Keluaran 17:9-10

17:9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our ¹  men and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”

17:10 So Joshua fought against Amalek just as Moses had instructed him; ² and Moses and Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

Keluaran 33:11

33:11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, ³  the way a person speaks ⁴  to a friend. Then Moses ⁵  would return to the camp, but his servant, Joshua son of Nun, a young man, did not leave the tent. ⁶ 

[17:9]  ¹ tn This could be rendered literally “choose men for us.” But the lamed (ל) preposition probably indicates possession, “our men,” and the fact that Joshua was to choose from Israel, as well as the fact that there is no article on “men,” indicates he was to select some to fight.

[17:10]  ² tn The line in Hebrew reads literally: And Joshua did as Moses had said to him, to fight with Amalek. The infinitive construct is epexegetical, explaining what Joshua did that was in compliance with Moses’ words.

[33:11]  ³ tn “Face to face” is circumstantial to the action of the verb, explaining how they spoke (see GKC 489-90 §156.c). The point of this note of friendly relationship with Moses is that Moses was “at home” in this tent speaking with God. Moses would derive courage from this when he interceded for the people (B. Jacob, Exodus, 966).

[33:11]  ⁴ tn The verb in this clause is a progressive imperfect.

[33:11]  ⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:11]  ⁶ sn Moses did not live in the tent. But Joshua remained there most of the time to guard the tent, it seems, lest any of the people approach it out of curiosity.