Preface: Moses carves out a new set of tablets and returns to Mount Sinai. God renews His covenant with Israel through Moses. When he comes back down the mountain, the people see that his face is shining, as if reflecting the light (or Shekinah Glory) of God. What is quite fascinating about this chapter is, God promised to allow Moses to see Him (Exodus 33:19–23), logically it occurred while Moses was on Mount Sinai the second time, and yet Moses does not devote much time to recording his experience. Why?

The Bible Summary of Exodus 34 (in 140 characters or less): Moses made new tablets for the law. The LORD spoke to him and made a covenant with Israel. When Moses returned his face was shining.

There are many chapter commentaries on the book of Exodus. This will be the most extensive examination of Exodus 34, where you will be able to examine in depth every word of the original text. Every attempt has been made to make this both a complete and self-contained study. Therefore, all references, vocabulary, and related concepts should be found within this extensive study. Easy access links to more in-depth studies of some vocabulary words, concepts and doctrines are also provided.

Outline of Chapter 34:

Introduction

         vv.     1–3           God Gives Moses Instructions to Return to Him up Mount Sinai

         vv.     4–9           Moses Ascend Mount Sinai and Communes with God

         vv.         4            Moses chisels out the stone tablets

         vv.         5–7          God proclaims His character to Moses

         vv.         8–9          Moses bows and intercedes for an errant Israel

         vv.    10–28         God Renews His Covenant with Israel

         vv.        10–17        This covenant is made with God and not with the heathen of the land

         vv.        18–27        The three feasts, the firstborn, the Sabbath

         vv.         28           Moses is on the mountain 40 days/God writes the commandments on the tablets

         vv.    29–35         Moses Returns to the People; His Face Glows with God’s Reflected Glory

Chapter Summary

Addendum

Charts, Graphics and Short Doctrines:

         Preface               Quotations

         Introduction         A New Start (a graphic)

         Introduction         Renewal of the Covenant of God (a photograph)

         Introduction         Technically, Moses was the 1^st person with a tablet (a graphic)

         Introduction         Exodus 34 Doodled (a graphic)

         Introduction         If Exodus 34:5–9 fulfills God’s promise to Moses, why is the record not more complete?

         Introduction         Titles and/or Brief Descriptions of Exodus 34 (by various commentators)

         Introduction         Brief, but insightful observations of Exodus 34 (various commentators)

         Introduction         Fundamental Questions About Exodus 34

         Introduction         The Prequel of Exodus 34

         Introduction 

         Introduction         The Principals of Exodus 34

         Introduction         The Places of Exodus 34

         Introduction         By the Numbers

         Introduction         Timeline for Exodus 34

         Introduction         A Synopsis of Exodus 34

         Introduction         Outlines of Exodus 34 (Various Commentators)

         Introduction         A Synopsis of Exodus 34 from the Summarized Bible

         Introduction         The Big Picture (Exodus 24–40)

         Introduction         Paragraph Divisions of Modern Translation for Exodus 34

         Introduction 

         Introduction 

         Introduction         Changes—additions and subtractions (for Exodus 34)

         Introduction         Various Bibles (a photograph)

         v.       1              Chiseling Stone (a photograph)

         v.       1              Limestone Sculpture of Moses with the Tablets of Law (a photo of a sculpture)

         v.       1              Exodus 34:1 (ESV) (a graphic)

         v.       4              Moses with the Tables of the Law (based upon Charlton Heston as Moses)

         v.       4              Moses and the Tablets of the Law (by Laurent De La Hyre)

         v.       5              Different Translations/Interpretations of Exodus 34:5

         v. 

         v. 

         v.       6              The Essence Box (or, the Attributes of God) (a graphic)

         v.       6              Scofield Notes on the Names for God

         v.       6              Proper Names for God From the Bible (by Kurtis Karr)

         v.       6              Exodus 34:6 (Bible Journaling) (a graphic)

         v.       6              Exodus 34:6 (NIV) (a graphic)

         v.       7              What is the difference between iniquity, sin, and transgression? (Got Questions)

         v.       7              Various Translations of Exodus 34:6–7b

         v.       7              “Four Generation Curse” Links

         v.       7              Exodus 34:6–7 (NIV) (a graphic)

         v.       7              The Divine Character (Exodus 34:6–7) (a graphic)

         v.       9              The Importance of Moses’ 3 Requests

         v.       9              Exodus 34:8–9 (ESV) (a graphic)

         v.      10              Exodus 34:10 (NLT) (a graphic)

         v.      10              Exodus 34:10 (NIV) (a graphic)

         v. 

