Exodus 33:4

4 When the people heard this bad news, they went into mourning; and no one wore his ornaments.

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 I will send an angel ahead of you; and I will drive out the Kena'ani, Emori, Hitti, P'rizi, Hivi and Y'vusi.

3 You will go to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I myself will not go with you, because you are such a stiffnecked people that I might destroy you on the way."

4 When the people heard this bad news, they went into mourning; and no one wore his ornaments.

5 ADONAI said to Moshe, "Tell the people of Isra'el, 'You are a stiffnecked people! If I were to go up with you for even one moment, I would exterminate you! Now, keep your ornaments off; then I will decide what to do to you.'"

6 So from Mount Horev onward, the people of Isra'el stripped themselves of their ornaments.