After several days in a row at Sinai – days for us, about six weeks for the people of Israel – it is time to move on toward Canaan. Here is a link to Read the Bible: Exodus 24 if you want to review either the text or the discussion about seeing God. I just listened to it again because I’ve been asleep since then. Skip to about 5:30 for the discussion of what we can and cannot see.

Exodus 33

The LORD said to Moses “Depart, and go up from here, you and the people which you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying ‘Unto your offspring I will give it:’

2 And I will send an angel before you; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:

3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey: but I will not go up among you; for you are a stiffnecked people and I might consume you on the way.”

4 When the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no one put on his jewelry. 

5 For the LORD had said to Moses “Say to the children of Israel ‘You are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of you in a moment and consume you. So now, take off your jewelry and I will decide what to do with you.” .

6 And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their jewelry from Mount Horeb onward. 

7 Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it outside of the camp, far off from the camp, and called it the tent of meeting. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the Lord went out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp.

8 When Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent.

9 As Moses entered the tabernacle, the pillar of cloud descended, and stood at the door of the tent, and the LORD talked with Moses.

10 And all the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the tent door: and all the people rose up and worshiped, every man in his tent door.

11 The LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart out of the tabernacle.

12 Moses said to the LORD “See, you say to me ‘Bring up this people: and you have not let me know who you will send with me. Yet you have said ‘I know you by name,’ and also ‘you have found grace in my sight.’ 

13 Now please, if I have found grace in your sight, show me now your ways, that I may know you, that I may find grace in your sight: and consider that this nation is your people.”

14 And he said “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

15 He said to him “If your presence will not go with me, do not carry us up from here..

16 For how will it be known here that I and your people have found grace in your sight? Is it not in that you go with us? So shall we be separated, I and your people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth? 
                                                                                                                                                                                
17 The LORD said to Moses “I will do this thing also that you have spoken: for you have found grace in my sight, and I know you by name.”

18 Then Moses said “Please, show me your glory.”

19 He said “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy to whom I will show mercy.

20 But you cannot see my face: for no man shall see me, and live.”

21 And the LORD said “Behold, there is a place near me, and you shall stand on a rock:

22 And while my glory passes by, I will set you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with my hand while I pass by:

23 When I take away my hand you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.

Compare and contrast with the ESV, HCSB, NASB and NIV via Bible Gateway.