What does Exodus 34:29-35 mean?
"When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them. And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him in mount Sinai. And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face. But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded. And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him." - Exodus 34:29-35
Exodus 34:29-35 in the King James Version reads, "And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them. And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him in mount Sinai. And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face. But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded. And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him."
This passage from Exodus 34 captures a significant moment in the life of Moses and the history of the Israelites. It details Moses' encounter with God on Mount Sinai and the physical transformation that occurred as a result of this encounter. The passage is rich with themes of divine encounter, transformation, and the radiance of God's presence.
The context of this passage is important for understanding its significance. In the preceding verses, Moses had ascended Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments from God. He spent forty days and forty nights in the presence of the Lord, during which time he received not only the Commandments but also instructions for building the tabernacle and establishing a covenant with the Israelites. As Moses descended from the mountain, he carried with him the tablets engraved with the testimony of God's commandments, representing the divine encounter that had taken place.
The imagery of Moses' glowing face symbolizes the radiance of divine presence. The text states that "the skin of his face shone while he talked with him," indicating that Moses' encounter with God had a visible, physical impact on him. This radiance was a manifestation of the divine presence that Moses had experienced on Mount Sinai. It serves as a powerful symbol of the transformative power of encountering God, as well as the visible evidence of a life touched by the divine.
The reaction of the Israelites to Moses' glowing face is also significant. They were initially afraid to come near him, as they were confronted with a physical manifestation of the divine that they could not fully comprehend. This fear reflects the awe and reverence that the ancient Israelites felt in response to the presence of God. It also underscores the otherness of the divine and the need for mediation and interpretation in order to bridge the gap between the human and the divine.
Moses' use of a veil to cover his glowing face further illustrates the theme of mediation between the divine and the human. The veil served to shield the Israelites from the overwhelming radiance of God's presence that was reflected in Moses' face. It also speaks to the mystery of divine revelation and the need for a gradual and mediated approach to understanding and experiencing the divine.
Overall, this passage from Exodus 34 is a powerful and evocative depiction of the transformative power of encountering God. It communicates the awe-inspiring presence of the divine and the impact it can have on an individual's life. It also underscores the need for mediation and interpretation in understanding and responding to the divine, as well as the reverent fear and awe that the divine presence elicits. This passage continues to resonate with believers as a compelling testament to the power and mystery of encountering the divine.
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Exodus 34:29-35 Artwork
Exodus 34:29-35 - "When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord."
"When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord." - Exodus 34:29-35
Exodus 35:34 - "And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan."
Exodus 34:35 - "And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him."
"And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him." - Exodus 34:29
Exodus 29:35 - "And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according to all things which I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou consecrate them."
Exodus 29:34 - "And if ought of the flesh of the consecrations, or of the bread, remain unto the morning, then thou shalt burn the remainder with fire: it shall not be eaten, because it is holy." The image should not depict explicit or offensive content but be symbolic.
Exodus 35:29 - "The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses."
Lucas 20:34-35
"And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan." - Exodus 35:34
1 Samuel 17:34-35
Exodus 34:29 - "¶ And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him."
Genesis 29:16-35
Matthew 20:29-34
Exodus 32.15-35
Exodus 40: 34
Job 34:35 - "Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom."
"And if ought of the flesh of the consecrations, or of the bread, remain unto the morning, then thou shalt burn the remainder with fire: it shall not be eaten, because it is holy." - Exodus 29:34
Exodus 28:31-34
Exodus 35:18 - "The pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their cords,"
Exodus 39:35 - "The ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy seat,"
Exodus 28:31-34
Exodus 28:31-34
Exodus 35:9 - "And onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate."
Exodus 35:32 - "And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,"
Exodus 35:6 - "And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,"
Exodus 35:8 - "And oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense,"
Exodus 35:12 - "The ark, and the staves thereof, with the mercy seat, and the vail of the covering,"
Exodus 34:17 - "Thou shalt make thee no molten gods."
The Plague of Hail - Exodus 9:13-35