I WILL NOT GO WITH YOU
Key verse: 3
NIV
33 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath(A) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’(B) 2 I will send an angel(C) before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.(D) 3 Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey.(E) But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked(F) people and I might destroy(G) you on the way.”
4 When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn(H) and no one put on any ornaments. 5 For the Lord had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people.(I) If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy(J) you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.’” 6 So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.(K)
Cross references
- Exodus 33:1 : S Ex 13:11; S Nu 14:23; Heb 6:13
- Exodus 33:1 : S Ge 12:7
- Exodus 33:2 : S Ex 14:19
- Exodus 33:2 : S Ex 23:28
- Exodus 33:3 : S Ex 3:8
- Exodus 33:3 : Ex 32:9; Ac 7:51
- Exodus 33:3 : S Ex 32:10
- Exodus 33:4 : Nu 14:39; Ezr 9:3; Est 4:1; Ps 119:53
- Exodus 33:5 : S Ex 32:9
- Exodus 33:5 : S Ex 32:10
- Exodus 33:6 : S Ex 3:1
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
The Command to Leave Sinai
33 The Lord said to Moses, “Depart; go up from here, you (A)and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To (B)your offspring I will give it.’ 2 I will send an (C)angel before you, (D)and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 3 (E)Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; (F)but I will not go up among you, (G)lest I consume you on the way, for you are a (H)stiff-necked people.”
4 When the people heard this disastrous word, they (I)mourned, and (J)no one put on his ornaments. 5 For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the people of Israel, ‘You are a (K)stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would (L)consume you. So now (M)take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do with you.’” 6 Therefore the people of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward.
Read full chapterCross references
- Exodus 33:1 : ch. 32:7
- Exodus 33:1 : ch. 32:13; See Gen. 12:7
- Exodus 33:2 : See ch. 14:19
- Exodus 33:2 : See ch. 13:5
- Exodus 33:3 : See ch. 3:8
- Exodus 33:3 : [ver. 15-17]
- Exodus 33:3 : ch. 32:10; Num. 16:21, 45
- Exodus 33:3 : See ch. 32:9
- Exodus 33:4 : Num. 14:39
- Exodus 33:4 : [Ezek. 24:17, 23; 26:16]
- Exodus 33:5 : [See ver. 3 above]; See ch. 32:9
- Exodus 33:5 : ch. 32:12
- Exodus 33:5 : [See ver. 4 above]; [Ezek. 24:17, 23; 26:16]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Go up--but without God (1-3)
God promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob on oath to give the good land of Canaan to their descendants. God keeps his promises. He would give them the land and all of its material blessings, but he would not go with them. He would send his angel to drive out the Canaanites, but he would not give them the spiritual blessing of his own presence with them.
2. The people were distressed (4-6)
Moses and the people knew that a land flowing with milk and honey could never be a happy place if God were not there. Material abundance does not satisfy the soul. Material wealth without God is no different from hell. It was God's presence with them that made them a special and blessed people. So the people stripped off their ornaments and mourned. They repented before God, and Moses would not leave that place until God had agreed to go with them.
Prayer: Lord, give us a value system with the right priority. Give me a humble heart--not a stiff neck. Come and dwell with us.
One Word: There is no good life without God
