How did Moses save Israel at Sinai?

 INTRODUCTION

The following verses describe Moses’ interactions with YHWH following the event of the golden calf.  Moses had been on the mountain receiving the pattern for the tabernacle.  YHWH interrupted their meeting and abruptly told Moses to go down, because the people had abandoned their commitment made in the covenant ceremony conducted at the beginning of chapter 24.  Before dismissing Moses from his presence, YHWH asserts that he will annihilate everyone in the camp and raise up another people through Moses, but Moses dissuades God from that action (32:7-14), then he descends with the two tablets of the 10 words to confront the people.  During this confrontation, he vented his own wrath resulting in the destruction of the tablets and the death of 3000 of the people, then he began pleading with YHWH for the lives of the remaining people on the following day.  The content of that conversation is in the following pages.  Based on the text as it is preserved in the MT, Moses did not go back up the mountain until the morning of the third day.

Exodus 32

לא וַיָּ֧שָׁב משֶׁ֛ה אֶל־יְהֹוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אָ֣נָּ֗א חָטָ֞א הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ חֲטָאָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֔ה וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י זָהָֽב:

So Moses returned to YHWH and said, “Oh this people have committed a great sin and made a God of gold for themselves.

וַיָּ֧שָׁב משֶׁ֛ה אֶל־יְהֹוָ֖ה The general presumption at this point is that Moses went back up the mountain to speak with YHWH.  The difficulty with this perception is that Moses is in the camp at the beginning of chapter 34, and 34:4 states that Moses went up the mountain early in the morning of the next day after he had carved two replacement stone tablets.  Additionally, near the beginning of this conversation, the text states that the people heard Moses’ petition and mourned over God’s negative response.

וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י זָהָֽב.            This clause is always translated, and they have made for themselves gods of gold.  However, the phrase אֱלֹהֵ֥י זָהָֽב could just as readily be translated a God of gold, i.e., a golden representation of YHWH.  This relates to verse 20:23, which includes a textual problem that has resulted in a different interpretation in each of the four most ancient translations.  (See my previous blog post titled “You shall not make me.”) My preferred translation is You shall not make me – you shall not make for yourselves a God of silver or gold.  Such an injunction forbids making any material representation of YHWH.  This interpretation is also implied by Aaron’s statement in 32:4-5: This is your God, oh Israel, who brought you up from the land of Israel, and Tomorrow will be a feast to YHWH.

לב וְעַתָּ֖ה אִם־תִּשָּׂ֣א חַטָּאתָ֑ם וְאִם־אַ֕יִן מְחֵ֣נִי נָ֔א מִסִּפְרְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּתָֽבְתָּ:

“But now, please remit their sin, but if not blot me from your book that you have written.”

אִם־תִּשָּׂ֣א חַטָּאתָ֑ם..    This is a standard construction for a petition to one of superior rank.  Moses is here asking YHWH to remit the guilt of the people’s sin.  The second clause expresses an alternative petition to accept Moses himself as a substitute for the entire people.  

מִסִּפְרְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּתָֽבְתָּ  This and similar expressions constitute textual basis for God’s book of life.

לג וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֑ה מִ֚י אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָֽטָא־לִ֔י אֶמְחֶ֖נּוּ מִסִּפְרִֽי:

But YHWH said to Moses, “I will blot out from my book whoever has sinned against me.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֑ה  By this statement YHWH indicated that he rejected both alternatives offered by Moses.

לד וְעַתָּ֞ה לֵ֣ךְ | נְחֵ֣ה אֶת־הָעָ֗ם אֶ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֨רְתִּי֙ לָ֔ךְ הִנֵּ֥ה מַלְאָכִ֖י יֵלֵ֣ךְ לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וּבְי֣וֹם פָּקְדִ֔י וּפָֽקַדְתִּ֥י עֲלֵהֶ֖ם חַטָּאתָֽם:

“Now, go!  Conduct the people to the place I told you.  Behold, my messenger will go before you.  But in the day of my visitation I will visit their sin upon them.”

