Exodus 34:32
in Exodus 34And after this all the Israelites came near, and Moses commanded them to do everything that the LORD had told him on Mount Sinai.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that Jehovah had spoken with him in mount Sinai.
KJV
And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him in mount Sinai.
⋯
This verse in Exodus 34
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA 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.
This site's exposition
But Moses called out to them
on Exodus 34:31-32
Moses calls them back instead of letting the fear stand, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation return first. Aaron made the calf in chapter 32, and he is the first man named coming near again. Moses then delivers the commandments to all the Israelites.
This site's exposition
all the Israelites came near
Everything the LORD had told him on Mount Sinai reaches back past this chapter to the tabernacle instruction of chapters 25 to 31. Chapter 35 opens with that delivery, beginning with the Sabbath. Matthew Henry counts it an honour to deliver God's law to others.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh,....
In all this God dealt with Moses as a public person, and mediator between him and Israel, and a type of the great Mediator. God's Proclamation of Himself.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
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. Small attractiveness would naturally remain in a face which had endured so stern an ordeal, but the Lord whom he served made his face brilliant with an unusual luster! The glory of the Light of God upon his countenance may have been the reason why he remained so free from infirmity in later years of old age. This man of 80 spent 40 more years in guiding Israel and in the end his eyes had not dimmed nor his natural force abated! He that could fast 40 days would be a hard morsel for death. Those eyes which had looked upon the Glory of God were not likely to wax dim amid earthly scenes— and that natural force which had endured the vision of the Supernatural could well support the fatigues of the wilderness. God so sustained His servant that his long and repeated fasts, during which he did not even drink water, did no harm to his physical constitution! The abstinence, even from water, renders the fast the more remarkable and lifts it out of similarity to modern feats of fasting. Moses did not know, at the time, that his face was shining—but he did know it afterwards—and he has here recorded it. He gives in detail the fact of the brightness of his own face, how others were struck with it and what he had to do in order to associate with them.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאַחֲרֵי־ | veacharei- | and after | H310 → | 715 times |
| כֵ֥ן | khen | thus | H3651 → | 771 times |
| נִגְּשׁ֖וּ | nigeshu | they drew near | H5066 → | 125 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וַיְצַוֵּ֕ם | vaytzavem | and he commanded them | H6680 → | 494 times |
| אֵת֩ | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| דִּבֶּ֧ר | diber | he had spoken | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| יְהוָ֛ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אִתּ֖וֹ | ʾito | with him | H854 → | 929 times |
| בְּהַ֥ר | behar | on [the] mountain of | H2022 → | 546 times |
| סִינָֽי׃ | sinai | Sinai | H5514 → | 35 times |
וְאַחֲרֵי־and after
veacharei-H310 →715 times
כֵ֥ןthus
khenH3651 →771 times
נִגְּשׁ֖וּthey drew near
nigeshuH5066 →125 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] people of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וַיְצַוֵּ֕םand he commanded them
vaytzavemH6680 →494 times
אֵת֩<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
דִּבֶּ֧רhe had spoken
diberH1696 →1141 times
יְהוָ֛הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אִתּ֖וֹwith him
ʾitoH854 →929 times
בְּהַ֥רon [the] mountain of
beharH2022 →546 times
סִינָֽי׃Sinai
sinaiH5514 →35 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 15:3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
it leads to
- 1 Peter 2:24
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”
- Galatians 1:4
who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
- Isaiah 53:1–12
Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
- 1 John 2:2
He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
- Galatians 1:12
I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
- 1 Peter 2:24
Through
1 Corinthians 11:23For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread,
it leads to
- Luke 22:19–20
And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
- Matthew 26:26–28
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.”
- Mark 14:22–24
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it; this is My body.”
- Luke 22:19–20
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies27
- Six Days You Shall Labor
- The Words Nasa, Salach and Aphiemi
- Generational Curses
- Thanks for Who He Is
- Hesed, the LORD's Loving Devotion
- God Is Love
Show the next 6 titles
- The Words Rachamim, Chesed and Eleos
- The 153 Fish
- Patience
- The Farmer Waits for the Rain
- The Words Erek Appayim and Makrothymia
- Sinai, the Mountain of God
Show the next 6 titles
About Exodus
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2143: “The Shining of the Face of Moses” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.