5 And the Lord said to Moses, Say to the children of Israel, You are a stiff-necked people: if I come among you, even for a minute, I will send destruction on you; so take off all your ornaments, so that I may see what to do with you.
I will go down now, and see if their acts are as bad as they seem from the outcry which has come to me; and if they are not, I will see.
And he said, Let not your hand be stretched out against the boy to do anything to him; for now I am certain that the fear of God is in your heart, because you have not kept back your son, your only son, from me.
Go up to that land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, for you are a stiff-necked people, for fear that I send destruction on you while you are on the way. Hearing this bad news the people were full of grief, and no one put on his ornaments.
Come out from among this people, so that I may send sudden destruction on them.
Come out from among this people, so that I may send sudden destruction on them. And they went down on their faces. And Moses said to Aaron, Take your vessel and put in it fire from the altar, and sweet spices, and take it quickly into the meeting of the people, and make them free from sin: for wrath has gone out from the Lord, and the disease is starting.
Suddenly they come to an end, even in the middle of the night: the blow comes on the men of wealth, and they are gone, and the strong are taken away without the hand of man.
How suddenly are they wasted! fears are the cause of their destruction.
And in that day the Lord, the Lord of armies, was looking for weeping, and cries of sorrow, cutting off of the hair, and putting on the clothing of grief:
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Exodus 33
Commentary on Exodus 33 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 33
In this chapter we have a further account of the mediation of Moses between God and Israel, for the making up of the breach that sin had made between them.
Exd 33:1-6
Here is,
Exd 33:7-11
Here is,
Exd 33:12-23
Moses, having returned to the door of the tabernacle, becomes a humble and importunate supplicant there for two very great favours, and as a prince he has power with God, and prevails for both: herein he was a type of Christ the great intercessor, whom the Father heareth always.