Ex. 33:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it:
Ex. 33:2 And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:
Ex. 33:3 Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.
The LORD told Moses to take the people and go to the land that He swore to give unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their progeny. He again says that He will send an angel before them. The LORD emphasized that it will be His power that drives out the people who are already occupying the land. It is noted that the land that God promised to give the children of Israel was a land flowing with milk and honey. (It’s a land of plenty.)
The next statement is interesting—The LORD said that He would not go up in the midst of the children of Israel because they had proven to be stiffnecked (stubborn, obstinate). They might provoke Him to the point that He would decide to destroy them immediately if He were with them.
Again, God is letting us know through His inspired Word that His longsuffering is associated with His mercy and His faithfulness to His promises—but He can be provoked to a point that requires judgment.
Ex. 33:4 And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.
Ex. 33:5 For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.
Ex. 33:6 And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb.
When the people were told of God’s decision not to go with them, they mourned. The LORD had told Moses to tell them that He recognized them as a stiffnecked people and that they provoked Him to the point that He could choose to destroy them in a moment. Then He told Moses to have them remove their jewelry until He decided what to do with them. They obeyed. It is noted that they were still at Mount Horeb (another name for Mt. Sinai).
I just thought of the time in chapter 3, verse 12, where God promised Moses that he would return to serve God at this mountain.
Ex. 33:7 And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.
It’s interesting that Moses pitched the tabernacle without the camp—far from the camp. This is not yet the tabernacle for which God had given such specific instructions. It is yet to be built at this point. It seems to be the place appointed for Moses to meet with the people before the LORD as he made judgments over their affairs. God had purposed to distance Himself from the people. Those who sought the LORD would have to make concerted effort to approach Him at the tabernacle.
Ex. 33:8 And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.
Ex. 33:9 And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses.
Moses went out to the tabernacle with all the people watching him. They knew that God was really upset with them. When Moses went into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar (signifying God’s presence) descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses.
Ex. 33:10 And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.
The people recognized the cloudy pillar as God’s presence, so they rose up and worshipped God—each one in the door of his own tent. (I’m sure they are praying for mercy and grace.)
Ex. 33:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.
In this verse we are made to realize that Moses had not gone to the tabernacle alone—Joshua, the son of Nun, went with him. The LORD spoke to Moses “face to face” as a friend. We know this doesn’t mean eye to eye because of verse 20. I think this is just an expression that means a personal, intimate conversation. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we have that same privileged position.
Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
When the LORD had finished His conversation with Moses, he went back to the camp; but his servant Joshua stayed in the tabernacle. (No information is given as to why Joshua was there or if he had heard the conversation.) I think the special mention that is made of Joshua going with Moses to wait for Him at these times of meeting with God are intended to prepare the people to accept him as their leader when Moses was taken from them.
Courson: “ Every one of us is as close to God as we want to be. God will gladly and readily take you and me as far as we want to go. But He won’t take us one step further than we desire.”
Ex. 33:12 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.
Ex. 33:13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
It would seem that we are now being told more about the conversation between the LORD and Moses.
Moses basically says – You have told me to lead this people, but you haven’t told me whom you are going to send with me. You say that we are on a first name basis and that I have found grace in Your sight. If that is true, show me Your plan so that I can understand that I have found favor in Your sight and that You are claiming this people as Your own.
Ex. 33:14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
The LORD tells Moses that His presence will go with Him to the place where He intended to settle them (give them rest). In other words, you don’t need to know the details; you just need to trust me and know that I am faithful to My Word. I will be your companion.
Courson: “Like the children of Israel, we drop the ball, we fall short; we mess up constantly. But, like them, we experience the presence of God because we, too, have a Mediator, a Greater than Moses—Jesus Christ.”
Ex. 33:15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
Ex. 33:16 For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
Moses replied that he didn’t want to go on at all if God wasn’t going to go with them. The only thing that made them unique among the nations of the earth was that God went with His people. His protection and provision for His people is what makes the other nations understand that Moses and the children of Israel have a special position of grace (graciousness, kindness, favor) before God.
If we follow God obediently today, we can have that same reputation before those who are not believers in this world.
Ex. 33:17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
The LORD told Moses that He would do as he asked because he had found grace in God’s sight and had an intimate, first-name association with him.
Ex. 33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
This is a really interesting request by Moses. He has spent more time in God’s presence than any other person we will read about in the Old Testament, but He wants to know God even more intimately. I think that is a natural response. The more we know Him, the more we want to know Him more.
