1 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Hew H6458 thee two H8147 tables H3871 of stone H68 like unto the first: H7223 and I will write H3789 upon these tables H3871 the words H1697 that were in the first H7223 tables, H3871 which thou brakest. H7665
2 And be ready H3559 in the morning, H1242 and come up H5927 in the morning H1242 unto mount H2022 Sinai, H5514 and present H5324 thyself there to me in the top H7218 of the mount. H2022
3 And no man H376 shall come up H5927 with thee, neither H408 let any man H376 be seen H7200 throughout all the mount; H2022 neither let the flocks H6629 nor herds H1241 feed H7462 before H4136 that mount. H2022
4 And he hewed H6458 two H8147 tables H3871 of stone H68 like unto the first; H7223 and Moses H4872 rose up early H7925 in the morning, H1242 and went up H5927 unto mount H2022 Sinai, H5514 as the LORD H3068 had commanded H6680 him, and took H3947 in his hand H3027 the two H8147 tables H3871 of stone. H68
5 And the LORD H3068 descended H3381 in the cloud, H6051 and stood H3320 with him there, and proclaimed H7121 the name H8034 of the LORD. H3068
6 And the LORD H3068 passed by H5674 before him, H6440 and proclaimed, H7121 The LORD, H3068 The LORD H3068 God, H410 merciful H7349 and gracious, H2587 longsuffering, H750 H639 and abundant H7227 in goodness H2617 and truth, H571
7 Keeping H5341 mercy H2617 for thousands, H505 forgiving H5375 iniquity H5771 and transgression H6588 and sin, H2403 and that will by no means H5352 clear H5352 the guilty; visiting H6485 the iniquity H5771 of the fathers H1 upon the children, H1121 and upon the children's H1121 children, unto the third H8029 and to the fourth H7256 generation.
8 And Moses H4872 made haste, H4116 and bowed his head H6915 toward the earth, H776 and worshipped. H7812
9 And he said, H559 If now I have found H4672 grace H2580 in thy sight, H5869 O Lord, H136 let my Lord, H136 I pray thee, go H3212 among H7130 us; for it is a stiffnecked H7186 H6203 people; H5971 and pardon H5545 our iniquity H5771 and our sin, H2403 and take us for thine inheritance. H5157
10 And he said, H559 Behold, I make H3772 a covenant: H1285 before all thy people H5971 I will do H6213 marvels, H6381 such as have not been done H1254 in all the earth, H776 nor in any nation: H1471 and all the people H5971 among H7130 which thou art shall see H7200 the work H4639 of the LORD: H3068 for it is a terrible thing H3372 that I will do H6213 with thee.
11 Observe H8104 thou that which I command H6680 thee this day: H3117 behold, I drive out H1644 before H6440 thee the Amorite, H567 and the Canaanite, H3669 and the Hittite, H2850 and the Perizzite, H6522 and the Hivite, H2340 and the Jebusite. H2983
12 Take heed H8104 to thyself, lest thou make H3772 a covenant H1285 with the inhabitants H3427 of the land H776 whither thou goest, H935 lest it be for a snare H4170 in the midst H7130 of thee:
13 But ye shall destroy H5422 their altars, H4196 break H7665 their images, H4676 and cut down H3772 their groves: H842
14 For thou shalt worship H7812 no other H312 god: H410 for the LORD, H3068 whose name H8034 is Jealous, H7067 is a jealous H7067 God: H410
15 Lest thou make H3772 a covenant H1285 with the inhabitants H3427 of the land, H776 and they go a whoring H2181 after H310 their gods, H430 and do sacrifice H2076 unto their gods, H430 and one call H7121 thee, and thou eat H398 of his sacrifice; H2077
16 And thou take H3947 of their daughters H1323 unto thy sons, H1121 and their daughters H1323 go a whoring H2181 after H310 their gods, H430 and make H2181 thy sons H1121 go a whoring H2181 after H310 their gods. H430
17 Thou shalt make H6213 thee no molten H4541 gods. H430
18 The feast H2282 of unleavened bread H4682 shalt thou keep. H8104 Seven H7651 days H3117 thou shalt eat H398 unleavened bread, H4682 as I commanded H6680 thee, in the time H4150 of the month H2320 Abib: H24 for in the month H2320 Abib H24 thou camest out H3318 from Egypt. H4714
19 All that openeth H6363 the matrix H7358 is mine; and every firstling H6363 among thy cattle, H4735 whether ox H7794 or sheep, H7716 that is male H2142.
