Exodus 34:8-18

8 Then Moses quickly bowed to the ground and worshiped.

9 He said, "Lord, if you are pleased with me, please go with us. I know that these are stubborn people, but forgive our evil and our sin. Take us as your own people."

10 Then the Lord said, "I am making this agreement with you. I will do miracles in front of all your people -- things that have never before been done for any other nation on earth -- and the people with you will see my work. I, the Lord, will do wonderful things for you.

11 Obey the things I command you today, and I will force out the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites ahead of you.

12 Be careful that you don't make an agreement with the people who live in the land where you are going, because it will bring you trouble.

13 Destroy their altars, break their stone pillars, and cut down their Asherah idols.

14 Don't worship any other god, because I, the Lord, the Jealous One, am a jealous God.

15 "Be careful that you don't make an agreement with the people who live in that land. When they worship their gods, they will invite you to join them. Then you will eat their sacrifices.

16 If you choose some of their daughters as wives for your sons and those daughters worship gods, they will lead your sons to do the same thing.

17 "Do not make gods of melted metal.

18 "Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days you must eat bread made without yeast as I commanded you. Do this during the month I have chosen, the month of Abib, because in that month you came out of Egypt.

Exodus 34:8-18 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.