Exodus 33

1 And the Lord spake to Moses, and said, Go, and go up from this place (Get up, and go forth from this place), thou, and thy people, that thou hast led out of the land of Egypt, into the land, which I have sworn to Abraham, and to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, I shall give it to thy seed.

2 And I shall send thy before-goer, an angel, that I cast out Canaanite, and Amorite, and Hittite, and Perizzite, and Hivite, and Jebusite; (And I shall send an angel before thee, and I shall throw out the Canaanites, and Amorites, and Hittites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites;)

3 and that thou enter into the land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up with thee, for thou art a people of hard noll, lest peradventure I lose thee in the way. (and thou shalt enter into the land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up with thee, for thou art a hard-headed, or a stubborn, people, and I might destroy thee on the way.)

4 The people heard this worst word, and mourned, and none was clothed with his adorning, that is, (his) precious clothes, (as) by custom.

5 And the Lord said to Moses, Speak thou to the sons of Israel, (and say,) Thou art a people of hard noll; (at) once I shall go up in the midst of thee, and I shall do away thee; right now put thou away thine adorning, that is, crowns which they made in(to) receiving of the law, that I know, what I shall do to thee. (For the Lord had said to Moses, Speak thou to the Israelites, and say, Thou art a hard-headed, or a stubborn, people; and at once I shall go up into the midst of thee, and I shall do thee away; so right now, put away thy adornment, that is, the crowns which they had made to wear when they received the Law, and then I shall decide what I shall do to thee.)

6 Therefore the sons of Israel putted away their adorning, from the hill of Horeb (onwards). (And so, the Israelites put away their adornment, from that day at Mount Sinai, and forevermore.)

7 And Moses took the tabernacle, and set it far without the tents, and he called the name thereof the tabernacle of [the] bond of peace. And all the people that had any question, went out to the tabernacle of the bond of peace, without the tents. (And Moses took the Tabernacle, and set it up far away from the tents, and he called it the Tabernacle of the Covenant, that is, the Tabernacle of the Witnessing. And all the people, who had any question, went out to the Tabernacle of the Covenant, which was pitched far away from the camp.)

8 And when Moses went out to the tabernacle, all the people rose, and each man stood in the door of his tent, and they beheld after Moses, till he entered into the tent. (And when Moses went out to the Tabernacle, all the people rose up, and they all stood at the entrance to their tents, and they watched Moses, until he entered into the Tent.)

9 Soothly when he entered into the tabernacle of the bond of peace, a pillar of cloud came down, and stood at the door of the tabernacle; and the Lord spake with Moses, (And when he entered into the Tabernacle of the Covenant, that is, the Tabernacle of the Witnessing, a pillar of cloud came down, and stood at the entrance to the Tabernacle; and the Lord spoke with Moses,)

10 while all men saw that the pillar of cloud stood at the door of the tabernacle; and they stood, and worshipped, at the doors of their tabernacles. (while everyone saw that the pillar of cloud stood at the entrance to the Tabernacle; and they stood, and worshipped, at the entrance to their tents.)

11 Forsooth the Lord spake to Moses face to face, that is openly, as a man is wont to speak with his friend; and when Moses turned again into his tabernacle, Joshua, his servant, the son of Nun, a young man, went not out of the tabernacle (but when Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, a young man, the son of Nun, remained in the Tabernacle).

12 Forsooth Moses said to the Lord, Thou commandest, that I lead out this people, and thou hast not showed to me, whom thou shalt send with me, namely since thou saidest, I knew thee by name, and thou hast found grace before me. (And Moses said to the Lord, Thou commandest, that I lead out this people, but thou hast not shown me, whom thou shalt send with me; yet thou hast said to me, I know thee by name, and thou hast found grace before me.)

13 Therefore if I have found grace in thy sight, show thy face to me, that I know thee, and find grace before thine eyes; behold thy people, and this folk. (And so, if I have found grace before thee, show thy face to me, so that I can know thee, and continue to find grace before thee; and remember, Lord, that this nation is thy people.)

14 And God said, My face shall go before thee, and I shall give rest to thee.

15 And Moses said, If thou thyself shalt not go before us, lead thou not us out of this place; (And Moses said, If thou shalt not go before us, then do not thou lead us out of this place;)

16 for in what thing may we know, I and thy people, that we have found grace in thy sight, if thou shalt not go with us (unless thou shalt go with us), (and) that we be glorified (out) of all (the) peoples that dwell on [the] earth?