Ex. 33:19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
Ex. 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
Ex. 33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
Ex. 33:22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
Ex. 33:23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.
God didn’t rebuke Moses for wanting to see Him more fully. He desires that response from His children. He agreed to make all His goodness (glory, beauty) pass in front of Moses and declare who He is as He does so. I think the last half of the verse is an indication of why the LORD is granting Moses’ request. He can choose to be gracious and kind and show mercy (love, compassion) to whomever He chooses.
The LORD told Moses that he could not actually see His face, because no human being can see God’s face and live. I think this just means that man’s response to God’s person would cause him to have a stroke or heart attack and die.
The LORD told Moses to stand on a rock. When His glory passed by Moses, He would place him in a cleft (crack, opening) in the rock and would cover him with His hand as He passed by. He would remove His hand in time for Moses to see His back; but Moses would not be allowed to see His face.
I think these verses are a wonderful depiction of God’s desire for intimacy with us. He made special provision for one man to fulfill his desire to know Him as LORD more intimately. I think God will do the same today. The key to being given that privilege is our desire as reflected by our service in obedience.
Ex. 34:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee 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 brakest.
Ex. 34:2 And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount.
Ex. 34:3 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.
The LORD continues to communicate with Moses. He tells him to hew or carve out two more tables of stone to replace the ones that had been broken. God is going to rewrite the contents of the first two tablets that Moses had broken.
The next morning Moses is to again go up Mount Sinai to meet with the LORD at the top of the mount. He is not to bring any other person with him. In fact, no men or animals are to be on or near the mount.
Ex. 34:4 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.
Moses obeyed.
Ex. 34:5 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.
Ex. 34:6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
Ex. 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, 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 to the fourthgeneration.
First, we note that the LORD comes down in a cloud to the mount. The word stood basically means that He established His position there. As God passes by Moses, He identifies Himself as:
LORD – YHWH, the self-existent and eternal One (This was the most sacred name of God to the Hebrews.)
God – “el,” strength, powerful, almighty
merciful - compassionate, not responding to us how we deserve
gracious – kind, condescending, blessing us with what we don’t deserve
longsuffering – patient, slow to anger
abundant in goodness and truth – overflowing with kindness, mercy, pity, truth, trustworthiness and rightness
keeping mercy for thousands – guarding and protecting mercy and kindness for thousands. The entry for thousands was interesting in that it indicated that it could represent the number or the concept of family. Frankly, I tend to think that would be a better translation—“keeping mercy for His family.”
forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin – The entry for forgive implies lifting to a position of acceptance. The next three words appear to be redundant. As I look in the Hebrew, I make the following connections: iniquity = evil, transgression = rebellion, and sin = habitual offense
One who will not clear the guilty – God will not clear, pronounce clean, hold innocent “the guilty”; these two words are not in the original but are inferred in the meaning for the word “clear.”
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. The entry from Strong’s for visiting follows:
6485. paqad, paw-kad´; a primitive root; to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc.:—appoint, x at all, avenge, bestow, (appoint to have the, give a) charge, commit, count, deliver to keep, be empty, enjoin, go see, hurt, do judgment, lack, lay up, look, make, x by any means, miss, number, officer, (make) overseer, have (the) oversight, punish, reckon, (call to) remember(-brance), set (over), sum, x surely, visit, want.
As I look at this entry with so many choices, the words that seem to make the most sense to me are oversee, go see, look. God tells us elsewhere in His word that each man is responsible for his own actions.
Ezekiel 18:20 “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.”
As God is watching men practice sin as an example before their children, He can see that influence reflected in the lives of the children to the third and fourth generations, and He will give each generation the opportunity to follow Him in obedience. These children and grandchildren would then be held accountable for their own actions, which, sadly, more often than not would mirror that of their parents or grandparents.
The question becomes—Why did God decide to introduce Himself to Moses in this manner. Personally, I think it was more for the benefit of those who would read these words in the years to come as part of the Torah and the completed canon of scripture. The whole purpose of the scripture is to teach us about God (Father, Son and Spirit)—who He is, His love for us, and His expectations and guidelines for how we should live. And there is no one better to tell us about the LORD than the LORD Himself!
Ex. 34:8 And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.
Ex. 34:9 And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.
