Exodus 33:7

“And Moses took the tabernacle, etc.] Not that, the pattern of which he had been shown in the mount, for that was not as yet made, rather his own tabernacle or tent, (<021807>Exodus 18:7) or one that was erected for worship before the large one was ordered, and while that was building; for it can hardly be thought they should have no place of worship for a whole year after they were come out of Egypt; though this might be not a place on purpose, or only erected for that use, but might be one of the apartments of Moses; who, besides what he had for the use and convenience of his family, had a special and peculiar one, hath on a religious account, where he and the people sometimes worshipped,…”

“Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp--Not the tabernacle, of which a pattern had been given him, for it was not yet erected, but his own tent--conspicuous as that of the leader--in a part of which he heard cases and communed with God about the people's interests; hence called "the tabernacle of the congregation," and the withdrawal of which, in abhorrence from a polluted camp, was regarded as the first step in the total abandonment with which God had threatened them.”

“The tabernacle - The tent. The only word in the Old Testament which ought to be rendered “tabernacle” משׁכן mı̂shkān does not occur once in this narrative Exodus 26:1. What is here meant is a tent appointed for this temporary purpose by Moses, possibly that in which he was accustomed to dwell. Pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp - That the people might feel that they had forfeited the divine presence (see Exodus 25:8). This tent was to be a place for meeting with Yahweh, like the tabernacle which was about to be constructed. The tent of meeting (as it should be called, see Exodus 27:21 note, and note at end of Exodus 40:0) was placed “afar off from the camp,” and the…”

“And Moses took the tabernacle - The tent wherein he gave audience, heard causes, and inquired of God, and pitched it without, afar off from the camp - To signify to them that they were unworthy of it. Perhaps this tabernacle was a model of the tabernacle that was afterwards to be erected, a hasty draught from the pattern shewed him in the mount, designed for direction to the workman, and used in the mean time as a tabernacle of meeting between God and Moses about public affairs. Exodus 33:8”

“33:7-11 The means of communication between God and his people before the completion of the Tabernacle are probably recorded here to explain the communications in 33:1-6 and 33:12-23. 33:7 Although the Tabernacle is often referred to as the Tent of Meeting (see study note on 27:21), the “Tent of Meeting” referred to here was another, temporary tent. When the Tabernacle was completed, it was located in the center of the camp (see Num 2:1-31).”

“the tabernacle: Eth haohel, the Tent, not eth hammishcan, the Tabernacle, for this was not erected; but probably the tent of Moses, which was before in the midst of the camp, and to which the people came for judgment; and where, no doubt, God frequently met his servant. This situation, as well as the superior elegance, of a chief's tent, was one mode by which he was honoured. afar off: Psa 10:1, Psa 35:22; Pro 15:29; Isa 59:2; Hos 9:12 the Tabernacle of: Exo 29:42, Exo 29:43 sought: Deu 4:29; Sa2 21:1; Psa 27:8; Isa 55:6, Isa 55:7; Mat 7:7, Mat 7:8 went out: Heb 13:11-13 Exodus 33:8”

“Moses then took a tent, and pitched it outside the camp, at some distance off, and called it "tent of meeting." The "tent" is neither the sanctuary of the tabernacle described in Ex 25., which was not made till after the perfect restoration of the covenant (Ex 35.), nor another sanctuary that had come down from their forefathers and was used before the tabernacle was built, as Clericus, J. D. Michaelis, Rosenmller, and others suppose; but a tent belonging to Moses, which was made into a temporary sanctuary by the fact that the pillar of cloud came down upon it, and Jehovah talked with Moses there, and which was called by the same name as the tabernacle, viz., מועד אחל (see at Exo 27:21),…”