Exodus 34 Footnotes

34:14 The Hebrew word qanna’, translated in many versions as “jealous,” can also be translated as “zealous.” The term describes God’s expectation that human beings will make him their highest priority in life by loving him with all their heart, soul, and strength (Dt 6:4). As Creator of the universe and all life, God has the right to expect people to value him most highly. This type of “jealousy” is not a bad thing. It is proper in a marriage; a wife or husband expects the spouse to be faithful in thought, word, and deed, and would be rightfully upset should the spouse prove unfaithful. The Israelite prophets sometimes compare God’s covenant relationship with his people to a marriage (Jr 3:20; 31:32; Hs 2:16).