Exodus 34:2-12

2 "So be ready by morning, and come up in the morning to 1Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to Me on the top of the mountain.
3 "2No man is to come up with you, nor let any man be seen anywhere on the mountain; even the flocks and the herds may not graze in front of that mountain."
4 So he cut out 3two stone tablets like the former ones, and Moses rose up early in the morning and went up to Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and he took two stone tablets in his hand.
5 4The LORD descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the LORD.
6 Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, 5compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;
7 who 6keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He 7will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, 8visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations."
8 Moses made haste 9to bow low toward the earth and worship.
9 He said, "10If now I have found favor in Your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go along in our midst, even though 11the people are so obstinate *, and 12pardon our iniquity and our sin, and 13take us as Your own possession."

The Covenant Renewed

10 Then God said, "Behold, 14I am going to make a covenant. Before all your people 15I will perform miracles which have not been produced in all the earth nor among any of the nations; and all the people among whom you live will see the working of the LORD, for it is a fearful thing that I am going to perform with you.
11 "Be sure to observe what I am commanding you this day: behold, 16I am going to drive out the Amorite before * you, and the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite.
12 "17Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst.

Exodus 34:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 34

In this chapter Moses has orders to hew two tables of stone, that God might write on them the ten commands, and bring them up with him to the mount, Ex 34:1-4 where the Lord proclaimed his name, and caused his glory and his goodness to pass before him, Ex 34:5-7 when Moses took this favourable opportunity that offered to pray for the people, that God would forgive their sin, and go along with them, Ex 34:8,9 upon which he made a covenant with them, which on his part was to do wonders for them, and drive out the inhabitants of Canaan before them; and on their part, that they should have no confederacy and communion with these nations, and shun their idolatry, and everything that might lead unto it, Ex 34:10-17 and he repeated several laws before given, and urged the observance of them, which Moses was to acquaint the people with, Ex 34:18-27 and after a stay of forty days and forty nights on the mount, he came down with the two tables of the law; and the skin of his face shone so bright, that the people of Israel were afraid to come nigh him, and therefore he put a vail over his face while he conversed with them, Ex 34:28-35.

Cross References 17

  • 1. Ex 19:11, 18, 20
  • 2. Exodus 19:12, 13
  • 3. Exodus 34:1
  • 4. Exodus 19:9; Exodus 33:9
  • 5. Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 4:31; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalms 86:15; Psalms 103:8; Psalms 108:4; Psalms 145:8; Joel 2:13; Romans 2:4
  • 6. Exodus 20:5, 6; Deuteronomy 5:10; Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalms 103:3; Psalms 130:3, 4; 1 John 1:9
  • 7. Exodus 23:7; Deuteronomy 7:10; Job 10:14; Nahum 1:3
  • 8. Deuteronomy 5:9
  • 9. Exodus 4:31
  • 10. Exodus 33:13
  • 11. Exodus 32:9
  • 12. Exodus 34:7
  • 13. Deuteronomy 4:20; Deuteronomy 9:26, 29; Deuteronomy 32:9; Psalms 33:12
  • 14. Exodus 34:27, 28; Deuteronomy 5:2
  • 15. Deuteronomy 4:32; Psalms 72:18; Psalms 136:4
  • 16. Exodus 33:2
  • 17. Exodus 23:32, 33

Footnotes 11

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