Commentary on Exodus, Commentary · Chapter 33
CHAP. XXXIII.
Verſe 1. AND the LORD ſaid unto Moſes, depart, and go up hence, thou and thy people, &c.] This is a renewal of the Order he had already given XXXII. 34. which he further explains, by expreſly aſſuring him, he would make good his Promiſe to their Fore-fathers, of which Moſes had remembred him, XXXII. 13. But they were not by this ordered preſently to remove, till Moſes had been again in the Mount, and the Tabernacle was ſet up and all the Service of it preſcribed.
And I will ſend an Angel before thee, and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, &c.] I will not wholly withdraw my Protection from you (as he had for the preſent, XXXII. 25.) but ſend one of my Miniſters to diſcomſit your Enemies, till you get poſſeſſion of their Land.
Ver. 3. For I will not go up in the midst of thee.] For though I intended to have dwelt among you my ſelf, by my ſpecial Preſence (which was in the SCHECHINAH, XXV. 8. XXIX. 43, 45, 46.) you have juſtly forfeited that favour. The Chaldee gives the true ſenſe of this Speech, I will not make my Majeſty (ſo the SCHECHINAH or Divine Glory was called) to go up in the midst of thee. And accordingly it follows, v. 7, 8, 9. that he did remove to a diſtance from them. Concerning that Phraſe, in the midst of thee, See XVII. 7.
For thou art a ſtiff-necked people]. See XXXII. 9.
Lest I conſume thee in the way.] It is not fit for me to ſee my ſelf affronted to my face, by ſtiff-necked Offenders, and not puniſh them with utter deſtruction. This is an Argument that the Angel, he ſaith he would ſend before them, was not God himſelf (as the Eternal foreign is) for then he would have had the ſame reaſon to conſume them for their Diſobedience.
Ver. 4. And when the people heard theſe evil tidings.] This threatning of ſuch a grievous Puniſhment,
They mourned.] Faſted perhaps, and wept; and hung down their Heads with ſhame and ſorrow.
And no man did put on him his ornaments.] But every one laid aſide his uſual Attire, and appeared in the Habit of Penitents; which, in after times, was Sackcloth.
Ver. 5. For the LORD had ſaid unto Moſes, ſay unto the Children of Iſrael, ye are a ſtiff-necked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and conſume thee.] This Verſe gives a reaſon of their Mourning, becauſe Moſes had by God's order ſaid to them, what God ſaid to him, That they were ſuch a perverſe People, it was not ſafe for them, that he ſhould ſtay among them; and be provoked by their Tranſgreſſions ſuddenly to deſtroy them.
Therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee.] Theſe words ſhow that he had not peremptorily reſolved to forſake them (as he threatned v. 3.) but might be moved by their Repentance to continue with them. And therefore he orders them, to put themſelves in a mourning Habit, in token of their hearty ſorrow for their ſin.
That I may know what to do unto thee.] Deal with you, according as I find you diſpoſed. See XXII Gen. 12.
Ver. 6. And the Children of Iſrael ſtript themſelves of their ornaments.] Not only of thoſe wherewith they had decked themſelves, at their late Feſtival, but of all other that they ordinarily wore; which they, who were not dreſſed, forbore to put on, v. 4.
By the Mount Horeb.] Or rather (as the Hebrew word mehar imports) from the Mount: that is, a great way off from the place where God appeared; as unworthy to come into his Preſence.
Ver. 7. And Moſes took the Tabernacle.] His own Tent as the LXX. interpret it, foreign: meaning, I ſuppoſe, not his own private Tent, where he and his Family lived; but a publick Tent, where he gave Audience, and heard Cauſes, and enquired of God; which Bonaventura C. Bertramus calls Caſtrorum Praetorium, in his Book de Repub. Jud. c. 4. For ſuch a place, we cannot but think, there was before that Tabernacle was erected, whoſe pattern he ſaw in the Mount; where all great Affairs were tranſacted, and where Religious Offices, in all probability, were performed.
And pitched it without the Camp, afar off from the Camp.] At the diſtance of Two thouſand Cubits, as R. Solomon interprets it. Which was done to humble them, when they ſaw the Diſpleaſure of God and of his Servant againſt them, declared by this Departure far from them: For they might juſtly fear he would remove quite out of their ſight.
