New Living Translation
Exodus 34:29
29When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to 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
27Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write down all these instructions, for they represent the terms of the covenant I am making with you and with Israel.” 28Moses remained there on the mountain with the Lord forty days and forty nights. In all that time he ate no bread and drank no water. And the Lord wrote the terms of the covenant—the Ten Commandments—on the stone tablets. When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the Lord. 30So when Aaron and the people of Israel saw the radiance of Moses’ face, they were afraid to come near him. 31But Moses called out to them and asked Aaron and all the leaders of the community to come over, and he talked with 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 32:15Then Moses turned and went down the mountain. He held in his hands the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back.
- Exodus 16:15The Israelites were puzzled when they saw it. “What is it?” they asked each other. They had no idea what it was. And Moses told them, “It is the food the Lord has given you to eat.
- Joshua 2:4Rahab had hidden the two men, but she replied, “Yes, the men were here earlier, but I didn’t know where they were from.
- Joshua 8:14When the king of Ai saw the Israelites across the valley, he and all his army hurried out early in the morning and attacked the Israelites at a place overlooking the Jordan Valley. But he didn’t realize there was an ambush behind the town.
- Judges 16:20Then she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” When he woke up, he thought, “I will do as before and shake myself free.” But he didn’t realize the Lord had left him.
- Mark 9:6He said this because he didn’t really know what else to say, for they were all terrified.
- Mark 14:40When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. And they didn’t know what to say.
- Luke 2:49“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
- John 5:13The man didn’t know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd.
- Acts 6:15At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s.
- 2 Corinthians 3:7The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away.
- Revelation 1:16He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.
- Revelation 10:1Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, surrounded by a cloud, with a rainbow over his head. His face shone like the sun, and his feet 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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries