Exodus 33:6 kjv
And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb.
Exodus 33:6 nkjv
So the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by Mount Horeb.
Exodus 33:6 niv
So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.
Exodus 33:6 esv
Therefore the people of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward.
Exodus 33:6 nlt
So from the time they left Mount Sinai, the Israelites wore no more jewelry or fine clothes.
Exodus 33 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 35:2-4 | So Jacob said to his household... "Put away the foreign gods that are among you..." And they gave Jacob all the foreign gods... | Jacob's family puts away idols and ornaments. |
| Num 11:1-2 | Now when the people complained... the anger of the LORD was aroused... | Complaining brings God's wrath, leading to grief. |
| Deut 29:19-20 | If such a person hears the words of this oath... and blesses himself in his heart... | Warnings against a hard heart despite warnings. |
| Josh 24:23 | "Now therefore," he said, "put away the foreign gods which are among you..." | Call to put away idols, similar to putting off ornaments. |
| 1 Sam 7:3-4 | Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel... "If you return to the LORD... put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths..." | Repentance requires removing pagan symbols. |
| 2 Sam 12:20 | So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes... | Outward signs of grief are sometimes set aside. |
| 2 Chron 7:14 | if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray... then I will hear from heaven... | Humility and repentance invite God's favor. |
| Neh 9:1-2 | Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads. | Public acts of humility and repentance. |
| Psa 24:3-4 | Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? ...He who has clean hands and a pure heart... | Requirement of purity to be in God's presence. |
| Psa 51:17 | The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart... | God values inward contrition over outward rituals. |
| Isa 1:16 | "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings..." | Call to spiritual cleansing from sin. |
| Isa 2:20 | In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver And his idols of gold... | Prophetic call to abandon idols. |
| Isa 3:18-24 | In that day the Lord will take away the finery... And instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench... | God will remove prideful adornments in judgment. |
| Isa 32:11 | Tremble, you complacent women; Be troubled, you confident daughters... | Calls to lament and humble oneself. |
| Jer 13:18 | Say to the king and to the queen mother, "Humble yourselves; Sit down..." | Leaders called to humility. |
| Ezek 23:26-27 | They will strip you of your clothes and take your beautiful jewelry... | Removal of adornment as a sign of judgment. |
| Joel 2:12-13 | "Now, therefore," says the LORD, "Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning..." | Calls for genuine inward repentance. |
| Jonah 3:6-8 | ...he arose from his throne... put on sackcloth... and sat in ashes... | A king's extreme act of repentance. |
| Jas 4:8-10 | Draw near to God and He will draw near to you... Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord... | Spiritual humility as a prerequisite for God's closeness. |
| 1 Tim 2:9-10 | in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and sobriety... | Proper adornment for believers emphasizes character over outward show. |
| 1 Pet 3:3-4 | Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— | Inner spiritual beauty is superior to physical adornment. |
| Rev 21:2 | Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. | Positive adornment as a spiritual metaphor for the Church. |
Exodus 33 verses
Exodus 33 6 Meaning
Exodus 33:6 states that the Israelites, as a sign of mourning and humility following their sin with the golden calf, stripped themselves of their customary ornaments. This act symbolized their deep repentance and a readiness to respond to God's decree that He would not immediately accompany them due to their stiff-necked nature, acknowledging His holy presence.
Exodus 33 6 Context
Exodus 33:6 occurs directly after the catastrophic sin of the golden calf (Ex 32). The Israelites had broken the first two commandments given by God at Mount Sinai, turning away from Him almost immediately after His direct revelation. In response, God's anger was kindled, and He threatened to destroy the nation and start anew with Moses (Ex 32:7-10). Moses interceded on behalf of the people, pleading for God's mercy and reputation among the nations (Ex 32:11-13).
Following Moses' plea and God's relenting from immediate destruction, a significant challenge remained: God declared He would not go up in their midst, lest He consume them because of their stiff-neckedness (Ex 33:3). This withdrawal of God's immediate, intimate presence was devastating news. In response, the people mourned, stripping themselves of their ornaments—items that signified joy, celebration, and sometimes pagan connections or personal status. This act was an outward expression of their profound sorrow, repentance, and recognition of the seriousness of their offense and God's holiness. This humility at "Mount Horeb" (Sinai) marked a pivotal moment in their relationship with God, signaling a shift from defiance to contrite submission, preparing them for a renewed seeking of God's presence.
