20131015 Tuesday, October 15 2013
Exodus 33: Why Did Moses Pitch A Tabernacle Outside The Camp?

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people ... Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp"

After law and order had been restored to the golden-calf-worshiping Israelites (see Exodus 32: The Mount Sinai Riot and Exodus 13: Liberation, Not Liberal-ation), the LORD commanded Moses to make ready to head north "unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it" (see The LORD's Seed Covenants With The Two Men Of Iraq).

"33:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it: 33:2 And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: 33:3 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." (Exodus 33:1-3 KJV)

The national deliverance to the Promised Land was being fulfilled for the LORD's promise to Abraham. The adult Israelites at that point apparently realized how their behavior had been unworthy of righteous Abraham, although their repentance was temporary (their rebelliousness eventually cost them their personal deliverance - see the Fact Finder question below).

"33:4 And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments. 33:5 For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee. 33:6 And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb." (Exodus 33:4-6 KJV)

Although the term "the Tabernacle of the congregation" (or "Tent of Meeting") is used for both of them, the Tabernacle (i.e. tent) that Moses pitched outside the camp (the formal Tabernacle was inside the camp, at the very center; see the diagram in The Camp) was before the formal Levite Tabernacle was constructed (see Israel In History and Prophecy: The Tabernacle).

Moses was given the instructions in how to build the Tabernacle while he was up on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20-31). When he returned, he found the Israelites running wild around a golden calf idol (Exodus 32), after which, as we read here, Moses "took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation." But that was not the permanent Tabernacle because it was constructed and set up later (Exodus 36-40). The LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ; see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) had not yet relented of His anger over their heathen riot around the golden calf, so Moses pitched that temporary Tabernacle away from the people for the time that the LORD declared "I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way."

"33:7 And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp. 33:8 And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle. 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. 33:10 And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door. 33:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle." (Exodus 33:7-11 KJV)

Moses was one of a very few people who spoke directly with the LORD: "The LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name."

"33:12 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. 33:13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.

33:14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

33:15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. 33:16 For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.

33:17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.

33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

33:19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: 33:22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: 33:23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen." (Exodus 33;12-23 KJV)

Fact Finder: Did the adult Israelites of the Exodus, those who made themselves a golden calf to worship at Mount Sinai, get to the Promised Land?
See Deuteronomy: The Law and History Lessons By Moses