Focused Passage

Exodus 33:1-6

The Crisis of the LORD’s Presence After the Golden Calf

The chapter moves from the LORD’s command for Israel to leave Sinai and go toward the promised land, to the frightening announcement that He will not go up in their midst lest He destroy them, to Israel’s mourning and removal of ornaments, to Moses’ practice of meeting with the LORD at the tent of meeting outside the camp, to Moses’ intercession for the LORD’s presence, to the LORD’s promise that His Presence will go with Moses and give rest, and finally to Moses’ request to see the LORD’s glory and the LORD’s gracious but limited self-revelation.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1Then the LORD said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of the land of Egypt, and go to the land that I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’

2And I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

3Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people; otherwise, I might destroy you on the way.”

4When the people heard this bad news, they went into mourning, and no one put on any of his jewelry.

5For the LORD had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I should go with you for a single moment, I would destroy you. Now take off your jewelry, and I will decide what to do with you.’”

6So the Israelites stripped themselves of their jewelry from Mount Horeb onward.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Then the LORDיְהוָ֤הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיְדַבֵּ֨רH1696Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413PrepositionMosesמֹשֶׁה֙H4872Noun - proper - masculine singularLeaveלֵ֣ךְH1980Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularעֲלֵ֣העֲלֵ֣הH5927Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularthis placeמִזֶּ֔הH2088Preposition-m | Pronoun - masculine singularyouאַתָּ֣הH859Pronoun - second person masculine singularand the peopleוְהָעָ֔םH5971Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativeyou brought upהֶֽעֱלִ֖יתָH5927Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singularout of the landמֵאֶ֣רֶץH776Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular constructof Egyptמִצְרָ֑יִםH4714Noun - proper - feminine singular[and go] toאֶל־H413Prepositionthe landהָאָ֗רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularthatאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativeI promisedנִ֠שְׁבַּעְתִּיH7650Verb - Nifal - Perfect - first person common singularto Abrahamלְאַבְרָהָ֨םH85Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularIsaacלְיִצְחָ֤קH3327Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularand Jacobוּֽלְיַעֲקֹב֙H3290Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularwhen I saidלֵאמֹ֔רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructI will give itאֶתְּנֶֽנָּה׃H5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singularto your descendantsלְזַרְעֲךָ֖H2233Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 2

Original words

And I will sendוְשָׁלַחְתִּ֥יH7971Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularan angelמַלְאָ֑ךְH4397Noun - masculine singularbefore youלְפָנֶ֖יךָH6440Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singularand I will drive outוְגֵֽרַשְׁתִּ֗יH1644Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe Canaanitesהַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙H3669Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularAmoritesהָֽאֱמֹרִ֔יH567Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularHittitesוְהַֽחִתִּי֙H2850Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularPerizzitesוְהַפְּרִזִּ֔יH6522Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularHivitesהַחִוִּ֖יH2340Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularand Jebusitesוְהַיְבוּסִֽי׃H2983Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 3

Original words

Go up toאֶל־H413Prepositiona landאֶ֛רֶץH776Noun - feminine singularflowingזָבַ֥תH2100Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular constructwith milkחָלָ֖בH2461Noun - masculine singularand honeyוּדְבָ֑שׁH1706Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularButכִּי֩H3588ConjunctionI will notלֹ֨אH3808Adverb - Negative particlegoאֶֽעֱלֶ֜הH5927Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularwith youבְּקִרְבְּךָ֗H7130Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularbecauseכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionyouאַ֔תָּהH859Pronoun - second person masculine singularare a stiff-neckedקְשֵׁה־H7186Adjective - masculine singular construct. . .עֹ֙רֶף֙H6203Noun - masculine singularpeopleעַם־H5971Noun - masculine singularotherwiseפֶּן־H6435ConjunctionI might destroyאֲכֶלְךָ֖H3615Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singularyou on the wayבַּדָּֽרֶךְ׃H1870Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular
Verse 4

Original words

When the peopleהָעָ֗םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerheardוַיִּשְׁמַ֣עH8085Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthisהַזֶּ֖הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularbadהָרָ֛עH7451Article | Adjective - masculine singularnewsהַדָּבָ֥רH1697Article | Noun - masculine singularthey went into mourningוַיִּתְאַבָּ֑לוּH56Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluraland noוְלֹא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particleoneאִ֥ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularput onשָׁ֛תוּH7896Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralany of his jewelryעֶדְי֖וֹH5716Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular. . .עָלָֽיו׃H5921Preposition | third person masculine singular
Verse 5

Original words

For the LORDיְהוָ֜הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularhad saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413PrepositionMosesמֹשֶׁ֗הH4872Noun - proper - masculine singularTellאֱמֹ֤רH559Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular. . .אֶל־H413Prepositionthe Israelitesבְּנֵֽי־H1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵל֙H3478Noun - proper - masculine singularYouאַתֶּ֣םH859Pronoun - second person masculine pluralare a stiff-neckedקְשֵׁה־H7186Adjective - masculine singular construct. . .עֹ֔רֶףH6203Noun - masculine singularpeopleעַם־H5971Noun - masculine singularIf I should goאֶֽעֱלֶ֥הH5927Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularwith youבְקִרְבְּךָ֖H7130Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularfor a singleאֶחָ֛דH259Number - masculine singularmomentרֶ֧גַעH7281Noun - masculine singularI would destroy youוְכִלִּיתִ֑יךָH3615Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singularNowוְעַתָּ֗הH6258Conjunctive waw | Adverbtake offהוֹרֵ֤דH3381Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singularyour jewelryעֶדְיְךָ֙H5716Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular. . .מֵֽעָלֶ֔יךָH5921Preposition-m | second person masculine singularand I will decideוְאֵדְעָ֖הH3045Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularwhatמָ֥הH4100Interrogativeto doאֶֽעֱשֶׂה־H6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularwith youלָּֽךְ׃Preposition | second person masculine singular
Verse 6

Original words

So the Israelitesבְנֵֽי־H1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֛לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerstripped themselvesוַיִּֽתְנַצְּל֧וּH5337Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralof their jewelryעֶדְיָ֖םH5716Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralfrom Mountמֵהַ֥רH2022Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructHoreb [onward]חוֹרֵֽב׃H2722Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • That is, from Mount Sinai onward, or possibly a mountain in the range containing Mount Sinai

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.