Exodus 34

Exodus 34:5

DEscended] He shewed himselfe present in the cloud, as if he had descended down into it from Heaven, which is the place of his habitation, Exodus 19:11; Exodus 19:18; Exodus 19:20. Or else the meaning is, that the cloud it selfe descended, for ordinarily the cloud was raised upon high in the aire, and did come down lower when God was pleased to speake to Moses, Exo: 33. 9. Numbers 11:17; Numbers 11:25.

Exodus 34:7

Mercy] The promise of using mercy; Let my Lord] the Son of God himselfe, see Exodus 23. 20. and 33. 2, 14 Take us for thine inheritance] The Italian hath it,Possesse us] take us as thine own, dwell and raigne in the middest of us, as our true and onely Lord, reprove us not, nor do not leave us to our selves, or to any other Lords: See Isay 1. 3. and 26. 13 Zach. 2. 12.

Exodus 34:10

I make] That is to say, according to thy desire, I do solemnly and in the presence of all the people, re-establish my Covenant with you, which you had broken by your precedent apostasie: I will do] my presence shall shew it selfe, by more high and wonderfull effects then any of the former ones: With thee]accompanying thy ministery with my supreame power, Isay 63. 11. Habakkuk 3:13. Marke 16. 20. 1 Corinthians 15:10

Exodus 34:13

Groves] Choice places, and ordinarily prephaned with idolatry, either because that the silence and thick darknesse of the thick woods, did imprint some opinion of a present deity in the Pagans: or because the first inventors of this superstition, especially amongst the Israelites, did draw into a perverse example Abrahams act, Gen. 33. 21.

Exodus 34:15

Go a Whoring] So idolatry is called a spirituall adultery; because that the soule, which oweth all her heart and love to God alone, bestoweth it upon the c〈…〉atures, Psalms 73 29 And thou eat] which was hvng communion with the Idol, for those sacrifice feasts were made with a publick intent of rejoycing, for those benefits, which the idolaters professed they eld, through the Idols blessing; after they had offered the Idol part of it for thanksgiving andcknowledgemnt: see Numbers 25:2. Psalms 106:28 Ezech. 18. 6. and 22. 9. 1 Corinthians 10:20. Revelation 2:20.

Exodus 34:17

Men] Nor of no other kind, but this seemeth to be specified to upbraid the people with the remembrance of the golden calfe.

Exodus 34:19

Openeth] Every male first borne, Amongst thy cattel] The Italian addeth to it, There shall be an offering made] Because that part of the firstlings of cleane beasts, namely, the sat was to be burned upon the Altar, Numbers 18:17. which in the sacrifices is called the memoriall, Lev. 2. 2, 9. and 6. 15. Because that it did in a manner represent unto the Lord by its smel, the service of the offerings, and sanctifying of the thing offered. Others take the meaning of the word to be thus: All that is amongst the cattel, of male-kind first born.

Exodus 34:22

Of weekes] Of Pentecost, at the end of seven weeks after Easter.

Exodus 34:24

For I will] Be not afraid to leave your cities, and your houses without watch or defence, to come to my Temple to serve me, for I wil defend you from all assaults.

Exodus 34:27

Write thou] In a booke a part, which shall containe these particular orders for my service; for upon the tables there was nothing but the ten Commandements written by God himselfe: See v. 28. Deuteronomy 10:2; Deuteronomy 10:4 After theenour] Upon these covenants, and conditions.

Exodus 34:29

Shone] The Lord having granted Moses that he should see some resemblance or beame of his celestiall glory, imprinted also in him some part of the effects thereof, which is to transforme the beholder into the like image of glory, 2 Corinth. 18. 2. John 3:3. To give his servant the greater authority, 2 Corinthians 3:7; 2 Corinthians 3:11.

Exodus 34:30

They were afraid] And so it is likewise that Moses came to know this his divine brightnesse.

Exodus 34:31

Unto him] The Italian addeth, To the assembly] To the great assembly of the people, which Moses as yet held without the Campe, but after this full reconciliation with God, the holy Tabernacle was erected, and Gods presence did again shew it selfe in the middest of the Campe, Exodus 40:34. Numb. 9. 15.

Exodus 34:33

He put] To shew that it was sufficient that this splendor added some authority to his ministery; not willing for all that the people should thereby be enduced to any excessive or idolatrous veneration: see 2. Cor. 3. 13: the allegory which S. Paul draweth from hence.

Exodus 34:35

Saw the face] whilest he talked with them; Untill he went] after he had spoken with the people, in his ordinary communication, he used this vaile: