Exodus 33:4

4 And the people having heard this grievous saying, mourned in mourning apparel.

Exodus 33:4 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 33:4

And when the people heard these evil tidings
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, ( 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 clothed themselves in mournful habits, in sackcloth and ashes, or in some such like manner.

Exodus 33:4 In-Context

2 And I will send at the same time my angel before thy face, and he shall cast out the Amorite and the Chettite, and the Pherezite and Gergesite, and Evite, and Jebusite, and Chananite.

3 And I will bring thee into a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up with thee, because thou art a stiff-necked people, lest I consume thee by the way.

4 And the people having heard this grievous saying, mourned in mourning apparel.

5 For the Lord said to the children of Israel, Ye are a stiff-necked people; take heed lest I bring on you another plague, and destroy you: now then put off your glorious apparel, and ornaments, and I will shew thee what I will do to thee.

6 So the sons of Israel took off their ornaments and their array at the mount of Choreb.

Footnotes

• [a]. evil.