For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.
Put off thy ornaments. In seasons of mourning it is customary with Eastern people to lay aside all gewgaws, and divest themselves of their jewels, their gold, and everything rich and splendid in their dress. This token of their sorrow the Lord required of His offending people. [The Septuagint has, afelesthe tas stolas toon doxoon humoon kai ton kosmon, kai deixoo soi ha poieesoo soi, kai perieilanto ho huioi Israeel, ton kosmon autoon kai teen peristoleen apo tou orous tou Chooreeb-`Now therefore, put off your splendid robes and your ornaments, and I shall show you the things which I shall do to you. And the children of Israel put their ornaments and their upper dress by the mount Horeb.' The Septuagint translators inserted this reference to beautiful garments,' because it was a customary practice in seasons of sorrow, when they flourished.]
Though it seems to have been unknown to the early Israelites, it was an established usage in the times of the monarchy for the people, divesting themselves of any gay or elegant clothing, in deep humiliation, to assume sackcloth (cf. 1 Samuel 19:24; Isaiah 32:11; Micah 1:8, etc.); and it is common among Oriental mourners still to appear in dark-coloured clothes, or at least to lay aside whatever seems ornamental (Morier's 'Travels,' vol. 1:,
p. 178; Pitt's 'Pilgrimage to Mecca,' pp. 115, 116).
That I may know what to do unto thee. The language is accommodated to the feeble apprehensions of men. God judges the state of the heart by the tenor of the conduct. In the case of the Israelites He cherished a design of mercy; and the moment He discerned the first symptoms of contrition, by their stripping off their ornaments, as penitents conscious of their error, and sincerely sorrowful, this fact added its weight to the fervency of Moses' prayers, and gave them prevalence with God in behalf of the people.