1上主向梅瑟說：「你和你從埃及國領出的百姓離開這裡，上那地方去；關於此地，我曾誓許給亞巴郎、依撒格和雅各伯說：我要將此地賜給你的後裔。 1And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: God, get thee up from this place, thou and thy people which thou has brought out of the land of Egypt, into the land concerning which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying: To thy seed I will give it.
2我要打發使者在你前面，我要驅逐客納罕人、阿摩黎人、赫特人、培黎齊人、希威人和耶步斯人。 2And I will send an angel before thee, that I may cast out the Chanaanite, and the Amorrhite, and the Hethite, and the Pherezite, and the Hevite, and the Jebusite.
3你往流奶流蜜之地時，我不與你同行，因為你是個執拗的百姓，免得我在路上消滅你。」 3That thou mayst enter into the land that floweth with milk and honey. For I will not go up with thee, because thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I destroy thee in the way.
4百姓一聽這凶訊，都表示悲痛，沒有人再穿戴裝飾品。 4And the people hearing these very bad tidings, mourned: and no man put on his ornaments according to custom.
5上主向梅瑟說：「你告訴以色列子民：你們是個執拗的百姓，我若與你同行，只一會兒，我必把你消滅。現在你把裝飾品卸下，看我要怎樣待你。」 5And the Lord said to Moses: Say to the children of Israel: Thou are a stiffnecked people; once I shall come up in the midst of thee, and shall destroy thee. Now presently lay aside thy ornaments, that I may know what to do with thee.
6以色列子民從離開曷勒布山，就卸去了裝飾品。 6So the children of Israel laid aside their ornaments by mount Horeb.
7梅瑟往往將那帳幕支搭在營外，離營遠些；他稱此帳幕為「會幕」。凡求問天主的，要到營外的帳幕那裡。 7Moses also taking the tabernacle, pitched it without the camp afar off, and called the name thereof, The tabernacle of the covenant. And all the people that had any question, went forth to the tabernacle of the covenant, without the camp.
8每當梅瑟往會幕那裡去的時候，眾百姓都起來，每人站在自己帳幕門口，觀望梅瑟直到他進入會幕。 8And when Moses went forth to the tabernacle, all the people rose up, and every one stood in the door of his pavilion, and they beheld the back of Moses, till he went into the tabernacle.
9當梅瑟進入會幕的時候，雲柱降下，停在會幕門口，上主便同梅瑟談話。 9And when he was gone into the tabernacle of the covenant, the pillar of the cloud came down, and stood at the door, and he spoke with Moses.
10眾百姓一見雲柱停止在會幕門口，百姓就起來，俯伏在自己的帳幕門口。 10And all saw that the pillar of the cloud stood at the door of the tabernacle. And they stood, and worshipped at the doors of their tents.
11上主同梅瑟面對面地談話，就如人同朋友談話一樣。梅瑟回營以後，他的侍從，一個年輕人，即農的兒子若蘇厄總不離開會幕。 11And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man is wont to speak to his friend. And when he returned into the camp, his servant Josue the son of Nun, a young man, departed not from the tabernacle.
12梅瑟對上主說：「看，你吩咐了我，叫我引領這百姓，但沒有告訴我，你派誰與我同去。你還說過：我提名選了你，你在我眼中得了寵。 12And Moses said to the Lord; Thou commandest me to lead forth this people: and thou dost not let me know whom thou wilt send with me, especially whereas thou hast said: I know thee by name, and thou hast found favour in my sight.
13如果我真在你眼中得寵，求你把你的道路指示給我，叫我認識你，好在你眼中得寵。也請記得這民族是你的百姓。」 13If therefore I have found favour in thy sight, shew me thy face, that I may know thee, and may find grace before thy eyes: look upon thy people this nation.
14上主回答說：「我必親自去，使你獲得安所。」 14And the Lord said: My face shall go before thee, and I will give thee rest.
15梅瑟對上主說：「你若不親自去，也別叫我們從這裡上去。 15And Moses said: If thou thyself dost not go before, bring us not out of this place.
16人怎樣知道我和你的百姓在你眼中得寵，豈不是因你與我們同行，而我和你的百姓有別於地面上所有的人民？」 16For how shall we be able to know, I and thy people, that we have found grace in thy sight, unless thou walk with us, that we may be glorified by all people that dwell upon the earth?
17上主回答說：「連你所求的事，我也要作，因為你在我眼中得了寵，我提名選了你。」 17And the Lord said to Moses: This word also, which thou hast spoken, will I do: for thou hast found grace before me, and thee I have known by name.
18梅瑟又說：「求你把你的榮耀顯示給我。」 18And he said: shew me thy glory.
19上主答說：「當我在你前呼喊「雅威」名號時，我要使我的一切美善在你面前經過。我要恩待的就恩待，要憐憫的就憐憫。」 19He answered: I will shew thee all good, and I will proclaim in the name of the Lord before thee: and I will have mercy on whom I will, and I will be merciful to whom it shall please me.
20又說：「我的面容你決不能看見，因為人看見了我，就不能再活了。」 20And again he said: Thou canst not see my face: for man shall not see me and live.
21上主又說：「看，靠近我有個地方，你可站在那塊磐石上。 21And again he said: Behold there is a place with me, and thou shalt stand upon the rock.
22當我的榮耀經過時，我把你放在磐石縫裡，用我的手遮掩你，直到我過去。 22And when my glory shall pass, I will set thee in a hole of the rock, and protect thee with my right hand, till I pass:
23當我縮回我的手時，你將看見我的背後，但我的面容，卻無法看見。」 23And I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face thou canst not see.
33:1-6
1-6节记述以色列子民佩带上饰物，欢天喜地的起程进发，但当他们听说天主不愿与他们同行时，都感到败兴，将饰物卸下。
33:12-17
梅瑟请求天主与他同行。梅瑟与天主的一段谈话，显示出他对天主的依恃之情和他祈祷的效力。
33:18-23
天主的圣善与世人的卑微，有有不可言喻的距离；为此，人若见了天主或听到他的声音，必死无疑（出19:21；肋16:2；户4:20；申5:19-23）。梅瑟和厄里亚在上主前，都俯伏在地，掩面不敢仰视天主（出3:6；列上19:13）。旧约时代，只有他们二人见了天主，或听了天主的声音而没有死。新约时代，有圣保禄和圣若望（格後12:1-4；默4:5）。实际上，梅瑟没有看见天主的面容，只见到天主的背後（23节），只看见了天主荣耀的一部分。到天堂，人才能面对面地看见天主的光荣，会幕以前是设於营内，自从百姓敬拜金牛以後，才将会幕移到营外（7-11节，参阅16:33-34注）。