Focused Passage

Exodus 34:29-35

The LORD Proclaims His Name and Renews the Covenant

The LORD commands Moses to chisel two new stone tablets and ascend Mount Sinai. The LORD descends in the cloud, proclaims His name, reveals His merciful and just character, and Moses worships and intercedes. The LORD renews the covenant, warns Israel against idolatrous alliances, restates key worship obligations, commands Moses to write the covenant words, and Moses remains with the LORD forty days and forty nights. When Moses descends, his face shines from speaking with the LORD, and he veils his face before the people.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

29 And when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was unaware that his face had become radiant from speaking with the LORD.

30 Aaron and all the Israelites looked at Moses, and behold, his face was radiant. And they were afraid to approach him.

31 But Moses called out to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke to them.

32 And after this all the Israelites came near, and Moses commanded them to do everything that the LORD had told him on Mount Sinai.

33 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.

34 But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would remove the veil until he came out. And when he came out, he would tell the Israelites what he had been commanded,

35 and the Israelites would see that the face of Moses was radiant. So Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 29

Original words

And וַיְהִ֗י H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular when Moses מֹשֶׁה֙ H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular came down בְּרֶ֤דֶת H3381 Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct from Mount מֵהַ֣ר H2022 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct Sinai סִינַ֔י H5514 Noun - proper - feminine singular with the two וּשְׁנֵ֨י H8147 Conjunctive waw | Number - masculine dual construct tablets לֻחֹ֤ת H3871 Noun - masculine plural construct of the Testimony הָֽעֵדֻת֙ H5715 Article | Noun - feminine singular in his מֹשֶׁ֔ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular hands בְּיַד־ H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct - בְּרִדְתּ֖וֹ H3381 Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular - מִן־ H4480 Preposition - הָהָ֑ר H2022 Article | Noun - masculine singular he וּמֹשֶׁ֣ה H4872 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular vvv לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle was unaware יָדַ֗ע H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular that כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction vvv ע֥וֹר H5785 Noun - masculine singular construct his face פָּנָ֖יו H6440 Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular had become radiant קָרַ֛ן H7160 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular from speaking בְּדַבְּר֥וֹ H1696 Preposition-b | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular with [the LORD] אִתּֽוֹ׃ H854 Preposition | third person masculine singular
Verse 30

Original words

Aaron אַהֲרֹ֜ן H175 Noun - proper - masculine singular and all וְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct the Israelites בְּנֵ֤י H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct . . . יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker looked at וַיַּ֨רְא H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Moses מֹשֶׁ֔ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular and behold וְהִנֵּ֥ה H2009 Conjunctive waw | Interjection vvv ע֣וֹר H5785 Noun - masculine singular construct his face פָּנָ֑יו H6440 Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular was radiant קָרַ֖ן H7160 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular And they were afraid וַיִּֽירְא֖וּ H3372 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural to approach מִגֶּ֥שֶׁת H5066 Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct him אֵלָֽיו׃ H413 Preposition | third person masculine singular
Verse 31

Original words

But Moses מֹשֶׁ֔ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular called out וַיִּקְרָ֤א H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to them אֲלֵהֶם֙ H413 Preposition | third person masculine plural so Aaron אַהֲרֹ֥ן H175 Noun - proper - masculine singular and all וְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct the leaders הַנְּשִׂאִ֖ים H5387 Article | Noun - masculine plural of the congregation בָּעֵדָ֑ה H5712 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular returned וַיָּשֻׁ֧בוּ H7725 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural to him אֵלָ֛יו H413 Preposition | third person masculine singular and Moses מֹשֶׁ֖ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular spoke וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר H1696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to them אֲלֵהֶֽם׃ H413 Preposition | third person masculine plural
Verse 32

Original words

And after וְאַחֲרֵי־ H310 Conjunctive waw | Preposition this כֵ֥ן H3651 Adverb all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the Israelites בְּנֵ֣י H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct . . . יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular came near נִגְּשׁ֖וּ H5066 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural and [Moses] commanded וַיְצַוֵּ֕ם H6680 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural them אֵת֩ H853 Direct object marker to do everything כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct that אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֛ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . אִתּ֖וֹ H854 Preposition | third person masculine singular had told him דִּבֶּ֧ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular on Mount בְּהַ֥ר H2022 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Sinai סִינָֽי׃ H5514 Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 33

Original words

When Moses מֹשֶׁ֔ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular had finished וַיְכַ֣ל H3615 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular speaking מִדַּבֵּ֖ר H1696 Preposition-m | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct with them אִתָּ֑ם H854 Preposition | third person masculine plural he put וַיִּתֵּ֥ן H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular a veil מַסְוֶֽה׃ H4533 Noun - masculine singular over עַל־ H5921 Preposition his face פָּנָ֖יו H6440 Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 34

Original words

But whenever Moses מֹשֶׁ֜ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular went in וּבְבֹ֨א H935 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct before לִפְנֵ֤י H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct the LORD יְהוָה֙ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular to speak לְדַבֵּ֣ר H1696 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct with Him אִתּ֔וֹ H854 Preposition | third person masculine singular he would remove יָסִ֥יר H5493 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the veil הַמַּסְוֶ֖ה H4533 Article | Noun - masculine singular until עַד־ H5704 Preposition he came out צֵאת֑וֹ H3318 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular And when he came out וְיָצָ֗א H3318 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular he would tell וְדִבֶּר֙ H1696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition the Israelites בְּנֵ֣י H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct . . . יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֵ֖ת H853 Direct object marker what אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative he had been commanded יְצֻוֶּֽה׃ H6680 Verb - Pual - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 35

Original words

and the Israelites בְנֵֽי־ H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct . . . יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker would see וְרָא֤וּ H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural that כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction the face פְּנֵ֣י H6440 Noun - common plural construct of Moses מֹשֶׁ֔ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular was radiant קָרַ֔ן H7160 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular . . . ע֖וֹר H5785 Noun - masculine singular construct So Moses מֹשֶׁ֑ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular would put the veil הַמַּסְוֶה֙ H4533 Article | Noun - masculine singular back וְהֵשִׁ֨יב H7725 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular over עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . פָּנָ֔יו H6440 Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular his face פְּנֵ֣י H6440 Noun - common plural construct . . . מֹשֶׁ֤ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker until עַד־ H5704 Preposition he went in בֹּא֖וֹ H935 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular to speak לְדַבֵּ֥ר H1696 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct with [the LORD] אִתּֽוֹ׃ס H854 Preposition | third person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.