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.
And G2532 was transfigured G3339 before G1715 them: G846 and G2532 his G846 face G4383 did shine G2989 as G5613 the sun, G2246 and G1161 his G846 raiment G2440 was G1096 white G3022 as G5613 the light. G5457
And Moses H4872 turned, H6437 and went down H3381 from the mount, H2022 and the two H8147 tables H3871 of the testimony H5715 were in his hand: H3027 the tables H3871 were written H3789 on both H8147 their sides; H5676 on the one side and on the other were they written. H3789
And G2532 all G537 that sat G2516 in G1722 the council, G4892 looking stedfastly G816 on G1519 him, G846 saw G1492 his G846 face G4383 as it had been G5616 the face G4383 of an angel. G32
And G2532 I saw G1492 another G243 mighty G2478 angel G32 come down G2597 from G1537 heaven, G3772 clothed G4016 with a cloud: G3507 and G2532 a rainbow G2463 was upon G1909 his G846 head, G2776 and G2532 his G846 face G4383 was as it were G5613 the sun, G2246 and G2532 his G846 feet G4228 as G5613 pillars G4769 of fire: G4442
And G2532 he had G2192 in G1722 his G846 right G1188 hand G5495 seven G2033 stars: G792 and G2532 out of G1537 his G846 mouth G4750 went G1607 a sharp G3691 twoedged G1366 sword: G4501 and G2532 his G846 countenance G3799 was as G5613 the sun G2246 shineth G5316 in G1722 his G846 strength. G1411
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 How G4459 shall G1248 not G3780 the ministration G1248 of the spirit G4151 be G2071 rather G3123 G1722 glorious? G1391 For G1063 if G1487 the ministration G1248 of condemnation G2633 be glory, G1391 much G4183 more G3123 doth the ministration G1248 of righteousness G1343 exceed G4052 in G1722 glory. G1391
And when the children H1121 of Israel H3478 saw H7200 it, they said H559 one H376 to another, H251 It is manna: H4478 for they wist H3045 not what it was. And Moses H4872 said H559 unto them, This is the bread H3899 which the LORD H3068 hath given H5414 you to eat. H402
And G2532 he said G2036 unto G4314 them, G846 How G5101 is it that G3754 ye sought G2212 me? G3165 wist ye G1492 not G3756 that G3754 I G3165 must G1163 be G1511 about G1722 my G3450 Father's business? G3962
And she said, H559 The Philistines H6430 be upon thee, Samson. H8123 And he awoke H3364 out of his sleep, H8142 and said, H559 I will go out H3318 as at other times before, H6471 and shake H5287 myself. And he wist H3045 not that the LORD H3068 was departed H5493 from him.
And it came to pass, when the king H4428 of Ai H5857 saw H7200 it, that they hasted H4116 and rose up early, H7925 and the men H582 of the city H5892 went out H3318 against H7125 Israel H3478 to battle, H4421 he and all his people, H5971 at a time appointed, H4150 before H6440 the plain; H6160 but he wist H3045 not that there were liers in ambush H693 against him behind H310 the city. H5892
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).