19 And he said, H559 I will make all my goodness H2898 pass H5674 before thee, and I will proclaim H7121 the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 before H6440 thee; and will be gracious H2603 to whom I will be gracious, H2603 and will shew mercy H7355 on whom I will shew mercy. H7355
And the LORD H3068 descended H3381 in the cloud, H6051 and stood H3320 with him there, and proclaimed H7121 the name H8034 of the LORD. H3068 And the LORD H3068 passed by H5674 before him, H6440 and proclaimed, H7121 The LORD, H3068 The LORD H3068 God, H410 merciful H7349 and gracious, H2587 longsuffering, H750 H639 and abundant H7227 in goodness H2617 and truth, H571 Keeping H5341 mercy H2617 for thousands, H505 forgiving H5375 iniquity H5771 and transgression H6588 and sin, H2403 and that will by no means H5352 clear H5352 the guilty; visiting H6485 the iniquity H5771 of the fathers H1 upon the children, H1121 and upon the children's H1121 children, unto the third H8029 and to the fourth H7256 generation.
And Moses H4872 said H559 unto God, H430 Behold, when I come H935 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and shall say H559 unto them, The God H430 of your fathers H1 hath sent H7971 me unto you; and they shall say H559 to me, What is his name? H8034 what shall I say H559 unto them? And God H430 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 I AM H1961 THAT I AM: H1961 and he said, H559 Thus shalt thou say H559 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 I AM hath sent H7971 me unto you. And God H430 said H559 moreover H5750 unto Moses, H4872 Thus shalt thou say H559 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 The LORD H3068 God H430 of your fathers, H1 the God H430 of Abraham, H85 the God H430 of Isaac, H3327 and the God H430 of Jacob, H3290 hath sent H7971 me unto you: this is my name H8034 for ever, H5769 and this is my memorial H2143 unto all H1755 generations. H1755
For G1063 he saith G3004 to Moses, G3475 I will have mercy on G1653 whom G3739 G302 I will have mercy, G1653 and G2532 I will have compassion G3627 on whom G3739 G302 I will have compassion. G3627 So G686 then G3767 it is not G3756 of him that willeth, G2309 nor G3761 of him that runneth, G5143 but G235 of God G2316 that sheweth mercy. G1653 For G1063 the scripture G1124 saith G3004 unto Pharaoh, G5328 Even for G3754 G1519 this G5124 same purpose G846 have I raised G1825 thee G4571 up, G1825 that G3704 I might shew G1731 my G3450 power G1411 in G1722 thee, G4671 and G2532 that G3704 my G3450 name G3686 might be declared G1229 throughout G1722 all G3956 the earth. G1093 Therefore G686 G3767 hath he mercy G1653 on whom G3739 he will G2309 have mercy, and G1161 whom G3739 he will G2309 he hardeneth. G4645
To G1519 the praise G1868 of the glory G1391 of his G846 grace, G5485 wherein G1722 G3739 he hath made G5487 us G2248 accepted G5487 in G1722 the beloved. G25 In G1722 whom G3739 we have G2192 redemption G629 through G1223 his G846 blood, G129 the forgiveness G859 of sins, G3900 according G2596 to the riches G4149 of his G846 grace; G5485 Wherein G3739 he hath abounded G4052 toward G1519 us G2248 in G1722 all G3956 wisdom G4678 and G2532 prudence; G5428
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 33
Commentary on Exodus 33 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 33
Ex 33:1-23. The Lord Refuses to Go with the People.
1. the Lord said—rather "had" said unto Moses. The conference detailed in this chapter must be considered as having occurred prior to the pathetic intercession of Moses, recorded at the close of the preceding chapter; and the historian, having mentioned the fact of his earnest and painful anxiety, under the overwhelming pressure of which he poured forth that intercessory prayer for his apostate countrymen, now enters on a detailed account of the circumstances.
3. I will not go up … lest I consume thee—Here the Lord is represented as determined to do what He afterwards did not. (See on Ex 32:7).
4. when the people heard these evil tidings—from Moses on his descent from the mount.
5. put off thy ornaments—In seasons of mourning, it is customary with Eastern people to lay aside all gewgaws and divest themselves of their jewels, their gold, and every thing rich and splendid in their dress. This token of their sorrow the Lord required of His offending people.
that I may know what to do unto thee—The language is accommodated to the feeble apprehensions of men. God judges the state of the heart by the tenor of the conduct. In the case of the Israelites, He cherished a design of mercy; and the moment He discerned the first symptoms of contrition, by their stripping off their ornaments, as penitents conscious of their error and sincerely sorrowful, this fact added its weight to the fervency of Moses' prayers, and gave them prevalence with God in behalf of the people.
7. Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp—Not the tabernacle, of which a pattern had been given him, for it was not yet erected, but his own tent—conspicuous as that of the leader—in a part of which he heard cases and communed with God about the people's interests; hence called "the tabernacle of the congregation," and the withdrawal of which, in abhorrence from a polluted camp, was regarded as the first step in the total abandonment with which God had threatened them.
8. all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door—Its removal produced deep and universal consternation; and it is easy to conceive how anxiously all eyes would be directed towards it; how rapidly the happy intelligence would spread, when a phenomenon was witnessed from which an encouraging hope could be founded.
9-11. the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle—How would the downcast hearts of the people revive—how would the tide of joy swell in every bosom, when the symbolic cloud was seen slowly and majestically to descend and stand at the entrance of the tabernacle!
as Moses entered—It was when he appeared as their mediator, when he repaired from day to day to intercede for them, that welcome token of assurance was given that his advocacy prevailed, that Israel's sin was forgiven, and that God would again be gracious.
18-23. I beseech thee, show me thy glory—This is one of the most mysterious scenes described in the Bible: he had, for his comfort and encouragement, a splendid and full display of the divine majesty, not in its unveiled effulgence, but as far as the weakness of humanity would admit. The face, hand, back parts, are to be understood figuratively.