Keluaran 33:3-4

33:3 Go up ¹  to a land flowing with milk and honey. But ²  I will not go up among you, for you are a stiff-necked people, and I might destroy you ³  on the way.”

33:4 When the people heard this troubling word ⁴  they mourned; ⁵  no one put on his ornaments.

Keluaran 33:14

33:14 And the Lord ⁶  said, “My presence ⁷  will go with you, ⁸  and I will give you rest.” ⁹ 

[33:3]  ¹ tn This verse seems to be a continuation of the command to “go up” since it begins with “to a land….” The intervening clauses are therefore parenthetical or relative. But the translation is made simpler by supplying the verb.

[33:3]  ² tn This is a strong adversative here, “but.”

[33:3]  ³ tn The clause is “lest I consume you.” It would go with the decision not to accompany them: “I will not go up with you…lest I consume (destroy) you in the way.” The verse is saying that because of the people’s bent to rebellion, Yahweh would not remain in their midst as he had formerly said he would do. Their lives would be at risk if he did.

[33:4]  ⁴ tn Or “bad news” (NAB, NCV).

[33:4]  ⁵ sn The people would rather have risked divine discipline than to go without Yahweh in their midst. So they mourned, and they took off the ornaments. Such had been used in making the golden calf, and so because of their association with all of that they were to be removed as a sign of remorse.

[33:14]  ⁶ tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:14]  ⁷ sn Heb “my face.” This represents the presence of Yahweh going with the people (see 2 Sam 17:11 for an illustration). The “presence” probably refers to the angel of the presence or some similar manifestation of God’s leading and caring for his people.

[33:14]  ⁸ tn The phrase “with you” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied.

[33:14]  ⁹ sn The expression certainly refers to the peace of mind and security of knowing that God was with them. But the expression came to mean “settle them in the land of promise” and give them rest and peace from their enemies. U. Cassuto (Exodus, 434) observes how in 32:10 God had told Moses, “Leave me alone” (“give me rest”), but now he promises to give them rest. The parallelism underscores the great transition through intercession.