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, Exodus 33:1. Moses upon this pitched the tabernacle without the camp, where everyone that sought the Lord went; Moses entered... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 gr... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE LORD HAD SAID TO MOSES,.... At the same time he had told it to the people: SAY UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL: Menachem, as quoted by Ainsworth, observes, that this is said in a way of mercy; for since their idolatry he had only called them the people of Moses, and the people, but now calls th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL STRIPPED THEMSELVES OF THEIR ORNAMENTS,.... Such as before described, and this they did, BY THE MOUNT HOREB; before their departure from thence, and where they had been guilty of the idolatry: the words may be literally rendered, "from Mount Horeb" u; and Jonathan underst... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOSES TOOK THE TABERNACLE,.... Not that, the pattern of which he had been shown in the mount, for that was not as yet made, rather his own tabernacle or tent, Exodus 18:7 or one that was erected for worship before the large one was ordered, and while that was building; for it can hardly be thoug... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN MOSES WENT OUT OF THE TABERNACLE,.... For when he had pitched it he did not continue there; which shows it was not the tent or tabernacle he dwelt in, but whither he went to and fro, both to meet the Lord in it, and transact the affairs of the people, and especially the gre... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS MOSES ENTERED INTO THE TABERNACLE, THE CLOUDY PILLAR DESCENDED,.... From the top of the mount in which Jehovah was: AND STOOD AT THE DOOR OF THE TABERNACLE; where Moses was just entered, and in sight of the people, which was a token of grace and favour both to him and them:... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL THE PEOPLE SAW THE CLOUDY PILLAR STAND AT THE TABERNACLE DOOR,.... They being every man at his tent door; and this must be a pleasing sight to them, and give them some hope that God would be merciful to them, forgive their sin, and not depart from them: AND ALL THE PEOPLE ROSE UP AND WORSHI... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES FACE TO FACE,.... Not by an angel, but he himself in person; not by a dream or vision, but apparently, in real visible appearance; not in dark speeches, but clearly in plain words, easy to be understood; and not by a voice from heaven at a distance, but mouth to mouth,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOSES SAID UNTO THE LORD,.... Having returned from the camp to the tabernacle again; SEE, THOU SAYEST UNTO ME, BRING UP THIS PEOPLE: from hence to the land of Canaan, as in Exodus 33:1 AND THOU HAST NOT LET ME KNOW WHOM THOU WILT SEND WITH ME; to guide and direct him, help and assist him, prot... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE, I PRAY THEE, IF I HAVE FOUND GRACE IN THY SIGHT,.... Which he said, not as doubting whether he had or not, but as taking it for granted he had, and so argues from it, and improves his interest in it, in his pleading with God: SHEW ME NOW THY WAY: either the way which he himself would... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID,.... In answer to his request: MY PRESENCE SHALL GO [WITH THEE]; or before thee, both with Moses and before the people; meaning the Angel of his presence he had before promised, the eternal Word and Son of God, who saved them, redeemed them, bore and carried them all the days of old: or... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO HIM,.... Moses said unto the Lord: IF THY PRESENCE GO NOT [WITH ME]; or with us, as it may be as well supplied, and which agrees with what follows: CARRY US NOT UP HENCE; from the mount to the land of Canaan; though God had promised his presence, which was the thing requested, Mos... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHEREIN SHALL IT BE KNOWN HERE,.... At Sinai, among the mountains in the wilderness: THAT I AND THY PEOPLE HAVE FOUND GRACE IN THY SIGHT: were acceptable to him, highly esteemed by him, and had received peculiar favours from him; what evidence would there be of this? how would it appear to othe... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES, I WILL DO THIS THING ALSO THAT THOU HAST SPOKEN,.... Or asked for, namely, go with them himself in this amazing and distinguished manner, in the pillar of the cloud and fire; this he would do as well as show him his way and his works, and indeed all this he did by grant... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID, I BESEECH THEE, SHOW ME THY GLORY. Not any visible lustre, splendour, and brightness, as a symbol of the divine Presence, that he had seen, Exodus 16:7 nor the glorious essence of God, as Maimonides b, which is invisible and cannot be seen, and of which Moses could not be ignorant; nor... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID, I WILL MAKE ALL MY GOODNESS PASS BEFORE THEE,.... Which is his glory; the glory of the Lord lies in his goodness, and that appears in the works of his hands, in the methods of his providence, especially in the distribution of his sovereign grace and mercy, and particularly in his pardon... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID, THOU CANST NOT SEE MY FACE,.... Meaning not his form, his essence, his very nature, and the glory of it, that Moses must know he could never see; but the brightest displays of his grace and goodness in Christ, the fullest discoveries of it, which are too much for man, in the present sta... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SAID, BEHOLD, [THERE IS] A PLACE BY ME,.... Near him, not in or by the tabernacle, where it may be the pillar of cloud now was, as it had been, Exodus 33:9 but upon the rock, where it had been for many days, and near to which there was a fit place for Moses to be in, and have that view... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, WHILE MY GLORY PASSETH BY,.... The displays of his grace and goodness are made: THAT I WILL PUT THEE IN A CLIFT OF THE ROCK; in one of the clefts, made by smiting it, through which the waters gushed out for the relief of the Israelites, and their flocks: and we are told c... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL TAKE AWAY MINE HAND,.... As being covered with the hand may signify the obscurity of the former dispensation, the taking of it away may denote a more clear revelation of the grace and goodness of God in Christ, and so of the glory of it under the Gospel dispensation; and yet what is seen... [ Continue Reading ]