20 But the firstling H6363 of an ass H2543 thou shalt redeem H6299 with a lamb: H7716 and if thou redeem H6299 him not, then shalt thou break his neck. H6202 All the firstborn H1060 of thy sons H1121 thou shalt redeem. H6299 And none shall appear H7200 before H6440 me empty. H7387
21 Six H8337 days H3117 thou shalt work, H5647 but on the seventh H7637 day H3117 thou shalt rest: H7673 in earing time H2758 and in harvest H7105 thou shalt rest. H7673
22 And thou shalt observe H6213 the feast H2282 of weeks, H7620 of the firstfruits H1061 of wheat H2406 harvest, H7105 and the feast H2282 of ingathering H614 at the year's H8141 end. H8622
23 Thrice H6471 H7969 in the year H8141 shall all your men children H2138 appear H7200 before H6440 the Lord H113 GOD, H3068 the God H430 of Israel. H3478
24 For I will cast out H3423 the nations H1471 before H6440 thee, and enlarge H7337 thy borders: H1366 neither shall any man H376 desire H2530 thy land, H776 when thou shalt go up H5927 to appear H7200 before H6440 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 thrice H6471 H7969 in the year. H8141
25 Thou shalt not offer H7819 the blood H1818 of my sacrifice H2077 with leaven; H2557 neither shall the sacrifice H2077 of the feast H2282 of the passover H6453 be left H3885 unto the morning. H1242
26 The first H7225 of the firstfruits H1061 of thy land H127 thou shalt bring H935 unto the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 thy God. H430 Thou shalt not seethe H1310 a kid H1423 in his mother's H517 milk. H2461
27 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Write H3789 thou these words: H1697 for after the tenor H6310 of these words H1697 I have made H3772 a covenant H1285 with thee and with Israel. H3478
28 And he was there with the LORD H3068 forty H705 days H3117 and forty H705 nights; H3915 he did neither eat H398 bread, H3899 nor drink H8354 water. H4325 And he wrote H3789 upon the tables H3871 the words H1697 of the covenant, H1285 the ten H6235 commandments. H1697
29 And it came to pass, when Moses H4872 came down H3381 from mount H2022 Sinai H5514 with the two H8147 tables H3871 of testimony H5715 in Moses' H4872 hand, H3027 when he came down H3381 from the mount, H2022 that Moses H4872 wist H3045 not that the skin H5785 of his face H6440 shone H7160 while he talked H1696 with him.
30 And when Aaron H175 and all the children H1121 of Israel H3478 saw H7200 Moses, H4872 behold, the skin H5785 of his face H6440 shone; H7160 and they were afraid H3372 to come nigh H5066 him.
31 And Moses H4872 called H7121 unto them; and Aaron H175 and all the rulers H5387 of the congregation H5712 returned H7725 unto him: and Moses H4872 talked H1696 with them.
32 And afterward H310 all the children H1121 of Israel H3478 came nigh: H5066 and he gave them in commandment H6680 all that the LORD H3068 had spoken H1696 with him in mount H2022 Sinai. H5514
33 And till Moses H4872 had done H3615 speaking H1696 with them, he put H5414 a vail H4533 on his face. H6440
34 But when Moses H4872 went in H935 before H6440 the LORD H3068 to speak H1696 with him, he took H5493 the vail H4533 off, H5493 until he came out. H3318 And he came out, H3318 and spake H1696 unto the children H1121 of Israel H3478 that which he was commanded. H6680
35 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 saw H7200 the face H6440 of Moses, H4872 that the skin H5785 of Moses' H4872 face H6440 shone: H7160 and Moses H4872 put H7725 the vail H4533 upon his face H6440 again, H7725 until he went H935 in to speak H1696 with him.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 34
Commentary on Exodus 34 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 34
Ex 34:1-35. The Tables Are Renewed.
