Exodus 33:4

Exodus 33:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.
• New International Version (NIV)When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn and no one put on any ornaments.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When the people heard this disastrous word, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And when the people heard this bad news, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments.

Context of Exodus 33:4

2I will send an Angel before you and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 3Go up to a land [of abundance] flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, because you are a stiff-necked (stubborn, rebellious) people, and I might destroy you on the way.” When the people heard this sad word, they mourned, and none of them put on his ornaments. 5For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked (stubborn, rebellious) people! If I should come among you for one moment, I would destroy you. Now therefore, [penitently] take off your ornaments, so that I may know what to do with you.’ ” 6So the Israelites left off all their ornaments [in repentance], from Mount Horeb (Sinai) onward.

Exodus 33:4 word by word

וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע הָעָ֗ם אֶת־הַדָּבָ֥ר הָרָ֛ע הַזֶּ֖ה וַיִּתְאַבָּ֑לוּ וְלֹא־שָׁ֛תוּ אִ֥ישׁ עֶדְי֖וֹ עָלָֽיו׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• these evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: harmfulH7451
• tidingsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• they mournedאָבַל'âbal · to mournH56
• and no manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• did putשִׁיתshîyth · to set: putH7896
• on him his ornamentsעֲדִי‛ădîy · ornamentH5716

Cross-references for Exodus 33:4

• Numbers 14:1Then all the congregation [of Israel] raised their voices and cried out, and the people wept that night.
• Hosea 7:14They do not cry out to Me from their heart When they wail on their beds [in unbelieving despair]; For the sake of grain and new wine they assemble themselves [as if worshiping Baal]; They rebel against Me.
• Zechariah 7:3speaking to the priests who belong to the house of the Lord of hosts and to the prophets, saying, “[Now that I am returned from exile] shall I weep in the fifth month [mourning the destruction of the temple], and fast as I have done these many years [in Babylon]?”
• Leviticus 10:6Then Moses said to Aaron and to his [younger] sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not uncover your heads nor let your hair hang loose nor tear your clothes [as expressions of mourning], so that you will not die [also] and so that He will not express His wrath and anger toward all the congregation. But your relatives, the whole house of Israel, may mourn the burning which the Lord has brought about.
• 2 Samuel 19:24Then Mephibosheth the [grand]son of Saul came down to meet the king, but he had not cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned in peace and safety.
• 1 Kings 21:27Now when Ahab heard these words [of Elijah], he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted, and he lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly (mourning).
• 2 Kings 19:1When king Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and he covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house (temple) of the Lord.
• Ezra 9:3When I heard this, I tore my clothing and my robe [in grief], I pulled out some of the hair from my head and my beard, and sat down appalled [at the shame of it].
• Esther 4:1Now when Mordecai learned of everything that had been done, he tore his clothes [in mourning], and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the center of the city and cried out loudly and bitterly.
• Job 1:20Then Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head [in mourning for the children], and he fell to the ground and worshiped [God].
• Job 2:12When they looked from a distance and did not recognize him [because of his disfigurement], they raised their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe [in grief] and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky [in sorrow].
• Isaiah 32:11Tremble, you women who are carefree; Tremble with fear, you complacent ones! Strip, undress and wear sackcloth on your waist [in grief],
• Ezekiel 24:17Sigh and groan in silence; do not mourn for the dead. Bind on your turban and put your sandals on your feet, and do not cover your mustache or eat the bread of [mourners furnished by other] men.”
• Ezekiel 26:16Then all the princes of the sea will go down from their thrones and remove their robes and take off their embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground, tremble again and again, and be appalled at you.
• Jonah 3:6When word reached the king of Nineveh [of Jonah’s message from God], he rose from his throne, took off his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in the dust [in repentance].

Commentaries on Exodus 33:4

• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-6People might have worn jewelry and fine clothes while worshiping the gold calf. Removing them here shows mourning and repentance (33:4).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. when the people heard these evil tidings--from Moses on his descent from the mount.Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 33:4

• Conviction
• Israel
• Jewels
• Mourning
• Repentance

In the dictionaries

• Mourn
• Proclaim
• Angel
• Ark of the Covenant
• Covenant, Book of the
• Exodus, the Book of
• Mediation; Mediator
• Ornament
• Pentateuch
• Salvation

Commentaries on Exodus 33

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings