Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Exodus 34
Exodus 34:6-7The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.
This is God's own description of Himself, a foundational statement in Scripture about His balanced nature of mercy and justice. It shows that His willingness to forgive is matched by His commitment to righteousness.Exodus 34:14(for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),
God's jealousy is not petty envy but a righteous passion for the exclusive devotion He deserves. This verse is a stark reminder that worship cannot be divided between God and idols.Exodus 34:29When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the 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 shone because he had been talking with God.
Moses' shining face is a physical manifestation of being in God's holy presence. It illustrates that a genuine encounter with God leaves a visible mark and sets a person apart.
Historical & Cultural Context
A Second Chance on the Mountain
This chapter unfolds in the immediate aftermath of a national crisis. In Exodus 32, while Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the first set of laws, the Israelites built and worshiped a golden calf. In a moment of righteous fury, Moses shattered the stone tablets, symbolizing the breaking of the covenant. Exodus 34 is God's gracious response to this failure, calling Moses back up the mountain to restore what was broken and reaffirm His commitment to His people.
The Law is Grounded in God's Character
The encounter on the mountain is intensely personal between God and Moses. God first reveals His own name and character. He then gives a new set of rules. This self-revelation becomes the foundation for the renewed covenant, grounding the law in the nature of the Lawgiver. The laws that follow, including warnings against idolatry and instructions for worship, are designed to protect the relationship that God, in His mercy, has chosen to restore.
A Journey of Restoration and Revelation
Picking up the pieces from Israel's great failure, Moses is summoned by God to return to the summit of Mount Sinai. In verses 1-9, he prepares for a new beginning, bringing freshly cut stone tablets. This is more than a repeat of his first trip. It is a significant moment of divine grace, where God reveals the depths of His own heart before re-establishing the covenant with His people.
God Reveals His Name (Exodus 34:1-9)
1 The Lord said to Moses, “Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.
2 Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain.
3 No one shall come up with you, and let no one be seen throughout all the mountain. Let no flocks or herds graze opposite that mountain.”
4 So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone.
5 The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.
6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.
8 And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped.
9 And he said, "If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance."
Commentary:
God gives Israel a second chance, revealing His merciful and just character as the foundation for a renewed relationship.
The Covenant Renewed with Warnings (Exodus 34:10-17)
10 And he said, "Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord, for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.
11 Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I will drive out before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
12 Take care, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it become a snare in your midst.
13 You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim
14 (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),
15 lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they whore after their gods and sacrifice to their gods and you are invited, you eat of his sacrifice,
16 and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods.
17 You shall not make for yourself any gods of cast metal.
Commentary:
God renews His promises but gives strict warnings against idolatry and compromise, demanding exclusive loyalty.
Laws for Worship and Remembrance (Exodus 34:18-28)
18 “You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib, for in the month Abib you came out from Egypt.
19 "All that open the womb are mine, all your male livestock, the firstborn of cow and sheep."
20 The firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck.
21 "Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest. In plowing time and in harvest you shall rest."
22 You shall observe the Feast of Weeks, the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year's end.
23 Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel.
24 For I will cast out nations before you and enlarge your borders; no one shall covet your land, when you go up to appear before the Lord your God three times in the year.
25 "You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened, or let the sacrifice of the Feast of the Passover remain until the morning."
26 The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring to the house of the Lord your God.
27 And the Lord said to Moses, “Write these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.”
28 So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.
Commentary:
God re-establishes key religious observances, including feasts and the Sabbath, to structure Israel's life around worship and remembrance.
The Radiance of God's Glory (Exodus 34:29-35)
29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the 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 shone because he had been talking with God.
30 Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.
31 And 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 commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinai.
33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.
34 Whenever Moses went 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 shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
Commentary:
After being with God, Moses' face shines with divine glory, causing the people to fear and demonstrating the transformative power of God's presence.
Related Verse Analysis
Core Truths from the Renewed Covenant
The Gracious Character of God
The heart of this chapter is God's self-revelation in verses 6-7. He defines Himself primarily by His mercy, grace, patience, love, and faithfulness. This shows that His relationship with humanity is founded on His goodness, not our performance.
Restoration After Failure
The entire chapter is a testament to second chances. Israel's sin with the golden calf was a covenant-breaking act, yet God initiates restoration. He provides new tablets and renews His promises, demonstrating that repentance opens the door to His restorative grace.
The Necessity of Holy Separation
God's commands to tear down altars and avoid alliances are not about cultural isolation but spiritual purity. He knows that compromise with idolatry will poison the heart of His people and destroy their unique relationship with Him. Holiness requires clear boundaries.
The Transforming Effect of God's Presence
Moses' shining face is a literal illustration of a spiritual truth: being with God changes you. His glory is reflected in those who draw near to Him. This serves as a powerful visual aid for the people, showing them the awesome reality of the God they serve.
Living Out the Lessons from Sinai
It brings immense comfort to know that God's primary nature is 'merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.' This means His arms are always open when you fail. At the same time, it's a healthy challenge to remember He 'will by no means clear the guilty,' which reminds you that sin is serious and holiness matters deeply to Him.
A modern snare is anything that competes for the ultimate loyalty that only God deserves. This could be an unhealthy devotion to a career, the pursuit of wealth, or the desire for social approval that causes you to compromise your values. As God says, He is a 'Jealous' God (v. 14), meaning He desires your whole heart and wants to protect you from anything that would draw it away.
While you won't literally glow, spending consistent time with God in prayer and Scripture should produce a noticeable change in your character. Like Moses (v. 29), this change might be more obvious to others than to yourself. You can reflect His character through a calmer spirit, greater patience with difficult people, and a deeper love that points others toward the source of that transformation.
God's Grace Restores Broken Relationships
Exodus 34 shows us the heart of a God who is determined to restore relationship, even after a catastrophic failure. He re-establishes His covenant not because the people deserved it, but because His very nature is merciful and faithful. The message is that our hope is not in our own ability to be perfect, but in God's character. His presence is meant to transform us, setting us apart to reflect His glory to the world.
What This Means for Us Today
The renewal of the covenant on Sinai is an enduring invitation to return to God, no matter how badly we have failed. Just as Moses was called back up the mountain, we are called to draw near to a God who is rich in mercy. His presence is available, and it has the power to change us from the inside out.
- In what area of your life do you need to accept God's 'second chance'?
- How can you intentionally set aside time this week to be in God's presence, away from distractions?
- Who in your life needs to see a reflection of God's gracious character through you?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This chapter sets the stage, with Moses pleading for God's presence to remain with Israel after the golden calf incident.
The book of Leviticus immediately follows, detailing the laws of worship and sacrifice that are central to the covenant relationship restored here.
Connections Across Scripture
Moses retells the story of receiving the second set of tablets, offering a parallel account of these events.
The Apostle Paul uses the story of Moses' veiled, fading glory to contrast it with the permanent, transforming glory available through Jesus Christ.
In a national prayer of confession, the people of Israel quote God's self-revelation from Exodus 34, showing its lasting importance.
Theological Themes
The psalmist directly quotes God's declaration of His character from Exodus 34, celebrating His merciful and gracious nature.
This passage speaks of Jesus revealing God's glory in the flesh, providing the ultimate fulfillment of the glory that Moses only reflected.
Discussion Questions
- God describes Himself as both 'forgiving iniquity' and one who 'will by no means clear the guilty.' How do these two ideas work together, and why is it important to hold onto both?
- The command to rest on the Sabbath applied even during the busiest seasons of plowing and harvest (v. 21). What does this teach us about trust, priorities, and the potential for work to become an idol?
- Moses wore a veil because the people were afraid of God's reflected glory. Why do you think people are sometimes intimidated by or fearful of true holiness, both in God and in others?