Exodus 23:21

Pay attention to him and listen to his voice; do not defy him, for he will not forgive rebellion, since My Name is in him.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — God addresses Israel, instructing them to heed the angel He is sending ahead to guide and protect them on the journey to the promised land.

The words — הִשָּׁ֧מֶר (hi.Sha.mer) means "take care" or "pay attention," and תַּמֵּ֣ר (ta.Mer) literally means "you cause bitterness" or "rebel." The text commands the people to listen to the angel’s voice and explicitly forbids provoking him, stating that the angel carries God’s Name and will not pardon defiance.

The thread — This warning against refusing divine mediation appears in Psalms 78:56 and Hebrews 12:25, where both texts link disobedience to God’s spoken authority or His appointed messenger with subsequent judgment.

Why it lands — The passage demands immediate obedience to God’s chosen agent, establishing that rejecting his directive is equivalent to rejecting God Himself and forfeiting His protection.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

הִשָּׁ֧מֶרhi.Sha.mertake care מִפָּנָ֛יוmi./pa.Na/vfrom/ before/ him וּשְׁמַ֥עu./she.Ma'and/ listen בְּקֹל֖וֹbe./ko.L/oto/ voice/ his אַל־'al-may not תַּמֵּ֣רta.Meryou cause bitternessבּ֑וֹb/oin <the>/ himכִּ֣יkifor לֹ֤אlo'not יִשָּׂא֙yi.Sa'he will forgive לְפִשְׁעֲכֶ֔םle./fish.'a./Khemto/ transgression/ your כִּ֥יkifor שְׁמִ֖יshe.M/iname/ my בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃be./kir.B/o[is] <in>/ within/ him

King James Version

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

Cross-references

Psalms 78:56 But they tested and disobeyed God Most High, for they did not keep His decrees.
Psalms 78:40 How often they disobeyed Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert!
Hebrews 12:25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if the people did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns us from heaven?
John 10:30 I and the Father are one.”
John 10:38 But if I am doing them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works themselves, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.”
Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
Joshua 24:19 But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD, for He is a holy God; He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your rebellion or your sins.
John 5:23 so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Hebrews 10:26 If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains,