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Exodus 33:4

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Exodus 33:4 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.
Exodus 33:4 — American Standard Version

Context — Exodus 33

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1And Jehovah spake unto Moses, Depart, go up hence, thou and the people that thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land of which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it:
2and I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:
3unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee, for thou art a stiffnecked people, lest I consume thee in the way.
4And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.
5And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people; if I go up into the midst of thee for one moment, I shall consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.
6And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments from mount Horeb onward.
7Now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it without the camp, afar off from the camp; and he called it, The tent of meeting. And it came to pass, that every one that sought Jehovah went out unto the tent of meeting, which was without the camp.
← Exodus 33:3Exodus 33:5 →
← Full Chapter 33 Exodus Overview

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And when the people heard these evil tidings, etc.] That God would withdraw his gracious presence, and go not up with them himself, only send an angel with them; and especially this may respect what is threatened, (<023305>Exodus 33:5) and had been said at this time: they mourned; were inwardly and heartily grieved for their sin, whereby they had provoked the Lord to depart from them, and gave some outward and open tokens of it: and no man did put on his ornaments; they used to wear at other times, their rings and jewels, which the princes and the chief among the people especially were wont to wear; and in common the people did not put on their best clothes, or what they usually wore, but…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“when the people heard these evil tidings--from Moses on his descent from the mount.”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“33:4-6 The jewelry and fine clothes might have been worn while worshiping the gold calf. Here their removal signifies mourning (33:4) and repentance.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“they mourned: Num 14:1, Num 14:39; Hos 7:14; Zac 7:3, Zac 7:5 and no: Lev 10:6; Sa2 19:24; Kg1 21:27; Kg2 19:1; Ezr 9:3; Est 4:1-4; Job 1:20, Job 2:12; Isa 32:11; Eze 24:17, Eze 24:23, Eze 26:16; Jon 3:6 Exodus 33:5”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“The people were so overwhelmed with sorrow by this evil word, that they all put off their ornaments, and showed by this outward sign the trouble of their heart, Exodus 33:5”
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Related study paths

Read Exodus 33 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification