The Meaning of Exodus 33:8 Explained

Exodus 33:8

KJV: And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.

YLT: And it hath come to pass, at the going out of Moses unto the tent, all the people rise, and have stood, each at the opening of his tent, and have looked expectingly after Moses, until his going into the tent.

Darby: And it came to pass, when Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose up, and stood every man at the entrance of his tent, and they looked after Moses until he entered into the tent.

ASV: And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the Tent, that all the people rose up, and stood, every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the Tent.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass, when Moses  went out  unto the tabernacle,  [that] all the people  rose up,  and stood  every man  [at] his tent  door,  and looked  after  Moses,  until he was gone  into the tabernacle. 

What does Exodus 33:8 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 33:8 mean?

So it was [that] whenever went out Moses to the tabernacle rose all the people and stood [at] each man door his tent and watched the back of Moses until he had gone into the tabernacle
וְהָיָ֗ה כְּצֵ֤את מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־ הָאֹ֔הֶל יָק֙וּמוּ֙ כָּל־ הָעָ֔ם וְנִ֨צְּב֔וּ אִ֖ישׁ פֶּ֣תַח אָהֳל֑וֹ וְהִבִּ֙יטוּ֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֔ה עַד־ בֹּא֖וֹ הָאֹֽהֱלָה

וְהָיָ֗ה  So  it  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כְּצֵ֤את  [that]  whenever  went  out 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
מֹשֶׁה֙  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
הָאֹ֔הֶל  the  tabernacle 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
יָק֙וּמוּ֙  rose 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
הָעָ֔ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וְנִ֨צְּב֔וּ  and  stood  [at] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: הֻצַּב 
Sense: to stand, take one’s stand, stand upright, be set (over), establish.
אִ֖ישׁ  each  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
פֶּ֣תַח  door 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּתַח  
Sense: opening, doorway, entrance.
אָהֳל֑וֹ  his  tent 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
וְהִבִּ֙יטוּ֙  and  watched 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: נָבַט  
Sense: to look, regard.
אַחֲרֵ֣י  the  back 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
מֹשֶׁ֔ה  of  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
עַד־  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
בֹּא֖וֹ  he  had  gone  into 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
הָאֹֽהֱלָה  the  tabernacle 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.

What are the major concepts related to Exodus 33:8?

Loading Information...