There follows a period of suspense, during which the people mourned, and Moses set up a tent outside the camp. Here God came in the pillar of cloud to speak with him.
What was God’s attitude at this time: a) towards the people, and b) towards Moses? What were Moses’ three petitions? What answers did God give? Answer: God was about to punish the Israelites, almost to the point of death. Moses pleaded, again, for their well-being. God was pleased with Moses. Moses asks for 1) some to lead the people with him, 2) for God’s presence to go with them, 3) God to show His glory to him.
How do the prayers and answers of this chapter show: a) the growth of Moses’ desire and faith, and b) the richness of God’s grace? Answer: Moses knows that if he asks God will give. I think that all of the behaviors of the Israelites show God’s grace. They are almost in a constant state of rebellion, but God still keeps His promises and watches out for them.
Notes
V1-3. The cause of mourning seems to be that God threatened to revoke the promise of 25:8; 29:45-46 and to return to the earlier method of guidance by his angels (cf.1:19; 18:20-23)
V7. This tent of meeting cannot be the tabernacle (although it was sometimes called by that name: 29:42-44; 35:21), because it was not yet built. It was apparently an ordinary tent pitched outside the camp during the period of suspense.
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