Éxodo 33:5

5 Pues el Señor
había dicho a Moisés que les dijera: «Ustedes son un pueblo terco y rebelde. Si yo los acompañara, aunque fuera un solo instante, los destruiría en el camino. Quítense las joyas y la ropa fina mientras decido qué hacer con ustedes».

Éxodo 33:5 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 33:5

For the Lord had said to Moses
At the same time he had told it to the people:

say unto the children of Israel:
Menachem, as quoted by Ainsworth, observes, that this is said in a way of mercy; for since their idolatry he had only called them the people of Moses, and the people, but now calls them by their beloved name, the children of Israel; but whether this was any hint of mercy and favour, is not very apparent by what follows:

ye [are] a stiffnecked people;
obstinate and untractable, (See Gill on Exodus 32:9):

I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume
thee;
before he threatens them that he would not go up in the midst of them, that is, in a way of grace and mercy, to guide, protect, and defend them himself; and now that he would come up in the midst of them, but in a different manner, in a way of wrath, and to take vengeance on them for their sins; and the meaning is, either that should he do so but one moment it would be all over with them, or they would be utterly consumed; or this is threatened on condition, provided they did not repent of their sins, and humble themselves:

therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee;
not their armour, as some, nor the clothes they wore at the festival for the golden calf, for this was long after that; but the clothes they usually wore, the best they had, with all their decorations and ornaments, and put on mournful habits as an outward token of their repentance and mourning for their sins, if they had any real concern: this shows that these words must have been said before; since the people on hearing the evil tidings had clothed themselves in a mournful habit, and did not put on their ornaments, ( Exodus 33:4 ) :

that I may know what to do unto thee;
which does not suppose ignorance or irresolution in God, but is said after the manner of men, that he should deal with them in proportion to their conduct and behaviour, and as that should outwardly appear.

Éxodo 33:5 In-Context

3 Suban a la tierra donde fluyen la leche y la miel. Sin embargo, yo no los acompañaré, porque son un pueblo terco y rebelde. Si lo hiciera, seguramente los destruiría en el camino».

4 Cuando los israelitas oyeron estas palabras tan duras, hicieron duelo y dejaron de usar joyas y ropa fina.

5 Pues el Señor
había dicho a Moisés que les dijera: «Ustedes son un pueblo terco y rebelde. Si yo los acompañara, aunque fuera un solo instante, los destruiría en el camino. Quítense las joyas y la ropa fina mientras decido qué hacer con ustedes».

6 Así que, desde el momento que partieron del monte Sinaí,
los israelitas dejaron de usar joyas y de ponerse ropa fina.

7 Moisés tenía la costumbre de armar la carpa de reunión
a cierta distancia del campamento y toda persona que quería hacer alguna petición al Señor
iba a la carpa de reunión que estaba fuera del campamento.