And called it the Tabernacle of the Congregation.] Gave it the ſame name, which was afterward appropriated to the Tabernacle, built for Divine Service alone. Becauſe, here God met with Moſes, and communicated his Mind to him; and hither they were all to reſort, who had any buſineſs with Moſes; or would receive an Anſwer, to their Enquiries, from God.
And it came to paſs, that every one which ſought the LORD, went out unto the Tabernacle of the Congregation, which was without the Camp.] This is commonly underſtood of thoſe who came to deſire Reſolution in any Caſe of Diſſiculty; which they could not have, as formerly, within the Camp: but were forced to go, and ſeek it without. Which, as it ſhowed God's Diſpleaſure, ſo withal gave them ſome hope of Mercy; becauſe it plainly appeared, God was not quite alienated, and eſtranged from them.
Ver. 8. When Moſes went into the Tabernacle, all the people roſe up, and ſtood every man at his Tent door.] In reverence to him, as their Leader, whom they had lately deſpiſed. Or, it may be thought alſo, a poſture wherein they implored his Interceſſion for them, that God would be pleaſed graciouſly to return to them. Which is expreſſed by what follows.
And looked after Moſes.] Expecting what would be the end of this Buſineſs; both God and his Miniſter being removed from them.
Ʋntil he was gone into the Tabernacle.] As long as they could ſee him.
Ver. 9. And it came to paſs, as Moſes went into the Tabernacle, the cloudy pillar deſcended.] In which the SCHECHINAH or Divine Majeſty was (XL. 35.) which was gone up before, becauſe of their Idolatry, whereby the Camp was become unclean: but now came down again, upon the removal of the Tabernacle. Where, it is very probable, it uſed to be ſetled, as the Token of the Divine Preſence among them: and afterward was tranſlated to the Tabernacle, made after God's appointment, where this Cloud ſtood juſt, as it did here, at the Door of it, XII Numb. 5.
And ſtood at the door of the Tabernacle.] Openly to aſſert the Authority of Moſes, with whom God ſhowed himſelf preſent, though he had forſaken them.
And the LORD talked with Moſes.] Which ſhows the Divine Glory was within the Tabernacle, where Moſes now was: and ſo the People underſtood it, as appears by the next Verſe.
Ver. 10. And all the people ſaw the cloudy pillar ſtand at the Tabernacle door.] Which they knew was an evident Token that God was there.
And all the people roſe up and worſhipped, every man in his Tent door.] Bowed themſelves unto the Divine Majeſty, and humbly deprecated his Diſpleaſure; acknowledging, we may reaſonably think, his great Goodneſs, in condeſcending to appear again to them, though at a diſtance from them.
Ver. 11. And the LORD ſpake unto Moſes, face to face.] In a familiar manner, which did not affright or aſtoniſh him, by a dreadful appearance of his Majeſty; which, in the ſight of the Children of Iſrael, lookt like devouring fire, XXIV. 17. but appeared to Moſes in a milder and more chearful brightneſs. The like expreſſion in XII Numb. 8. ſeems to relate only, to the Diſcourſe he had with Moſes, which was clear and plain, and by a Voice; not in Viſions and Dreams, and obſcure Reſemblances: and ſo it may be underſtood here, as Maimonides takes it, More Nevoch. P. III. c. 45. But Abarbinel thinks that theſe Expreſſions ſignifie, God treated with Moſes in his own Perſon, not by an Ambaſſadour; juſt as one Friend converſes with another. And this is a common Notion among the Jews, that God did not ſpeak to Moſes by an Angel, but by himſelf: which they take to be the meaning of this Phraſe face to face. Which ſeem to me rather to import the clearneſs and evidence of that Divine Light, wherein God revealed himſelf to Moſes; whether it was by himſelf, or an Angel, it matters not. Yet the New Teſtament determines this queſtion, when it tells us, The Law it ſelf was given by Angels, in the hand of a Mediator. And accordingly the old Tradition was, That Moſes ſaw things in a clear and bright Glaſs; but the reſt of the Prophets, in a Glaſs that was dim and cloudy.
