Exodus 38, Altar, Courtyard, Entrance

The artisans are building the Tabernacle. They have completed the ark, the table of shewbread and the lampstand. Now they work on the altar that will sit in the courtyard.

Exodus 38:1-8, The altar

They built the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, three cubits high; it was square, five cubits long and five cubits wide. They made a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar were of one piece, and they overlaid the altar with bronze.

     

They made all its utensils of bronze--its pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans. They made a grating for the altar, a bronze network, to be under its ledge, halfway up the altar. They cast bronze rings to hold the poles for the four corners of the bronze grating. They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. They inserted the poles into the rings so they would be on the sides of the altar for carrying it. They made it hollow, out of boards. 

They made the bronze basin and its bronze stand from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

The altar is built out of acacia wood. It is to hold the burnt offerings. The top square of the altar has four corners, each shaped as the horn of an animal. The utensils are made out of bronze. This altar sits in the courtyard where everyone can see it.

The instructions of Exodus 27:1-8 on the altar of incense are carried out here. The bronze basin is presumably the basin described in Exodus 30:17-21.

Exodus 38:9-20, The courtyard

Next they made the courtyard. The south side was a hundred cubits long and had curtains of finely twisted linen, with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, and with silver hooks and bands on the posts.

    

The north side was also a hundred cubits long and had twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, with silver hooks and bands on the posts. The west end was fifty cubits wide and had curtains, with ten posts and ten bases, with silver hooks and bands on the posts. The east end, toward the sunrise, was also fifty cubits wide.

    

Curtains fifteen cubits long were on one side of the entrance, with three posts and three bases, and curtains fifteen cubits long were on the other side of the entrance to the courtyard, with three posts and three bases.  All the curtains around the courtyard were of finely twisted linen.

    

The bases for the posts were bronze. The hooks and bands on the posts were silver, and their tops were overlaid with silver; so all the posts of the courtyard had silver bands.

    

The curtain for the entrance to the courtyard was of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen--the work of an embroiderer. It was twenty cubits long and, like the curtains of the courtyard, five cubits high, with four posts and four bronze bases. Their hooks and bands were silver, and their tops were overlaid with silver.

    

All the tent pegs of the tabernacle and of the surrounding courtyard were bronze.

The courtyard is large, elegant, with tent pegs of bronze.

The instructions of Exodus 27:9-18 are carried out here.

Exodus 38:21-31, A ton of gold

These are the amounts of the materials used for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the Testimony, which were recorded at Moses' command by the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest. (Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything the LORD commanded Moses; with him was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan--a craftsman and designer, and an embroiderer in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen.)

    

The total amount of the gold from the wave offering used for all the work on the sanctuary was 29 talents and 730 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel. The silver obtained from those of the community who were counted in the census was 100 talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel-- one beka per person, that is, half a shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, from everyone who had crossed over to those counted, twenty years old or more, a total of 603,550 men.

    

The 100 talents of silver were used to cast the bases for the sanctuary and for the curtain--100 bases from the 100 talents, one talent for each base.

    

They used the 1,775 shekels to make the hooks for the posts, to overlay the tops of the posts, and to make their bands. The bronze from the wave offering was 70 talents and 2,400 shekels.

    

They used it to make the bases for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the bronze altar with its bronze grating and all its utensils, the bases for the surrounding courtyard and those for its entrance and all the tent pegs for the tabernacle and those for the surrounding courtyard.

The Tabernacle has been built with an emphasis on elegance and beauty. This includes copious amounts of precious metals such as silver and gold. The amount of gold involved was apparently more than a ton!

The Tabernacle is almost completed.  It is time to prepare the priests.  That will occur in the next chapter.

First published April 13, 2023; updated April 13, 2026

The Role of the Law in Israel (Then and Today)

The ancient law, given to Moses in Exodus 20-23, and expanded in Deuteronomy, is a strange thing to a modern culture.  Why was it given? Does it have any role for Christians and Jews today?  Are we to obey all aspects of it? (For example, do we pay a fine in shekels for lying about a woman's virginity – see Deuteronomy 22:19?)

