Exodus 23:21

Exo 23:21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name [is] in him.

Ver. 21. My name is in him,] i.e., He is of the same nature with myself. See Php 2:6 Heb 1:3. {See Trapp on "Php 2:6"} {See Trapp on "Heb 1:3"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I will give him mine authority, and he shall govern you in my name.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

my name is in him--This angel is frequently called Jehovah and Elohim, that is, God.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 21. He 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 fulness of the Godhead bodily; and because of this he could either pardon or punish. All power is given unto me in heaven and earth, Mt 28:18.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(21) My name is in him.—God and His Name are in Scripture almost convertible terms. He is never said to set His Name in a man.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. A warning against disobedience.

hearken unto his voice] Cf. Exo_15:26, Exo_19:5.

be not rebellious (or defiant) against him] Num_20:24, Psa_78:40 al.

my name] The manifestation of My being. The ‘name’ is almost objective reality; it is almost a personal manifestation of Jehovah (DB. v. 641a): cf. Psa_20:1; Psa_54:3, Deu_12:5, &c.; and esp. Isa_30:27. The ‘angel’ is Jehovah Himself ‘in a temporary descent to visibility for a special purpose’ (McNeile). Cf. on Exo_3:2 : also Exo_33:2; DB. v. 638 f.; and G. A. Smith, The Twelve Prophets, ii. 310–319.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For mine Angel shall go before thee,.... The same as before described:

and bring thee in unto the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Canaanite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite; six nations are only mentioned, though there were seven; the Girgashites are omitted, though added in the Septuagint version; and this omission of them might be, either because they were swallowed up by one or other of the other nations, particularly the Amorites, who were the most powerful; or rather, having mentioned the most and chiefest, the Lord was not careful, as Aben Ezra observes, to take notice of the least:

and I will cut them off; from being a nation, either of them; for though there were some of them left, and dwelt about in the land, yet not as a kingdom and nation of themselves, as they had been, but became tributary to the Israelites.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Forgive. Dimittet, as well as the Hebrew and Septuagint, may signify, "he will not abandon." (Haydock) --- My name. Moses, Josue, and still more our Saviour, acted in the name and by the authority of God the Father.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

He will not pardon your transgressions, i.e. he will severely punish you for them, by a common meiosis, as Exo 20:7. Understand, if you continue obstinate in your sins.

My name is in him, Heb. is in his inward parts, i.e. is intimately united to him, according to Joh 14:11,

I am in the Father, and the Father in me. It not only signifies that he acts in his name, and by his power and authority, which even the apostles did, and other ministers of the gospel do, and therefore it is unreasonable to think no more is ascribed to this Angel; but that his Divine nature or essence is in him, whence he is called the Lord our Righteousness, Jer 23:6; and God, who will not give his glory to another, Isa 42:8, hath given it to Christ, that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father, Joh 5:23, which never was nor can be said of any angel without blasphemy. Add to this, that the word name is oft put for the thing or being, whether it be human or Divine, as is manifest from Deu 28:58; Psa 20:1; 115:1; Isa 30:27; Act 1:15; Rev 3:4; 11:13. And so it must be here, because this name is not said to be given to him, as it would be, if it were properly taken; but to be in him; or in his inwards, which agrees well to the Divine nature or essence, but not to the mere name.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Provoke him not. On the disobedience of the Israelites to this precept, see Num_14:11 Psa_78:17, Psa_78:40, Psa_78:56, etc. My name is in him. God"s honour he will not give to another. He does not set His Name in a man. The angel, in whom was God"s Blame, must have been co-equal with God one of the Persons of the Blessed Trinity.

The angel provoked.

The language in this passage is very strong, and may occasion difficulty. "Provoke him not, for he will not pardon your transgressions; for my name is in him." If this angel is the Son of God, he who afterwards became incarnate for man"s salvation, and who died to procure forgiveness for us, it startles us to hear of him will not pardon your transgressions." When we think, too, on what God"s name imports on the revelation subsequently made of it, Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin," etc., it astonishes us to learn that this angel, in whom the name is, will not pardon Israel"s sin. The history, also, may be thought to create difficulties. For, undeniably, the Israelites were often pardoned. They were, in truth, continually being pardoned; for, "stiff-necked" as they were, they could not have stood for a day in their covenant, had not God"s mercy been constantly extended to them. It is plain, therefore, from the nature of the case, that the expression is not to be taken absolutely; the sense in which it is to be understood well deserves investigation.

I IN WHAT SENSE TRUE OF ISRAEL. The general meaning is, as stated above, that the angel would not look lightly on their offences, would not pass them over, but would severely punish them. This accorded with the constitution under which they were placed, to which it belonged, that "every transgression and disobedience" should "receive a just recompense of reward". (Heb_2:2) The context suggests, or admits of, the following qualifications

1. The statement refers, it will be observed, to what the angel will do when"provoked to what will happen when his wrath is "kindled" against Israel. (cf. Psa_78:21, Psa_78:49, Psa_78:50, Psa_78:59, etc.) But how long did this Divine conductor bear with Israel before permitting his wrath to be thus kindled against them! He was "slow to anger." What pardon was implied in his very long-suffering!

2. The transgressions alluded to are not ordinary offences not the sins ofinfirmity and short-coming which mark the lives even of the best but such outstanding acts of transgression as are mentioned in the context fundamental breaches of the covenant. These were the sins which would specially provoke the angel. (cf. Deu_32:5, Deu_32:15-28) They would be "surely" punished.

3. The general assertion that transgressions will not be pardoned does notimply that there is no room left for intercession and repentance; that, e.g. , an alteration in the spiritual conditions might not procure, if not remission, at least a sensible alleviation of the penalty; that prayer, proceeding from a contrite heart, might not obtain the removal of affliction, or the restoration of the penitent to Divine favour. Great severity, nevertheless, attaches to this announcement. The history is the best commentary upon it. It is literally true that, after the ratification of the covenant at Sinai, no serious transgression of Israel was allowed to go unpunished. In no case did even repentance avail wholly to avert chastisement. At most, the penalty was lightened, or shortened in duration. Thus, on the occasion of the sin of the golden calf, the earnest intercession of Moses availed to save the people from destruction, and obtained from God the promise that he would still go with them; but it did not save the idolaters from being smitten with the sword of Levi, (Exo_32:28) or prevent the Lord from still "plaguing" the people "because they made the calf, which Aaron made". (Exo_32:35) Cf. later instances, e.g. , Nadab and Abihu; (Lev_10:1-8) the murmuring at Taberah; (Num_11:1-3) the lusting at Kibroth-hattaavah; (Num_11:4-35) the rebellion at Kadesh, punished by the rejection of that whole generation; (Nu 13 Nu 14) the revolt of Korah; (Nu 16 Nu 17) the sin at Meribah, when even Moses forfeited his right to enter the land of promise; (Num_20:1-13) the later murmuring, when the people were punished by fiery serpents; (Num_21:7-9) the idolatry and fornication of Baal-peor. (Nu 25) This severity is the more remarkable when we remember how leniently God dealt with the people before the ratification of the covenant with Sinai. "All murmurings before they came to Sinai were passed over, or merely rebuked; all murmurings and rebellions after Sinai bring down punishment and death" (Kitto). We trace the same principle of dealing through the whole history of the Old Testament. David, e.g. , is personally forgiven for his sin of adultery; but the temporal penalty is not remitted. (2Sa 12) He is punished on a later occasion for numbering the people, and has the choice given him of three evils; and this, notwithstanding his sincere repentance. (2Sa 24) So Manasseh is said to have "filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, which the Lord would not pardon". (2Ki_24:5) The congruity of this strict dealing with a dispensation of law is sufficiently obvious; and, in the light of the examples quoted, the language of the text will not be felt to be too strong.