As a man ſpeaks to his friend.] This is added to ſhow, how differently God treated Moſes, from all other Men. For he is ſaid to have talked face to face with all the Iſraelites, V. Deut. 4. but it was out of the midſt of fire, which ſtruck a terrour into them: whereas he ſpake to Moſes out of the midſt of a glorious, but comfortable Light, which gave him high ſatisfaction.
And he turned again into the Camp.] After ſome time ſpent in Converſation with the Divine Majeſty, he went to comfort the People, it is likely, with hopes of recovering his Favour; of which they might have quite deſpaired, if he had ſtaid long from them.
But his ſervant Joſhua, a young man, departed not out of the Tabernacle.] It is hard to tell for what end Joſhua ſhould ſtay behind his Maſter; and it ſeems not decent that Moſes ſhould return alone without his Servant to attend him. They that ſay he ſtayed to guard the Tabernacle, have no foundation for it; and they have not much, who ſay, he ſtayed to give Judgment in ſmall: Cauſes, which needed not Moſes his Reſolution (according to XVIII. 26.) For we never read that Joſhua was a Judge, but a conſtant Attendant upon Moſes his Perſon. And therefore the words may better be tranſlated, as they plainly run in the Hebrew, He turned again to the Camp, and his ſervant Joſhua, the ſon of Nun, a young man. At which there is a ſtop in the Hebrew (over the word Naar, young Man) to diſtinguiſh theſe from the following words; which are
Departed not out of the Tabernacle.] That is, the LORD departed not from thence, but his Preſence remained there; and would not come into the Camp, as Moſes did. And this Interpretation is the more likely, becauſe the laſt words in the Hebrew are, out of the midst of the Tabernacle: which cannot refer to Joſhua, becauſe he did not go thither; but only Moſes, who converſed alone with the Divine Majeſty.
Why Joſhua is called a young Man, when he was near ſixty years old, is not eaſie to reſolve. Perhaps it ſignifies a valiant Man; for ſo he was: or, he had waited on Moſes from his youth: or, as Maimonides, this is the Phraſe of the Hebrew Nation, who call all Men young, till they begin to decay; as Joſeph is called, when he was Thirty years old, XLII Gen. 2. More Nevoch P. II. c. 32.
Ver. 12. And Moſes ſaid unto the LORD.] When, or where Moſes ſpake what follows, we are not here informed. It is likely, that after he was ſatisfied the People were very penitent, he returned to the Tabernacle; and there made this Addreſs unto the Divine Majeſty, for a perfect Reconciliation with his People.
See.] A word imploring attention and regard to his Petition.
Thou ſayest unto me, Bring up this people.] Lead them to the Land of Promiſe, XXXII. 34. XXXIII. 1.
And thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt ſend with me.] Thou haſt only ſaid, thou wilt ſend an Angel before me; but I hope to obtain greater favour from thee, which thou haſt not yet declared to me. And I have no heart to proceed, if thou thy ſelf wilt not guide us in the Pillar of Cloud, as thou haſt done hitherto, and dwell among us, as thou haſt promiſed, in thy Sanctuary. This ſeems to be the ſenſe (if this Verſe be compared with the 15th) and not barely that he did not know what Angel he would ſend with him.
Yet thou hast ſaid, I know thee by name.] The Chaldee takes it to be the ſame with what is ſaid of Bezaleel, whom God called by name, XXXI. 2. that is, particularly deſigned to make the Tabernacle, and all belonging to it. But to know, is more than to call; ſignifying God's ſpecial Love and Kindneſs to Moſes above all Men, as the LXX. interpret it.
And thou hast alſo found grace in my ſight.] God had often heard his Prayers for this People, as he hoped he would do now. For that was the effect of his being an acceptable perſon unto him; which is the proper ſignification of this Phraſe.
Ver. 13. Now therefore I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy ſight.] If I ſtill continue in thy favour.
Shew me now thy way.] The Interpretation of Maimonides (More Nevoch. P. I. c. 54.) is too much ſtrained, who thinks he here deſires the knowledge of God's Attributes, as v. 18. he deſires the ſight of his Eſſence. The plain meaning of this Prayer is, That God himſelf would conduct him, and ſhow him the way wherein he ſhould lead his People, unto their reſt in the Land of Canaan, XXXII. 34.
That I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy ſight.] That I may be fully aſſured of thy gracious acceptance of me.
