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The Pulpit Commentary
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:1-12
A nation in garb of penitence. On this section consider— I. THE CONDITIONED PROMISE (Exodus 33:1-4). God has consented to spare the nation. They are to set out forthwith on the journey to Canaan. But his presence is no…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:1-11
Mercy vailed in judgment. I. GOD'S SEPARATION FROM THE PEOPLE AND ITS EFFECTS. 1. The separation. 2. Its effects. (3) They were troubled by fear of judgment, for the Lord had said, "I will come up into the midst of thee…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:1-32
The restoration to Divine favour completed. This is a chapter which, beginning very gloomily, ends very gloriously. In the beginning Jehovah seems as if bidding farewell to the people for whom he had done so much; but a…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:2
I will send an angel before thee. Note the change from "my angel" (Exodus 32:34) to "an angel;" which, however, would still have been ambiguous, but for what follows in Exodus 33:3. The angel of God's presence is "an an…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:3
Unto a land. Exodus 33:2 is parenthetic, and Exodus 33:3 coheres with Exodus 33:1—"Go up hence, thou and the people, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham—unto a land flowing," etc. On the milk and honey of Canaan, s…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:4
When the people heard. Moses had communicated to the people what God had said to him. They felt it to be evil tidings—they woke up at last to a feeling of the ineffable value of the privileges which they bad hitherto en…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:5
― For the Lord had said unto Moses, etc. Rather, "And the Lord said unto M." (so most recent commentators, as Keil, Kalisch, etc.) The message was sent to the people after their repentance, and in reply to it. It was no…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:6
The people accepted the test and stripped themselves of their ornaments—i.e; ceased to wear them henceforward. By the Mount Horeb. Rather, "from Mount Horeb." From and after this occurrence at Horeb (= Sinai), the Israe…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:7
Moses took the tabernacle. The "tabernacle" proper was not yet constructed. (See chs. 35-40.) And the word used is not that properly rendered "tabernacle"—viz; mishkan (Exodus 26:1); but the far more common word 'ohel,…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:7-11
EXPOSITION THE FIRST ERECTION OF A TABERNACLE. The decision of the matter still hung in suspense. God had not revoked his threat to withdraw himself and leave the host to the conduct of an angel. He had merely reserved…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:8
When Moses went out …. all the people rose up. Probably Moses "went out" at a set time, or at set times, each day; and the people watched for his going, and "rose up," as a mark of respect and reverence. They felt that…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:9-11
The mode of recovering God's presence. Moses felt that he could not rest till he bad obtained for the people the complete return of God's favour, and the assurance of his perpetual presence. But this was no easy task. T…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:9
As Moses entered into the tabernacle. Rather, "When Moses was gone into the tent." The cloudy pillar descended. It is not quite clear whether this was done once only, or whether the pillar, during the continuance of thi…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:10
And all the people saw … and all the people rose up. This is a literal translation; but it would make the sense clearer to the ordinary reader if the passage were rendered—"And when all the people saw the cloudy pillar…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:11
The Lord spake unto Moses face to face. As one present—not as one at a distance—"month to mouth," as we read in Numbers 12:8—but not under any visible form (see verses 20, 23, and compare Deuteronomy 4:12, Deuteronomy 4…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:12-23
Intercession and its reward. I. THE INTERCESSOR'S POWER. 1. God, who had disowned Israel, and refused to go with them, consents to go with him:—"My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." The first step…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:12-17
EXPOSITION THE REVOCATION OF THE THREAT OF WITHDRAWAL. After some days' "wrestling with God" in the "tent of meeting," Moses prayed to know definitely what God had determined on. "Show me thy way," he said (Exodus 33:13…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:12-17
Effectual importunity. Our Lord Jesus Christ spake a parable to show "that men ought always to pray and not to faint" (Luke 18:1). The present record is, we may be sure, inserted in the Old Testament for the same purpos…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:12-18
The third intercession. Moses on this occasion pleads with God to restore his presence to the people. Very noteworthy are the steps in his entreaty. 1. He veils his request under the form of a desire to know the divine…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:14
My presence shall go with thee. Literally," My presence shall go up"—my own presence, not that of an angel. That for which Moses had been so earnestly pleading is, seemingly, granted. God will go up. I will give thee re…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:16
So shall we be separated. Rather, "So shall we be distinguished." God's presence with them would distinguish them from all the other nations of the earth—place them in a category alone and apart from all others. Angelic…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:17
I will do this thing also. "I will extend my favour to thy people also, and distinguish them, as well as thee, by going up with them. I will do this for thy sake, because thou hast found grace in my sight." Moses' petit…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:18-23
EXPOSITION THE REQUEST TO SEE GOD'S GLORY, AND THE REPLY TO IT. Having obtained the full restoration of the people to God's favour, Moses felt emboldened to ask a boon for himself. He had already been admitted to closer…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:18
Show me thy glory. The glory of God had been seen by Moses to a certain extent, when God "descended in fire" upon Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:18). It had been seen with more distinctness when he was called up and "went into…