Exodus 34:1-7

1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew two tables of stone like unto the first; and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou didst break.

2 And be ready for tomorrow and come up in the morning unto Mount Sinai and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount.

3 And no man shall come up with thee; neither let anyone be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the sheep nor the cows feed before the mount.

4 And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and Moses rose up early in the morning and went up unto Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone.

5 And the LORD descended in a cloud and was with him there proclaiming the name of I AM.

6 And as the LORD passed by before him, he proclaimed, I AM, I AM strong, merciful, and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in mercy and truth,

7 keeping mercy for thousands, letting go of iniquity and rebellion and sin; and by no means will I absolve the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons and upon the sons’ sons, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

Exodus 34:1-7 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.