ScriptureDepth's study of Exodus 34
“Yahweh passed by before him, and proclaimed, “Yahweh! Yahweh, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth, keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children’s children, on the third and on the fourth generation.”
Exodus 34:6-7
Yahweh proclaims His nature to Moses, assuring him of His mercy and justice, which sets the foundation for the covenant and the people’s conduct in the chapter.
What Exodus 34 is about
Yahweh commands Moses to chisel two stone tablets like the first ones he broke. Moses is told to be ready in the morning and to present himself on Mount Sinai (vv. 1-4). God then descends in a cloud and proclaims His name, revealing His character as a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, keeping loving kindness for thousands, and forgiving iniquity and sin, while holding the guilty accountable (vv. 5-7). Moses worships God and pleads for His presence among Israel, asking for pardon for their sins (vv. 8-9). God makes a covenant and instructs Moses on relevant behaviors, including the need to avoid covenants with the land's inhabitants (vv. 10-17). Moses receives regulations about feasts and firstborns (vv. 18-26). Moses writes the covenant's words and stays with Yahweh for forty days and nights (vv. 27-28). Moses' face shines after speaking with God, and he wears a veil when speaking to the people (vv. 29-35).
Yahweh promises to perform marvels among His people, affirming their covenant relationship as they obey His commands.
Exodus 34 at a glance
- Exodus 34:1–4God Commands Moses to Chisel Tablets
- Exodus 34:5–7God Reveals His Nature
- Exodus 34:8–10Moses Worships and Seeks Favor
- Exodus 34:11–17Instructions on Covenantal Behavior
- Exodus 34:18–26Feasts and Firstborn Regulations
- Exodus 34:27–28Moses Writes the Covenant
- Exodus 34:29–35Moses' Shining Face and Veil
Key verse: Exodus 34:6-7
One thing to notice
Moses’ interaction with Yahweh in verses 29-35 shows a contrast in physical presence. Moses’ face shines due to his speaking with God, prompting fear in the people. He covers his face with a veil after speaking to them, removing it when speaking directly with Yahweh.
Summary and study helps: AI-drafted (September 2026), checked by automated Scripture gates. Spotted an error? Report it. Fixes are listed on the corrections page.
Chapter text
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God Commands Moses to Chisel Tablets Exodus 34:1–4
1Verse 1. Yahweh said to Moses, “Chisel two stone tablets like the first. I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2Verse 2. Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain. 3Verse 3. No one shall come up with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain. Do not let the flocks or herds graze in front of that mountain.” 4Verse 4. He chiseled two tablets of stone like the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up to Mount Sinai, as Yahweh had commanded him, and took in his hand two stone tablets.
God Reveals His Nature Exodus 34:5–7
5Verse 5. Yahweh descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed Yahweh’s name. 6Verse 6. Yahweh passed by before him, and proclaimed, “Yahweh! Yahweh, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth, 7Verse 7. keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children’s children, on the third and on the fourth generation.”
Moses Worships and Seeks Favor Exodus 34:8–10
8Verse 8. Moses hurried and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped. 9Verse 9. He said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, Lord, please let the Lord go among us; although this is a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.” 10Verse 10. He said, “Behold, I make a covenant: before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been worked in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among which you are shall see the work of Yahweh; for it is an awesome thing that I do with you.
Instructions on Covenantal Behavior Exodus 34:11–17
11Verse 11. Observe that which I command you today. Behold, I drive out before you the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 12Verse 12. Be careful, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be for a snare among you: 13Verse 13. but you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and you shall cut down their Asherah poles; 14Verse 14. for you shall worship no other god: for Yahweh, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. 15Verse 15. “Don’t make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, lest they play the prostitute after their gods, and sacrifice to their gods, and one call you and you eat of his sacrifice;
16Verse 16. and you take of their daughters to your sons, and their daughters play the prostitute after their gods, and make your sons play the prostitute after their gods. 17Verse 17. “You shall make no cast idols for yourselves.
Feasts and Firstborn Regulations Exodus 34:18–26
18Verse 18. “You shall keep the feast of unleavened bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib; for in the month Abib you came out of Egypt. 19Verse 19. “All that opens the womb is mine; and all your livestock that is male, the firstborn of cow and sheep. 20Verse 20. You shall redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a lamb. If you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. You shall redeem all the firstborn of your sons. No one shall appear before me empty. 21Verse 21. “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest: in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.
22Verse 22. “You shall observe the feast of weeks with the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of harvest at the year’s end. 23Verse 23. Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord Yahweh, the God of Israel. 24Verse 24. For I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither shall any man desire your land when you go up to appear before Yahweh, your God, three times in the year. 25Verse 25. “You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread. The sacrifice of the feast of the Passover shall not be left to the morning.
26Verse 26. “You shall bring the first of the first fruits of your ground to the house of Yahweh your God. “You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”
Moses Writes the Covenant Exodus 34:27–28
27Verse 27. Yahweh said to Moses, “Write you these words: for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” 28Verse 28. He was there with Yahweh forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread, nor drank water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
Moses' Shining Face and Veil Exodus 34:29–35
29Verse 29. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mountain, Moses didn’t know that the skin of his face shone by reason of his speaking with him. 30Verse 30. When Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come near him. 31Verse 31. Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses spoke to them. 32Verse 32. Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them all the commandments that Yahweh had spoken with him on Mount Sinai.
33Verse 33. When Moses was done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. 34Verse 34. But when Moses went in before Yahweh to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out; and he came out, and spoke to the children of Israel that which he was commanded. 35Verse 35. The children of Israel saw Moses’ face, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
World English Bible (public domain)
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Main themes in Exodus 34
Covenant Renewal
In Exodus 34, God commands Moses to chisel two new stone tablets, v. 1. God intends to write on these tablets the same words that were on the first ones, which Moses broke, indicating a renewal of the covenant. This setting emphasizes God's commitment to His people, as He states in v. 10, 'Behold, I make a covenant.' The chapter presents the renewal as God reestablishes His relationship with Israel.
God's Nature
God reveals His nature to Moses in verse 6, proclaiming, 'Yahweh! Yahweh, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.' This declaration presents God's character as both forgiving and just, showing a balance between mercy and accountability. In verse 7, God clarifies that while He forgives iniquity, He will also not clear the guilty, affirming His holiness alongside compassion.
Mercy and Justice
In v. 7, God proclaims that He 'forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin' while also making it clear that He 'will by no means clear the guilty.' This duality showcases God’s willingness to extend mercy to those who repent but holds individuals accountable for their actions. This theme moves through the chapter as Moses intercedes for Israel in v. 9, asking God to pardon their iniquity despite their rebellious nature.
Idolatry and Repentance
Exodus 34 issues strong warnings against idolatry. In vv. 12-16, God commands Israel not to make covenants with the inhabitants of the land, as it could lead to idolatrous practices, saying, 'You shall worship no other god.' The chapter emphasizes the need for Israel to remain faithful to Yahweh, indicating that turning to other gods would provoke His jealousy and lead them away from true worship.
Chapter outline
How Exodus 34 unfolds
Exodus 34:1–4 God Commands Moses to Chisel Tablets
Yahweh commands Moses to create two new stone tablets to replace the ones he broke (v. 1), instructing him to present himself on Mount Sinai (v. 2) without anyone else accompanying him (v. 3).
Exodus 34:5–7 God Reveals His Nature
Yahweh descends in a cloud and proclaims His name, revealing His nature as 'a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger' (v. 6) and His justice in 'visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children' (v. 7).
Exodus 34:8–10 Moses Worships and Seeks Favor
Moses worships and asks Yahweh to remain among the Israelites, acknowledging their stubbornness (v. 9) and requesting forgiveness and inclusion as God's inheritance (v. 9).
Exodus 34:11–17 Instructions on Covenantal Behavior
Yahweh gives Moses commands regarding the covenant, including directives about not making covenants with the land's inhabitants (v. 12) and the prohibition of idol worship (v. 17).
Exodus 34:18–26 Feasts and Firstborn Regulations
Moses receives commands for the feast of unleavened bread and firstborn regulations, including that 'you shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread' (v. 25) and 'three times in the year all your males shall appear' (v. 23).
Exodus 34:27–28 Moses Writes the Covenant
Yahweh instructs Moses to write down the covenant words (v. 27), which includes the ten commandments, as Moses remains in His presence for forty days and nights (v. 28).
Exodus 34:29–35 Moses' Shining Face and Veil
Moses descends with the tablets, unaware that his face shines from speaking with Yahweh (v. 29), causing fear among the Israelites (v. 30) and leading him to wear a veil (vv. 33-35).
Key verses
Exodus 34:6-7Yahweh proclaims His nature to Moses, assuring him of His mercy and justice, which sets the foundation for the covenant and the people’s conduct in the chapter.
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Study questions
Questions for studying Exodus 34
- observeIn v6, what attributes of God does He proclaim to Moses?
- observeWhat does Moses do in v8 after hearing God's proclamation?
- interpretGod's declaration in v7 about visiting iniquity: how does it balance with His mercy?
- interpretMoses' action of writing the commandments in v28: what does it signify for the covenant?
- applyWhen have you felt the need for forgiveness like Moses does in v9?
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Cross-references
Passages that echo Exodus 34
- Psalm 86Exodus 34:6 and Psalm 86:15Both proclaim Yahweh is merciful and gracious: Exodus 34:6 says, “Yahweh! Yahweh, a merciful and gracious God,” while Psalm 86:15 states, “But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God.”
- Deuteronomy 16Exodus 34:20 and Deuteronomy 16:16Both command appearances before Yahweh: Exodus 34:20 says, “No one shall appear before me empty,” while Deuteronomy 16:16 states, “They shall not appear before Yahweh empty.”
- Psalm 103Exodus 34:6 and Psalm 103:8Both proclaim Yahweh is merciful and gracious: Exodus 34:6 states, “Yahweh, a merciful and gracious God,” while Psalm 103:8 affirms, “Yahweh is merciful and gracious.”
- Joel 2Exodus 34:6 and Joel 2:13Both emphasize Yahweh's grace and mercy: Exodus 34:6 states, “Yahweh, a merciful and gracious God,” while Joel 2:13 says, “for he is gracious and merciful.”
- Exodus 23Exodus 34:22 and Exodus 23:16Both discuss the feast of harvest: Exodus 34:22 states, “the feast of harvest at the year’s end,” while Exodus 23:16 says, “the feast of harvest, the first fruits of your labors.”
- Numbers 14Exodus 34:6 and Numbers 14:17Both declare Yahweh's great power: Exodus 34:6 states, “Yahweh, a merciful and gracious God,” while Numbers 14:17 asks, “let the power of the Lord be great.”
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