For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.
The LORD had told Moses, 'Tell the people of Israel: You are a stubborn people who refuse to listen. If I were to travel among you even for a moment, I would destroy you because of your rebellion. So take off all your jewelry and decorations, so I can decide what to do with you.'
God is telling the Israelites through Moses that they are too rebellious for Him to be close to them right now, and they need to remove their ornaments as a sign of repentance while He decides how to deal with them.
📚 Historical Context
This comes right after the golden calf incident at Mount Sinai, where the Israelites worshiped an idol while Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments. God's anger was so intense that He threatened to destroy the entire nation, and Moses had to intercede for them. The ornaments mentioned were likely Egyptian jewelry and finery they had taken when leaving Egypt, which may have been used in making the golden calf.
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