Exodus 34:29 BSB — MannaFest

Exodus 34:29

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.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of the testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses knew not that the skin of his face shone by reason of his speaking with him.

KJV

And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.

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Commentary

4 voices

Basil of Caesarea

EXEGETIC HOMILIES 14.5 (379)

Every soul is beautiful which is considered by the standard of its own virtues. But most beautiful, true and lovely, which can be contemplated by him alone who has purified his mind, is that of the divine and blessed nature. He who gazes steadfastly at the splendor and graces of it receives some share from it, as if from an immersion, tinging his own face with a sort of brilliant radiance. Whence Moses also was made resplendent in face by receiving some share of beauty when he held converse with God.

The record, by era

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

The two tables of testimony - Compare Exo 31:18. The skin of his face shone - Compare Mat 17:2. The brightness of the Eternal Glory, though Moses had witnessed it only in a modified manner Exo 33:22-23, was so reflected in his face, that Aaron and the people were stricken with awe, and feared to approach him until he gave them words of encouragement.

Charles Spurgeon

1834–1892

The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2143: “The Shining of the Face of Moses” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) (1890)

A FAST of 40 days does not improve the appearance of a man's countenance—he looks starved, wrinkled, old, haggard. Moses had fasted 40 days twice, at least, and, according to many competent authorities, the 10th chapter of Deuteronomy seems to imply that he fasted 40 days three times in quick succession. I will not assert or deny the third 40 days, but it is certain that, with a very slight interval, Moses fasted 40 days and then 40 days more—and it is probable that to these must be added a third forty.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

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.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

22 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
וַיְהִ֗י	vay.Hi	and it was	H1961 →
בְּרֶ֤דֶת	be.Re.det	when came down	H3381 →
מֹשֶׁה֙	mo.Sheh	Moses	H4872 →
מֵהַ֣ר	me.Har	from [the] mountain of	H2022 →
סִינַ֔י	si.Nai	Sinai	H5514 →
וּשְׁנֵ֨י	u.she.Nei	and [the] two	H8147 →
לֻחֹ֤ת	lu.Chot	[the] tablets of	H3871 →
הָֽעֵדֻת֙	ha.'e.Dut	the testimony	H5715 →
בְּיַד־	be.yad-	[were] in [the] hand of	H3027 →
מֹשֶׁ֔ה	mo.Sheh	Moses	H4872 →
בְּרִדְתּ֖וֹ	be.rid.To	when came down he	H3381 →
מִן־	min-	from	H4480 →
הָהָ֑ר	ha.Har	the mountain	H2022 →
וּמֹשֶׁ֣ה	u.mo.Sheh	and Moses	H4872 →
לֹֽא־	lo'-	not	H3808 →
יָדַ֗ע	ya.Da'	he knew	H3045 →
כִּ֥י	ki	that	H3588 →
קָרַ֛ן	ka.Ran	it shone	H7160 →
ע֥וֹר	or	[the] skin of	H5785 →
פָּנָ֖יו	pa.Nav	face his	H6440 →
בְּדַבְּר֥וֹ	be.da.be.Ro	because had spoken he	H1696 →
אִתּֽוֹ׃	'i.To	with him	H854 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Revelation 1:16
He held in His right hand seven stars, and a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
leads to
- Hebrews 4:12
  For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
- Revelation 2:12
  To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of the One who holds the sharp, double-edged sword.
- Revelation 2:16
  Therefore repent! Otherwise I will come to you shortly and wage war against them with the sword of My mouth.
- Revelation 19:15
  And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath…
- Isaiah 49:2
  He made My mouth like a sharp sword; He hid Me in the shadow of His hand. He made Me like a polished arrow; He hid Me in His quiver.
Through
Matthew 17:2
There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
leads to
- Psalms 104:2
  He wraps Himself in light as with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a tent,
- Matthew 28:3
  His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
- Luke 9:29
  And as He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became radiantly white.