17 Forsooth the Lord said to Moses, I shall do also this word, that thou hast spoken; for thou hast found grace before me, and I know thyself by name. (And the Lord said to Moses, I shall do what thou hast asked; for thou hast found grace before me, and I know thee by name.)

18 And Moses said, Lord, show thou thy glory to me.

19 God answered, I shall show all (my) good(ness) to thee, and I shall call in the name of the Lord before thee, and I shall do mercy to whom I will, and I shall be merciful, either goodly, on whom it pleaseth me. (God answered, I shall show all my goodness to thee, and I shall declare the name of the Lord before thee, and I shall do mercy to whom I will, and I shall be merciful, or forgiving, to whom it pleaseth me.)

20 And again God said, Thou mayest not see my face, for a man shall not see me, and live. (And then God said, But thou cannot see my face, for no one can see me, and live.)

21 And again God said, A place is with me, and thou shalt stand upon a stone; (And God said, Here is a place beside me, and thou shalt stand on a rock;)

22 and when my glory shall pass (by), I shall set thee in the hole of the stone, and I shall cover thee with my right hand, till that I pass (by);

23 and (then) I shall take away mine hand, and thou shalt see mine hinder parts, forsooth thou mayest not see my face.

Exodus 33 Commentary

Chapter 33

The Lord refuses to go with Israel. (1-6) The tabernacle of Moses removed without the camp. (7-11) Moses desires to see the glory of God. (12-23)

Verses 1-6 Those whom God pardons, must be made to know what their sin deserved. "Let them go forward as they are;" this was very expressive of God's displeasure. Though he promises to make good his covenant with Abraham, in giving them Canaan, yet he denies them the tokens of his presence they had been blessed with. The people mourned for their sin. Of all the bitter fruits and consequences of sin, true penitents most lament, and dread most, God's departure from them. Canaan itself would be no pleasant land without the Lord's presence. Those who parted with ornaments to maintain sin, could do no less than lay aside ornaments, in token of sorrow and shame for it.

Verses 7-11 Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp. This seems to have been a temporary building, set up for worship, and at which he judged disputes among the people. The people looked after him; they were very desirous to be at peace with God, and concerned to know what would come to pass. The cloudy pillar which had withdrawn from the camp when it was polluted with idolatry, now returned. If our hearts go forth toward God to meet him, he will graciously come to meet us.

Verses 12-23 Moses is very earnest with God. Thus, by the intercession of Christ, we are not only saved from ruin, but become entitled to everlasting happiness. Observe here how he pleads. We find grace in God's sight, if we find grace in our hearts to guide and quicken us in the way of our duty. Moses speaks as one who dreaded the thought of going forward without the Lord's presence. God's gracious promises, and mercy towards us, should not only encourage our faith, but also excite our fervency in prayer. Observe how he speeds. See, in a type, Christ's intercession, which he ever lives to make for all that come to God by him; and that it is not by any thing in those for whom he intercedes. Moses then entreats a sight of God's glory, and is heard in that also. A full discovery of the glory of God, would overwhelm even Moses himself. Man is mean, and unworthy of it; weak, and could not bear it; guilty, and could not but dread it. The merciful display which is made in Christ Jesus, alone can be borne by us. The Lord granted that which would abundantly satisfy. God's goodness is his glory; and he will have us to know him by the glory of his mercy, more than by the glory of his majesty. Upon the rock there was a fit place for Moses to view the goodness and glory of God. The rock in Horeb was typical of Christ the Rock; the Rock of refuge, salvation, and strength. Happy are they who stand upon this Rock. The cleft may be an emblem of Christ, as smitten, crucified, wounded, and slain. What follows, denotes the imperfect knowledge of God in the present state, even as revealed in Christ; for this, when compared with the heavenly sight of him. is but like seeing a man that is gone by, whose back only is to be seen. God in Christ, as he is, even the fullest and brightest displays of his glory, grace, and goodness, are reserved to another state.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 33

This chapter informs us, that the Lord refusing to go with the people, only sending an angel with them, they are filled with concern, and troubled, Ex 33:1-6. Moses upon this pitched the tabernacle without the camp, where everyone that sought the Lord went; Moses entered into it himself, and the Lord talked to him in a friendly manner in the cloudy pillar that stood at the door of it, and the people worshipped, every man at his own tent door; all which foreboded good, and tended to reconciliation, Ex 33:7-11. Moses improved the opportunity, and entreats the presence of God to go with them, which was granted, Ex 33:12-17 and that he might have a sight of the glory of God; and this is promised to pass before him, he being put into the cleft of the rock, Ex 33:18-23.