Exodus 33:1-4 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 33:1-6

Here is, I. The message which God sent by Moses to the children of Israel, signifying the continuance of the displeasure against them, and the bad terms they yet stood upon with God. This he must let them know for their further mortification. 1. He applies to them a mortifying name, by giving them their just character?a stiff-necked people, Exod. 33:3, 5. ?Go,? says God to Moses, ?go and tell them that they are so.? He that knows them better than they know themselves says so of them. God would... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:1

And the Lord said unto Moses, depart, and go up hence ,.... Not from the place where Moses was, which was the top of the mount, but where the camp of Israel was, at the bottom of the mount; where they had lain encamped some time, but were now ordered to proceed on their journey: thou, and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt ; though his wrath was in some measure mitigated, and he had so far forgave their sin, that he would not cut them off from being a people;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:2

And I will send an angel before thee ,.... Not the angel before promised, Exodus 23:20 the Angel of his presence, the eternal Word and Son of God, but a created angel; and so Aben Ezra observes, he does not say the Angel that was known, that his name was in him; though even this was to be looked upon as a favour, and showed that he had not utterly cast them off: and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite ; who were now... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:3

Unto a land flowing with milk and honey ,.... Abounding with all the necessaries and good things of life, a description of the land of Canaan frequently made, see Exodus 3:8 , for I will not go up in the midst of thee ; would not grant them his presence in so near, visible, and respectable a manner as he had before done, though he would not utterly forsake them: the tabernacle was before in the midst of the camp, that is, that which was erected until the large one, ordered to be made,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:4

And when the people heard these evil tidings ,.... That God would withdraw his gracious presence, and go not up with them himself, only send an angel with them; and especially this may respect what is threatened, Exodus 33:5 and had been said at this time: they mourned ; were inwardly and heartily grieved for their sin, whereby they had provoked the Lord to depart from them, and gave some outward and open tokens of it: and no man did put on his ornaments ; they used to wear at... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:1

Unto the land - That is, towards it, or to the borders of it. See Exodus 32:34 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:2

I will send an angel - In Exodus 23:20 , God promises to send an angel to conduct them into the good land, in whom the name of God should be; that is, in whom God should dwell. See Clarke's note on Exodus 23:20 ; (note). Here he promises that an angel shall be their conductor; but as there is nothing particularly specified of him, it has been thought that an ordinary angel is intended, and not that Angel of the Covenant promised before. And this sentiment seems to be confirmed by the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:3

I will not go up in the midst of thee - Consequently, the angel here promised to be their guide was not that angel in whom Jehovah's name was: and so the people understood it; hence the mourning which is afterwards mentioned. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:1

Verse 1 1.Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people I have used the pluperfect tense; (360) for the reason is here given, whereby Moses was stirred up to such vehemence in prayer, viz., because, although God had not altogether abandoned the care of the people, still He had renounced His covenant, and had proclaimed to them that, after He had once performed His engagement of giving them possession of the land, He would have no more to do with them. Wherefore, what is here related, preceded,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:4

Verse 4 4.And when the people heard these evil tidings Hence it more clearly appears that, as I have said, it was like a thunderbolt to them when God withdrew Himself from the people; for this divorce is more fatal than innumerable deaths. It might indeed at first sight seem delightful to be the masters of a rich and fertile land; but dull as the people generally were, God smote them suddenly, so that all its delights became insipid, and its fruitfulness like famine itself, when they perceived... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 33:1-6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 33:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:3

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:1

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 33:4

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