Focused Passage

Exodus 33:7-11

The Crisis of the LORD’s Presence After the Golden Calf

The chapter moves from the LORD’s command for Israel to leave Sinai and go toward the promised land, to the frightening announcement that He will not go up in their midst lest He destroy them, to Israel’s mourning and removal of ornaments, to Moses’ practice of meeting with the LORD at the tent of meeting outside the camp, to Moses’ intercession for the LORD’s presence, to the LORD’s promise that His Presence will go with Moses and give rest, and finally to Moses’ request to see the LORD’s glory and the LORD’s gracious but limited self-revelation.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

7 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 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 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 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 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.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 7

Original words

Now Moses וּמֹשֶׁה֩ H4872 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular used to take יִקַּ֨ח H3947 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the tent הָאֹ֜הֶל H168 Article | Noun - masculine singular and pitch וְנָֽטָה־ H5186 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular it ל֣וֹ׀ Preposition | third person masculine singular . . . מִח֣וּץ H2351 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular . . . לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֗ה H4264 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - common singular at a distance הַרְחֵק֙ H7368 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute outside מִן־ H4480 Preposition the camp הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה H4264 Article | Noun - common singular He called וְקָ֥רָא H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular it ל֖וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular the Tent אֹ֣הֶל H168 Noun - masculine singular construct of Meeting מוֹעֵ֑ד H4150 Noun - masculine singular and וְהָיָה֙ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular anyone כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct inquiring of מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ H1245 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular would go יֵצֵא֙ H3318 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the Tent אֹ֣הֶל H168 Noun - masculine singular construct of Meeting מוֹעֵ֔ד H4150 Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֖ר H834 Pronoun - relative outside מִח֥וּץ H2351 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular the camp לַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃ H4264 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - common singular
Verse 8

Original words

Then וְהָיָ֗ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular whenever Moses מֹשֶׁה֙ H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular went out כְּצֵ֤את H3318 Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the tent הָאֹ֔הֶל H168 Article | Noun - masculine singular all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the people הָעָ֔ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular . . . וְנִ֨צְּב֔וּ H5324 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural would stand יָק֙וּמוּ֙ H6965 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural - אִ֖ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular at the entrances פֶּ֣תַח H6607 Noun - masculine singular construct to their [own] tents אָהֳל֑וֹ H168 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular and watch וְהִבִּ֙יטוּ֙ H5027 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural . . . אַחֲרֵ֣י H310 Noun - masculine plural construct Moses מֹשֶׁ֔ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular until עַד־ H5704 Preposition he entered בֹּא֖וֹ H935 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular the tent הָאֹֽהֱלָה׃ H168 Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Verse 9

Original words

As וְהָיָ֗ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Moses מֹשֶׁה֙ H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular entered כְּבֹ֤א H935 Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct the tent הָאֹ֔הֱלָה H168 Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular the pillar עַמּ֣וּד H5982 Noun - masculine singular construct of cloud הֶֽעָנָ֔ן H6051 Article | Noun - masculine singular would come down יֵרֵד֙ H3381 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular and remain וְעָמַ֖ד H5975 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular at the entrance פֶּ֣תַח H6607 Noun - masculine singular construct - הָאֹ֑הֶל H168 Article | Noun - masculine singular and the LORD would speak וְדִבֶּ֖ר H1696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular with עִם־ H5973 Preposition Moses מֹשֶֽׁה׃ H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

When all כָל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the people הָעָם֙ H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker saw וְרָאָ֤ה H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular the pillar עַמּ֣וּד H5982 Noun - masculine singular construct of cloud הֶֽעָנָ֔ן H6051 Article | Noun - masculine singular standing עֹמֵ֖ד H5975 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular at the entrance פֶּ֣תַח H6607 Noun - masculine singular construct to the tent הָאֹ֑הֶל H168 Article | Noun - masculine singular they כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . הָעָם֙ H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular would stand up וְקָ֤ם H6965 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular and worship וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֔וּ H7812 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural each one אִ֖ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular at the entrance פֶּ֥תַח H6607 Noun - masculine singular construct to his [own] tent אָהֳלֽוֹ׃ H168 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 11

Original words

Thus the LORD יְהוָ֤ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular would speak וְדִבֶּ֨ר H1696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Moses מֹשֶׁה֙ H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular face פָּנִ֣ים H6440 Noun - masculine plural to אֶל־ H413 Preposition face פָּנִ֔ים H6440 Noun - masculine plural as כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative a man אִ֖ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular speaks יְדַבֵּ֥ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition his friend רֵעֵ֑הוּ H7453 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Then Moses would return וְשָׁב֙ H7725 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the camp הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה H4264 Article | Noun - common singular but his young נַ֔עַר H5288 Noun - masculine singular construct assistant וּמְשָׁ֨רְת֜וֹ H8334 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Joshua יְהוֹשֻׁ֤עַ H3091 Noun - proper - masculine singular son בִּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Nun נוּן֙ H5126 Noun - proper - masculine singular would not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle leave יָמִ֖ישׁ H4185 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular vvv מִתּ֥וֹךְ H8432 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct the tent הָאֹֽהֶל׃ס H168 Article | Noun - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.