Moses quickly bowed his head and worshipped. The Hebrew for the word worship indicates that he prostrated himself, fell down flat in reverence and honor before the LORD. Then he petitions the LORD. He is basically repeating a request that God has already granted (33:15-17). The main difference that I can see is that he is asking God to claim the Israelites as His personal possession again.
The LORD’s anger had been taken to an extreme level by the people’s sin. Moses saw that reaction and seemed to need special reassurance as the leader of the people. All of this is consistent with Moses’ character, as shown when God first called him to go and lead the people out of Egypt.
Courson: “It was because Moses knew the name, the nature, the character of God that he was able to ask for His presence, His pardon, His eternal promise."
Ex. 34:10 And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.
The LORD tells Moses that He is going to make a covenant (agreement, contract) with the people. God is the one initiating the covenant. He will do marvels (wonderful things, hard things, miracles) before all the people; the kind of things that have never yet been experienced on earth. (Seems to me He has already done some of those things—parting the Red Sea, etc.) All of Israel will see these actions. The last phrase seems to indicate that these actions will inspire fear and reverence.
Ex. 34:11 Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
Ex. 34:12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:
A covenant, as stated above, indicates an agreement, which assumes more than one person. For Israel’s part, they are to obey what God tells them to do. God is going to drive out or expel the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites from their lands and give the land to Israel. Israel is not to make any agreements with the inhabitants of the land; they would end up in a snare or trap if they did. Disobedience would result in trouble for the Israelites.
Ex. 34:13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:
Ex. 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
Ex. 34:15 Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;
Ex. 34:16 And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.
Ex. 34:17 Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.
As they take possession of the Promised Land, the Israelites are to:
destroy their altars
break their images/idols
cut down their groves
These are all things associated with the worship of idols.
Israel is only to worship THE LORD God. He emphasizes this point by identifying Himself as Jealous (intolerant of rivalry; expecting exclusive devotion).
If they are totally devoted to God, they will not make agreements with the inhabitants of the land. This would protect them from spiritual fornication. God explains His meaning in graphic language that they cannot misunderstand. That “whoring” would include sacrificing to other gods and eating things sacrificed to other gods as they fellowshipped with those people.
If they are totally devoted to God, the sons of Israel will be protected from being tempted by the women of these idolatrous peoples. To establish relationships with the women of these heathen peoples would inevitably result in the sons of Israel “whoring” with their gods.
The people of Israel are not to make molten gods or idols (e.g., the golden calf).
God expects our complete devotion for our own protection because of His love for us. If we will just choose to obey His word, we will be able to avoid many of the terrible consequences that result from disobeying His word.
Courson: “‘Be careful you don’t get sucked in to the images of the world,’ God warns. God is jealous for us. He wants the very best for us. And He says images, altars, and worship in shady groves will destroy our lives by destroying our vision of Him.”
Courson: “Molten gold is melted and poured into a mold—which is exactly what we see in the melt-down of spirituality where people mold God into what they think He should be in order to excuse their own sin.”
Ex. 34:18 The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt.
God reminds Moses that Israel is to keep (observe, preserve) the feast of unleavened bread. (We first learned about this feast in chapter 12.) It’s a yearly reminder of God’s deliverance from the land of Egypt.
Ex. 34:19 All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male.
Ex. 34:20 But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.
This is a reiteration of the teaching in Exodus 13:13-16.
Ex. 34:21 Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest.
This is another statement regarding the command to keep the Sabbath. The emphasis is made here that there are to be no exceptions. Reaping the harvest would be a very important time of year, but it is not an acceptable reason for not keeping the Sabbath.
Ex. 34:22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year’s end.
Ex. 34:23 Thrice in the year shall all your men children appear before the Lord GOD, the God of Israel.
Three times each year all the men are to come before the LORD God of Israel.
feast of weeks (harvest) – discussed in Exodus 23. This is the feast associated with Passover.
firstfruits of wheat harvest – This is the feast associated with Pentecost.
feast of ingathering at year’s end – also called feast of tabernacles or booths. It began five days after the Day of Atonement and marked the end of the harvest for the year and Israel’s wanderings in the wilderness.
Ex. 34:24 For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the LORD thy God thrice in the year.
When the men are obedient to God’s command to appear before Him these three times each year, He will personally protect them and their land from enemies. They would not have to fear looting or theft of their property while they were gone.
Ex. 34:25 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the passover be left unto the morning.
Leaven (which represents sin) is not to be used in sacrifice. None of the meat from the Passover sacrifice was to be allowed to remain until morning. It is to be consumed by fire (Ex 12:10).
Ex. 34:26 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother’s milk.
Restatement of Ex 23:19.
God is to be given the first portion of every harvest. This would not only reflect an obedient spirit, but would show gratitude to the one supplying the harvest.
A young goat is not to be cooked in its mother’s milk. I was listening to Zola Levitt on a podcast interviewing Nehemiah Gordon, a Karaite Jew (one who follows the Hebrew scripture vs. the teaching of the Rabbis from the Talmud). He explained that this was a practice associated with a Canaanite fertility ritual for the goddesss Ashtoreth. In my mind, this connects with the teaching to avoid even the appearance of evil.
1Thessalonians 5:22 “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”
Ex. 34:27 And 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.
Evidently the words of this covenant were not included on the tablets that God had written. Moses is instructed to write these words.
“after the tenor” = according to
These are the stipulations for the covenant God is making with Moses and with Israel. (I think that Moses is singled out since he was so persistent that God take Israel as His inheritance—verse 9.)
Ex. 34:28 And he was there with 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 commandments.
It would appear, as I look back through the chapters in this book, that the two tablets that Moses originally broke, the ones written by God, contained the information from chapters 25-32. The wording here is confusing; it sounds like Moses is the one writing on the tablets. We are told in verse one of this chapter specifically that God would write on the tablets the same words that He had written on the first set of tablets.
It is obvious that, at this point, Moses only recorded excerpts from His time on the mount with the LORD.
Moses was again on the mountain with the LORD for forty days and forty nights. During that time, he did not eat or drink.
I have never even come close to going that amount of time without food or water. I have, however, gotten so caught up in studying the Word that I have forgotten meals. Moses was with the source of the bread of life and water that will cause you never to hunger or thirst. I can’t wait!
Ex. 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.
Ex. 34:30 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.
When Moses came down from the mount, he was again carrying the two tables of testimony. His face was glowing with God’s reflected glory, but he wasn’t aware of it. When Aaron and the Israelites saw his face, they were afraid to come near him.
Ex. 34:31 And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them.
Ex. 34:32 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.
When Moses realized that he was being avoided, he called out to Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation. So they came to him and Moses talked with them. He then called all the people to come together so that he could command (present with authority) the things that the LORD had told him on Mount Sinai.
Ex. 34:33 And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face.
Ex. 34:34 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.
Ex. 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.
The whole time that Moses was speaking with the people, he covered his face with a veil. When Moses went into the tabernacle to speak to the LORD, he took the veil off. Then he came back out to speak to Israel according to all that God had commanded him. Again, the people saw that Moses’ face was glowing with God’s glory; so Moses covered his face with the veil again until he went back in to speak with God.
I think there is a point being made here. Obviously, God was not bothered by Moses’ appearance of reflected glory; in fact, I believe He is pleased to see Himself reflected in us in such a way that is obvious to everyone else. When we go before God, we go just as we are. Even if we were to try to hide a part of our being, it would be useless because He sees all—straight through to the depths of our soul.
Paul gives us some extra insight into the reason Moses wore the veil; he didn’t want the people to see that his reflection of God’s glory was fading. I think the CJB is a bit clearer that the KJV: 2 Corinthians 3:12–13 “Therefore, with a hope like this, we are very open — unlike Moshe, who put a veil over his face, so that the people of Isra’el would not see the fading brightness come to an end.”
Courson: “We do the same thing….We learn the lingo; we learn how to appear pious; we learn to cover up. And we become exhausted as our lives become fake, phony, facades. But when we realize we don’t have to pretend to be spiritual giants, prayer warriors, or heroes of faith—when we are free to be the dim bulbs we know we are, suddenly the burden lifts and our Christian experience becomes vibrant and alive once more as we simply reflect His light, His beauty, His grace and goodness and glory.”
Paul goes on to reference this same experience to show how understanding of God’s word is revealed when one turns to the Messiah in faith and how that understanding affects one’s life. Again from the CJB: Corinthians 3:16–18 “But,” says the Torah, “whenever someone turns to ADONAI, the veil is taken away.” Now, “ADONAI” in this text means the Spirit. And where the Spirit of ADONAI is, there is freedom. So all of us, with faces unveiled, see as in a mirror the glory of the Lord; and we are being changed into his very image, from one degree of glory to the next, by ADONAI the Spirit.”
Wiersbe: “…when the child of God looks into the Word of God and sees the Son of God, he or she is transformed by the Spirit of God into the image of God for the glory of God.”