1 The Lord spoke to Moses, “Depart, go up from here, you and the people that you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your offspring.’
2 I will send an angel before you; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
3 Go to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up amongst you, for you are a stiff-necked people, lest I consume you on the way.”
4 When the people heard this evil news, they mourned; and no one put on his jewellery.
5 The Lord had said to Moses, “Tell the children of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go up amongst you for one moment, I would consume you. Therefore now take off your jewellery from you, that I may know what to do to you.’”
6 The children of Israel stripped themselves of their jewellery from Mount Horeb onward.