The Meaning of Exodus 33:9 Explained

Exodus 33:9

KJV: 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.

YLT: And it hath come to pass, at the going in of Moses to the tent, the pillar of the cloud cometh down, and hath stood at the opening of the tent, and He hath spoken with Moses;

Darby: And it came to pass when Moses entered into the tent, the pillar of cloud descended, and stood at the entrance of the tent, and Jehovah talked with Moses.

ASV: And it came to pass, when Moses entered into the Tent, the pillar of cloud descended, and stood at the door of the Tent: and Jehovah'spake with Moses.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Exodus 33:9 Mean?

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 33:9 mean?

And it came to pass that when entered Moses the tabernacle descended pillar of the cloud and stood [at] the door of the tabernacle and [the Lord] talked with Moses
וְהָיָ֗ה כְּבֹ֤א מֹשֶׁה֙ הָאֹ֔הֱלָה יֵרֵד֙ עַמּ֣וּד הֶֽעָנָ֔ן וְעָמַ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֑הֶל וְדִבֶּ֖ר עִם־ מֹשֶֽׁה

וְהָיָ֗ה  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כְּבֹ֤א  that  when  entered 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
מֹשֶׁה֙  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
הָאֹ֔הֱלָה  the  tabernacle 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
יֵרֵד֙  descended 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
עַמּ֣וּד  pillar 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עַמּוּד  
Sense: pillar, column.
הֶֽעָנָ֔ן  of  the  cloud 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָנָן  
Sense: cloud, cloudy, cloud-mass.
וְעָמַ֖ד  and  stood 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
פֶּ֣תַח  [at]  the  door 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּתַח  
Sense: opening, doorway, entrance.
הָאֹ֑הֶל  of  the  tabernacle 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
וְדִבֶּ֖ר  and  [the  Lord]  talked 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
מֹשֶֽׁה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.