Exodus 33:7-11

The Tent of Meeting, and the use made of it by Moses. The sudden introduction of this notice of the Tent of Meeting is extremely surprising; and it is difficult to explain it, except by the conjecture mentioned on v.6. The notice is a highly interesting and remarkable one, preserving, as it does, the oldest representation that we possess that of E of the Tent of Meeting, and differing in many particulars from the representation given by P (chs. 25 31, &c.). The -tent" is obviously much simpler in structure than that of P; it is guarded by one attendant, the Ephraimite Joshua, instead of by the host of Levites pictured by P (Numbers 3-4); and it is outsidethe camp (so Numbers 11:26 f., Exodus 12:4), at some distance from it, not in its centre, as in P (Numbers 2:17). The tenses, throughout the section, are frequentative, and describe what was Moses" habitual practice no doubt, in E's view, during the whole time of Israel's wanderings in the wilderness. Usedin v.7 is intended to rule the whole section: but would go out, would rise up, &c., with wheneverfor whenin vv.8, 9, would be clearer.