1. the like unto the first—God having been reconciled to repentant Israel, through the earnest intercession, the successful mediation of Moses, means were to be taken for the restoration of the broken covenant. Intimation was given, however, in a most intelligible and expressive manner, that the favor was to be restored with some memento of the rupture; for at the former time God Himself had provided the materials, as well as written upon them. Now, Moses was to prepare the stone tables, and God was only to retrace the characters originally inscribed for the use and guidance of the people.
2. present thyself … to me in the top of the mount—Not absolutely the highest peak; for as the cloud of the Shekinah usually abode on the summit, and yet (Ex 34:5) it "descended," the plain inference is that Moses was to station himself at a point not far distant, but still below the loftiest pinnacle.
3. no man shall come up with thee … neither … flocks nor herds—All these enactments were made in order that the law might be a second time renewed with the solemnity and sanctity that marked its first delivery. The whole transaction was ordered so as to impress the people with an awful sense of the holiness of God; and that it was a matter of no trifling moment to have subjected Him, so to speak, to the necessity of re-delivering the law of the ten commandments.
4. Moses … took in his hand the two tables of stone—As Moses had no attendant to divide the labor of carrying them, it is evident that they must have been light, and of no great dimensions—probably flat slabs of shale or slate, such as abound in the mountainous region of Horeb. An additional proof of their comparatively small size appears in the circumstance of their being deposited in the ark of the most holy place (Ex 25:10).
5. the Lord descended in the cloud—After graciously hovering over the tabernacle, it seems to have resumed its usual position on the summit of the mount. It was the shadow of God manifest to the outward senses; and, at the same time, of God manifest in the flesh. The emblem of a cloud seems to have been chosen to signify that, although He was pleased to make known much about himself, there was more veiled from mortal view. It was to check presumption and engender awe and give a humble sense of human attainments in divine knowledge, as now man sees, but darkly.
6. the Lord passed by before him—in this remarkable scene, God performed what He had promised to Moses the day before.
proclaimed, The Lord … merciful and gracious—At an earlier period He had announced Himself to Moses, in the glory of His self-existent and eternal majesty, as "I am" [Ex 3:14]; now He makes Himself known in the glory of His grace and goodness—attributes that were to be illustriously displayed in the future history and experience of the church. Being about to republish His law—the sin of the Israelites being forgiven and the deed of pardon about to be signed and sealed by renewing the terms of the former covenant—it was the most fitting time to proclaim the extent of the divine mercy which was to be displayed, not in the case of Israel only, but of all who offend.
8-26. Moses bowed … and worshipped—In the East, people bow the head to royalty, and are silent when it passes by, while in the West, they take off their hats and shout.
9, 10. he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us—On this proclamation, he, in the overflowing benevolence of s heart, founded an earnest petition for the Divine Presence being continued with the people; and God was pleased to give His favorable answer to Moses' intercession by a renewal of His promise under the form of a covenant, repeating the leading points that formed the conditions of the former national compact.
27, 28. And the Lord said unto Moses, Write thou these words—that is, the ceremonial and judicial injunctions comprehended above (Ex 34:11-26); while the rewriting of the ten commandments on the newly prepared slabs was done by God Himself (compare De 10:1-4).
28. he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights—as long as formerly [Ex 24:18], being sustained for the execution of his special duties by the miraculous power of God. A special cause is assigned for his protracted fast on this second occasion (De 9:18).
29. Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him—It was an intimation of the exalted presence into which he had been admitted and of the glory he had witnessed (2Co 3:18); and in that view, it was a badge of his high office as the ambassador of God. No testimonial needed to be produced. He bore his credentials on his very face; and whether this extraordinary effulgence was a permanent or merely temporary distinction, it cannot be doubted that this reflected glory was given him as an honor before all the people.
30. they were afraid to come nigh him—Their fear arose from a sense of guilt—the beaming radiance of his countenance made him appear to their awe-struck consciences a flaming minister of heaven.
33. he put a veil on his face—That veil was with the greatest propriety removed when speaking with the Lord, for every one appears unveiled to the eye of Omniscience; but it was replaced on returning to the people—and this was emblematic of the dark and shadowy character of that dispensation (2Co 3:13, 14).