And the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle.
Parallel translations
- WEB Yahweh appeared in the Tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood over the Tent’s door.
- BSB Then the LORD appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud stood over the entrance to the tent.
- NKJV Now the Lord appeared at the tabernacle in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood above the door of the tabernacle.
- NASB And the Lord appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood at the entrance of the tent.
- NLT And the Lord appeared to them in a pillar of cloud that stood at the entrance to the sacred tent.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The LORD appears at the Tent in a pillar of cloud standing over its entrance. It matters because God's visible presence authenticates the moment and His words.
Overview
The pillar of cloud, which had led Israel through the wilderness, signals God's manifest presence for this solemn commissioning. Its appearance lends divine weight to the charge to Joshua and the warnings that follow. Such visible tokens of God's nearness anticipate the fuller revelation of His glory in Christ, in whom God dwelt among us.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Exod 33:9–10And 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.
- Exod 40:38For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
- Ps 99:7He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 31:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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