New Living Translation
Exodus 23:21
21Pay close attention to him, and obey his instructions. Do not rebel against him, for he is my representative, and he will not forgive your rebellion.
Exodus 23:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.
- New International Version (NIV)Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him.
Context of Exodus 23:21
19“As you harvest your crops, bring the very best of the first harvest to the house of the Lord your God. “You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk. 20“See, I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you. Pay close attention to him, and obey his instructions. Do not rebel against him, for he is my representative, and he will not forgive your rebellion. 22But if you are careful to obey him, following all my instructions, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will oppose those who oppose you. 23For my angel will go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, so you may live there. And I will destroy them completely.
Read all of Exodus 23Exodus 23:21 word by word
הִשָּׁ֧מֶר מִפָּנָ֛יו וּשְׁמַ֥ע בְּקֹל֖וֹ אַל־תַּמֵּ֣ר בּ֑וֹ כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יִשָּׂא֙ לְפִשְׁעֲכֶ֔ם כִּ֥י שְׁמִ֖י בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Bewareשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: carefulH8104
- ofפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- him, and obeyשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: obeyH8085
- his voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
- provokeמָרַרmârar · to provokeH4843
- him not; for he will not pardonנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: forgiveH5375
- your transgressionsפֶּ֫שַׁעpesha‛ · transgressionH6588
- for my nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- in himקֶ֫רֶבqereb · entrails: amongH7130
Cross-references for Exodus 23:21
- Psalms 2:12Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities— for his anger flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him!
- Matthew 17:5But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.”
- Hebrews 12:25Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!
- Numbers 14:11And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them?
- Psalms 78:40Oh, how often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved his heart in that dry wasteland.
- Ephesians 4:30And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
- Hebrews 3:10So I was angry with them, and I said, ‘Their hearts always turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’
- Exodus 32:34Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about. Look! My angel will lead the way before you. And when I come to call the people to account, I will certainly hold them responsible for their sins.”
- Numbers 14:35I, the Lord, have spoken! I will certainly do these things to every member of the community who has conspired against me. They will be destroyed here in this wilderness, and here they will die!”
- Deuteronomy 18:19I will personally deal with anyone who will not listen to the messages the prophet proclaims on my behalf.
- Joshua 24:19Then Joshua warned the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy and jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins.
- Jeremiah 5:7“How can I pardon you? For even your children have turned from me. They have sworn by gods that are not gods at all! I fed my people until they were full. But they thanked me by committing adultery and lining up at the brothels.
- Hebrews 3:11So in my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’”
- Hebrews 10:26Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins.
- 1 John 5:16If you see a fellow believer sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it.
- Exodus 3:14God replied to Moses, “I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.”
Commentaries on Exodus 23:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21He will not pardon your transgressions - He is not like a man, with whom ye may think that ye may trifle; were he either man or angel, in the common acceptation of the term, it need not be said, He will not pardon your transgressions, for neither man nor angel could do it. My name is in him - The Jehovah dwells in him; in him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and because of this he could either pardon or punish. All power is given unto me in…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-33Verses 20-33 It is here promised that they should be guided and kept in their way through the wilderness to the land of promise, Behold, I send an angel before thee, mine angel. The precept joined with this promise is, that they be obedient to this angel whom God would send before them. Christ is the Angel of Jehovah; this is plainly taught by St. Paul, 1Co 10:9. They should have a comfortable settlement in the land of Canaan. How reasonable are the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-23an angel: Probably "the angel of the LORD," often representing God himself (see 3:2).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2520-25. Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way--The communication of these laws, made to Moses and by him rehearsed to the people, was concluded by the addition of many animating promises, intermingled with several solemn warnings that lapses into sin and idolatry would not be tolerated or passed with impunity.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 23:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 23
- 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
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