Exodus 33:11

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

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.

Complete Jewish Bible:

ADONAI would speak to Moshe face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then he would return to the camp; but the young man who was his assistant, Y'hoshua the son of Nun, never left the inside of the tent.

Berean Standard Bible:

Thus the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua son of Nun would not leave the tent.

American Standard Version:

And Jehovah spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his minister Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And the LORD{H3068} spake{H1696} unto Moses{H4872} face{H6440} to face{H6440}, as a man{H376} speaketh{H1696} unto his friend{H7453}. And he turned again{H7725} into the camp{H4264}: but his servant{H8334} Joshua{H3091}, the son{H1121} of Nun{H5126}, a young man{H5288}, departed{H4185} not out{H8432} of the tabernacle{H168}.

Cross-References (KJV):

Numbers 12:8

  • With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

Deuteronomy 34:10

  • And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,

Exodus 24:13

  • And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.

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.

Deuteronomy 5:4

  • The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,

Genesis 32:30

  • And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

John 15:14

  • Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:


Commentary for Exodus 33:11

1. **Themes:**
- **Divine Communication:** The verse emphasizes the unique and intimate relationship between God and Moses. The phrase "face to face" suggests an open, direct, and personal dialogue, akin to how friends communicate. This underscores the special favor and trust Moses found in God's eyes.
- **Leadership Transition:** The presence of Joshua, Moses' servant and future successor, indicates a theme of mentorship and leadership transition. Joshua's constant attendance in the tabernacle shows his dedication and preparation for the role he will eventually assume.
- **Holiness and Presence of God:** The tabernacle was the place where God's presence dwelled among the Israelites. Joshua's decision to remain in the tabernacle reflects a reverence for God's holiness and a desire to stay in God's presence.

2. **Historical Context:**
- **Post-Golden Calf Incident:** This verse comes after the Israelites' worship of the Golden Calf, a significant sin that broke their covenant with God. Moses had interceded for the people, and God decided to continue leading them, though with some distancing due to their sinfulness.
- **Wilderness Wanderings:** The Israelites were in the wilderness, having been freed from slavery in Egypt. They were journeying towards the Promised Land, a process that would take 40 years due to their disobedience and lack of faith.
- **Tabernacle Construction:** The tabernacle, a portable sanctuary, had been constructed according to God's instructions, and it served as the central place of worship and where God's glory was manifested among the people.

In summary, Exodus 33:11 reflects the unique relationship between Moses and God, the preparation of Joshua as a future leader, and the significance of the tabernacle as the dwelling place of God's presence, all set against the backdrop of the Israelites' journey through the wilderness following the Golden Calf incident.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

  1. Strong's Number: H3068
    There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יְהֹוָה
    Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
    Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
    Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
  2. Strong's Number: H1696
    There are 1050 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: דָבַר
    Transliteration: dâbar
    Pronunciation: daw-bar'
    Description: a primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue; answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work.
  3. Strong's Number: H4872
    There are 704 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: מֹשֶׁה
    Transliteration: Môsheh
    Pronunciation: mo-sheh'
    Description: from מָשָׁה; drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued; Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver; Moses.
  4. Strong's Number: H6440
    There are 1890 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: פָּנִים
    Transliteration: pânîym
    Pronunciation: paw-neem'
    Description: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה; from פָּנָה); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.); [phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, [idiom] him(-self), [phrase] honourable, [phrase] impudent, [phrase] in, it, look(-eth) (-s), [idiom] me, [phrase] meet, [idiom] more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), [idiom] on, open, [phrase] out of, over against, the partial, person, [phrase] please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, [phrase] regard, right forth, [phrase] serve, [idiom] shewbread, sight, state, straight, [phrase] street, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them(-selves), through ([phrase] -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), [phrase] upon, upside ([phrase] down), with(-in, [phrase] -stand), [idiom] ye, [idiom] you.
  5. Strong's Number: H376
    There are 1507 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אִישׁ
    Transliteration: ʼîysh
    Pronunciation: eesh
    Description: contracted for אֱנוֹשׁ (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation); also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phrase] steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare אִשָּׁה.
  6. Strong's Number: H7453
    There are 173 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: רֵעַ
    Transliteration: rêaʻ
    Pronunciation: ray'-ah
    Description: or רֵיעַ; from רָעָה; an associate (more or less close); brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbour, [idiom] (an-) other.
  7. Strong's Number: H7725
    There are 952 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שׁוּב
    Transliteration: shûwb
    Pronunciation: shoob
    Description: a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again; ((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, [idiom] certainly, come again (back), [idiom] consider, [phrase] continually, convert, deliver (again), [phrase] deny, draw back, fetch home again, [idiom] fro, get (oneself) (back) again, [idiom] give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, [idiom] needs, be past, [idiom] pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, [phrase] say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, [idiom] surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.
  8. Strong's Number: H4264
    There are 190 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: מַחֲנֶה
    Transliteration: machăneh
    Pronunciation: makh-an-eh'
    Description: from חָנָה; an encampment (of travellers or troops); hence, an army, whether literal (of soldiers) or figurative (of dancers, angels, cattle, locusts, stars; or even the sacred courts); army, band, battle, camp, company, drove, host, tents.
  9. Strong's Number: H8334
    There are 92 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שָׁרַת
    Transliteration: shârath
    Pronunciation: shaw-rath'
    Description: a primitive root; to attend as a menial or worshipper; figuratively, to contribute to; minister (unto), (do) serve(-ant, -ice, -itor), wait on.
  10. Strong's Number: H3091
    There are 199 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יְהוֹשׁוּעַ
    Transliteration: Yᵉhôwshûwaʻ
    Pronunciation: yeh-ho-shoo'-ah
    Description: or יְהוֹשֻׁעַ; from יְהֹוָה and יָשַׁע; Jehovah-saved; Jehoshua (i.e. Joshua), the Jewish leader; Jehoshua, Jehoshuah, Joshua. Compare הוֹשֵׁעַ, יֵשׁוּעַ.
  11. Strong's Number: H1121
    There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בֵּן
    Transliteration: bên
    Pronunciation: bane
    Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
  12. Strong's Number: H5126
    There are 30 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: נוּן
    Transliteration: Nûwn
    Pronunciation: noon
    Description: or נוֹן; (1 Chronicles 7:27), from נוּן; perpetuity,; Nun or Non, the father of Joshua; Non, Nun.
  13. Strong's Number: H5288
    There are 221 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: נַעַר
    Transliteration: naʻar
    Pronunciation: nah'-ar
    Description: from נָעַר; (concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age); babe, boy, child, damsel (from the margin), lad, servant, young (man).
  14. Strong's Number: H4185
    There are 19 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: מוּשׁ
    Transliteration: mûwsh
    Pronunciation: moosh
    Description: a primitive root (perhaps rather the same as מוּשׁ through the idea of receding by contact); to withdraw (both literally and figuratively, whether intransitive or transitive); cease, depart, go back, remove, take away.
  15. Strong's Number: H8432
    There are 390 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: תָּוֶךְ
    Transliteration: tâvek
    Pronunciation: taw'-vek
    Description: from an unused root meaning to sever; a bisection, i.e. (by implication) the centre; among(-st), [idiom] between, half, [idiom] (there-, where-), in(-to), middle, mid(-night), midst (among), [idiom] out (of), [idiom] through, [idiom] with(-in).
  16. Strong's Number: H168
    There are 369 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֹהֶל
    Transliteration: ʼôhel
    Pronunciation: o'-hel
    Description: from אָהַל; a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance); covering, (dwelling) (place), home, tabernacle, tent.