses said. "I couldn't possibly lead them without knowing what's ahead."

The Lord said to Moses, "I will do just as you have asked, for you have found favor in my sight and I know you by name." Moses asked, "Now show me your glory."

The Lord replied, "I'll display all my goodness before you and proclaim my name to you. I'll show mercy to whom I choose and extend kindness to whom I will. But you cannot see my face; no human can look at me and live."

Moses implored the Lord, "Please, show me some way of seeing your glory." The Lord said, "There is a place near me where you can stand on a rock while my glory passes by. I'll cover you with my hand until I have passed through.

When I remove my hand, you will see my back, but my face must not be seen."

The Lord continued to speak to Moses, revealing more about his plan and his character. As the conversation came to an end, Moses was filled with a sense of awe and wonder at the greatness of God.