The Lord Tells Israel To Leave Mount Sinai
1 The Lord said to Moses:
You led the people of Israel out of Egypt. Now get ready to lead them to the land I promised their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 2-3 It is a land rich with milk and honey, and I will send an angel to force out those people who live there—the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. But I will not go with my people. They are so rebellious that I would destroy them before they get there.
4-5 Even before the Lord said these harsh things, he had told Moses, “These people really are rebellious, and I would kill them at once, if I went with them. But tell them to take off their fancy jewelry, then I'll decide what to do with them.” So the people started mourning, 6 and after leaving Mount Sinai, they stopped wearing fancy jewelry.
The Lord Is with His People
7 Moses used to set up a tent far from camp. He called it the “meeting tent,” and whoever needed some message from the Lord would go there. 8 Each time Moses went out to this tent, everyone would stand at the entrance to their own tents and watch him enter. 9-11 Then they would bow down because a thick cloud would come down in front of the tent, and the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, just like a friend. Afterwards, Moses would return to camp, but his young assistant Joshua would stay at the tent.
The Lord Promises To Be with His People
12 Moses said to the Lord, “I know that you have told me to lead these people to the land you promised them. But you have not said who will go along to help me. You have said that you are my friend and that you are pleased with me. 13 If this is true, let me know what your plans are, then I can obey and continue to please you. And don't forget that you have chosen this nation to be your own.”
14 The Lord said, “I will go with you and give you peace.”
15 Then Moses replied, “If you aren't going with us, please don't make us leave this place. 16 But 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 So the Lord told him, “I will do what you have asked, because I am your friend and I am pleased with you.”
18 Then Moses said, “I pray that you will let me see you in all of your glory.”
19 The Lord answered:
All right. I am the Lord, and I show mercy and kindness to anyone I choose. I will let you see my glory and hear my holy name, 20 but I won't let you see my face, because anyone who sees my face will die. 21 There is a rock not far from me. Stand beside it, 22 and before I pass by in all of my shining glory, I will put you in a large crack in the rock. I will cover your eyes with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take my hand away, and you will see my back. You will not see my face.
Pavēle atstāt Sīnaju
1 Kungs sacīja Mozum: “Ej projām no šejienes – tu un tā tauta, ko tu izvedi no Ēģiptes zemes, – uz zemi, ko es zvērēju Ābrahāmam, Īzakam un Jēkabam, sacīdams: es došu to taviem pēcnācējiem! 2 Es sūtīšu tev pa priekšu eņģeli, un es izdzīšu kanaāniešus, amoriešus, hetiešus, periziešus, hiviešus un jebūsiešus! 3 Ejiet uz zemi, kur piens un medus plūst! Bet es neiešu ar jums, jo jūs esat stūrgalvīga tauta – ka es jūs nepiebeidzu ceļā!” 4 Un tauta dzirdēja šo ļauno vēsti, un viņi sēroja, neviens neaplika savas rotas. 5 Un Kungs teica Mozum: “Saki Israēla dēliem: jūs esat stūrgalvīgi – ja kaut mirkli es iešu jūsu vidū, tad es jūs piebeigšu! Un tagad – noņem savas rotas, gan es zināšu, ko ar tevi darīt!” 6 Pie Horeba kalna Israēla dēli noņēma savas rotas.
Telts ārpus nometnes
7 Mozus ņēma telti, izpleta to patālāk ārpus nometnes un nosauca to par Saiešanas telti. Un bija tā – ikviens, kurš meklēja Kungu, gāja uz Saiešanas telti, kas bija ārpus nometnes. 8 Un, kad Mozus gāja uz telti, tad visa tauta cēlās un ikviens nostājās savas telts durvīs un nolūkojās pakaļ Mozum, līdz viņš bija iegājis teltī. 9 Kad Mozus iegāja teltī, nolaidās mākoņu stabs, stāvēja telts durvīs, un viņš runāja ar Mozu. 10 Visa tauta redzēja mākoņu stabu stāvam telts durvīs, un visa tauta cēlās un ikviens noliecās savas telts durvīs. 11 Un Kungs runāja ar Mozu vaigu vaigā – kā mēdz runāt ar savu tuvāko, tad viņš atgriezās nometnē, un viņa kalps Jozua, Nūna dēls, jauns zēns, vēl palika teltī.
Mozus iestājas par tautu
12 Un Mozus teica Kungam: “Redzi, tu man saki: ved šo tautu! Bet tu man neesi darījis zināmu, ko tu sūtīsi ar mani. Tu teici: es pazīstu tevi pēc vārda, un tu esi guvis manu vēlību. 13 Un tagad – ja es esmu guvis tavu vēlību, dari jel man zināmu tavu ceļu, lai es pazīstu tevi, lai gūstu tavu vēlību. Redzi – šie ļaudis ir tava tauta!” 14 Un viņš teica: “Es pats iešu tev pa priekšu, lai tev būtu miers!” 15 Un Mozus teica: “Ja tu pats nenāc, tad neved mūs vispār prom no šejienes! 16 Un kā gan lai top zināms, ka es esmu guvis tavu vēlību – es un tava tauta? Vai ne tā, ka tu pats nāc ar mums? Tad mēs būtu izraudzīti, es un tava tauta, no visām tām tautām, kas ir uz zemes!”
17 Un Kungs teica Mozum: “Es darīšu arī šo, ko tu teici, jo tu esi guvis manu vēlību, un es tevi pazīstu pēc vārda!” 18 Un Mozus teica: “Parādi jel man savu godību!” 19 Viņš atbildēja: “Es likšu, lai viss mans labums iet tava vaiga priekšā, un es saukšu vārdu “Kungs” tavā priekšā – es būšu žēlsirdīgs pret tiem, pret kuriem būšu žēlsirdīgs, un es apžēlošos par tiem, par kuriem apžēlošos!” 20 Un viņš teica: “Tev neredzēt manu vaigu, jo neviens cilvēks neredzēs mani, palikdams dzīvs!” 21 Un Kungs teica: “Redzi, vieta man blakus, nostājies uz tās klints! 22 Kad mana godība ies garām, es likšu tevi tās klints plaisā un aizsegšu tevi ar roku, kamēr būšu pagājis garām. 23 Es noņemšu savu roku, un tu redzēsi mani no mugurpuses, bet mans vaigs nebūs redzams!”