 לֵ֣ךְ | נְחֵ֣ה אֶת־הָעָ֗םוְעַתָּ֞ה               YHWH had just completed giving Moses instructions for building the tabernacle when Israel sinned by making the golden calf.  The implications of this command are that Moses and the people were to leave the mountain immediately without building the tabernacle.  Had this happened, the people would have entered the promised land with no provision for forgiveness of sin and no opportunity for intimate fellowship with YHWH.

הִנֵּ֥ה מַלְאָכִ֖י יֵלֵ֣ךְ לְפָנֶ֑יךָ              Up to this point in their travels, YHWH had always been with them in the form of a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.  There is no hint about what form my messenger would take or how the people would know of his presence.

וּבְי֣וֹם פָּקְדִ֔י וּפָֽקַדְתִּ֥י עֲלֵהֶ֖ם              The root פקד is extremely significant in both verbal and nominal forms, and not surprisingly it is difficult to translate due to the many different contexts in which it occurs.  Here it is used with the sense of YHWH’s visitation on Israel.  Depending on the individual, the visitation of YHWH can be the most supreme blessing or the uttermost terror of final judgment.  The temporal phrase בְי֣וֹם פָּקְדִ֔י indicates that judgment for Israel’s sin was not remitted but only delayed.

לה וַיִּגֹּ֥ף יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־הָעָ֑ם עַ֚ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשׂ֣וּ אֶת־הָעֵ֔גֶל אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה אַֽהֲרֹֽן:

So YHWH struck the people because they had made the calf that Aaron made.

וַיִּגֹּ֥ף יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־הָעָ֑ם  The form וַיִּגֹּ֥ף is a 3ms qal imperfect with vav consecutive from the root נגפ, which is a less frequently used synonym of the root נכה, smite.   The obvious question is, ‘When did YHWH smite Israel?  The answer should be available from the immediately preceding context: 1) Immediate judgment at the hand of the Levites resulted in the death of 3000.  2) Additionally, periodic judgment over the next 40 years resulted in the death of every single person involved with the golden calf incident over the age of 20.

Exodus 33 

א וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶל־משֶׁה֙ לֵ֣ךְ עֲלֵ֣ה מִזֶּ֔ה אַתָּ֣ה וְהָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶֽעֱלִ֖יתָ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֶל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִ֠שְׁבַּ֠עְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֨ם לְיִצְחָ֤ק וּלְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְזַרְעֲךָ֖ אֶתְּנֶֽנָּה:

Then YHWH spoke to Moses, “Go!  Go up from this place, you and the people that you have brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land that I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying  ‘I will give it to your seed.’"

לֵ֣ךְ עֲלֵ֣ה           These are two ms qal imperative forms addressed to Moses.  The forms are both singular, but the intended subject is collective as indicated by the following clause – you and the people….  Moses alone is being addressed, but the people are included with him.  מִזֶּ֔ה עֲלֵ֣ה, literally go up from this, identifies the current location from which they are to start.  This is essentially a repetition of the command in verse 32:34, making it emphatic.

The expression תַּֽעֲלֵ֖נוּ מִזֶּֽה in verse 15 repeats this construction with a change in subject  (YHWH, not Moses) and a change in verb form (2ms hiphil imperfect with mp pronominal suffix).  The repetition of forms links the command in verse 1 with that of verse 15, which constitutes the conclusion of the matter.

לֵאמֹ֔ר לְזַרְעֲךָ֖ אֶתְּנֶֽנָּה              This is one way of expressing indirect speech in classical Hebrew.  לֵאמֹ֔ר is a qal infinitive construct, and לְזַרְעֲךָ֖ אֶתְּנֶֽנָּה is an independent clause that constitutes the object of the infinitive.  Clearly, such an expression cannot be translated into English using the same grammatical forms.

ב וְשָֽׁלַחְתִּ֥י לְפָנֶ֖יךָ מַלְאָ֑ךְ וְגֵֽרַשְׁתִּ֗י אֶת־הַכְּנַֽעֲנִי֙ הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י וְהַֽחִתִּי֙ וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י הַֽחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִֽי:

“And I will send a messenger before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivvites, and the Jebusites

וְשָֽׁלַחְתִּ֥י …וְגֵֽרַשְׁתִּ֗י..             Both verbs are 1cs perfect forms.  YHWH asserted that he would not go with the people, but he will remain the driving force behind all that will occur.

ג אֶל־אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ כִּי֩ לֹ֨א אֶֽעֱלֶ֜ה בְּקִרְבְּךָ֗ כִּ֤י עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֨רֶף֙ אַ֔תָּה פֶּן־אֲכֶלְךָ֖ בַּדָּֽרֶךְ:

‘to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, because you are a stiff-necked people, lest I destroy you on the way.’”

אֶל־אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב..   This phrase is, or should be, a jarring jump interruption in the narrative.  The phrase does not connect with anything in verse 2 but provides a further explanation concerning the land where they are to go (verse 1).  There is no evidence of any kind of textual error, so it must reflect a narrative style from ancient Hebrew.

כִּי֩ לֹ֨א אֶֽעֱלֶ֜ה בְּקִרְבְּךָ֗    This subordinate clause is explanatory for I will send my messenger before you.  The verse has three subordinate clauses in a row.  This one is the primary one; the subsequent two present reasons why YHWH will not go up with them: you are a stiff-necked (stubborn and disobedient) people; I will destroy you on the way.  Based on the travel narrative in Numbers, both of these statements proved to be true.

עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֨רֶף֙ אַ֔תָּה   Note that this is a reference to the people and not Moses, but אַ֔תָּה and all of the pronominal suffixes are 2ms forms.  Again, the singular forms are being used with a collective meaning.

ד וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע הָעָ֗ם אֶת־הַדָּבָ֥ר הָרָ֛ע הַזֶּ֖ה וַיִּתְאַבָּ֑לוּ וְלֹא־שָׁ֛תוּ אִ֥ישׁ עֶדְי֖וֹ עָלָֽיו:

And the people heard this bad message, so they mourned, and no person put on his ornaments.

וְלֹא־שָׁ֛תוּ … וַיִּתְאַבָּ֑לוּ … וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע הָעָ֗ם    The implication of this verse is that either Moses was speaking with God in the camp and the people heard it directly, or Moses came back from the mountain and told them what God had commanded.  In either case, the people mourned and refused to wear their ornaments.  The last clause is interesting, because the people had torn off their ornaments to supply gold for the golden calf.  The fact that verse 12 resumes the conversation between YHWH and Moses from the point at which it was interrupted by verse 7 suggests that the entire conversation took place first in the camp and then in the separated tent of meeting.

ה וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה אֱמֹ֤ר אֶל־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אַתֶּ֣ם עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֔רֶף רֶ֧גַע אֶחָ֛ד אֶֽעֱלֶ֥ה בְקִרְבְּךָ֖ וְכִלִּיתִ֑יךָ וְעַתָּ֗ה הוֹרֵ֤ד עֶדְיְךָ֙ מֵֽעָלֶ֔יךָ וְאֵֽדְעָ֖ה מָ֥ה אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ:

So YHWH said to Moses, “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people.  Were I to go up among you for one moment, I would make a complete end of you.  So now take off your ornaments, and I will determine what I will do to you.’”

רֶ֧גַע אֶחָ֛ד אֶֽעֱלֶ֥ה בְקִרְבְּךָ֖ וְכִלִּיתִ֑יךָ          YHWH repeatedly told the people of Israel that if they faithfully conducted themselves in accordance with his instructions, then he would be their God and dwell in their midst.  However, because they were a stiff-necked people (stubborn and disobedient), he could not remain in their midst without completely destroying them.

וְעַתָּ֗ה הוֹרֵ֤ד עֶדְיְךָ֙ מֵֽעָלֶ֔יךָ              This clause is similar to 1 Pet 3:3, 4 – exhibit your character by your conduct and not by external physical ornamentation.  As is evident from the description of the tabernacle, the Israelites had a large amount of precious metal, but God was interested in their character, not their material possessions.

ו וַיִּתְנַצְּל֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶת־עֶדְיָ֖ם מֵהַ֥ר חוֹרֵֽב:

So the sons of Israel stripped off their ornaments from Mount Horeb on.

Verse 6 through 11 amounts to an interruption to the description v Moses’ conversation with YHWH.  Within the context it provides an explanation for why Moses’ tent of meeting was located some distance outside the camp, but it does not really indicate when Moses took this step.

ז וּמשֶׁה֩ יִקַּ֨ח אֶת־הָאֹ֜הֶל וְנָֽטָה־ל֣וֹ | מִח֣וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶ֗ה הַרְחֵק֙ מִן־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֔ה וְקָ֥רָא ל֖וֹ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְהָיָה֙ כָּל־מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ יְהֹוָ֔ה יֵצֵא֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֖ר מִח֥וּץ לַמַּֽחֲנֶֽה:

Now Moses would take the tent and pitch it at a distance outside the camp, and he named it the tent of meeting.  Then anyone seeking YHWH would come out to the tent of meeting that was outside the camp.

וּמשֶׁה֩ יִקַּ֨ח אֶת־הָאֹ֜הֶל              יִקַּ֨ח is a 3ms imperfect form, and in this context it expresses habitual conduct.  The first references to the tent of meeting occur within the instructions for the tabernacle, and this tent was to be erected in the midst of the camp.  Once erected this would become the physical place where mortal man could meet with YHWH.  However, YHWH stated in verse 5 that he could not abide in the midst of Israel without destroying them all.  Moses responded by taking an ordinary tent and pitching it a considerable distance outside the camp, and this was where he would go to speak with God.

ח וְהָיָ֗ה כְּצֵ֤את משֶׁה֙ אֶל־הָאֹ֔הֶל יָק֨וּמוּ֙ כָּל־הָעָ֔ם וְנִ֨צְּב֔וּ אִ֖ישׁ פֶּ֣תַח אָֽהֳל֑וֹ וְהִבִּ֨יטוּ֙ אַֽחֲרֵ֣י משֶׁ֔ה עַד־בֹּא֖וֹ הָאֹֽהֱלָה:

And when Moses would go to the tent, each person would arise and stand at the opening of his tent, and they would look after Moses until he came to the tent.

וְהָיָ֗ה כְּצֵ֤את     This is a temporal construction composed of 3ms perfect with vav consecutive followed by a כְּ preposition and an infinitive construct as verbal object.  As a result, this and all of the other verb forms in the verse are equivalent to imperfects.  Such constructions are used to express habitual action.

כָּל־הָעָ֔ם וְנִ֨צְּב֔וּ אִ֖ישׁ פֶּ֣תַח אָֽהֳל֑וֹ.. This clause exhibits a peculiarity of biblical Hebrew that occurs with some frequency.  The subject ּ כָּל־הָעָ֔םis a collective, and the verbs are all plural forms; but all of the pronominal suffixes are singular.  This lack of number concordance would be extremely confusing if translated word for word.  The easiest resolution is to make the subject distributive – each person – and all the verbs singular.

ט וְהָיָ֗ה כְּבֹ֤א משֶׁה֙ הָאֹ֔הֱלָה יֵרֵד֙ עַמּ֣וּד הֶֽעָנָ֔ן וְעָמַ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֑הֶל וְדִבֶּ֖ר עִם־משֶֽׁה:

And when Moses would go to the tent, the pillar of cloud would stand at the opening of the tent and would speak with Moses.

י וְרָאָ֤ה כָל־הָעָם֙ אֶת־עַמּ֣וּד הֶֽעָנָ֔ן עֹמֵ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֑הֶל וְקָ֤ם כָּל־הָעָם֙ וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲו֔וּ אִ֖ישׁ פֶּ֥תַח אָֽהֳלֽוֹ:

Then all of the people would see the pillar of cloud standing at the opening of the tent, and all of the people would arise and worship at the opening of his tent.

וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲו֔וּ אִ֖ישׁ פֶּ֥תַח אָֽהֳלֽוֹ              This verse also exhibits a peculiar shift in number concordance.  כָל־הָעָם֙ is the subject in the first two clauses, but the verbs are 3ms perfect forms with vav consecutive.  אִ֖ישׁ is the subject of the last clause, but the verb is a plural form, and the pronominal suffix is singular.

יא וְדִבֶּ֨ר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶל־משֶׁה֙ פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר יְדַבֵּ֥ר אִ֖ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְשָׁב֙ אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֔ה וּמְשָׁ֨רְת֜וֹ יְהוֹשֻׁ֤עַ בִּן־נוּן֙ נַ֔עַר לֹ֥א יָמִ֖ישׁ מִתּ֥וֹךְ הָאֹֽהֶל:

And YHWH would speak to Moses face-to-face just as a man speaks with his friend, then he would return to the camp; but his assistant, Yehoshua ben Nun, a servant, would not depart from within the tent.