II HOW FAR TRUE UNDER THE GOSPEL. The Gospel, as befits its nature, places in the forefront, not the declaration that God will not pardon sin, but the announcement of the terms on which he will pardon. It is a declaration of mercy to those who are viewed as already under wrath the law having accomplished its design of convincing men of sin. The terms, however, on which the Gospel proposes to grant forgiveness are of such a nature as fully to establish the truth underlying this text; viz., that God, as a God of holiness, will not clear the guilty. (cf. Exo_34:7)

1. This truth is the presupposition of the Gospel Else whence its demandfor atonement? Why is sin not simply condoned not simply waived aside as something admitting of unconditional pardon? In view of the fact that the Gospel absolutely refuses pardon save on the ground of "the shedding of blood," it certainly cannot be accused of making light of guilt, or of ignoring its relations to justice. God remains the just God, even while he is the Saviour. (Rom_3:26) Stated otherwise, it is on the ground of the principle in the text, that a Gospel is needed. "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men". (Rom_1:18) No clearing of the guilty here. The principle in question is the general principle of God"s moral administration. (Rom_2:6-12)

1. This truth still applies in its rigour to those who "disobey" the Gospel. For these there is no pardon. There remains for them only judgment and fiery indignation. (Heb_10:27) So solemn is the truth that "there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved". (Act_4:12)

2. Even believers, notwithstanding that they receive spiritual pardon, mustnot expect to escape temporal chastisements, appropriate to their offences. So far as sin"s penalties are bound up with natural law it is certain that they will not escape them. They may be spiritually pardoned, yet, as respects the temporal penalty, may, like Esau, find no place for repentance, though they seek it carefully with tears. (Heb_12:17) God alone is judge of how far, and with what measure of benefit to the individual, and of glory to himself, he can remit temporal chastisements. (Exo_33:19) Respect will doubtless be had to the circumstances under which the sin was committed, to the depth and sincerity of the repentance, to the publicity of the scandal, (cf. 2Sa_12:14) to the moral benefit likely to accrue, etc.

3. Hypocritical professors of Christ"s name will be dealt with according tothis rule. They will be punished with special severity. (Mat_24:51)

III HOW RECONCILABLE WITH GOD"S REVEALED ATTRIBUTE OF MERCY. Our thoughts revert to the revelation of God"s name in ch. 34:6, 7. The attributes of mercy occupy the foreground, yet not to the denial of the sternness of holiness, which, in the latter clauses, finds distinct expression. "Forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers," etc. God"s mercy to Israel was exhibited compatibly with what has been seen to be the meaning of the text

(1) In his great long-suffering in bearing with their provocations.

(2) In his turning aside the fierceness of his anger, in answer to earnest intercession, or when signs were shown of repentance.

(3) In limiting the measure of his wrath either by exchanging a severer penalty for a lighter one, or by shortening the time of infliction. Cf. Psa_78:38 he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, anddestroyed them not, yea, many a time turned he his anger away and did not stir up all his wrath. For he remembered that they were but flesh," etc.

(4) In granting spiritual pardons, even when temporal penalties were not revoked.

(5) In restoring the penitent to favour, after punishment had taken effect in inducing contrition.

(6) In keeping covenant with the children, even when rejecting the fathers.

(7) The full reconciliation is seen in the Gospel, in the fact of the atonement. J.O.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Beware of him, and obey his voice; provoke him not - It is at your peril if you do; for my name - My nature, my authority is in him.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

אל תמר בו EXASPERATE HIM NOT — This verb is a term denoting rebellion (המראה), similar to, (Joshua 1:18) “Whosoever he be that rebel (ימרה) against thy commandment”.

כי לא ישא לפשעכם FOR HE WILL NOT PARDON YOUR TRESPASS — He is not accustomed to it (to sin) for he is one of a class of beings who never sin. Besides he is only a messenger and only carries out the mission entrusted to him (i. e. he has no right to pardon you, for this is My prerogative: it is his only to insist upon obedience to My commands) (Midrash Tanchuma, Mishpatim 18).

כי שמי בקרבו FOR MY NAME IS IN HIM — This passage must be connected with the beginning of the verse: Take heed of him etc. — for (כי) My Name is associated with his (i. e. whatever he does, he does in My Name). Our Rabbis said that he (the angel) is Mattatron (מטטרון) whose name is even as the name of his Master, for מטטרון has the numerical value of שדי “the Almighty” (Sanhedrin 38b).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

For he will not pardon your transgression; for My Name is in him. He is saying: “Be not rebellious against him, for he will not pardon your transgression if you rebel against his word, for he who rebels against him, rebels against the Great Name which is in him, and he deserves to be cut off by the attribute of justice.” It is possible that the expression My Name is in Him, is connected to the above verses: hearken to his voice, for My Name is in him, and his voice is the voice of the Supreme One.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.