18 The feast H2282 of unleavened bread H4682 shalt thou keep. H8104 Seven H7651 days H3117 thou shalt eat H398 unleavened bread, H4682 as I commanded H6680 thee, in the time H4150 of the month H2320 Abib: H24 for in the month H2320 Abib H24 thou camest out H3318 from Egypt. H4714
Seven H7651 days H3117 shall ye eat H398 unleavened bread; H4682 even H389 the first H7223 day H3117 ye shall put away H7673 leaven H7603 out of your houses: H1004 for whosoever eateth H398 leavened bread H2557 from the first H7223 day H3117 until the seventh H7637 day, H3117 that soul H5315 shall be cut H3772 off from Israel. H3478 And in the first H7223 day H3117 there shall be an holy H6944 convocation, H4744 and in the seventh H7637 day H3117 there shall be an holy H6944 convocation H4744 to you; no manner of work H4399 shall be done H6213 in them, save H389 that which every man H5315 must eat, H398 that only may be done H6213 of you. And ye shall observe H8104 the feast of unleavened bread; H4682 for in this selfsame H6106 day H3117 have I brought H3318 your armies H6635 out of the land H776 of Egypt: H4714 therefore shall ye observe H8104 this day H3117 in your generations H1755 by an ordinance H2708 for ever. H5769 In the first H7223 month, on the fourteenth H6240 H702 day H3117 of the month H2320 at even, H6153 ye shall eat H398 unleavened bread, H4682 until the one H259 and twentieth H6242 day H3117 of the month H2320 at even. H6153 Seven H7651 days H3117 shall there be no leaven H7603 found H4672 in your houses: H1004 for whosoever eateth H398 that which is leavened, H2556 even that soul H5315 shall be cut off H3772 from the congregation H5712 of Israel, H3478 whether he be a stranger, H1616 or born H249 in the land. H776 Ye shall eat H398 nothing leavened; H2556 in all your habitations H4186 shall ye eat H398 unleavened bread. H4682
Seven H7651 days H3117 thou shalt eat H398 unleavened bread, H4682 and in the seventh H7637 day H3117 shall be a feast H2282 to the LORD. H3068 Unleavened bread H4682 shall be eaten H398 seven H7651 days; H3117 and there shall no leavened bread H2557 be seen H7200 with thee, neither shall there be leaven H7603 seen H7200 with thee in all thy quarters. H1366
Observe H8104 the month H2320 of Abib, H24 and keep H6213 the passover H6453 unto the LORD H3068 thy God: H430 for in the month H2320 of Abib H24 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 brought thee forth H3318 out of Egypt H4714 by night. H3915 Thou shalt therefore sacrifice H2076 the passover H6453 unto the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 of the flock H6629 and the herd, H1241 in the place H4725 which the LORD H3068 shall choose H977 to place H7931 his name H8034 there. Thou shalt eat H398 no leavened bread H2557 with it; seven H7651 days H3117 shalt thou eat H398 unleavened bread H4682 therewith, even the bread H3899 of affliction; H6040 for thou camest forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt H4714 in haste: H2649 that thou mayest remember H2142 the day H3117 when thou camest forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt H4714 all the days H3117 of thy life. H2416 And there shall be no leavened bread H7603 seen H7200 with thee in all thy coast H1366 seven H7651 days; H3117 neither shall there any thing of the flesh, H1320 which thou sacrificedst H2076 the first H7223 day H3117 at even, H6153 remain H3885 all night until the morning. H1242
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 34
Commentary on Exodus 34 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 34
Ex 34:1-35. The Tables Are Renewed.
1. the like unto the first—God having been reconciled to repentant Israel, through the earnest intercession, the successful mediation of Moses, means were to be taken for the restoration of the broken covenant. Intimation was given, however, in a most intelligible and expressive manner, that the favor was to be restored with some memento of the rupture; for at the former time God Himself had provided the materials, as well as written upon them. Now, Moses was to prepare the stone tables, and God was only to retrace the characters originally inscribed for the use and guidance of the people.
2. present thyself … to me in the top of the mount—Not absolutely the highest peak; for as the cloud of the Shekinah usually abode on the summit, and yet (Ex 34:5) it "descended," the plain inference is that Moses was to station himself at a point not far distant, but still below the loftiest pinnacle.
3. no man shall come up with thee … neither … flocks nor herds—All these enactments were made in order that the law might be a second time renewed with the solemnity and sanctity that marked its first delivery. The whole transaction was ordered so as to impress the people with an awful sense of the holiness of God; and that it was a matter of no trifling moment to have subjected Him, so to speak, to the necessity of re-delivering the law of the ten commandments.
4. Moses … took in his hand the two tables of stone—As Moses had no attendant to divide the labor of carrying them, it is evident that they must have been light, and of no great dimensions—probably flat slabs of shale or slate, such as abound in the mountainous region of Horeb. An additional proof of their comparatively small size appears in the circumstance of their being deposited in the ark of the most holy place (Ex 25:10).
5. the Lord descended in the cloud—After graciously hovering over the tabernacle, it seems to have resumed its usual position on the summit of the mount. It was the shadow of God manifest to the outward senses; and, at the same time, of God manifest in the flesh. The emblem of a cloud seems to have been chosen to signify that, although He was pleased to make known much about himself, there was more veiled from mortal view. It was to check presumption and engender awe and give a humble sense of human attainments in divine knowledge, as now man sees, but darkly.
6. the Lord passed by before him—in this remarkable scene, God performed what He had promised to Moses the day before.
proclaimed, The Lord … merciful and gracious—At an earlier period He had announced Himself to Moses, in the glory of His self-existent and eternal majesty, as "I am" [Ex 3:14]; now He makes Himself known in the glory of His grace and goodness—attributes that were to be illustriously displayed in the future history and experience of the church. Being about to republish His law—the sin of the Israelites being forgiven and the deed of pardon about to be signed and sealed by renewing the terms of the former covenant—it was the most fitting time to proclaim the extent of the divine mercy which was to be displayed, not in the case of Israel only, but of all who offend.
8-26. Moses bowed … and worshipped—In the East, people bow the head to royalty, and are silent when it passes by, while in the West, they take off their hats and shout.
9, 10. he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us—On this proclamation, he, in the overflowing benevolence of s heart, founded an earnest petition for the Divine Presence being continued with the people; and God was pleased to give His favorable answer to Moses' intercession by a renewal of His promise under the form of a covenant, repeating the leading points that formed the conditions of the former national compact.
27, 28. And the Lord said unto Moses, Write thou these words—that is, the ceremonial and judicial injunctions comprehended above (Ex 34:11-26); while the rewriting of the ten commandments on the newly prepared slabs was done by God Himself (compare De 10:1-4).
28. he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights—as long as formerly [Ex 24:18], being sustained for the execution of his special duties by the miraculous power of God. A special cause is assigned for his protracted fast on this second occasion (De 9:18).
29. Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him—It was an intimation of the exalted presence into which he had been admitted and of the glory he had witnessed (2Co 3:18); and in that view, it was a badge of his high office as the ambassador of God. No testimonial needed to be produced. He bore his credentials on his very face; and whether this extraordinary effulgence was a permanent or merely temporary distinction, it cannot be doubted that this reflected glory was given him as an honor before all the people.
30. they were afraid to come nigh him—Their fear arose from a sense of guilt—the beaming radiance of his countenance made him appear to their awe-struck consciences a flaming minister of heaven.
33. he put a veil on his face—That veil was with the greatest propriety removed when speaking with the Lord, for every one appears unveiled to the eye of Omniscience; but it was replaced on returning to the people—and this was emblematic of the dark and shadowy character of that dispensation (2Co 3:13, 14).