God’s Word Translation
Exodus 34:29
29Moses came down from Mount Sinai, carrying the two tablets with God’s words on them. His face was shining from speaking with the Lord, but he didn’t know it.
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
27Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write down these words, because on the basis of these words I’m making a promise to Israel and to you.” 28Moses was there with the Lord 40 days and 40 nights without food or water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the promise, the ten commandments. Moses came down from Mount Sinai, carrying the two tablets with God’s words on them. His face was shining from speaking with the Lord, but he didn’t know it. 30When Aaron and all the Israelites looked at Moses and saw his face shining, they were afraid to come near him. 31Moses called to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him. Then 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it came to pass, when Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- came downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- from mountהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- Sinaiסִינַיsîynay · SinaiH5514
- with the twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- tablesלוּחַlûach lûach · tabletH3871
- of testimonyעֵדוּת‛êdûth · testimonyH5715
- handיָדyâd · handH3027
- wistיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- not that the skinעוֹר‛ôr · skinH5785
- of his faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- shoneקָרַןqâran · to shineH7160
- while he talkedדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
Cross-references for Exodus 34:29
- Exodus 32:15Moses turned and went down the mountain carrying the two tablets with God’s words. They were written on both sides, front and back.
- Exodus 16:15When the Israelites saw it, they asked each other, “What is this?” because they didn’t know what it was. Moses said to them, “It’s the food the Lord has given you to eat.
- Joshua 2:4But the woman had already taken the two men inside and hidden them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come here. But I didn’t know where they had come from.
- Joshua 8:14When the king of Ai saw the main camp, he and all his troops got up early in the morning. They rushed out toward the plains to meet Israel for battle, just where ⌞Joshua⌟ expected. However, the king didn’t know there were troops behind the city waiting to attack him.
- Judges 16:20She said, “Samson, the Philistines are attacking!” Samson woke up. He thought, “I’ll get out of this as usual and shake myself free.” (He didn’t realize that the Lord had left him.)
- Mark 9:6(Peter didn’t know how to respond. He and the others were terrified.)
- Mark 14:40He found them asleep because they couldn’t keep their eyes open. They didn’t even know what they should say to him.
- Luke 2:49Jesus said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you realize that I had to be in my Father’s house?”
- John 5:13But the man who had been healed didn’t know who Jesus was. (Jesus had withdrawn from the crowd.)
- Acts 6:15Everyone who sat in the council stared at him and saw that his face looked like an angel’s face.
- 2 Corinthians 3:7The ministry that brought death was inscribed on stone. Yet, it came with such glory that the people of Israel couldn’t look at Moses’ face. His face was shining with glory, even though that glory was fading.
- Revelation 1:16In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword. His face was like the sun when it shines in all its brightness.
- Revelation 10:1I saw another powerful angel come down from heaven. He was dressed in a cloud, and there was a rainbow over his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet were like columns 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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