Exodus 33:3

“Unto a land flowing with milk and honey, etc.] Abounding with all the necessaries and good things of life, a description of the land of Canaan frequently made, (see <020308>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 he had before done, though he would not utterly forsake them: the tabernacle was before in the midst of the camp, that is, that which was erected until the large one, ordered to be made, was finished, but now it was removed without the camp, (<023307>Exodus 33:7) for thou art a stiffnecked people; ((see Gill on “<023209>Exodus 32:9”)): lest I consume them in the way; in the way to the…”

“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 Exo 32:7).”

“See Exodus 3:8. For I will not go up in the midst of thee - The covenant on which the original promise Exodus 23:20-23 was based had been broken by the people. Yahweh now therefore declared that though His Angel should go before Moses, He would withhold His own favoring presence. The nation should be put on a level with other nations, to lose its character as the people in special covenant with Yahweh (see the note at Exodus 33:16). Thus were the people forcibly warned that His presence could prove a blessing to them only on condition of their keeping their part of the covenant Exodus 33:3. If they failed in this, His presence would be to them “a consuming fire” (Deuteronomy 4:24; compare…”

“33:3 land that flows with milk and honey: Although Canaan was not as fertile as the Nile Valley in Egypt, it was a great deal more productive agriculturally than the Sinai Desert where they were. • stubborn and rebellious: They were covenant-breakers. • I would surely destroy you: As the Covenant Lord (see study note on 23:20-33), he would enforce the terms of the covenant that called for the destruction of covenant-breakers (see 24:7-8 and study notes).”

“a land: Exo 3:8, Exo 13:5; Lev 20:24; Num 13:27, Num 14:8, Num 16:13; Jos 5:6; Jer 11:5 for I: Exo 33:15-17, Exo 32:10, Exo 32:14; Num 14:12; Deu 32:26, Deu 32:27; Sa1 2:30; Jer 18:7-10; Eze 3:18, Eze 3:19, Eze 33:13-16; Jon 3:4, Jon 3:10 stiffnecked: Exo 32:9, Exo 34:9; Deu 9:6-13; Psa 78:8; Act 7:51 lest I: Exo 23:21, Exo 32:10; Num 16:21, Num 16:45; Amo 3:13, Amo 3:14 Exodus 33:4”