         v. 

         v. 

         v. 

         v. 

         v. 

         v.      13              Moses, His State of Mind, and His Revelation of God

         v.      18              Is God disorganized?

         v.      18              The Blind Men and the Elephant (a graphic)

         v. 

         v. 

         v. 

         v. 

         v.      21              Exodus 34:21 (WEB) (a graphic)

         v.      22              What is the Feast of Tabernacles / Booths / Sukkoth? (From Got Questions)

         v.      26              “You will not boil a kid in its mother’s milk” (from several expositors)

         v.      27              Short Excursus on Solemn Nature of Covenant (from Precept Austin)

         v.      28              Exodus 34:27–28 (from Sinai to the Cross) (a graphic)

         v.      29              Moses (a photo of a statue' by Michelangelo)

         v.      29              Moses was unaware that his face was radiant (Exodus 34:29) (a graphic)

         v.      29              Moses returns from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Law (a graphic)

         v.      29              Moses’ shining face as he returns from the mountain (a graphic)

         v.      30              The Shining Face of Moses (an artistic interpretation)

         v.      35              Where can I find a doctrinally sound local church?

         v.      35              Paul interprets Moses and the Veil in 2Corinthians 3:7–18

         v.      35              Why did Moses have to wear a veil? (From Got Questions)

         Summary            A Set of Summary Doctrines and Commentary

         Summary            Why Exodus 34 is in the Word of God

         Summary            What We Learn from Exodus 34

         Summary            Jesus Christ in Exodus 34

         Summary            An abbreviated exegesis of Exodus 34 (A Faithful Version is used)

         Summary            Shmoop Summary of Exodus 34

         Summary            Edersheim Summarizes Exodus 34

         Summary 

         Addendum          Moses Speaks of this Visit to the People in Deuteronomy 10:1–10

         Addendum          Comparing God’s Promise in Exodus 33 to a Possible Fulfillment in Exodus 34

         Addendum          What does it mean to call upon the name of the Lord? (From Got Questions)

         Addendum          Peter’s Testimony About God’s Word Being Greater Than Any Experience

         Addendum          Principles from Joe Griffin’s Booklet, Four Generation Curse

         Addendum          Why is idol worship such a powerful temptation? (From Got Questions)

         Addendum          Who was Asherah / Ashtoreth? (From Got Questions)

         Addendum          Calendar of Convocations in the Law of Moses (William D. Barrick, Th.D.)

         Addendum          Footnotes for the American English Bible

         Addendum          The Purpose of the Old Covenant (from Precept Austin)

         Addendum 

         Addendum 

         Addendum          Josephus’ History of this Time Period

         Addendum          A Complete Translation of Exodus 34

         Addendum          Doctrinal Teachers Who Have Taught Exodus 34

         Addendum          Word Cloud from a Reasonably Literal Paraphrase of Exodus 34

         Addendum          Word Cloud from Exegesis of Exodus 34

——————————

An Introduction to Exodus 34

I ntroduction: In chapter 34 Moses goes back up Mount Sinai to speak with God. Previously, Moses has gone before God, interceding on behalf of the Hebrews. He asked God to give them another chance. This will be the other chance. Moses will go back up on the mountain and he will receive the Law of God from the mouth of Y^ehowah. He will be gone for forty days and forty nights, as before. When he returns, this time the Hebrews will not be engaged in spiritual adultery. As before, when he was on the mountain, Moses will again be told to write down what God has told him. This will be a chapter which requires quite a bit of time to go through some individual verses and to deal with some of the concepts contained herein. Several of my sources had rather lengthy notes of certain sections.

A New Start (a graphic); from Everyday Encounters With the Creator; accessed March 30, 2021. This very much describes what is happening with this chapter.

Although I entitled this chapter, God Renews His Covenant with Israel on Mount Sinai; the title is better expressed as, God Renews His Covenant with Israel face to face with Moses on Mount Sinai. I have a limitation as to the length of the title, if I want it to fit on one line.

In this chapter, God will call Moses up to Mount Sinai again. It appears that these conversations took place after Moses spoke with God in Exodus 33 (HTML) (PDF) (WPD). .

In this chapter, Moses cuts out new tablets of stone, upon which God would write the Ten Commandments. Moses will he return to Mount Sinai, but this time, he is alone.

