“In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.”
YHWH's promise that in all their affliction, YHWH was afflicted, and the angel of YHWH's presence saved them, in YHWH's love and pity redeemed them indicates intimate divine participation in Israel's suffering. The identification of divine affliction with human affliction suggests that YHWH sympathizes through shared suffering. The presence of divine angel indicates mediatorial divine presence. The connection between divine love-pity and redemption establishes emotion as the basis for salvation: YHWH redeems because YHWH loves. This verse articulates a deeply anthropopathic theology: divine emotion and human welfare are intimately linked.
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