Exodus 33:1

1 God said to Moses: "Now go. Get on your way from here, you and the people you brought up from the land of Egypt. Head for the land which I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying 'I will give it to your descendants.'

Exodus 33:1 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 33:1

And the Lord said unto Moses, depart, and go up hence
Not from the place where Moses was, which was the top of the mount, but where the camp of Israel was, at the bottom of the mount; where they had lain encamped some time, but were now ordered to proceed on their journey:

thou, and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of
Egypt;
though his wrath was in some measure mitigated, and he had so far forgave their sin, that he would not cut them off from being a people; yet still he does not call them his people, or own that he brought them out of Egypt, as he does in the preface to the commands they had now broke, as if they were not under his care and conduct; but speaks of them in a different manner, as a people that Moses had brought out from thence, and whom he orders to go on with:

unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob,
saying, unto thy seed will I give it:
meaning the land of Canaan, which as he had promised with an oath to their fathers to give it to them, he would faithfully observe it, though they were unworthy of such a favour.

Exodus 33:1 In-Context

1 God said to Moses: "Now go. Get on your way from here, you and the people you brought up from the land of Egypt. Head for the land which I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying 'I will give it to your descendants.'
2 I will send an angel ahead of you and I'll drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
3 It's a land flowing with milk and honey. But I won't be with you in person - you're such a stubborn, hard-headed people! - lest I destroy you on the journey."
4 When the people heard this harsh verdict, they were plunged into gloom and wore long faces. No one put on jewelry.
5 God said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites, 'You're one hard-headed people. I couldn't stand being with you for even a moment - I'd destroy you. So take off all your jewelry until I figure out what to do with you.'"
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.