Exodus 33:9

_AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS MOSES ENTERED INTO THE TABERNACLE, THE CLOUDY PILLAR DESCENDED, AND STOOD AT THE DOOR OF THE TABERNACLE, AND THE LORD TALKED WITH MOSES._ The cloudy pillar descended. How would the downcast hearts of the people revive-how would the tide of joy swell in every bosom, when the symbolic cloud was seen slowly and majestically to descend and stand at the entrance of the tabernacle! AS MOSES ENTERED INTO THE TABERNACLE, this well-known symbol appeared-a visible token of the divine approval of what Moses did. It was when he appeared as their mediator-when he repaired from day to day to intercede for them-that welcome token of assurance was given that his advocacy prevailed, that Israel's sin was forgiven, and that God would again be gracious. Verse 11. THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES FACE TO FACE. Yahweh who thus spoke was the Revealing Angel-the Second Person in the Trinit...

7-11 Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp. This seems to have been a temporary building, set up for worship, and at which he judged disputes among the people. The people looked after him; they were very desirous to be at peace with God, and concerned to know what would come to pass. The cloudy pillar which had withdrawn from the camp when it was polluted with idolatry, now returned. If our hearts go forth toward God to meet him, he will graciously come to meet us....

Verse Exodus 33:9. _THE CLOUDY PILLAR DESCENDED_] This very circumstance precluded the possibility of deception. The cloud descending at these times, and at none others, was a full proof that it was _miraculous_, and a pledge of the Divine presence. It was beyond the power of human art to counterfeit such an appearance; and let it be observed that all the people _saw_ this, Exodus 33:10. How many indubitable and irrefragable proofs of its own authenticity and Divine origin does the Pentateuch contain!...

EXPOSITION THE FIRST ERECTION OF A TABERNACLE. The decision of the matter still hung in suspense. God had not revoked his threat to withdraw himself and leave the host to the conduct of an angel. He had merely reserved his final decision (Exodus 33:5). Moses was anxious to wrestle with him in prayer until he obtained the reversal of this sentence; but he could not be always ascending Sinai, when the camp needed his superintending care, and the camp as yet contained no place of worship, where a man could pray and be secure against disturbance. Moses, under these circumstances, with the tabernacle in his mind, but without leisure to construct it, contrived "for the present distress" a temporary tabernacle or tent. He took, apparently, the tent that had hitherto been his own, and re

AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS MOSES ENTERED INTO THE TABERNACLE, THE CLOUDY PILLAR DESCENDED,.... From the top of the mount in which Jehovah was: AND STOOD AT THE DOOR OF THE TABERNACLE; where Moses was just entered, and in sight of the people, which was a token of grace and favour both to him and them: AND [THE LORD] TALKED WITH MOSES; not the cloudy pillar, but the Lord in it, as we rightly supply it: what he talked with him about is not said, very probably concerning the children of Israel, their conduct and behaviour, and what was his will further concerning them....

5. MOSES' INTERCESSION AND ITS RESULTS CHAPTER 33 Repentance and Intercession _ 1. The word of the Lord and the people's repentance (Exodus 33:1)_ 2. The tabernacle without the camp (Exodus 33:7) 3. Moses enters the tabernacle (Exodus 33:8) 4. Moses' prayer and Jehovah's answers (Exodus 33:12) 5. Moses' request (Exodus 33:18) The words of the Lord, with which this chapter begins, reveal Him as the covenant-keeping Jehovah. He remembers His covenant, though they are a stiff-necked people. Yet He is a holy Go

EXODUS 33:1 J, EXODUS 33:5 E, EXODUS 33:12 J. YAHWEH'S PRESENCE. The sections of 34 have been glossed and disarranged. In Exodus 33:1 J, Yahweh's refusal to go up in the midst of Israel leads the people to put off their ornaments. In Exodus 33:5 f. follows from E Yahweh's order to put off ornaments and its execution. This may have been connected with the construction of the sacred Tent which is assumed as known in Exodus 33:7, the details being dropped in view of Exodus

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 _outside_the camp (so Numbers 11:26 f., Exodus 12:4), at some distance from it, not in its centre, as in P ...

AND THE LORD TALKED WITH MOSES— Houbigant, observing that there is nothing for _the Lord_ in the Hebrew, renders the last clause of this verse, _and the pillar stood at the door of the tabernacle, behind Moses._...

THE TEXT OF EXODUS TRANSLATION 33 And Je-ho-vah spake unto Mo-ses, Depart, go up hence, thou and the people that thou hast brought up out of the land of E-gypt, unto the land of which I sware unto Abraham, to I-saac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it: (2) and I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Ca-naan-ite, the Am-or-ite, and the Hit-tite, and the Per-iz-zite, the Hi-vite, and the Jeb-u-site: (3) unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people; lest I consume thee in the way. (4) And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments. (5) And Je-ho-vah said unto Mo-ses, Say unto the children of Is-ra-el, Ye are a stiffnecked people; if I go up into the midst of thee for one moment, I shall consume thee: therefore now put off thy orname...