Exodus 33 6 Word analysis
וַיִּתְנַצְּל֤וּ (wayyitnaṣṣelû): "And they stripped themselves" or "they divested themselves."
- Derived from the root נָצַל (natzal), meaning "to deliver oneself," "to pluck off," "to withdraw," or "to divest."
- The Hithpael stem (intensive reflexive) emphasizes the voluntary, deliberate act of the people removing something from themselves. It's an active, personal choice to self-humiliate.
- Significance: This was not an act of God stripping them, but their own, spontaneous decision reflecting inner sorrow and recognition of their offense. It highlights genuine remorse.
בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (bənê yiśrā’ēl): "the sons of Israel" or "the children of Israel."
- Refers to the entire community, implying a collective act of repentance. This wasn't isolated to a few but was a widespread response to the severe spiritual crisis.
- Significance: The sin of the golden calf was collective, and so was this act of national repentance.
אֶת־עֶדְיָ֖ם (
’et-ʿeḏyām): "their ornaments," "their adornment," "their finery."- Derived from עֶדִי ('ediy), meaning "ornament," "jewel," "costly array," "splendor."
- Ornaments were commonly associated with celebration, prosperity, status, and sometimes idolatrous practices (e.g., rings or earrings used in pagan worship).
- Significance: Removing ornaments signified a shedding of pride, celebration, and perhaps even vestiges of their past idolatry or ties to Egypt. It was a visible sign of mourning, self-abasement, and sorrow over their estrangement from God. It contrasted sharply with their previous revelry.
מֵהַ֣ר חוֹרֵ֑ב (
mêhar ḥôb): "from Mount Horeb" or "at Mount Horeb."- מִן (min) means "from" or "out of," but in context, it often refers to the location where an action took place. Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai.
- Significance: This specifies the very place where God's covenant was given, where they had just sinned. Their act of stripping themselves began "from" or "at" this foundational place, signifying a departure from their sinful behavior from that point onwards. It marks the starting point of their humbled disposition following the trauma of the golden calf.
Exodus 33 6 Bonus section
The act of "stripping oneself" or "putting off ornaments" in the Bible carries a strong spiritual symbolism beyond mere fashion. It frequently denotes profound humility, lamentation, and repentance (e.g., the wearing of sackcloth and ashes). Conversely, God sometimes commands His people to "put on" specific spiritual "ornaments" such as righteousness, salvation, or good works (e.g., Isa 61:10; 1 Pet 3:3-4). This contrast highlights that while material ornaments can represent pride or idolatry, true spiritual adornment comes from a right relationship with God and inward godliness. The Israelites' shedding of their earthly adornment in Exodus 33:6 cleared the way for a deeper, more humble pursuit of God's presence, rather than trusting in external displays or worldly security.
Exodus 33 6 Commentary
Exodus 33:6 encapsulates a profound moment of national repentance. After God declared His intent to not journey with Israel directly due to their intractable idolatry, the people reacted with deep mourning. Their act of "stripping themselves of their ornaments" was a tangible, universal expression of this profound sorrow. These ornaments, once symbols of joy, wealth, and identity (perhaps even those implicated in the golden calf's creation), were now shed as an outward sign of inward humility and contrition.
This was not a mere performative gesture; it demonstrated a recognition of the gravity of their sin and the seriousness of God's threat to withdraw His life-giving presence. By putting aside all earthly adornments, the Israelites symbolized their divestment of pride and their reliance solely on God's grace. It was an essential step towards reconciliation and preparing their hearts to re-enter God's favor. The location, Mount Horeb (Sinai), reinforces that this spiritual transformation began at the very place of their greatest transgression, signaling a turning away from the path of rebellion and towards submission to God's authority. This serves as an eternal lesson that genuine repentance involves not just confession but visible, deliberate acts of humility, demonstrating a turning away from self-exaltation and reliance on the superficial to truly seek God.