40. They rose up early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, saying, “Behold, we are here, and will go up to the place which the Lord has promised; for we have sinned.”
41. Moses said, “Why now do you disobey the commandment of the Lord, since it shall not prosper?
42. Don’t go up, for the Lord isn’t among you; that way you won’t be struck down before your enemies.
43. For there the Amalekite and the Canaanite are before you, and you will fall by the sword because you turned back from following the Lord; therefore the Lord will not be with you.”
44. But they presumed to go up to the top of the mountain. Nevertheless, the ark of the Lord’s covenant and Moses didn’t depart out of the camp.