MPV Commentary
Read the modernized Jamieson-Fausset-Brown commentary, aligned with each Bible book and chapter, in clear, updated English.
Currently viewing commentary for Exodus 33
Read the modernized Jamieson-Fausset-Brown commentary, aligned with each Bible book and chapter, in clear, updated English.
Currently viewing commentary for Exodus 33
The Lord Refuses to Go with the People.
1 The Lord had previously said to Moses that He would not go up into the midst of the people because they were a stiff-necked people and would likely turn against Him again (Ex 32:7). This conversation occurred before Moses' intercession on behalf of the people, which is recorded in the previous chapter. Now, the historian provides a detailed account of these events.
3 The Lord was determined to do what He had previously said, but He did not ultimately carry out His intention. Instead, He relented and chose to remain with the people.
4 When the people heard this news from Moses on his descent from the mountain, they were filled with sorrow and regret for their actions.
5 The Lord instructed the people to remove their ornaments, a sign of mourning in Eastern cultures, so that He could see their true intentions. This act of stripping off their finery was a token of their repentance and a demonstration of their willingness to change.
6 By doing this, the people showed God that they were genuinely sorry for their actions and were willing to make amends. This display of contrition gave Moses' prayers more weight with God, ultimately leading to mercy for the people.
7 Moses took his own tent, which served as a symbol of leadership and a place where he would hear cases and communicate with God on behalf of the people, and pitched it outside the camp. This action was a visible sign of God's withdrawal from the people due to their sin.
8 The people were deeply disturbed by this event, and they gathered at their tent doors, anxiously waiting for some sign that God had not abandoned them.
9-11 As Moses entered his tent, the cloudy pillar descended and stood at its entrance. This was a welcome sign of hope for the people, indicating that Moses' intercession on their behalf had been successful and that God would once again be gracious to them.
18-23 Moses then asked the Lord to show him His glory, which He did in a spectacular display of divine majesty. However, this revelation was not a direct, unfiltered experience for Moses, but rather a manifestation of God's presence that was tailored to human limitations.