Exodus 34:26-35

26 "You must bring the first and best of the produce harvested from your soil to the house of the LORD your God. "Never cook a young goat in its mother's milk."

27 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write down these words, because on the basis of these words I'm making a promise to Israel and to you."

28 Moses was there with the LORD 40 days and 40 nights without food or water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the promise, the ten commandments.

29 Moses came down from Mount Sinai, carrying the two tablets with God's words on them. His face was shining from speaking with the LORD, but he didn't know it.

30 When Aaron and all the Israelites looked at Moses and saw his face shining, they were afraid to come near him.

31 Moses called to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him. Then Moses spoke to them.

32 After that, all the other Israelites came near him, and he commanded them to do everything the LORD told him on Mount Sinai.

33 When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face.

34 But whenever Moses went into the LORD's presence to speak with him, he took off the veil until he came out. Whenever he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded,

35 they would see that Moses' face was shining. Then Moses would put the veil back on until he went in again to speak with the LORD.

Exodus 34:26-35 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.