Those are not my words, I am quoting the Bible: Ex 33:11 "The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend". You can do whatever you want with the Bible, it does not matter to me.
You omitted verse 10. Doing this it appears God contradicts himself in verses 11 to 23. However, He does not do this. It was not face to face. It was mouth to mouth. In other words, God spoke directly to Moshe/Moses, from within the cloud God provided. Otherwise, in the latter verses of chapter 33 , if one believes God spoke to Moshe/Moses face to face as we do with our friends, then God would be said to contradict Himself when He said one cannot live and look upon
the face of God.
Orthodox Jewish Version: The Book of Exodus chapter 33:10 And kol HaAm saw the Ammud of the Anan stand at the petach Ohel; and kol HaAm rose up and worshiped, every man in his petach ohel.
And Hashem spoke unto Moshe face to face, as an ish speaketh unto his re’a. And he returned into the machaneh; but his mesharet Yehoshua ben Nun, a na’ar, departed not out of the Ohel.
12 And Moshe said unto Hashem, See, Thou sayest unto me, Bring this people onward; and Thou hast not let me know whom Thou wilt send with me. Yet Thou hast said, I know thee by shem, and thou hast also found chen (grace, unmerited favor) in My sight.
13 Therefore, now, if I have found chen in Thy sight, show me now Thy Derech, that I may have da’as of Thee, that I may find chen in Thy sight; and consider that this nation is Thy people.
14 And He said, My Presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
15 And he said unto Him, If Thy Presence go not with me, bring us not up from here [
Sinai].
16 For how then shall it be known that I and Thy people have found chen in Thy sight? Is it not in that Thou goest with us? So shall we be made distinct as separate, I and Thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of ha’adamah.
17 And Hashem said unto Moshe, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken; for thou hast found chen in My sight, and I know thee by shem.
18 And he said, show me now Thy kavod.
19 And He said, I will make kol tuvi (all My goodness) pass in front of thee, and I will call out with the Shem of Hashem before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show rachamim on whom I will show rachamim.
20 And He said,
Thou canst not see My face; for there shall no adam see Me, and live.
21 And Hashem said, Hinei, there is a place near Me, and thou shalt stand upon the tzur;
22 And it shall come to pass, while My kavod passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the tzur, and will cover thee with My yad until I pass by;
23 And I will take away Mine yad,
and thou shalt see My back; but My face shall not be seen.
NRSV: Exodus 33:10: When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise and bow down, all of them, at the entrance of their tent.
Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then he would return to the camp; but his young assistant, Joshua son of Nun, would not leave the tent.
Moses’ Intercession
12 Moses said to the Lord, “See, you have said to me, ‘Bring up this people’; but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ 13 Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” 14 He said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 And he said to him, “If your presence will not go, do not carry us up from here. 16 For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people, unless you go with us? In this way, we shall be distinct, I and your people, from every people on the face of the earth.”
17 The Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing that you have asked; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” 18 Moses said, “Show me your glory, I pray.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you the name, ‘The Lord’;[
a] and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.” 21 And the Lord continued, “See, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock; 22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; 23 then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”