Exodus 34:28-35

28 ¹So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he ²wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. ^[a]

The Shining Face of Moses

29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with ³the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face ⁴shone because he had been talking with God. ^[b]

30 Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face ⁵shone, and they were afraid to come near him.

31 But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them.

32 Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he ⁶commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinai.

33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a ⁷veil over his face.

34 Whenever Moses ⁸went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded,

35 the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face was ⁹shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Exodus 34:28-35 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.

Cross References

• 1. 34:28 See ch. 24:18
• 2. 34:28 [ver. 1; ch. 31:18; 32:16; Deut. 4:13; 10:2, 4]
• 3. 34:29 ch. 32:15
• 4. 34:29 2 Cor. 3:7; [Matt. 17:2]
• 5. 34:30 ver. 29
• 6. 34:32 ch. 24:3
• 7. 34:33 2 Cor. 3:13
• 8. 34:34 2 Cor. 3:16
• 9. 34:35 ver. 29

Footnotes

• [a] 34:28 Hebrew 'the ten words'
• [b] 34:29 Hebrew 'him'