Exodus 34
PATthat time. Some little particles of light remaining upon his face/ and sticking to it (if I may so speak) from that exceeding great splendour which shone upon him, and passed before him, as he lay in the hollow place of the rock. But my face shall not be seen.] My glory in its full lustre, without any veil before it, cannot be seen. (See vcr. 20.) There are many other interpretations of this verse, as well as of the 18th and 19th Maimonides, in his book de Fundam. Legis, cap. 1. n. 11. takes it thus: " God revealed that to Moses, which no man, either before or after him, ever knew: he making him to apprehend something of his very essence, wkereby God was separated in his mind, from all other beings; as a man discerns another man, when he sees his back parts, and by his mind discerns his proportions distinct from all other men." But in his More Nevoch. jiar. i. cap. 21. he takes this discovery to Moses, to be the knowledge God gave him of his works and attributes, viz. those mentioned xxxiv. 6. And thus Grcgor. Naziahzen. (Orat. xxxiv. p. 559.) expounds it, ravra yap rov Qzov to. orriaZia 3<ra fizr htivov, Sec. Tliose things are the back parts of God which are after him; whereby he is known as’ the sun is by its image in the water, &c. upon which Elias Cretensis hath this iugenious gloss, “That the face of God signifies his essence before the beginning of the world: and his hinder parts, his creation and providence in the government of the world/’ But Maimonides, in the same place now mentioned, acknowledges also, that this may be interpreted according to theTargum; that God made his majesty, that is, an exceeding bright representation of himself (though not in its fullest glory) to pass before him. Which Onkelos sometimes calls Jekara, Glonj; sometimes Memra, the Word; and sometimes Schechinah, the Majesty. Which seems to be the most literal meaning; that God himself, particularly the eternal Word, in a visible glory or majesty, appeared unto him in so much splendour, as human nature was able to bear; but not in his unveiled brightness, which is, as the apostle speaks, inaccessible.’ cuav: xxxiv; Merciful] The word radium signifies that which we call tender mercies; such as parents have to their children, when their bowels yearn towards them. And gracious.] We call thntchaninah (grace or favour), saith Maimonides, which we bestow upon any man to whom we owe nothing, (Gen. xxxiii. 5. 11.) And therefore God is here called chanam (gracious), -with respect to those whom he created, preserves, and governs, but is not obliged by any right to these things; as his words are, More Nevoch. par. i. cap. 45. Long-suffering.] So slow to anger, that he doth not presently punish those that oftend him, but bears long with them. Abundant in goodness.] >Thc Hebrew word chesed, which we translate goodness, signifies, as Maimonides saith, (More Nevoch. par. iii.) the excess and highest degree of any thing whatsoever it be; but especially, the greatest benignity. And therefore, with the addition of rabh (abundant), denotes long-continued kindness; as is more fully declared in the next verse. And truth.] Most faithful and constant to his promises; which he steadfastly keeps throughout all generations. The word abundant refers both to this and to his benignity, (Psal. cxlvi. 6.). ceived answers from the Lord: (More Nevochim, par. iii* cap. 51.) Forty days and forty nights.’] As he had been at the first, (xxiv. 18.) Which was partly to make a new trial, how they would behave themselves in his absence; and partly to give the greater authority to the laws, he brought them from God, which he renewed, as we read in the end of this verse. And did neither eat bread, nor drink water J] But was supported by influences from the Almighty, who kept up his spirits in their just height, without the common recruits of meat and drink: which, when they give us refreshment, likewise make us drowsy, (see Xxiv. 18.) To which add what Maimonides saith in the place now named, that the joy wherewith he was transported made him not think of eating and drinking; for his intellectual faculties were so strong, that all corporeal desire ceased. It seems to me very probable, that, during this time, he saw again the model of the tabernacle and all its furniture, with every thing else he was ordered to make when he went first into the mount, from the beginning of the twenty-fifth to the end of the thirtieth chapter, which are briefly summed up xxxi. 7—11. He setems also to have’ spent much of this time in prayer to God for the people, that he would restore them entirely to his favour, and bring them to their inheritance, (Dent. ix. 18, 19. 25, 26. x. 10.) And he wrote upon the’tabtes the words of the covenant, &c] That is, the Lord wrote, (as he said he would, ver.’l.) not Moses; who wrote the foregoing words in a book; but not these, which were written by the finger’ of God in the tables of stone. So Moses tells us expressly, Deut. x. 4. Jacobus Capellus, and others, following the Hebrew doctors, imagine that Moses was three times with God in the mount, for the space of forty days; and that this was the, last time. Between which and tlie first they place another, which they fancy is mentioned, xxxii. 30, 31. compared with Deut. ix. 18, &c. But T sees no solid ground for this; for God called him up into the mount but twice; and he durst not have adventured to go so near him, as he was both these times, without his invitation. Vcr. 29. And it came to pass, xvheri Moses came down from Monnt Sinai.] Which was upon tho twenty-fifth of our August, according to the former computation, (Vet. 2.) With the two tables of testimony in Moses’s hand, xbhen he came down from the mount.] So he came down attho first, (xxxii. 15.) That Moses wist not that the ski?i of his face shone.] There was a radiant splendour in his countenance; which is the import of the Hebrew karan, which theVulgar translates horned. Not imagining that Moses had horns, but rays of light which imitated horns. And therefore the Hebrew word karnaim signifies both; and R. Solomon Jarehi upon this place calls these rays on Moses’s face, horiis of magnificence; as Mr. Selden observes, (lib. ii. de Jure N. et G. cap. G. p. 292.) It is not improbablethat the hair of his head was interspersed with light, as well a^that rays came from his face; which perstringed the eyes of beholders. And painters had done more reasonable, if, instead of horns upon Moses’s forehead, they had represented him with a glory crowning his head, as the saints are usually painted in the Roman church. Which perhaps came from the ancient custom among the heathen, who thus represented their gods, as Tho. Bartholinus observes (de Morbis Biblicis, cap. v.) out of Lucian’ de Dea Syria, where he saith she did Itfixy ktyaky awtvac <popkiv, carry beams upon her. head. Whence it was that the Roman emperors, who were raised so much above the rest of mankind, that they honoured them as a sort of deities, were* thus represented; as appears by many testimonies, particularly Pliny, who, in his panegyric to Trajan, laughs and jeers at the radiatum Domitiani caput. Wliile he talked with them.] While he conversed so fa– miliarly with the Divine! Majesty, and both saw his glory and heard him proclaim his name, (ver. 5—7.) At his. first being in the mount, there was no such brightness left upon his countenance; for he did not see the Divine Majesty in so great a splendour as he did, now, when the Lord, upon his petition, vouchsafed him such a sight of his glory as he could bfear, (xxxiii. 18. 23.) which was so* exceeding piercing, that it altered the very skin of Moses’s’ face, and made it luminous: of which Moses doth not seemto have been sensible, till some time after he came down: from the mount (when Aaron, as well as others, were afraid to come nigh him), having his thoughts whblly possessed with the far more transcendent glory, of the Divine Majesty, of which he had a glimpse... From this familiar conference which’ MoScs had with God, it is likely the heathen took occasion to invent the’’like stories of their Zamolxis, who pretended to receive: his laws from Vdsta; and Minos and Lycurgus, who said they received theirs from Jupiter and Apollo; with several others mentioned by Diodorus SiColus, lib. i. who then adds, Moses had his from the god Jao; so they pronounced the name Jehovah* But they had no such testimony as this of their communication with the Divine Miajesty; much less were their laws confirmed by such miracles, as lasted for the space of forty years under the conduct of Moses, in the sight of all people.
Exodus 34:1
JjlND the Lord said unto Moses. Having obtained a promise of a pardon for the people, and of greater favour to himself, than had been hitherto shewn him; God directs him here to dispose things for the performance of both. Hew thee two tables of stone likeunto the first: and I will writeupon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou breakest.] Every attentive reader must needs observe the difference between the first tables, which Moses brake, and those which he is now ordered to prepare. For God did not only write his laws’ with his own finger upon the first tables, but the tables themselves also were the work of God, (xxxii. 16.) Whereas in these, as Greg. Nyssen well expresses it, (de Vita Mosis, p. 183.) f) ypafyrj filv h £ciac $vva/«wc J?v. rj St vXrj, &a tJjc Mwt/trc’wc l%r)<TM)0r) X^po’c-: the writing indeed, was by the Divine power, but the matter of them framed by the hand of Moses. So that, at the same time God shewed he was reconciled, he put them in mind that he had been offended; and restored them to his favour with some abatement. Vcr. 2. And be ready in the morning.] On the eighteenth day of July. (Sec xxxii; 30.) And come tip in the morning nnto Mount Sinai.] From whence God spake to the Israelites (Deut. v. 4, &c.) those very words which he intended to write upon the tables’. He orders him to come up in the morning, that all the people might sec him ascend, and carry the tables with him. And present thyself there to me, in the top of the mount.] Where the Divine Majesty appeared before in its glory; and where Moses stayed with him forty days and forty nights, (xix. 26. xxiv. 17, 18.)
Exodus 34:3
And no man shall come up with thee. The same precept is renewed, which was given at his first ascent, (xxiv. 1,2.) Neither let any man be sem throughout the mount.] See xix. 12. 21, &c. Neither let the flocks nor herds feed before the mount.] He seems to require their removal to such a distance, that they should not be within view of the Divine Majesty. • By which means the people were naturally led to stand in greater awe of God, and there was the, less danger of any beasts touching the mount, (xix. 13.)
Exodus 34:4
And Moses hewed two tables of stone, &c. These’* and the following words only declare that he did as God bade him, (vcr. 1, 2.) And took in his hand the tivo tables of stone.] These he carried with him; but the first tables were given him when he came there, (xxiv. 12.) They seem to have been thin, being ho heavier than that he could carry them in one hand. *
Exodus 34:5
And the Lord. The Schechinah, or Divine Majesty; called also the glory of the Lord.* Descended in the cloud.] Wherein it had been wont to appear from the beginning of their* deliverance out of Egypt; and had lately appeared to Moses in the tabernacle, (xxxiii. 9.) when the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of it, while the Lord talked with Moses there. And it seems, when that was done, the glory of the Lord in the cloud went up again towards heaven, and now came down upon this occasion. And stood with him there.] The cloudy pillar, wherein the glory of the Lord was, rested upon the top of the mount where Moses now was, (ver. 2.) * And proclaimed the name of the Lord.] Gave him notice of his presence, as he had promised, (xxxiii. 19.) and is more fully expressed in the next verse.'
Exodus 34:6
And the Lord passed by before him. Which Onkelos translates, the Lord made his majesty to pass before him. Which exposition Maimonides acknowledges to be right; and confirmed by the Scripture itself, when it saith, (xxxiii. 22.) Wliile my glory passelh by, &c. which he confesses signifies not the Divine essence itself; but some created splendour, which no eye -was able to behold/ (More Nevoch. par. i. cap. 21.) And proclaimed.] As the glory of the Lord passed by, he heard a voice proclaiming this description of the Divine nature. Hie Lord.] Some join the next word to this, as if the voice said, The Lord, the Lord; the more to awaken his attention, to mind what he heard. (Sec xxxiii. 19.) And this name of his signifies his sclf-cxistcncc, and his abso-’ lutd dominion over all creatures, which received their being from him.- (See vi. 3.) God.] The Hebrew word el signifies strong and mighty; in one word, his irresistible power, (Job ix. 4.)-
Exodus 34:7
Keeping mercy for thousands. The same word chesed, which before we translated goodness, >ve here translate mercy: and the Hebrews observing the letter nun to be greater in the word notzer (keeping) than is usual, fancy that it denotes the immense treasures of the Divine bounty. But the word thousands fully explain? how abundant his mercy is. Forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin*] Here are three words, to signify all sorts of offences, which he passes by, till men grow intolerably wicked. But some distinguish them by making iniquity signify offences against men; and transgressions, offences against God himself; and sin, all the errors, childishnesses, and follies, which men are guilty of, in the conduct of themselves. But they may as well signify the offences which were committed against the moral, ceremonial, and political laws. And that will by no means clear the guilty.] These words, according to Maimonides, belong still to the loving-kindness of God, as all the foregoing do; signifying, that when he doth punish, he will not utterly destroy and make desolate. • For so the Hebrew words, nakkeh lo jenakkeh, he thinks, are to be literally rendered, in extirpating he will not extirpate; us the wordnaforA he observes is used, Isaiah iii. 26.” " She shall sit desolate on the earth." And to the same sense these words are expounded by many modern interpreters; particularly Lud. de Dicu: When he empties, he will not empty; or make quite desolate. For the maxim of the Hebrew is, (as Maimonides there observes, More Nevoch. par. i. cap. 54.) that the property of goodness far excels that of severity. For here being thirteen properties of God mentioned (I can find but ten, besides the name of the Lord), there is but one of them that belongs to the latter (viz. that which follows), all the rest belong to the former. And, indeed, we find that Moses urges these very words, among other, why God should not destroy the Israelites ns one man, (Numb. xiv. 18.) which had been very improper, if God would by no means clear the guilty. Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children.] This is meant, saith the same Maimonides, only of the sin of idolatry; unto which God threatens, in the second commandment, this punishment to.the third and fourth generation, upon those that hate him. For no man is called a hater of God, but only an idolater; according to what we read, Deut. xii.31. “Every abomination which the Lord hateth,” &c. Unto the third and fourth generation.] He mentions, saith the same author, none beyond these; because the utmost that any man can live to see of his seed, is the fourth generation. And therefore, when an idolatrous city was destroyed, the old idolater, with children, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren, w r ere all cutoff; according to the precept, (Deut.xiii.15.) “Destroy it utterly, and all that is therein” The sense of the whole seems to be, that this is the glory of the Divine Majesty: that he hath a sovereign dominion over all, because he is the fountain of being,the original of all things; most powerful to do what he pleases; and so merciful, that he delights to bestow his benefits unasked; and so gracious, as to continue them to the unthankful: bearing long with them, when they provoke him; multiplying favours on those who have no deserts; and faithfully performing his promises, though never so great; doing good unto a thousand generations of those who adhere faithfully to him, and do not apostatize from him: for he pardons innumerable offences, of all sorts, that are committed against his laws; and when the provocations are so great, that they are fit to be punished, ho proceeds not to the utmost extremity till there be no remedy; then he punishes idolaters terribly, to the third and fourth generations. *
Exodus 34:8
And Moses made haste, and bowed his head towards the earth, and worshipped. Being transported with joy at so glorious § sight, and such gracious words, he immediately worshipped God with the humblest reverence > acknowledging his great condescension to him.
Exodus 34:9
And he said. Which encouraged him to renew his request to God. If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord.] He doth not doubt of it; but the meaning rather is, since I have found grace, &c. as appears from what he granted him, (xxxiii. 17, 18, &c.) Let my Lord, I pray thee, go among n$.] Upon tho mention of the last property of the Divine Majesty, [visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, &c] Moses seems to have been afraid he might be provoked to proceed to such severity with the Israelites, who had lately apostatized from him: and again beseeches him he would be so gracious, though they should again ofiend him, as to continue bis presence among them, which he had threatened to withdraw, (xxxiii. 3.). For it is a stiff-necked people.] If we adhere to this translation, the meaning is, they needed sucli a governor, by whose authority and presence they might be kept in awe, and cured of their pervcrseness. But the particle ki, which we here translate for, often signifies though: and may be very fitly so rendered here: and then the meaning is, Though they be very refractory, (xxxii. 9.) yet do not forsake them, and leave them to themselves; but still conduct them as thou hast done. And pardon our iniquity and our sin, and takeus for thine inheritance.] Since thou art so ready to forgive, (ver. 7.) do not cut us off for our late offences; but still contipu© to own us for thy peculiar people. This Moses had begged (5) CHAP. XXXlV.j UPON EXODUS. of God before, and obtained a promise of it, (xxxiii. 16, 17. and see xix. 5.) and now he beseeches him, out of his goodness which he had proclaimed, to confirm that promise, and not to revoke it upon every new provocation.
Exodus 34:10
And he said, Behold, I make a covenant. Herein God verified the truth of what he had proclaimed; being so merciful and gracious, as not only to confirm his promise, but to turn it into a covenant, like that at the giving of his laws from Mount Sinai, (xxiv. 3. 7, &c.) which he renews with them in the next verse: where he engages to drive out the inhabitants of Cauaan before them; and then requires them to take care not to imitate their idolatry. Before all thy people will I do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, &c] This seems to relate to all the wonderful works he intended to do, in their introduction into the land of Canaan, by making the waters of Jordan retire, and the walls of Jericho fall down; with tho rest that followed, till they got possession of their inheritance. For it is a ternble thing that I will do with thee.] Such as shall declare the almighty power of the Divine Majesty; and strike a terror into all those that oppose him, but demonstrate (in an astonishing manner) his fidelity to his people. For all this is said to confirm their belief of, the covenant he said he would make with them, in the beginning, of the verse.
Exodus 34:11
Observe thou that which I command thee this day. Doubt not of what I say; but only mark, and take care to do all that I uow enjoin thee. Behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite and the Canaanite, &c.] To enconrage them so to do, he premises what he intended to do for them; which he put at the conclusion of his covenant, when he first declared it, (xxiii. 23. 28.) but here puts it in the front of it, that they might be the more sensible of the reasonableness of those commands to which he expected obedience.
Exodus 34:12
Take heed to thyself. He now renewing that covenant with them, which they had broken by tho worshipping the golden calf, repeats the principal precepts which concerned his worship and service (which had been delivered to them before), and excites them to tho observance, of them, by the addition of a very gracious promise, (ver. 24.) Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest.] Nothing could be more reasonable than this, that they should not enter into friendship with those nations, whom he commanded them to expel, for their abominable wickedness; unless they would renounce their idolatry, and come under their government. (Sec xxiii. 32. and Mr. Sclden, lib. vi. dc Jure N. et G. in the latter end of the thirteenth chapter and beginning of the next) Lest it be for a snare in the midst of theeJ] Lest they inveigle thee to imitate their manners.
Exodus 34:13
But ye shall destroy their altars, break their itnages, and cut down their groves. This more largely explains what was briefly and sumrnarily delivered in xxiii. 32. " Thou shalt not make a covenant with their gods." And, ver. 24. " Thou shalt quite break down their images." Which images and altars were usually set in groves, as sacred places; being the temples of their gods. (See 2 Kings xxiii. 24.) For when Tacitus saith (Lib. de Moribus Gcrvol. i # manorum), that the old Germans went to war as if God commanded (hem, whom they believed to be present with them; he tells us, " Effigiesquc et signa qusedam detracta lucis ad proelium ferunt," they carried with them into the battle certain images and signs, which they took out of their groves. These, in all probability, were the images of their gods, who they thought fought for them, as Job. Filesacus conjectures, (lib. ii. Selectorum, cap. 5. de Ceremoniis, sect. 7.) where he observes, that these groves were impure places, not only because there were the images and altars of their false gods; but all manner of filthiness and lewdness was committed under those shades. Which made Hot. race call them, parum castos lucos, (lib. i. in the latter end of the twelfth Ode.) Some of the Hebrews restrained this precept only to the land of Canaan: where they were bound to destroy all things belonging to the religion of those idolatrous people, in whose place they were planted, that they might not be infected with their impiety. (See Deut. xii. 2, 3.) But in other countries which they conquered, they fancied they were not bound to root it out. Yet afterward they saw it necessary to extend this precept to all idolatrous countries which came under their power, where they destroyed their idols, as they had done in Canaan: lest by imitation naparp07TT/ rie rwv koto, ttjv iroXtrelav taoiro, their polity should have been quite subverted, as Josephus speaks. (Sec Mr. Seldcn, lib. ii. de Jure N. et G. cap. 2.)
Exodus 34:14
For thou shalt worship no other god. This being the great principle of their religion, " the Lord thy God is one Lord," (Deut. vi. 4.) and there is no other God beside him. For the Lord, whose name is Jealous.] So he calls himself, xx 5. and gave himself this peculiar name, because he could not bear any other god to be rival with him, after the manner of the gentiles: whose gods suffered a number, of other gods to share in the worship that was given to them, by offering sacrifices, and burning incense, and bowing down to them. Is a jealous God.] As is his name, so is he himself: ho will not endure any other to be worshipped with him.
Exodus 34:15
Lest thou make a covenant with the i7ihabitants of’ the land. That is, a covenant of marriage, (for covenants in general were forbidden before, ver. 12.) which he commands them not to contract with tho inhabitants of Canaan: no, nor with any idolaters whatsoever. For though some of the Jews would restrain this to the seven nations only, yet the generality of them resolve it is meant of all other idolatrous people. And there is an illustrious argument of it, in the ninth and tenth chapters of Ezra> and in Nchcmiah, xiii. 25. This they will have to have been as old as the law of circumcision; which they gather from Gen. xxxiv. 14. and it held throughout all following ages; insomuch that Mahomet forbids any of his religion to marry any one that is not made a Mussulman, u e, a believer of his doctrine. As for such as turned from idolatry, it was always lawful to marry them; but they were so far from having to do with others, that the Talmudists held it as unlawful to lie with a gentile woman, as with a woman in her uncleanncss. Whence that character which Tacitus gives of the Jews, “Projcctissimaad libidinem gens, alienarum concubitu abstinct.” (Sec Selden, lib. v. dc Jure N. et G, cap. 12.) 2U Microsoft® [chap. XXXIV. And they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice to their gods.] Of which there was very great danger if they loved their wives; who would have great power over them (as appears by Solomon, 1 Kiugs xi. 2, 3, Sec.) to entice them to (heir religion. Of this phrase, going a whoring after their gods, see Seld. Uxor. Hebr. lib. iii. cap. 23. Ami one call thee.] Invite thee (as the manner was) to (ho feast that was usually made, upon the sacrifices offered to their gods: as the Israelites ate of the peace-offerings,- and invited their friends to partake with them. And thou eat of his sacrifice.] By this we sec how ancient hnd universal the custom was of feasting upon sacrifices: which Mr. Mede truly calls epulte feeder ales, federal feasts, (upon Malachi ii.) For the meat was God’s, being set upon his table; of which he inviting the offerers to partake, they were his guests; whom he entertained at his table, in token of reconciliation and friendship with him. And therefore, whosoever ate of the sacrifices offered to other gods, professed themselves to be their worshippers and servants. Which made the Jews so cautious in this matter, that they would not so much as drink the wine, or the water, or use the salt of an idolater, not knowing but it might have been set before an idol. So R. Levi Barzelohita, in the explication of the 112th Precept. This explains that discourse of the apostle, 1 Cor. x. 20.
Exodus 34:16
And thou take of their daughters vnto thy sons, &c. If they themselves married idolaters, there was the greater danger they might be content to lettheir sons and daughters marry with them; especially if they were rich or beautiful: and so the whole family be undone.
Exodus 34:17
Thou shall make thee no molten gods. Images arc called by the name of gods, because they wereworshipped together with them, as symbols of theirpresence. And though molten be here only mentioned, (upon occasion of their late sin, in worshipping the molten calf, xxxii. 4.) yet all other images are intended, as appears by xx. 4. 23.
Exodus 34:18
The feast of -unleavened bread shalt thou keep, &c. See all this explained, xii. 15, 16, &c. xiii. 6, 7. xxiii. As I commanded thee in the time of the month Abib, &c.] See xiii, 4. xxiii. 15.
Exodus 34:19
All that openeth the matrix is mine, &c. See xiii. 12. xxii. 29, 30.
Exodus 34:20
But the first-born of an ass shalt thou redeen), &c. See xiii. 13. And none shall appear before me empty.] See xxiii. 15. Ver. 2i. Six days shalt thou work, &C;] See xx. 9. xxiii. 12.xxxi. 15. where this is sufficiently explained. But here, to shew the necessity of forbearing labour on this day, they arc not permitted it in earing oi % in harvest: that is, in the iwp most busy times of the year; when they ploughed and sowed their ground, and when they reaped the fruits thereof. (SeeGen.xlv. 6.)*
Exodus 34:22
And thou shalt observe the feast ofvjeeks, &c. This verse also hath been explained before, xxiii. 16. Only here observe, that the first-fruits of xvheat-harvest being now offered at this feast, there was a harvest before this, which began at the Passover, when they offered the first-fruits of barley -harvest, (Dcut. xvi. 9.)
Exodus 34:23
Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord, the God of Israel. This likewise was explained, xxiii. 14. 17. And nothing need be added, but that these peculiar laws arc hero repeated (together with thoso that follow, ver. 25, 26.) upon this occasion, because they were ordained to preserve the people in the worship and service of the true God, from whom they had lately departed. Who therefore puts them in mind, in the last words of this verse (which was not said before), that he was the God of Israel, to whom they were devoted by especial obligations. And he was there with the Lord.] This, saith Maimonides, was the highest degree of prophecy, which none attained but Moses: whose thoughts were wholly taken off from all other things, and fixed upon God, while he was with him in the holy mount; that is, asked and rc-
Exodus 34:24
For I will cast out the natioiis before thee. Till this was done, they were not bound to observe the precept, of appearing three times in the year before the Lord. And will enlarge thy borders.] Beyond the land of Canaan, as he had promised before, (xxiii. 31.) Neither shall any man desire thy land, when Uiou shalt go vp to appear before the Lord, &c.] To remove all fear out of their mind, that their neighbours might invade them, when all tho men were gone, and none but women, and children, and old men left at home, he adds this promise to all he had made before (or rather makes it a part of his covenant, which he now T renews), that he would lay such restraints upon their enemies, that they should not so much as think of invading them at thoso three feasts; much less make any actual incursions into their country.
Exodus 34:25
Thon shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice, &c. At the Passover. Sec this fully explained, xxiii. 18.
Exodus 34:26
The first of the first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the Lord thy God. At Pentecost, which was the feast of the first-fruits. (See xxiii. 19.) Thon shalt not seethe a kid in its mother’s milk.] This concerns the other great feast, that of tabernacles. (§ee in the same place.)
Exodus 34:27
And the Lord said unto Moses. Having recited.the principal part of his covenant, mentioned ver. 10. he gives the following order. Write thou these words.] From ver. 11 to this place: just as he did those words contained in the twenty-first, twenty-second, and twenty-third chapters of this book, (see xxiv. 4.) out of which these words are extracted, as the chief things respecting the Avorship of God; which he requires him to write in a book by itself. ■ For after the tenor of these words have I made a covenant with thee, and with Israeli] See xxiv. 7. where the covenant, containing these words and many other, was sealed with the blood of a sacrifice. * The Jews are so blind as to found their oral tradition upon this place, and upon one small word (pi), which signifies, indeed, mouth; but withal is an expletive particle, denoting the manner and value of any thing, as appears from Gen. xliii. 7. Lev. xxvii. 18. and, therefore, here rightly translated the tenor of these words. Yet.11. Johannes, in the very beginning of Halicoth Olam, gathers from hence, that God made a covenant now with their fathers, concerning all the unwritten laws delivered by word of mouth. Unto which, while they adhere, they can never understand their Divine writings: for what can be more plain that the covenant here mentioned was ordered to be written?
Exodus 34:30
And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skirt of his face shone. This highly established his authority, and bred in them a reverence to the laws he brought, that they were all witnesses of the brightness or glory of his countenance, (as the apostle calls it, 2 Cof. iii. 7.) which demonstrated he had been with God,- as he affirmed, and had beheld the glory of his majesty, and received from him the tables of testimony. By all the children of Israel, in this verse, seems to be meant all tlie rulersof the congregation mentioned in the next. And they were afraid to come nigh him.] The light which shori6 from his countenance was so great, that it dazzled the eyes of beholders, even of Aaron himself, who did not know whether it would be safe to approach him. This was an illustrious testimony that he had been with God, who dwells, as the apostle speaks, in light inaccessible.
Exodus 34:31
And Moses called unto them. Invited them to come near him, and not to fear any hurt. And Aaron and all the riders of the congregation returned unto him.] viz. After lie had put a veil upon his face, till; which they could not steadfastly look upon it, (as the: apostle speaks, 2 Cor. iii. 7.) the light of it being so strong, that it hurt their eyes, if they fixed them there. And Moses talked with them.] Acquainted them with what he had seen and heard. 2U2 Microsoft® [chap. XXXV.
Exodus 34:32
And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh, &c. There was a general assembly of all the tribes summoned, that he might deliver to them all that which he had received from God. (See xxxv. 1.) Andhegave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinai.] All the orders he had given about the building of the tabernacle, and the rest contained in the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth chapters, and those that follow to the thirty-second. For at his first coming from the mount, finding them in an apostacy from God, he said nothing to them about these matters; but, in abhorrence of their fouLidolatry; broke the tables of testimony which God had given hiin to deliver to them.
Exodus 34:33
And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. This seems to belong as well to ver. 31. as to the 32d, and accordingly I have interpreted it. Though there are those who think he persuaded Aaron and the rulers to approach without a veil; but put it on when he spake to the people, who were less able to bear it. But there seems to be the samo reason for both; Aaron being no. less afraid than any of them: and the majesty of his countenance appeared sufficiently, even when it was veiled; for the brightness was not quite obscured, though very much shaded by it.
Exodus 34:34
But ivhe?i Moses went in before the Lord to speak ivith him, he took the veil off till he came out. He went into the tabernacle, where he spake with him, face to face, as a man speaks to his friend, (xxxiii. — 11.) And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.’] This seems to relate unto the frequent occasions Moses had to go and consult with God in difficult cases, whose mind he declared to them when he had received it.
Exodus 34:35
And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’s face slione, &c. Some great men have thought that the brightness continued on Moses’s face till his death; so that he spake to them with a veil on his face, from this time, as long as he lived: of which we cannot be certain; though thus much is evident, from this and the foregoing verse, that the splendour of his countenance did remain for some time after he came down from God’s presence in the mount; during which, as oft as he went in to speak with God, he took off his veil, and when he came out to speak with them, he put it on, until he went in to speak with God again, as this verse concludes. How long it was before it vanished none can resolve: perhaps not till he had. set up the tabernacle, and consecrated Aaron and his sons, and delivered all the laws ho had received about the service of God, which are recorded in the book of Leviticus: that is, all the time they stayed near Mount Sinai; from whence they removed a little more than half a year after this, (Numb. x. 11, 12.)