The Meaning of Exodus 33:7 Explained

Exodus 33:7

KJV: And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.

YLT: And Moses taketh the tent, and hath stretched it out at the outside of the camp, afar off from the camp, and hath called it, 'Tent of Meeting;' and it hath come to pass, every one seeking Jehovah goeth out unto the tent of meeting, which is at the outside of the camp.

Darby: And Moses took the tent, and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the Tent of meeting. And it came to pass that every one who sought Jehovah went out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp.

ASV: Now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it without the camp, afar off from the camp; and he called it, The tent of meeting. And it came to pass, that every one that sought Jehovah went out unto the tent of meeting, which was without the camp.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Moses  took  the tabernacle,  and pitched  it without  the camp,  afar off  from the camp,  and called  it the Tabernacle  of the congregation.  And it came to pass, [that] every one which sought  the LORD  went out  unto the tabernacle  of the congregation,  which [was] without  the camp. 

What does Exodus 33:7 Mean?

Study Notes

tabernacle
CF. Exodus 24:4 . This "tabernacle" is not to be confounded with that afterward made by commandment of God, but not yet made.

Context Summary

Exodus 33:1-11 - The Angel Leader And The Human Intercessor
Moses knew that His people were forgiven, but it hurt him to hear that an angel was henceforth to lead them. See Exodus 32:34. The burden of two and a half millions of people was too heavy for him to carry, even with angel-help. He must somehow secure the withdrawal of that sentence, "I will not go up in the middle of thee." He spoke of it to the people, who awoke to realize what their sin had forfeited, and put off their jewels. But their leader gave himself to prayer. Since Sinai was too far to climb, he seems to have pitched his own tent outside the camp as a temporary meeting-place with God; and when he entered it the people said: "Look! he is going to pray for us;" and he spake with God face to face, as we may, of what was in his heart. See John 16:26-27. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 33

1  The Lord refuses to go as he had promised with the people
4  The people mourn there
7  The tabernacle is removed out of the camp
9  The Lord talks familiarly with Moses
12  Moses prevails with God, and desires to see his glory

What do the individual words in Exodus 33:7 mean?

And Moses took - his tent and pitched it outside the camp far from outside the camp and called it the tabernacle of meeting And it came to pass [that] everyone who sought Yahweh went out to of meeting that [was] the camp
וּמֹשֶׁה֩ יִקַּ֨ח אֶת־ הָאֹ֜הֶל וְנָֽטָה־ ל֣וֹ ׀ מִח֣וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֗ה הַרְחֵק֙ מִן־ הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְקָ֥רָא ל֖וֹ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְהָיָה֙ כָּל־ מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ יְהוָ֔ה יֵצֵא֙ אֶל־ מוֹעֵ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֖ר לַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה

וּמֹשֶׁה֩  And  Moses 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
יִקַּ֨ח  took 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָאֹ֜הֶל  his  tent 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
וְנָֽטָה־  and  pitched 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָטָה 
Sense: to stretch out, extend, spread out, pitch, turn, pervert, incline, bend, bow.
מִח֣וּץ  outside 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חוּץ  
Sense: outside, outward, street, the outside.
לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֗ה  the  camp 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: מַחֲנֶה  
Sense: encampment, camp.
הַרְחֵק֙  far  from 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: רָחַק  
Sense: to be or become far, be or become distant, be removed, go far away.
מִן־  outside 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה  the  camp 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: מַחֲנֶה  
Sense: encampment, camp.
וְקָ֥רָא  and  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
אֹ֣הֶל  the  tabernacle 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
מוֹעֵ֑ד  of  meeting 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹועֵד  
Sense: appointed place, appointed time, meeting.
וְהָיָה֙  And  it  came  to  pass  [that] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כָּל־  everyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ  who  sought 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
יֵצֵא֙  went  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
מוֹעֵ֔ד  of  meeting 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹועֵד  
Sense: appointed place, appointed time, meeting.
אֲשֶׁ֖ר  that  [was] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
לַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה  the  camp 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: מַחֲנֶה  
Sense: encampment, camp.