A witness to the nations

The answer to this is deeper than one might first recognize. There were several purposes for the Law. As explained by both Imes (in her Exodus BibleProject course) and Fretheim (in his commentary), one of the purposes of the Law was as a witness to the other nations. (See Exodus 34:10; also Exodus 19:4-6.) If practiced well, as both a civil code and a religious code of conduct, the Law would make Israel a place of peace and prosperity within the Ancient Near East culture. The other nations would look at Israel and their citizens would say, "Oh, I'd like to live there!"

The Law was given at a time and place, in the midst of a certain culture, and was a witness to that culture. Although certain principles extend into our modern culture(s), we cannot fit every extension of the Law into modern practice. 

The people of Israel were a people who were to bear the Name of God. Their actions were supposed to glorify YHWH and make Him known. The third commandment of the Ten forbade dragging His name into the mud by acting as if they were not his people. Their actions were to be a witness to that ancient culture. This is especially obvious in the first four commandments of the Ten.

Underlying principles of life

In the Ten Commandments, the last five commandments, those dealing with our relationships to others, are simpler than the previous commandments. They are expressed negatively, as "You shall not...", but commentators argue that these commands set an outer limit on one's actions and thoughts. Furthermore, the tenth commandment, describing internal thoughts, suggests that these commandments are more than a set of rules but are instead examples of some underlying principles. Those who meditate on these commandments (see Deuteronomy 6:6-10, for example) should realize that avoidance of murder, stealing, adultery, false testimony and covetousness require positive, constructive steps with one's neighbor.

The leaders and prophets of Israel will emphasis the beauty of this "Law". The Psalms (see Psalm 1:2) encourage us to delight and meditate in YHWH's Law; one entire psalm, Psalm 119, has 22 stanzas meditating on God's "Word" or Law. If we are to meditate on the Law, this must mean that there are deeper concepts within it, that the Law is not just a set of Rules. Jesus will elaborate further on this in his Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7.)

Our culture is built on cultures that went before it; some of those cultures were built on the Old Testament Law and Judeo-Christian traditions. Because of that we may miss a remarkable part of the Law -- class equality. That is, there was no distinction between the rich and poor. Indeed, it is a capital offense to buy or sell anyone; one cannot kidnap or capture slaves; embedded in the commandments around giving false testimony are clear commandments against bribing someone to give false testimony.  There was no special place for the rich or powerful.  In contrast, the Code of Hammurabi, written three or four centuries earlier, makes it a capital offense to kidnap the son of an aristocrat (Currid, A Study Commentary on Deuteronomy, p. 25.)

Throughout the Old Testament we will see the Law cited in calls for justice, in prophetic invectives against the wealthy and powerful, against those who abuse the poor.

Return to Eden!

Towards the end of the first giving of the Law, in Exodus 23: 25-26, YHWH makes some promises to Israel conditioned on their obedience to the Covenant at Sinai. The promises are quite strong and the blessings point back to Eden. If Israel is truly committed to YHWH, the effects of the Fall will be greatly reduced, they will be healthy and live long lives.

Of course, we know the story. At every turn the Israelites rebelled and went their own way, thus also, sadly, harkening back to the story of Adam and Eve. But the suggestion that it might be possible to return to Eden in some way is a thread through both Old and New Testaments, ending with explicit statements about the New Heaven and Earth in Revelation 21.

First published March 19, 2023; updated April 12, 2026

Exodus 37, Ark, Altar, Table, Lampstand

The Israelites begin to build the Tabernacle and its furniture.

Exodus 37:1-9, Bezalel's work on an elegant ark

Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood--two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.  He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it. He cast four gold rings for it and fastened them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other.

    

Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. And he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it. He made the atonement cover of pure gold--two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.

    

Then he made two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover. The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover.

The ark has these strange creatures, cherubim, hanging over it, the same creatures that guarded Eden in Genesis 3:24. We observe, again, the emphasis on skilled artists.

This passage mimics Exodus 25:10-22. There we read the plans for the ark; here the instructions are carried out.

Exodus 37:10-16, The table and its rings

They made the table of acacia wood--two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high. Then they overlaid it with pure gold and made a gold molding around it. They also made around it a rim a handbreadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim.

    

They cast four gold rings for the table and fastened them to the four corners, where the four legs were. The rings were put close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table. The poles for carrying the table were made of acacia wood and were overlaid with gold. And they made from pure gold the articles for the table--its plates and dishes and bowls and its pitchers for the pouring out of drink offerings.

This passage carries out the instructions of Exodus 25:23-30.

In verses 10-29, the sentences have no clear pronoun. The Hebrew word vaiyaas (וַיַּ֥עַשׂ), built on the verb asah (עָשָׂה, "to do", "to make") involves a third person pronoun that could be either the singular "he" or the plural "they." It is not clear if the craftsmanship is being done by a single artist like Bezalel or by a collection of artisans.

Exodus 37:17-24, The lampstand

They made the lampstand of pure gold and hammered it out, base and shaft; its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms were of one piece with it. Six branches extended from the sides of the lampstand--three on one side and three on the other. Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms were on one branch, three on the next branch and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand.

    

And on the lampstand were four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. One bud was under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair--six branches in all. The buds and the branches were all of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.

 

They made its seven lamps, as well as its wick trimmers and trays, of pure gold. They made the lampstand and all its accessories from one talent of pure gold.

This passage carries out the instructions of Exodus 25:31-40.

The NIV footnotes say that a talent of gold would be about 75 pounds of gold (!)

Exodus 37:25-29, The altar of incense

They made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high --its horns of one piece with it. They overlaid the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it.

    

They made two gold rings below the molding--two on opposite sides--to hold the poles used to carry it. They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. They also made the sacred anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense--the work of a perfumer.

The altar of incense has square base, about 18 inches on a side, and is about 3 feet high. It sits inside the tent.

This passage carries out the instructions of Exodus 30:1-10.

First published April 12, 2023; updated April 11, 2026

Exodus 36, Constructing the Sanctuary

Now that the covenant has been renewed, the construction of the tabernacle is reported, following the earlier instructions in chapters 25 to 31.

Exodus 36:1-3, Skilled artisans

"So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the LORD has commanded."

    

Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning.

Skilled artisans are required to create a temple of beauty.

Exodus 36:4-7, So much giving!

So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done."

    

Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: "No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.

The people respond with enthusiastic giving that overwhelms the artisans.

Exodus 36:8-18, Work on the curtains

All the skilled men among the workmen made the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim worked into them by a skilled craftsman. 

    

All the curtains were the same size--twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide. They joined five of the curtains together and did the same with the other five. Then they made loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and the same was done with the end curtain in the other set. They also made fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other. Then they made fifty gold clasps and used them to fasten the two sets of curtains together so that the tabernacle was a unit.

    

They made curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle--eleven altogether. All eleven curtains were the same size--thirty cubits long and four cubits wide. They joined five of the curtains into one set and the other six into another set. Then they made fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in one set and also along the edge of the end curtain in the other set.They made fifty bronze clasps to fasten the tent together as a unit.

The curtains serve as walls of the Tabernacle.

Exodus 36:19-30, The frames for the tabernacle

Then they made for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of hides of sea cows. They made upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. Each frame was ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide, with two projections set parallel to each other. They made all the frames of the tabernacle in this way.  

    

They made twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle and made forty silver bases to go under them--two bases for each frame, one under each projection. For the other side, the north side of the tabernacle, they made twenty frames and forty silver bases--two under each frame. They made six frames for the far end, that is, the west end of the tabernacle, and two frames were made for the corners of the tabernacle at the far end.

    

At these two corners the frames were double from the bottom all the way to the top and fitted into a single ring; both were made alike.

    

So there were eight frames and sixteen silver bases--two under each frame.

This large tent requires numerous frames...

Exodus 36:31-36, Beautiful crossbars

They also made crossbars of acacia wood: five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, five for those on the other side, and five for the frames on the west, at the far end of the tabernacle.

    

They made the center crossbar so that it extended from end to end at the middle of the frames. They overlaid the frames with gold and made gold rings to hold the crossbars. They also overlaid the crossbars with gold. They made the curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim worked into it by a skilled craftsman.

    

They made four posts of acacia wood for it and overlaid them with gold. They made gold hooks for them and cast their four silver bases.

... and crossbars.

Exodus 36:37-38, Entrance

For the entrance to the tent they made a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen--the work of an embroiderer; and they made five posts with hooks for them. They overlaid the tops of the posts and their bands with gold and made their five bases of bronze.

Like all else, the entrance is to be elegant.

In this chapter we see the instructions of Exodus 26 carried to completion.

First published April 11, 2023; updated April 10, 2026

Exodus 35, Tabernacle Work Begins

Moses has returned from Mount Sinai, for a second time. Now he begins to put into effect the commands of God.  

Exodus 35:1-3, Sabbath

Moses assembled the whole Israelite community and said to them, "These are the things the LORD has commanded you to do: For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death. Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day."

The Sabbath commands are repeated. Even lighting a fire on the Sabbath is forbidden. (Carmen Imes, in her class on Exodus, mentions the effect of this policy on modern hotel elevators in Israel!)

Exodus 35:4-9, Precious offerings for YHWH

Moses said to the whole Israelite community, "This is what the LORD has commanded: From what you have, take an offering for the LORD. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the LORD an offering of gold, silver and bronze;  blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows; acacia wood; olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.

The required offering is initiated. People are to bring valuables -- precious metals, beautiful fabrics -- as an offering.

Exodus 35:10-19, Set up the Tent of Meeting!

"All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the LORD has commanded: the tabernacle with its tent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; the ark with its poles and the atonement cover and the curtain that shields it; the table with its poles and all its articles and the bread of the Presence; the lampstand that is for light with its accessories, lamps and oil for the light; the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense; the curtain for the doorway at the entrance to the tabernacle; the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the bronze basin with its stand; the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the courtyard, and their ropes; the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary--both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests."

The people are instructed to get to work! It is time!

Exodus 35:20-34, Offerings brought to begin work

Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses' presence, and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments. 

All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD. Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or hides of sea cows brought them. Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the LORD, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it. 

Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun--blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen. And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense.  

    

All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the LORD freewill offerings for all the work the LORD through Moses had commanded them to do.

Everyone contributes as best as he or she can. Skilled weavers brought their special creations as part of the offering.

Exodus 35:30-35, Filled with the Spirit to make beautiful work

Then Moses said to the Israelites, "See, the LORD has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts--to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship. And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers--all of them master craftsmen and designers.

As promised, the artisans contribute. The Spirit of God gives mankind ability to be extraordinary artists; the One Who created Beauty allows humans as partners in creating more of it!

The rest of Exodus will describe the construction of the temple, repeating the commands God gave Moses in chapters 25 to 31. Although I find this material slow and tedious, it stresses, for the people of Israel, the importance of carefully obeying their Covenant with YHWH.

First published April 10, 2023; updated April 9, 2026

Exodus 34, Covenant Renewed

Despite the gross idolatry of the golden calf, led by the priest Aaron, God has now promised to continue traveling with Moses and the people of Israel.

Exodus 34:1-3, Repairing the tablets

The LORD said to Moses, "Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai. Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain. No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain."

The broken tablets will be fixed.

Exodus 34:4-7, YHWH, slow to anger

So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the LORD had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD.

    

And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."

 

YHWH has invited Moses back up to the mountain and affirms the covenant promises.

Wickedness, rebellion and sin have effects on future generations. YHWH does not leave the guilty unpunished -- He does not indulge sin and rebellion -- but He also offers love and forgiveness.  (The punishment of sin includes, in some sense, the sacrificial offerings.)

I think this is the first place where God describes Himself as "slow to anger".  Perhaps this most recent episode with these frustrating stubborn humans had displayed that aspect of Himself?

Exodus 34:8-10, Covenant affirmed, despite the stubbornness of human beings

Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. "O Lord, if I have found favor in your eyes," he said, "then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance."    

    

Then the LORD said: "I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the LORD, will do for you.

The people of Israel are to be a special people, part of a longterm eternal plan. This is despite their (very human) pigheadedness.

Exodus 34:11-17, Take the land!

"Obey what I command you today. 

    

"I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you.  Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles.

    

"Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God."

    

"Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land; for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you and you will eat their sacrifices. And when you choose some of their daughters as wives for your sons and those daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will lead your sons to do the same.

    

"Do not make cast idols."

Part of the covenant is to stay away from false gods and to drive out those who worship them.

(In verse 13 the "Asherah poles" are symbols of the fertility goddess Asherah.)

Exodus 34:18-20, Feast of Unleavened Bread

"Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in that month you came out of Egypt.

     

"The first offspring of every womb belongs to me, including all the firstborn males of your livestock, whether from herd or flock. Redeem the firstborn donkey with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem all your firstborn sons. "No one is to appear before me empty-handed.

Several requirements from the Exodus are repeated here.

Exodus 34:21-22, The Sabbath, several feasts

"Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest.

    

"Celebrate the Feast of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year. 

In verse 22, "the turn of the year" is in the fall.

Exodus 34:23-24, Celebrate the three feasts

"Three times a year all your men are to appear before the Sovereign LORD, the God of Israel. I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your territory, and no one will covet your land when you go up three times each year to appear before the LORD your God.

The three feasts above, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Ingathering, are special times for the men to appear before God and remember their covenant. As part of this continued covenantal practice, YHWH will continue to make them successful in the land.

Exodus 34:25-26, More instructions

"Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me along with anything containing yeast, and do not let any of the sacrifice from the Passover Feast remain until morning.

    

"Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God. 

    

"Do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk."

 

Previous instructions are repeated.

Exodus 34:27-28, Forty days and forty nights

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel."

    

Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant--the Ten Commandments.

 

The renewal of the covenant and covenant codes again takes forty days.

Verse 28 is the first place that the number ten appears in relation to the commandments given by YHWH.

Exodus 34:29-33, Radiant face

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.

    

But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face.

There is a physical change caused by Moses's presence before God.

Exodus 34:34-35, A veil

But whenever he entered the LORD's presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD.

A veil is necessary to hide the bright, radiant face.

First published April 8, 2023; updated April 8, 2026

Exodus 33, The Presence Around the Tent of Meeting

Moses has come down the mountain to discover that Aaron and the rest have created a golden calf. In the punishment of this idolatry, thousands die.

Exodus 33:1-3, "I will not go with you"

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, `I will give it to your descendants.'  I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.

     

Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way."

The people are to move on, but this time without the visible presence of God. If God goes with them, the people's stubbornness might be too much.

Exodus 33:4-6, Mourning and sadness

When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn and no one put on any ornaments. For the LORD had said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites, `You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.'"

    

So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.

 

The people are distressed about their abandonment. They strip off their ornaments. The Hebrew word adi (עֲדִי), translated "ornaments" by the NIV, represents finery, jewelry, items worn for beauty. To remove these items is to display sadness and mourning.

Exodus 33:7-11, "As a man speaks with his friend"

Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the "tent of meeting." Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent.

    

As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent. 

    

The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.

God is visible in a pillar of cloud when Moses approaches.

This text makes it clear that this communion is unusual! One might argue that this is the central passage of the Torah. Here, between two deliveries of the Law, Moses is regularly intervening for the people of Israel, as those people watch in awe. And God speaks to Moses face to face there, as a friend!

Joshua is mentioned again. He continues to serve as an aide.

Exodus 33:12-17, Moses pleads for the Presence of God

Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, `Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, `I know you by name and you have found favor with me.'  If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people."

    

The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

    

Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.  How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?"    

    

And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."

Moses insists that traveling on further, without the presence of YHWH, is useless. And so, after Moses's intervention, YHWH agrees to stay close to Moses.

Exodus 33:18-23, Sons of Israel

Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory."

    

And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live." 

Then the LORD said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen."

God promises some type of visible manifestation.  This is a manifestation of His "goodness", of one attribute of God.

First published April 7, 2023; updated April 7, 2026