Charles Ellicott Commentary Exodus 33:11

"And Jehovah spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his minister Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent." — Exodus 33:11 (ASV)

Face to face. — Compare to Numbers 12:8; Deuteronomy 34:10. This is clearly spoken of as a privilege peculiar to Moses; but in what exactly the peculiarity consisted is not apparent. Some special closeness of approach is no doubt meant—some nearness such as had been enjoyed by no mortal previously. In later times, Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1–5) and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:28) were perhaps equally favoured.

His servant Joshua. — Compare to Exodus 24:13, where Joshua is called Moses’ “minister,” the word employed in the Hebrew being the same.