Exodus-Chapter-34

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Throughout this site I may use any of the following three versions of the Tanakh: 1. “Jewish Publication Society” (JPS-1917), 2. “Mechon-Mamre.org” (MEC), and 3. “Sefaria.org” (SEF), three brilliant versions, However, the JPS-1917 is my preferred version!

Colour coded details of our beloved TaNaKh:

1. Torah = History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all other Writings.

*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Megillot, or Scrolls - Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and history of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles I & II.

Please Note: Some alterations or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, having been corrected like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.

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Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!

“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).

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“Exodus Chapter 34”

With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

Introduction:

Exodus 34 stands at a turning point in the Torah’s narrative. Israel has just experienced the rupture of the Golden Calf, and now the relationship between the people and the Divine must be rebuilt. This chapter is not only about new tablets of stone; it is about the re‑establishment of trust, the re‑affirmation of covenantal identity, and the unveiling of a Divine presence that is both just and compassionate. The chapter blends ‘law’, ‘revelation’, and ‘human response’ into a single movement toward renewed closeness.

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Let us read Exodus Chapter 34, verses 1 to 35: (JPS-1917 version of the Torah). Below chapter 34 you will find my commentary on same.

1. “And יְהוָה - the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first; and I will write upon the tables the words that were on the first tables, which thou didst break. 2. And be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to Me on the top of the mount. 3. And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that 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 יְהוָה - the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand two tables of stone. 5. And יְהוָה - the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of יְהוָה - the LORD. 6 And יְהוָה - the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed: ‘יְהוָה - the LORD, יְהוָה - the LORD, אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God), merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; 7. keeping mercy unto the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and unto the fourth generation’. 8. And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped. 9. And he said: ‘If now I have found grace in Thy sight, O יְהוָה - LORD, let יְהוָה - the LORD, I pray Thee, go in the midst of us; for it is a stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for Thine inheritance’. 10. And He said: ‘Behold, I make a covenant; before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been wrought in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of יְהוָה - the LORD that I am about to do with thee, that it is tremendous. 11. Observe thou that which I am commanding thee this day; behold, I am driving out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 12. Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest they be for a snare in the midst of thee. 13. But ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and ye shall cut down their Asherim. 14. For thou shalt bow down to no other god; for יְהוָה - the LORD, whose Name is ‘Jealous’, is a jealous אֱלֹהִים - Elohim; 15. lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go astray after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and they call thee, and thou eat of their sacrifice; 16. and thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go astray after their gods, and make thy sons go astray after their gods. 17. Thou shalt make thee no molten gods. 18. The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, at the time appointed in the month Abib, for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt. 19. All that openeth the womb is Mine; and of all thy cattle thou shalt sanctify the males, the firstlings of ox and sheep. 20. And the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck. All the first-born of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before Me empty. 21. Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest; in plowing time and in harvest thou shalt rest. 22. And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, even of the first-fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the turn of the year. 23. Three times in the year shall all thy males appear before יְהוָה - the LORD אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, the of Israel. 24. For I will cast out nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders; neither shall any man covet thy land, when thou goest up to appear before יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ - the LORD thy Eloheicha three times in the year. 25. Thou shalt not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the passover be left unto the morning. 26. The choicest first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of יְהוָה - the LORD thy אֱלֹהִים - Elohim. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother's milk’. 27. And יְהוָה - the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Write thou these words, for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel’. 28 And he was there with יְהוָה - the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten words. 29. And it came to pass, when Moses came down from Mount Horeb with the two tables of the testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the Mount that Moses knew not that the skin of his face sent forth beams while He talked with Him. 30. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face sent forth beams; and they were afraid to come nigh to him. 31. And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him; and Moses spoke to them. 32. And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh, and he gave them in commandment all that יְהוָה - the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Horeb. 33. And when Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. 34. But when Moses went in before יְהוָה - the LORD that He might speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out; and he came out; and spoke unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded. 35. And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face sent forth beams; and Moses put the veil back upon his face, until he went in to speak with Him”.

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Let us now look at this Chapter’s commentary.

Verses 1-4: (Preparing the New Tablets). Moses is instructed to carve two tablets like the first ones. The act is symbolic: the first tablets were entirely Divine work, but these require human effort. The covenant now becomes a partnership in a more explicit way. Moses rising early and ascending the mountain alone emphasizes the seriousness and intimacy of this renewed encounter.

Verses 5-7: (The Divine Attributes). The Divine presence passes before Moses and proclaims qualities such as compassion, graciousness, patience, and steadfastness. These attributes are not abstract theology; they are the framework through which Israel is invited to understand the Divine relationship. The mention of consequences for wrongdoing sits alongside mercy, showing a balanced moral universe rather than a simple one.

Verses 8-9: (Moses’ Plea). Moses bows and asks that the Divine presence remain with Israel despite their stubbornness. His request is bold: he acknowledges the people’s flaws while still insisting that they are worthy of Divine companionship. This moment captures Moses’ role as mediator honest, loyal, and unafraid to advocate.

Verses 10-17: (Covenant Terms and Boundaries). A covenant is renewed, but it is not merely ceremonial. It includes clear expectations: Israel must avoid alliances that would lead them into idolatry. The emphasis on separation is not about isolation but about preserving the integrity of Israel’s spiritual identity. The warnings are practical, not punitive they describe how easily cultural and religious blending can erode core commitments.

Verses 18-26: (Ritual Foundations). A series of laws follows, touching on festivals, firstborn offerings, Sabbath observance, and agricultural practices. These laws anchor the covenant in daily life. They remind Israel that holiness is not confined to the mountain but is woven into the rhythms of time, food, work, and community. The repetition of certain laws from earlier chapters reinforces continuity: the covenant is renewed, not replaced.

Verses 27-28: (Writing the Covenant). Moses writes the words of the covenant, and he remains on the mountain forty days and nights. The absence of food and water underscores the intensity of the encounter. The text highlights that the covenant is not merely spoken but written a lasting record of mutual commitment.

Verses 29-35: (The Radiance of Moses’ Face). When Moses descends, his face shines. The people are afraid, not because the light is threatening, but because it signals a closeness to the Divine that is overwhelming. Moses veils his face when speaking to the people but removes the veil when speaking with the Divine. The veil becomes a symbol of mediation: Moses carries Divine light, but he also protects the people from being overpowered by it. The radiance is not a display of power; it is the natural result of deep encounter.

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My Closing Message:

Exodus 34 is a chapter of healing. It shows that relationships, even sacred ones can fracture, but they can also be rebuilt with honesty, effort, and renewed commitment. The Divine presence is portrayed as patient yet principled, compassionate yet demanding of integrity. Moses stands as a figure who bridges the human and the Divine, not by perfection but by dedication.

For those who are studying this chapter, the message is ‘steady’ and ‘reassuring’: ‘renewal’ is always possible, and the work of shaping a covenantal life is shared between ‘humanity’ and ‘the Divine’. The light that Moses carried was not meant to intimidate; it is meant to remind us that closeness with אֱלֹהִים - Elohim leaves a mark, one that can illuminate the world around us!

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This site was originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or three times a day (if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance, for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He! However this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of studies!

Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said the following via several of our prophets...

“Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts” Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. (JPS).

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“Hebraic Studies” motto is as follows;

“The More Torah, the More Life”,

For Elohim is the One who gave us our ... “Life!”

May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD of hosts, be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s - Prayers and regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s - blessings before food and drinks, etc!

שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!

Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

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