וּמְשָׁ֨רְת֜וֹ יְהוֹשֻׁ֤עַ בִּן־נוּן֙ נַ֔עַר       This verse describes how Moses would use his tent of meeting.  There was no ritual or offering associated with it.  Rather, he would go out to it any time he needed to confer with YHWH rather than climbing the mountain.  While there he would speak with YHWH face-to-face just like he would with a close friend.  However, the most interesting bit of information is contained in the last two clauses.  Joshua is described by the two terms מְשָׁ֨רְת֜וֹ and נַ֔עַר.  In this context the two terms have essentially the same meaning.  None of the other Israelites could be in the presence of YHWH without being consumed, but Joshua was present while Moses spoke with YHWH, and he remained there even when Moses returned to the camp.  Evidently, the choice of Joshua as Moses’ replacement had already been made.

יב וַיֹּ֨אמֶר משֶׁ֜ה אֶל־יְהֹוָ֗ה רְ֠אֵ֠ה אַתָּ֞ה אֹמֵ֤ר אֵלַי֙ הַ֚עַל אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְאַתָּה֙ לֹ֣א הֽוֹדַעְתַּ֔נִי אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־תִּשְׁלַ֖ח עִמִּ֑י וְאַתָּ֤ה אָמַ֨רְתָּ֙ יְדַעְתִּ֣יךָ בְשֵׁ֔ם וְגַם־מָצָ֥אתָ חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינָֽי:

Then Moses said to YHWH, “Look, you are saying to me, ‘Bring up this people;’ but you have not made known to me whom you are sending with me.  Moreover, you said, ‘I have known you by name,’ and also ‘You have found favor in my eyes.’”

רְ֠אֵ֠ה..  This form is a 2ms qal imperative.  This is generally translated see, but the reference is to mental perception, not physical sight.

אַתָּ֞ה אֹמֵ֤ר אֵלַי֙            There was a 9 verse interruption in the context of the discussion between YHWH and Moses.  This clause connects the subsequent discussion with the context of verse 1.  Note, however, that the clause changes the verb from וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר (3ms imperfect with vav consecutive) to אֹמֵ֤ר (ms participle).  The participle expresses a current state of existence – you are saying to me.

הַ֚עַל אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה     This is Moses’ restatement of YHWH’s command in verse 1.

וְאַתָּה֙ לֹ֣א הֽוֹדַעְתַּ֔נִי     The independent clause is introduced by an adversative vav, and the clause expresses the number one reason in Moses’ mind why he cannot do what he has been commanded.  During the first phase of the journey, Moses knew where they were headed, and God’s presence was always visible in the form of the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night.  Now he had no idea where he was to go, and YHWH has not caused him to know with whom and by what manner he will be guided.

אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־תִּשְׁלַ֖ח עִמִּ֑י       This clause constitutes the direct object of הֽוֹדַעְתַּ֔נִי.

וְגַם־מָצָ֥אתָ … וְאַתָּ֤ה אָמַ֨רְתָּ֙ יְדַעְתִּ֣יךָ                       These two clauses amount to complaints from Moses relative to the previous clause.  The first complaint – You (emphatic) have said that you know me by name (personal relationship); the second complaint – You also said that have found favor in your sight.  If these are true, why have you withheld critical information from me?

יג וְעַתָּ֡ה אִם־נָא֩ מָצָ֨אתִי חֵ֜ן בְּעֵינֶ֗יךָ הֽוֹדִעֵ֤נִי נָא֙ אֶת־דְּרָכֶ֔ךָ וְאֵדָ֣עֲךָ֔ לְמַ֥עַן אֶמְצָא־חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ וּרְאֵ֕ה כִּ֥י עַמְּךָ֖ הַגּ֥וֹי הַזֶּֽה:

“So now, if I have really found favor in your eyes, cause me to know your way, then I will come to know you that I might find favor in your eyes.  But recognize that this nation is your people.”

