The Meaning of Exodus 33:3 Explained

Exodus 33:3

KJV: Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.

YLT: unto a land flowing with milk and honey, for I do not go up in thy midst, for thou art a stiff-necked people -- lest I consume thee in the way.'

Darby: into a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in the midst of thee, for thou art a stiff-necked people, lest I consume thee on the way.

ASV: unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee, for thou art a stiffnecked people, lest I consume thee in the way.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Unto a land  flowing  with milk  and honey:  for I will not go up  in the midst  of thee; for thou [art] a stiffnecked  people:  lest I consume  thee in the way. 

What does Exodus 33:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 33:1-11 - The Angel Leader And The Human Intercessor
Moses knew that His people were forgiven, but it hurt him to hear that an angel was henceforth to lead them. See Exodus 32:34. The burden of two and a half millions of people was too heavy for him to carry, even with angel-help. He must somehow secure the withdrawal of that sentence, "I will not go up in the middle of thee." He spoke of it to the people, who awoke to realize what their sin had forfeited, and put off their jewels. But their leader gave himself to prayer. Since Sinai was too far to climb, he seems to have pitched his own tent outside the camp as a temporary meeting-place with God; and when he entered it the people said: "Look! he is going to pray for us;" and he spake with God face to face, as we may, of what was in his heart. See John 16:26-27. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 33

1  The Lord refuses to go as he had promised with the people
4  The people mourn there
7  The tabernacle is removed out of the camp
9  The Lord talks familiarly with Moses
12  Moses prevails with God, and desires to see his glory

What do the individual words in Exodus 33:3 mean?

[Go up] to a land flowing with milk and honey for not I will go up in your midst for people stiff necked you [are] lest I consume you on the way
אֶל־ אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ כִּי֩ לֹ֨א אֶֽעֱלֶ֜ה בְּקִרְבְּךָ֗ כִּ֤י עַם־ קְשֵׁה־ עֹ֙רֶף֙ אַ֔תָּה פֶּן־ אֲכֶלְךָ֖ בַּדָּֽרֶךְ

אֶל־  [Go  up]  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֶ֛רֶץ  a  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
זָבַ֥ת  flowing 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular construct
Root: זוּב  
Sense: to flow, gush, issue, discharge.
חָלָ֖ב  with  milk 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חָלָב  
Sense: milk, sour milk, cheese.
וּדְבָ֑שׁ  and  honey 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דְּבַשׁ  
Sense: honey.
אֶֽעֱלֶ֜ה  I  will  go  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
בְּקִרְבְּךָ֗  in  your  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
עַם־  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
קְשֵׁה־  stiff 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: קָשֶׁה  
Sense: hard, cruel, severe, obstinate.
עֹ֙רֶף֙  necked 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹרֶף  
Sense: neck, back of the neck, back.
אַ֔תָּה  you  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
פֶּן־  lest 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: פֶּן  
Sense: lest, not, beware lest adv.
אֲכֶלְךָ֖  I  consume  you 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: כָּלָה  
Sense: to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent.
בַּדָּֽרֶךְ  on  the  way 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.