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Exodus 33:11-13
New English Translation
Exodus 33:11-13
New English Translation
11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face,[a] the way a person speaks[b] to a friend. Then Moses[c] would return to the camp, but his servant, Joshua son of Nun, a young man, did not leave the tent.[d]
12 Moses said to the Lord, “See, you have been saying to me, ‘Bring this people up,’[e] but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. But you said, ‘I know you by name,[f] and also you have found favor in my sight.’ 13 Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me[g] your way, that I may know you,[h] that I may continue to find[i] favor in your sight. And see[j] that this nation is your people.”
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- Exodus 33:11 tn “Face-to-face” is circumstantial to the action of the verb, explaining how they spoke (see GKC 489-90 §156.c). The point of this note of friendly relationship with Moses is that Moses was “at home” in this tent speaking with God. Moses would derive courage from this when he interceded for the people (B. Jacob, Exodus, 966).
- Exodus 33:11 tn The verb in this clause is a progressive imperfect.
- Exodus 33:11 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Exodus 33:11 sn Moses did not live in the tent. But Joshua remained there most of the time to guard the tent, it seems, lest any of the people approach it out of curiosity.
- Exodus 33:12 tn The Hiphil imperative is from the same verb that has been used before for bringing the people up from Egypt and leading them to Canaan.
- Exodus 33:12 tn That is, “chosen you.”
- Exodus 33:13 tn The prayer uses the Hiphil imperative of the verb “to know.” “Cause me to know” is “show me, reveal to me, teach or inform me.” Moses wanted to know more of God’s dealings with people, especially after all that has happened in the preceding chapter.
- Exodus 33:13 tn The imperfect tense of the verb “to know” with the vav follows the imperative of this root, and so this indicates the purpose clause (final imperfect): “in order that I may know you.” S. R. Driver summarizes it this way: that I may understand what your nature and character is, and shape my petitions accordingly, so that I may find grace in your sight, and my future prayers may be answered (Exodus, 361).
- Exodus 33:13 tn The purpose clause simply uses the imperfect, “that I may find.” But since he already has found favor in God’s eyes, he is clearly praying that it be so in the future as well as now.
- Exodus 33:13 tn The verb “see” (an imperative) is a request for God to acknowledge Israel as his people by providing the divine leadership needed. So his main appeal will be for the people and not himself. To underscore this, he repeats “see” the way the section opened.
New English Translation (NET)
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