אִם־נָא֩ מָצָ֨אתִי חֵ֜ן בְּעֵינֶ֗יךָ              This entire verse uses the last clause of verse 12 as the basis for Moses’ appeal – If I really have found favor in your sight, then.…

הֽוֹדִעֵ֤נִי נָא֙ אֶת־דְּרָכֶ֔ךָ              Note that this clause repeats the verb from the primary complaint in the previous verse.  So Moses is saying, “If I really have the privileged position that you have indicated, cause me to know (and understand) דְּרָכֶ֔ךָ.  The term דְּרָכֶ֔ךָ is usually translated your ways, but the form in the text is singular.  There are textual variants at this point.  The Samaritan Pentateuch has דְּרָכֶ֔יךָ (plural form); the LXX has reveal yourself to me (Hebrew form ambiguous).  The term דֶּרֶך can refer to a physical road, path, or direction, but it can also refer to a person’s manner or character.  In verse 12, Moses appears to complain about not knowing how he was to be guided, but in the remainder of this chapter and the beginning of chapter 34 God ends up showing Moses as much of his character as a mortal human can comprehend.

וּרְאֵ֕ה כִּ֥י עַמְּךָ֖ הַגּ֥וֹי הַזֶּֽה        Throughout this context, YHWH has repeatedly asserted that this nation is Moses’ people.  Moses does belong to this nation by birth, but the people as a whole belong uniquely to YHWH.

יד וַיֹּאמַ֑ר פָּנַ֥י יֵלֵ֖כוּ וַֽהֲנִחֹ֥תִי לָֽךְ:

So he (YHWH) said, “My presence will go, and I will give you rest.”

פָּנַ֥י       Literally my face, but the term very often means I or my presence.

לָֽךְ       The pronominal suffix is 2ms; however, the base context is provided in verses 1 through 3 where the 2ms forms are shown to be a collective for you and the people that you brought up from Egypt.  

וַֽהֲנִחֹ֥תִי לָֽךְ      YHWH repeatedly promised to give the people rest.  Here the form of the indirect object is singular, but throughout this context the 2ms forms have been used as collective.

טו וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלָ֑יו אִם־אֵ֤ין פָּנֶ֨יךָ֙ הֹֽלְכִ֔ים אַל־תַּֽעֲלֵ֖נוּ מִזֶּֽה:

Then he (Moses) said to him (YHWH), “If your presence does not go, do not lead us up from here.”

אִם־אֵ֤ין פָּנֶ֨יךָ֙ הֹֽלְכִ֔ים              This clause uses a relatively uncommon form for the negative construction.  It literally means if there is no your face going.  This is more than a little awkward for English, so a simplified equivalent might be if you are not going.

אַל־תַּֽעֲלֵ֖נוּ מִזֶּֽה           As previously mentioned, this clause ties the verse back to verse 1.

טז וּבַמֶּ֣ה | יִוָּדַ֣ע אֵפ֗וֹא כִּֽי־מָצָ֨אתִי חֵ֤ן בְּעֵינֶ֨יךָ֙ אֲנִ֣י וְעַמֶּ֔ךָ הֲל֖וֹא בְּלֶכְתְּךָ֣ עִמָּ֑נוּ וְנִפְלִ֨ינוּ֙ אֲנִ֣י וְעַמְּךָ֔ מִכָּ֨ל־הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה:

How then will it become known that I have found favor in your eyes, I and your people?  Is it not by your going with us?  Then we will be distinct, I and your people, from all other people on earth.

| יִוָּדַ֣ע אֵפ֗וֹא וּבַמֶּ֣ה      The term אֵפ֗וֹא is an enclitic particle used with interrogative pronouns.  וּבַמֶּ֣ה is an interrogative pronoun as the object of a preposition.  The combination may be rendered by by what, in what way, or just how.  There are two main clauses in the remainder of the verse, but they constitute a single request.

אֲנִ֣י וְעַמֶּ֔ךָ        This expression appears twice as an appositive for the stated subject – the first time for I and the second time for we.  This is emphatic indicating that I, Moses, cannot be separated from God’s people in God’s treatment.  Moses has two concerns that are intrinsically related: 1) That I, Moses,  am made known as having favor in the eyes of YHWH before all peoples of the earth; and 2) That I and your people are shown to be distinct from all other peoples of the earth.  Both aspects of this request have proven to be fulfilled right up to the present day.

