1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, "Leave this place. You and the people you brought up out of Egypt must leave it. Go up to the land I promised with an oath to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I said to them, 'I will give it to your children after you.'
2 I will send an angel ahead of you. I will drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
3 "Go up to the land that has plenty of milk and honey. But I will not go with you. You are stubborn. I might destroy you on the way."
4 When the people heard those painful words, they became sad and began to sob. No one put on any jewelry.
5 The Lord had said to Moses, "Tell the people of Israel, 'You are stubborn. If I went with you even for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your jewelry. Then I will decide what to do with you.' "
6 So the people took off their jewelry at Mount Horeb.
7 Moses used to take a tent and set it up far outside the camp. He called it the "tent of meeting." Anyone who wanted to ask the Lord a question would go to the tent of meeting that was outside the camp.