Exodus 32:34

Listen to Exodus 32:34
34 1But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; 2behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them. ”

Exodus 32:34 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 32:34

Therefore now go, lead the people [unto the] place of
which I have spoken unto thee
That is, to the land of Canaan, which he had promised to their fathers and to them, and had directed Moses to bring them to:

behold, mine angel shall go before thee:
and not I, as Jarchi interprets it; not the Angel of the covenant, and of his presence, as in ( Exodus 23:20 ) but a created angel, which, though a favour, was a lessening of the mercy before promised and granted; and which gave the people a great deal of concern, though Moses by his supplications got the former blessing restored, ( Exodus 33:2 Exodus 33:4 Exodus 33:14 Exodus 33:17 ) :

nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon
them;
that is, when he should visit them in a way of correction for other sins, he would visit them in like manner for this sin, the worship of the golden calf; and so Jarchi well explains it,

``when I visit upon them their iniquities, I will visit upon them a little of this iniquity, with the rest of iniquities; and there is no punishment (adds he) comes upon Israel, in which there is not something of the punishment of the sin of the calf;''

and the Jews have a saying F20, that

``there is not a generation in which there is not an ounce of the sin of the calf.''


FOOTNOTES:

F20 T. Hieros. Taanith, fol. 68. 3.
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Exodus 32:34 In-Context

32 But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written. ”
33 But the Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book.
34 But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them. ”
35 Then the Lord sent a plague on the people, because they made the calf, the one that Aaron made.

Cross References 2

  • 1. 32:34 ch. 33:12
  • 2. 32:34 See ch. 14:19
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025