יז וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה גַּ֣ם אֶת־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּ֛ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֑ה כִּֽי־מָצָ֤אתָ חֵן֙ בְּעֵינַ֔י וָֽאֵדָֽעֲךָ֖ בְּשֵֽׁם:

So YHWH said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have said, because you have found favor in my eyes and I have known you by name.”

גַּ֣ם אֶת־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּ֛ה    This phrase implies more than one request.  The first request was in verse 32:9-11 where Moses dissuaded YHWH from destroying the entire people of Israel.  The second request was in  32:32, where Moses asked YHWH to either remit the guilt of sin for the people or accept him as a substitute for the people.  YHWH rejected both alternatives but agreed to delay execution of that judgment to a future time.  The third request was for YHWH to demonstrate his favor for Moses and for the people of Israel by personally conducting them to the promised land.  YHWH’s response to the first and third requests was yes.  YHWH's positive response to Moses was proof positive of his privileged position.

יח וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַרְאֵ֥נִי נָ֖א אֶת־כְּבֹדֶֽךָ:

Then he said, “Please cause me to perceive your glory.”

הַרְאֵ֥נִי נָ֖א אֶת־כְּבֹדֶֽךָ  This is Moses’ fourth request of YHWH.  הַרְאֵ֥נִי is an ms hiphil imperative of the root ראה.  Again, this usage refers to mental perception rather than physical sight, and the form is causative in force.  The implication of the form is cause me to perceive your glory with understanding. Moses was here requesting a deeper level of personal fellowship with YHWH than he had yet experienced.

יט וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֲנִ֨י אַֽעֲבִ֤יר כָּל־טוּבִי֙ עַל־פָּנֶ֔יךָ וְקָרָ֧אתִי בְשֵׁ֛ם יְהֹוָ֖ה לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וְחַנֹּתִי֙ אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָחֹ֔ן וְרִֽחַמְתִּ֖י אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲרַחֵֽם:

So he said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass before you, and I will proclaim the name YHWH before you.  I will have mercy on him who I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on him who I will have compassion.”

כ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לֹ֥א תוּכַ֖ל לִרְאֹ֣ת אֶת־פָּנָ֑י כִּ֛י לֹֽא־יִרְאַ֥נִי הָֽאָדָ֖ם וָחָֽי:

Then he said, “You will not be able to see my face, for man cannot see my face and live.

Why cannot a human not see God’s face and live?  See my blog post called ‘Can a human see God’s face?’ for a detailed discussion of this matter.

SUMMARY

During his discussion with YHWH on the day after the golden calf incident, Moses first asked YHWH to release the people from the guilt of their sin, but if not to accept him as a substitute for the people.  YHWH rejected both alternatives.  Rather, YHWH delayed execution of judgment and commanded Moses to conduct the people to the land of promise.  The immediate consequence of the people’s action was that YHWH would no longer personally lead the people, but he would send his messenger before them, because YHWH could no longer be within the midst of his people due to their sin.  This command if carried out as stated would have resulted in the people leaving Horeb without ever constructing the tabernacle.

Moses objected to this consequence strenuously, asserting that neither he nor the people would leave their present location unless YHWH was with them.  As a result, YHWH agreed to continue leading the people personally, and he postponed execution of his rath to a later but unspecified time.  The resulting delay provided the time necessary to construct the tabernacle, ordain the priesthood, create the system of tabernacle rituals, and produce the system by which individuals and the people as a whole could approach YHWH for personal fellowship and still live.  The forms of worship were common to this entire region, but the unique aspect is that it was devoted exclusively to a single living God.  The term living implies that YHWH was visibly active in history (not just in natural processes), that he could be seen at times by humans, and that mortal humans could have real fellowship with him.

Having obtained a temporary reprieve for the people, he made a personal request for himself alone: Cause me to perceive your glory with understanding.  God also granted this request on a limited scale.  See my blog post called ‘Can a human see God’s face?’ for a detailed analysis of this request and God’s response.  Suffice it to say that Moses requested and received the closest level of intimate fellowship with God possible for a mortal human.