And conſider that this Nation is thy people.] I do not beg this meerly upon my own account, but for thoſe who have been redeemed by thee out of the Land of Egypt, and have engaged themſelves to be thine by a Solemn Covenant (XXIV.) and now return unto thee by Repentance, v. 6.
Ver. 14. And he ſaid, My Preſence ſhall go with thee.]
In the Hebrew, My face, i. e. I my ſelf, as the LXX. tranſlate it: My Majeſty, as the Chaldee. He promiſes, that is, to continue with them, as he had done hitherto, and not meerly ſend an Angel to accompany them: but to lead and guide them himſelf, by the Pillar of the Cloud, and his glorious Preſence in the Tabernacle.
And I will give thee rest.] Some think theſe words are particularly ſpoken to Moſes; and ſignifie that God would give him eaſe in this Point, and quiet his Spirit (which was now very ſolicitous about his Departure from them) by returning to them. But as the foregoing words are a Promiſe, that he would take the Conduct of the People again; ſo is this, that he would not leave them till he had brought them to their reſt.
Ver. 15. And he ſaid unto him, If thy Preſence go not with us.] Some tranſlate the words, for he (i.e. Moſes) had ſaid unto him, i. e. to God, if thy Preſence, &c. So that theſe words and the following are the reaſon of God's Anſwer to him, v. 14. And if they be not thus taken, one would have expected Moſes ſhould rather have given God thanks for his gracious Promiſe, than further preſſed him to it. But the 17th Verſe doth not well agree with this; and therefore theſe words are to be looked on, only as part of what Moſes ſaid to God, after his Promiſe that his Preſence ſhould go with him. Which he acknowledged to be the greater favour; becauſe otherwiſe he had rather never ſtir from the place where they now were.
Carry us not up hence.] Let us go no further, if thou thy ſelf doſt not lead and guide us in our way.
Ver. 16. For wherein ſhall it be known here, that I and thy people have found grace in thy ſight?] How ſhall all the People round about us, be convinced, that we are not abandoned by thee in this Wilderneſs?
Is it not in that thou goest with us?] Is not this the great Demonſtration of it, that thou leadeſt us in a Pillar of Cloud and Fire, Day and Night?
So ſhall we be ſeparated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the Earth.] This will diſtinguiſh us, while it continues with us, from all other People whatſoever; none of which have ſuch a Token of thy Preſence with them. The Manna indeed continued all this time to deſcend for their Suſtenance, which was a miraculous food: but it might have been aſcribed to other Cauſes, if this glorious Token of God's Preſence had not ſtill appeared among them.
Ver. 17. And the LORD ſaid unto Moſes, I will do this thing alſo, that thou hast ſpoken.] Diſtinguiſh you from all other People: not only by leading you in a Pillar of Cloud and Fire, but dwelling among you, as I deſigned, XXV. 8.
For thou hast found grace in my ſight, and I know thee by name.] He owns Moſes ſtill to be moſt acceptable and dear to him, as he had been v. 12. and therefore, at his Interceſſion, promiſes to be perfectly reconciled, and return to his People.
Ver. 18. And he ſaid, I beſeech thee.] Having obtained ſo much favour of God, he preſumes to ask ſomething beyond all this, but with all humility.
Shew me thy Glory.] In the Hebrew the word is hareni, make me to ſee to ſignifie, apprehend with the underſtanding, not with the bodily eye, More Nevoch. P. I. c. 4. For by Glory he there underſtands (cap. 54.) the Divine Eſſence, which he makes Moſes to be deſirous to apprehend; which is not likely, ſuch a Man as he ſhould think poſſible. For thus he explains himſelf in his Book de Fundamentis Legis, c. 1. n. 10. Moſes deſired to know the truth of the Divine Eſſence, as one Man knows another, whoſe Face he beholds, and his Image is ſo engraven in his Mind, that he Exiſts there diſtinguiſhed from all other Men: So he begs that the Divine Eſſence might be diſtinct in his Mind, from all other Eſſences, till he knew the truth of it, as it is in it ſelf. But he confeſſes in another place of that Book, (cap. 64.) That by the Glory of the LORD is many times underſtood a created Light or Splendor, whereby God miraculouſly ſet forth his Majeſty, XXIV. 26. and other places. And I can ſee no reaſon, why it ſhould not ſo ſignifie here, and the meaning be, That he deſired to ſee that glorious Preſence (or Face of God, as it is called) which he promiſed ſhould go with them; not vailed in a Cloud, but in its full Splendor and Majeſty. For hearing him ſpeak from the SCHECHINAH, he ſuppoſed, perhaps, that God appeared therein, in ſome viſible ſhape, which he deſired to be acquainted withal. To confirm this, it is obſervable that God himſelf, in his Anſwer to Moſes, calls this Glory his Face v. 20. as he had done v. 14, 15. And thus R. Jehudah in the Book Coſri, Pars IV. Sect. 3. (towards the latter end of it) ſeems to have underſtood it. See upon v. 29.
Ver. 19. And he ſaid, I will make all my goodneſs paſs before thee.] Which Maimonides thinks ſignifies his making Moſes to underſtand the Nature of all Creatures, and how they are knit and united together, and after what manner they are governed, both in general and particular; becauſe when God had made all his Works, he ſaw that they were very good, I Gen. 31. But that Text is a very ſlender ground for ſuch an Interpretation. The LXX. ſeem to come nearer to the matter, who interpret this paſſage, foreign, I will paſs before thee with my Glory. That is, he promiſes to give him a Tranſient view of his Glory, while it paſſed by him, (v. 22.) though it could not be ſeen in its full Majeſty. And then the word tobhi (which we tranſlate my goodneſs) muſt rather be rendred my beauty, it being the ſame with glory, only a ſofter word, to expreſs ſuch a degree of its Splendor, as would not hurt him, but be delightful to him. And thus the word tobh is uſed in the ſecond Chapter of this Book, v. 2. and 1 Sam. IX. 2. Or, if this be not the meaning, all his goodneſs muſt ſignifie his gracious Intentions concerning the Children of Iſrael, to whom, he aſſures him, he would fulfil all his Promiſes, which was ſufficient for him to know.
And I will proclaim the Name of the LORD before thee.] The LXX. ſeem to have underſtood this right, when they tranſlated it, I will call to thee by my Name (ſaying) the LORD is before thee. That is, leſt, when I paſs by thee, thou ſhouldſt not obſerve it, I will admoniſh thee, by a Voice calling to thee, and telling thee, That now the LORD is preſenting himſelf to thee. And ſo we find he did XXXIV. 6.
And will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will ſhew mercy on whom I will ſhew mercy.] This is the Subſtance of the words, which he tells him he would proclaim, after notice given of him of his coming to paſs by him. And their meaning is, that he would diſpenſe his Favours, according to his own good pleaſure, as he did now to Moſes; unto whom he vouchſafed ſuch a Revelation of himſelf, as he did not make to others. For thus he explains it XXXIV. 6, 7. where he tells him, He would be very gracious, patient, and long-ſuffering unto ſome; but puniſh ſeverely the Iniquity of others.
Ver. 20. And he ſaid, Thou canst not ſee my face.] But as for thy requeſt, that I would make thee ſee my Glory, in its full Splendor, thou art not capable of it. I know none that hath explained this whole matter better than R. Jehudah in Sepher Coſri, P. IV. Sect. 3. For the Glory mentioned in Scripture, there is one of ſuch a nature, that the Eyes of the Prophets could ſuſtain it; another all the Iſraelites ſaw (as the Cloud and the conſuming Fire) but another ſo pure and bright to ſuch an high degree, that no Prophet is able to apprehend it: but if he venture to look upon it, his Compoſition is diſſolved, i. e. he dies. Such was the Glory here ſpoken of, a Splendor ſo great and piercing that none could behold it.
For there ſhall no man ſee me, and live.] Accordingly we find, when the SCHECHINAH, or Divine Glory, filled the Tabernacle, Moſes was not able to enter into it, XL. 35. that is, he could not, with ſafety to his life, look upon it. And ſo it was after the Temple of Soloman was built and conſecrated by Solemn Prayer to God, The Glory of the LORD filled the Houſe, and the Prieſts could not enter into the Houſe, becauſe the Glory of the LORD had filled the LORD's Houſe, 2 Chron. VII. 1, 2.
From this Speech to Moſes, it is likely that Men in future times, imagined they ſhould die immediately, when they ſaw only an Angel appear in ſuch a high glittering manner that it amazed them.
Ver. 21. And the LORD ſaid, Behold there is a place by me.] It doth not plainly appear by the ſtory, from whence God now ſpake to Moſes. It is moſt likely from the Mount, where he had long converſed with him. Or, if it was from the Tabernacle (where his Glory appeared v. 9. and continued v. 11.) that was not far from the Mount; where he tells him, he would make his Glory paſs before him.
And thou ſhalt ſtand upon a Rock.] It is probable, This was the Rock in Horeb, where the LORD had formerly appeared to Moſes, XVII. 6.
Ver. 22. And it ſhall come to paſs, that while my Glory paſſeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the Rock.] Perhaps it was in one of the Clefts which was made in the Rock, when God brought Water out of it, LXXVIII Pſal. 15. into which he directed Moſes. For that is meant by putting him in the cleft; ſhowing him the place where he ſhould be, while the Divine Majeſty paſſed by.
And I will cover thee with my hand, &c.] That he might not be hurt by the ſplendour of that Glory, as it paſſed by the Cleft. This doth not certainly ſignifie, that the Glory of the LORD appeared in an Human ſhape: for Hands are aſcribed to God (in accommodation to us) when nothing is meant but this inviſible Power: which now, perhaps, caſt a Cloud about him, that he might not be ſtruck dead by the inconceivable brightneſs and force of thoſe Rays, which came from the Face of the Divine Majeſty.
Ver. 23. And I will take away mine hand.] As ſoon as the Face (as it is called v. 20.) of the Divine Majeſty was gone by him (which it was impoſſible for him to behold, and live) he promiſes to remove that Cloud which covered him: ſo that he ſhould look upon the hinder Parts of his Glory, though not upon the Face.
And thou ſhalt ſee my back parts.] In which the Glory of the Divine Majeſty ſhone, in a lower degree of Light; which was not ſo piercing, as to put out the Eyes, and take away the Life of the Beholders: And yet there was ſuch a reſplendent Brightneſs in it, that Moſes's Face ſhone when he came down from the ſight of it, XXXIV. 29. For that luſtre in his Countenance, is to be aſcribed, in all probability, to that ſight which he had of the Divine Majeſty at that time. Some little Particles of Light remaining upon his Face, and ſticking to it (if I may ſo ſpeak) from that exceeding great Splendour which ſhone upon him, and paſſed before him, as he lay in the hollow place of the Rock.
But my face ſhall not be ſeen.] My Glory in its full Luſtre, without any Vail before it, cannot be ſeen. See v. 20. There are many other Interpretations of this Verſe, as well as of the 18th and 19th. Maimonides in his Book de Fundam Legis, c. 1. n. 11. takes it thus: God revealed that to Moſes, which no Man, either before or after him, ever knew: he making him to apprehend ſomething of his very Eſſence, whereby God was ſeparated in his Mind, from all other Beings; as a Man diſcerns another Man, when he ſees his back parts, and by his Mind diſcerns his Proportions diſtinct from all other Men. But in his More Nevoch. P. I. c. 21. he takes this Diſcovery to Moſes, to be the Knowledge God gave him of his Works and Attributes, viz. thoſe mentioned XXXIV. 6. And thus Gregor. Nazianzen. (Orat. XXXIV. p. 559.) expounds it, foreign, &c. Thoſe things are the back Parts of God, which are after him; whereby he is known as the Sun is, by its Image in the Water, &c. Upon which Elias Cretenſis hath this ingenious gloſs, That the Face of God ſignifies his Eſſence before the beginning of the World; and his hinder Parts, his Creation and Providence in the Government of the World. But Maimonides, in the ſame place now mentioned, acknowledges alſo, that this may be interpreted according to the Targum; That God made his Majeſty, that is, an exceeding bright Repreſentation of himſelf (though not in its full Glory) to paſs before him. Which Onkelos ſometimes calls Jekara, Glory; ſometimes Memra, the Word; and ſometimes SCHECHINAH, the Majeſty. Which ſeems to be the moſt litteral meaning; that God himſelf, particularly the Eternal WORD, in a viſible Glory or Majeſty appeared unto him; in ſo much Splendour as Human Nature was able to bear; but not in his unvailed Brightneſs, which is, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, inacceſſible.