Exodus Chapter 34

What is the meaning of Exodus 34?

Introduction to Exodus 34

Exodus 34 stands as one of the most profound chapters in the Torah, marking the renewal of the covenant between יהוה and Israel after the catastrophic golden calf incident. This pivotal chapter captures an intimate dialogue between Moses and the Almighty, culminating in what Jewish tradition calls the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy. Here, we witness the extraordinary moment when Moses receives the second set of tablets, but more importantly, we’re given an unprecedented glimpse into the very character and nature of God Himself.

The chapter serves as a masterful demonstration of divine grace, revealing how יהוה’s forgiveness operates even in the face of grievous sin. This revelation becomes foundational not only for understanding God’s character but also for establishing the pattern of repentance and restoration that echoes throughout Scripture.

Context of Exodus 34

This chapter follows directly after the golden calf apostasy (Exodus 32) and Moses’ subsequent intercession (Exodus 33). The original tablets of the covenant lay shattered, much like Israel’s relationship with יהוה. The nation stands at a crossroads – will the covenant be renewed? Can such a breach be repaired? These questions loom large as the chapter opens.

Within the broader narrative of Exodus, this chapter serves as the climactic resolution to the Sinai covenant ceremony that began in Exodus 19. It demonstrates how divine mercy triumphs over judgment, establishing a pattern that will be repeated throughout Israel’s history. This renewal of the covenant becomes a foundational moment referenced throughout the Old Testament, particularly by the prophets when calling Israel back to faithfulness.

In the grand sweep of Scripture, Exodus 34 stands as a crucial pivot point between law and grace. The chapter’s revelation of God’s character provides the theological foundation for understanding how divine justice and mercy interact – a theme that finds its ultimate expression in the Messiah’s work on the cross.

Ancient Key Word Study

• רַחוּם (rachum) – “Compassionate” (Exodus 34:6): Derived from the root רחם (rechem), meaning “womb,” this word conveys the deep, nurturing love of a mother for her child. This visceral, emotional aspect of God’s character shows His intimate connection with His people.
• חַנּוּן (chanun) – “Gracious”: From the root חנן (chanan), meaning to show favor or bestow a gift that cannot be earned. This term emphasizes God’s disposition to give good things to those who don’t deserve them.
• אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם (erek apayim) – “Slow to anger”: Literally “long of nose/face,” this idiom describes patience in terms of how long it takes for one’s face to show anger. This anthropomorphic expression beautifully captures God’s remarkable restraint in judgment.
• חֶסֶד (chesed) – “Lovingkindness”: This uniquely Hebrew concept combines love, loyalty, and covenant faithfulness. It’s not just emotion but committed action on behalf of the beloved, even when undeserved.
• אֱמֶת (emet) – “Truth/Faithfulness”: From the root אמן (aman), meaning firmness or reliability. This word carries the sense of absolute dependability and unchanging nature.
• נָצַר (natsar) – “Keeps/Preserves”: This verb implies careful watching over and guarding, like a watchman over a city. When applied to חֶסֶד (chesed), it shows God’s active maintenance of His covenant love.
• קָרַן (qaran) – “Shone/Sent forth beams” (Exodus 34:29): This rare verb, used only here for Moses’ radiant face, shares its root with the word for “horn.” This linguistic connection led to the famous mistranslation in the Vulgate that resulted in Michelangelo’s horned Moses statue.
• פָּנִים (panim) – “Face”: Used multiple times in this chapter, this word represents presence and relationship. The fact that Moses could see God’s “back” but not His “face” speaks to the limits and possibilities of divine-human encounter.

Compare & Contrast

• In Exodus 34:6-7, the declaration “יהוה, יהוה” repeats the divine name twice. This doubling isn’t mere repetition but emphasizes God’s unchanging nature – He is the same both before and after sin, both in justice and in mercy. The Talmud suggests this repetition shows God is merciful both before and after a person sins.
• The phrase “visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children” uses פָּקַד (paqad) rather than שָׁפַט (shaphat). This choice is significant because paqad implies “taking account of” rather than punishment, suggesting divine accountability rather than arbitrary vengeance.
• In verse 14, God’s name is given as “Jealous” (קַנָּא qanna), not “Zealous” (קָנָא qana). The subtle difference in vocalization emphasizes personal relationship over mere passionate interest.
• The prohibition against boiling a kid in its mother’s milk (Exodus 34:26) uses חָלָב (chalav) for milk rather than the more common term for animal products, suggesting this command has moral rather than merely dietary significance.
• Moses’ radiant face is described with קָרַן (qaran) rather than אוֹר (or), the usual word for light. This unique usage suggests a supernatural transformation rather than mere reflected glory.

Exodus 34 Unique Insights

The revelation of God’s attributes in verses 6-7 forms what Jewish tradition calls the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy (Shelosh Esrei Middot). These verses became so central to Jewish theology that they are recited in their liturgy during festivals and fast days. The specific enumeration of these attributes varies among commentators, but their significance as the fullest biblical description of God’s character is universally recognized.

Rabbinic tradition provides fascinating insights into Moses’ second ascent of Sinai. The Midrash suggests that the dust from carving the second set of tablets enriched Moses, fulfilling the saying that “the waste of the tablets enriches.” This speaks to how even the seemingly mundane aspects of divine service can bring blessing. The Zohar goes further, suggesting that the second tablets contained both the written and oral Torah, whereas the first tablets contained only the written Torah.

The mysterious prohibition against boiling a kid in its mother’s milk appears three times in Torah, leading to the extensive Jewish dietary laws of meat and milk separation. Early church fathers like Clement of Alexandria saw this as teaching compassion, while Jewish mystical tradition sees it as addressing the proper separation between judgment (meat) and mercy (milk).

The radiance of Moses’ face presents an interesting contrast with the golden calf incident. Where the people sought to create their own divine representation through the calf, Moses’ transformed appearance came as an unsought consequence of divine encounter. This suggests that true glory comes not from human attempts to reach God but from allowing God to reach us.

Exodus 34 Connections to Yeshua

The Thirteen Attributes of Mercy find their ultimate expression in Yeshua the Messiah. The apostle John’s declaration that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14) directly echoes the attributes of חֶסֶד (chesed) and אֱמֶת (emet) from Exodus 34:6. The Messiah becomes the living embodiment of these divine attributes.

The transformation of Moses’ face foreshadows the transfiguration of Yeshua (Matthew 17:2). However, where Moses had to veil his fading glory, Paul contrasts this with the permanent transformation available through the Messiah: “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Exodus 34 Scriptural Echoes

The revelation of God’s character in this chapter echoes throughout Scripture. Joel 2:13 quotes directly from these attributes when calling Israel to repentance. Jonah 4:2 references them when explaining his reluctance to preach to Nineveh, knowing God’s mercy would likely spare Israel’s enemies. Numbers 14:18 sees Moses appealing to these very attributes when interceding for Israel after the incident of the spies.

The theme of divine self-revelation connects this chapter with other crucial theological moments in Scripture. Like Abraham’s intercession for Sodom (Genesis 18), Moses’ dialogue with God shows how divine justice and mercy interact. The prophet Isaiah’s temple vision (Isaiah 6) parallels the transformative effect of encountering divine glory.

Exodus 34 Devotional

This chapter challenges us to contemplate the balance between God’s justice and mercy in our own lives. Just as Moses needed to carve new tablets for God’s words, we too must prepare our hearts to receive His truth. The transformation of Moses’ face reminds us that extended time in God’s presence should leave visible evidence in our lives.

Consider how the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy might shape your interactions with others. If God is “slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love,” how might this influence your responses to those who wrong you? The chapter’s emphasis on exclusive devotion to God also prompts us to examine what “other gods” might be competing for our allegiance.

Did You Know

• The phrase “visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children” was understood by ancient Jewish sages not as punishment of the innocent but as the natural consequence of parental example extending to the fourth generation – approximately how long a person might live to see their influence on descendants.
• The Talmud records that the second set of tablets was given on Yom Kippur, establishing this day as one of divine forgiveness and renewal in Jewish tradition.
• The Hebrew word for “tablets” (לוחות luchot) appears in the dual form, suggesting they were meant to be a matching pair, perhaps indicating the unity of written and oral Torah.
• The prohibition against making covenants with the land’s inhabitants uses a root (כרת karat) that literally means “to cut,” reflecting ancient covenant-making ceremonies where animals were cut in half.
• Moses’ descent from Sinai with the second tablets traditionally marks the first Yom Kippur in Jewish history, occurring on the 10th of Tishri.
• The specific mention of “young goat” (גְדִי gedi) in its mother’s milk led to debates about whether this prohibition applied to all meat and milk combinations or just young animals.
• The radiance of Moses’ face was so intense that the people were afraid to approach him, leading to the tradition of Moses wearing a veil except when speaking God’s words to the people.
• The three annual festivals mentioned (Unleavened Bread, Weeks, and Ingathering) correspond to agricultural seasons but also prophetically point to key events in redemptive history – Messiah’s death, the giving of the Spirit, and the final ingathering of God’s people.