Berean Standard Bible
Exodus 34:29
29And 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.
Exodus 34:29 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him.
Context of Exodus 34:29
27The LORD also said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” 28So Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments. 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. 30Aaron and all the Israelites looked at Moses, and behold, his face was radiant. And they were afraid to approach him. 31But Moses called out to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke to them.
Read all of Exodus 34Exodus 34:29 word by word
וַיְהִ֗י בְּרֶ֤דֶת מֹשֶׁה֙ מֵהַ֣ר סִינַ֔י וּשְׁנֵ֨י לֻחֹ֤ת הָֽעֵדֻת֙ בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בְּרִדְתּ֖וֹ מִן־הָהָ֑ר וּמֹשֶׁ֣ה לֹֽא־יָדַ֗ע כִּ֥י קָרַ֛ן ע֥וֹר פָּנָ֖יו בְּדַבְּר֥וֹ אִתּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
- Andהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- when Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- came downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- from Mountהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- Sinaiסִינַיsîynay · SinaiH5514
- with the twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- tabletsלוּחַlûach lûach · tabletH3871
- of the Testimonyעֵדוּת‛êdûth · testimonyH5715
- handsיָדyâd · handH3027
- ·מִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
- was unawareלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- was unawareיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- thatכִּיkîy · forH3588
- his faceעוֹר‛ôr · skinH5785
- his faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- had become radiantקָרַןqâran · to shineH7160
- from speakingדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- withאֵת'êth · withH854
Cross-references for Exodus 34:29
- Exodus 32:15Then Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back.
- Exodus 16:15When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. So Moses told them, “It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.
- Joshua 2:4But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I did not know where they had come from.
- Joshua 8:14When the king of Ai saw the Israelites, he hurried out early in the morning with the men of the city to engage them in battle at an appointed place overlooking the Arabah. But he did not know that an ambush had been set up against him behind the city.
- Judges 16:20Then she called out, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” When Samson awoke from his sleep, he thought, “I will escape as I did before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him.
- Mark 9:6For they were all so terrified that Peter did not know what else to say.
- Mark 14:40And again Jesus returned and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. And they did not know what to answer Him.
- Luke 2:49“Why were you looking for Me?” He asked. “Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?”
- John 5:13But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while the crowd was there.
- Acts 6:15All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
- 2 Corinthians 3:7Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory,
- Revelation 1:16He 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.
- Revelation 10:1Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head. His face was like the sun, and his legs were like pillars of fire.
Commentaries on Exodus 34:29
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 29The skin of his face shone - קרן karan, was horned: having been long in familiar intercourse with his Maker, his flesh, as well as his soul, was penetrated with the effulgence of the Divine glory, and his looks expressed the light and life which dwelt within. Probably Moses appeared now as he did when, in our Lord's transfiguration, he was seen with Elijah on the mount, Matthew 17. As the original word קרן karan signifies to shine out, to dart forth, as…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 29The two tables of testimony - Compare Exodus 31:18. The skin of his face shone - Compare Matthew 17:2. The brightness of the Eternal Glory, though Moses had witnessed it only in a modified manner Exodus 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. The word translated “shine” is closely connected with a word translated “horn”; and hence, the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 28-35Verses 28-35 Near and spiritual communion with God improves the graces of a renewed and holy character. Serious godliness puts a lustre upon a man's countenance, such as commands esteem and affection. The vail which Moses put on, marked the obscurity of that dispensation, compared with the gospel dispensation of the New Testament. It was also an emblem of the natural vail on the hearts of men respecting spiritual things. Also the vail that was and is upon…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 29-35Moses, who had asked to see the glory of God, was not aware that his own face reflected that glory.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2929. 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. No testimonial needed to be produced. He bore his credentials on his very face; and whether this extraordinary effulgence was a permanent or merely temporary distinction, it cannot…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 34:29
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 34
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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