And no man did put on him his ornaments— The ornaments of dress have always been esteemed marks of cheerfulness and festivity. The laying aside these, and putting on sackcloth or other melancholy robes, has always been usual in times of trouble and sorrow, especially in the East; see Isaiah 32:11.Nehemiah 9:1. The children of Israel, deprived of their greatest blessing, the presence and protection of the God whom they had grossly offended, were commanded to appear before him in the habit of mourners, confessing their sorrow for their offence, and deprecating his just indignation. The 5th verse is explanatory of the 4th. That I may know, Houbigant renders, that I may declare, or make known. By the mount Horeb, Exodus 33:6 is in the Hebrew from mount Horeb; specifying that distance from the mount to which the people retired, as afraid and ashamed to appear before the presence of God. See Houbigant.
REFLECTIONS.—It was a discouraging message that Moses brought them, and bespoke God's high displeasure against them. For, 1. God refuses to go up with them, and leaves them to Moses and a ministering angel; against whom their provocations, though continued, might not be so aggravated as against himself in the midst of them; for the abuse of greater privileges brings along with it greater guilt. 2. He reproaches them with their stubbornness: he knew what was in them. Note; God sees our hearts, and of all our sins is most offended with the inbred alienation of our affections from him. 3. He threatens to consume them, as justly he might. It becomes us to know and feel the justice of our condemnation, that we may be more affected with the wonders of God's grace in pardoning. 4. He stands, as it were, to consider how to deal with them, and bids them humble themselves before him: if so be, he may yet have mercy upon them. God delights not in the death of a sinner: he stays his descending arm, and when he sees us in the dust, stripped of every hope, then he will magnify his grace to the uttermost.
The people were justly confounded at the message: to be forsaken of God, was matter of bitter mourning; and therefore they humble their souls, strip off their ornaments, and give strong expression of contrition. Note; (1.) To be forsaken of God, is the heaviest punishment that can fall upon us: if he but withdraw the light of his countenance from his people, they go mourning all the day long. (2.) When sin is committed, sorrow and shame should cover us; and though tears cannot wash away our guilt, yet 'tis in the way of humble abasement that we may expect to hear a message of peace.