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
And Moses H4872 went H935 into the midst H8432 of the cloud, H6051 and gat him up H5927 into the mount: H2022 and Moses H4872 was in the mount H2022 forty H705 days H3117 and forty H705 nights. H3915
And he gave H5414 unto Moses, H4872 when he had made an end H3615 of communing H1696 with him upon mount H2022 Sinai, H5514 two H8147 tables H3871 of testimony, H5715 tables H3871 of stone, H68 written H3789 with the finger H676 of God. H430
And he declared H5046 unto you his covenant, H1285 which he commanded H6680 you to perform, H6213 even ten H6235 commandments; H1697 and he wrote H3789 them upon two H8147 tables H3871 of stone. H68
And the tables H3871 were the work H4639 of God, H430 and the writing H4385 was the writing H4385 of God, H430 graven H2801 upon the tables. H3871
When I was gone up H5927 into the mount H2022 to receive H3947 the tables H3871 of stone, H68 even the tables H3871 of the covenant H1285 which the LORD H3068 made H3772 with you, then I abode H3427 in the mount H2022 forty H705 days H3117 and forty H705 nights, H3915 I neither did eat H398 bread H3899 nor drink H8354 water: H4325
And I fell down H5307 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 as at the first, H7223 forty H705 days H3117 and forty H705 nights: H3915 I did neither eat H398 bread, H3899 nor drink H8354 water, H4325 because of all your sins H2403 which ye sinned, H2398 in doing H6213 wickedly H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 to provoke him to anger. H3707
Thus I fell down H5307 before H6440 the LORD H3068 forty H705 days H3117 and forty H705 nights, H3915 as I fell down H5307 at the first; because the LORD H3068 had said H559 he would destroy H8045 you.
And I will write H3789 on the tables H3871 the words H1697 that were in the first H7223 tables H3871 which thou brakest, H7665 and thou shalt put H7760 them in the ark. H727 And I made H6213 an ark H727 of shittim H7848 wood, H6086 and hewed H6458 two H8147 tables H3871 of stone H68 like unto the first, H7223 and went up H5927 into the mount, H2022 having the two H8147 tables H3871 in mine hand. H3027 And he wrote H3789 on the tables, H3871 according to the first H7223 writing, H4385 the ten H6235 commandments, H1697 which the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto you in the mount H2022 out of the midst H8432 of the fire H784 in the day H3117 of the assembly: H6951 and the LORD H3068 gave H5414 them unto me.
But G1161 if G1487 the ministration G1248 of death, G2288 written G1722 G1121 and engraven G1795 in G1722 stones, G3037 was G1096 glorious, G1722 G1391 so G5620 that the children G5207 of Israel G2474 could G1410 not G3361 stedfastly behold G816 the face G1519 G4383 of Moses G3475 for G1223 the glory G1391 of his G846 countenance; G4383 which G3588 glory was to be done away: G2673
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).