The Command to Leave Sinai
(Deuteronomy 1:1–8)

1And the Lorde sayde vnto Moyses: Depart and go vp hence, thou and the people whiche thou hast brought out of the lande of Egypt, vnto the lande which I sware vnto Abraham, Isahac, & Iacob, saying, vnto thy seede wyll I geue it. 2And I will send an angell before thee, and I wyll cast out the Chanaanites, the Amorites, & the Hethites, the Pherezites, the Heuites, and the Iebusites: 3Unto a lande that floweth with mylke and hony. For I wyll not go amongest you my selfe: for ye are a styfnecked people, lest I consume thee in the way.

4And when the people hearde this euil tidinges, they sorowed: and no man dyd put on his best rayment. 5And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses: Say vnto the chyldren of Israel, ye are a styfnecked people: I must come once sodaynly vpon you, and make an ende of you: therefore nowe put thy goodly rayment from thee, that I may wyt what to do vnto thee. 6And the children of Israel layde their goodly rayment from them, euen by the mount Horeb.

The Tent of Meeting

7And Moyses toke the tabernacle, and pitched it without the hoast a farre of from the hoast, and called it the tabernacle of the congregation: And so it came to passe that euery one whiche woulde pray vnto the Lorde, went out vnto the tabernacle of the congregation whiche was without the hoast. 8And when Moyses went out vnto the tabernacle, all the people rose vp, and stode euery man at his tent doore, and loked after Moyses, vntill he was gone into the tabernacle. 9And assoone as Moyses was entred into the tabernacle, the cloudie piller descended, and stode at the doore of the tabernacle, and he talked with Moyses. 10And all the people sawe the cloudie piller stand at the tabernacle doore, and they rose vp and worshipped euery man in his tent doore. 11And the Lord spake vnto Moyses face to face, as a man speaketh vnto his freende. And he turued agayne into the hoast: but the young man Iosuah his seruaunt the sonne of Nun, departed not out of the tabernacle.

The Promise of God’s Presence

12And Moyses said vnto the Lord: See, thou sayest vnto me, Leade this people foorth: & thou hast not shewed me who thou wylt send with me. And thou hast sayd moreouer, I knowe thee by name, & thou hast also found grace in my sight. 13Nowe therfore, if I haue founde fauour in thy sight, then I pray thee shew me thy way, that I may know thee, and that I may finde grace in thy sight, and consider also that this nation is thy people. 14And he said: My presence shall go with thee, and I wyll geue thee rest. 15He sayd vnto hym: If thy presence go not with me, cary vs not hence. 16For howe shall it be knowen here, that I and thy people haue founde fauour in thy sight, but in that thou goest with vs? If thou goest with vs, shall not I and thy people haue preeminence before all the people that are vpon the face of the earth?

17And the Lorde sayde vnto Moyses: I wyll do this also that thou hast sayd, for thou hast founde grace in my sight, and I knowe thee by name. 18And he sayde: I beseche thee shewe me thy glorie. 19Who aunswered: I wyll make all my good go before thee, & I wyll call in the name of Iehouah before thee: and wyl shewe mercy to whom I wyll shewe mercy, and wyll haue compassion, on whom I wyll haue compassion. 20And he said furthermore, Thou mayest not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and lyue. 21And the Lorde sayd: Beholde, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stande vpon a rocke. 22And whyle my glory goeth foorth, I wyll put thee in a clyft of the rocke, and will put my hand vpon thee, while I passe by. 23And I wyll take away myne hande, and thou shalt see my backe partes: but my face shall not be seene.