God provides a physical manifestation of sorts for Moses in Exodus 34:1–9. God renews His covenant with Israel, with the rebellious Exodus generation in Exodus 34:10–11. God tells Moses what His people must do upon entering the land, which includes the destruction of any idolatry practiced by the indigenous peoples there. The people of Israel are to completely avoid any involvement with the corrupt religious practices of the people of the land. Exodus 34:12–16. God then gives Moses a list of things which Israel is to do (or not to do) upon gaining control of the land of promise, which appears to be a summary of what God taught Moses previously. Exodus 34:17–28. Moses returns to the people and his face is shining because he has been speaking to God. Exodus 34:29–35.

Moses will recall this meeting to Israel during one of his Deuteronomy sermons. Deuteronomy 10:1–10. This passage will be briefly examined in the addendum.

Renewal of the Covenant of God (a photograph); from Knowable Word; accessed March 28, 2021. This is called Detail of Moses' tablets: Claus Sluter, Well of Moses, 1395-1405 Asnières stone with gilding and polychromy, slightly less than 7 meters high, originally close to 13 meters with cross. Located on the grounds of the former Chartreuse de Champmol, a Carthusian monastery in Dijon, France established by Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. This is certainly a photograph, and it appears to be the photograph of a statue.

It has occurred to me that, given the amount of time that Moses was on the mountain with God, is it possible that God repeated the entire Law to him, as God had given to him before, but perhaps Moses merely summarized what God said to him in this chapter? I might have to think through this to give a definitive opinion. However, I don’t know that there is anything new coming from God in this chapter (this chapter does move along the narrative, but it does not appear to provide additional instruction in keeping the Law).

Another option is, Moses wrote down everything (which was less than a chapter), but God was the One doing the editing in His presentation to Moses. In either of those two possibilities, God the Holy Spirit, as the Divine Author of Scripture, would have had a hand in the final edit. Now, I don’t mean that God the Holy Spirit came to Moses after he wrote everything down, and said, “You need to tighten it up. You need to lose about 90% of what God told you.” I mean that it was a dynamic process, hand-in- hand with Moses the human author.

Throughout Scripture, there are parallel passages. There are the 4 gospels of Jesus (or 4 biographies of Him). I can guarantee that, if any pastor teaches one of the gospels, he could turn around for his next teaching increment and teach another one of them, without sounding as if he is repeating himself. When I began this project, and began working on the book of Samuel along with the book of Chronicles, one of my chief concerns was, wouldn’t parallel chapters be nothing more than teaching the same thing twice? It surprised me to find out that was not true.

So, even though we have already covered much of this material previously, there is a lot here in this chapter to uncover and unpack. I do not think that you will find the material to be repetitive, despite the fact that it appears to be a condensed version of what God previously said to Moses.

Technically, Moses was the 1^st person with a tablet (a graphic); from 9GAG; accessed March 28, 2021.

Exodus 34 Doodled (a graphic); from Doodle Through the Bible; accessed March 28, 2021. On this graphic, there is the problem with Moses chiseling the Ten Commandments onto the stone tablets. He did not do that; God did.

Interestingly enough, I have a large number of questions concerning this chapter—questions which occur to me at the outset; and questions which occur to me as I write my notes for this chapter.

Timeline for Exodus 34

Changes—additions and subtractions (for Exodus 34): Very often, when I begin a new chapter, I have either discovered a new translations, a new commentary; or have decided to leave out a particular translation or commentary. Sometimes, I make a minor formatting change. I have always placed such comments before the beginning of the first verse. So one formatting change is, the addition of this more formal approach to changes, giving it a section of its own. Many times, if I like a change a lot, I will occasionally go back and make that change in previous chapters.

 

Previously in the weekly study of Genesis, I used the Modern KJV translation (this is the second set of original notes placed in the chapter-by-chapter study of Genesis). For the book of Exodus, I will use the New King James Version (unless otherwise noted), which is a superior (but not perfect) translation. Therefore, an unnamed translation of Exodus will either be the NKJV or it will be one of the three original translations developed for each chapter.

 

Various Bibles (a photograph); from The Superior Word; accessed March 30, 2021.

 

I have decided to drop the New Revised Standard Version and the Scriptures 1998 (which was rarely different from the Scriptures 2009) and the Holy Bible Improved Edition 1913. I rarely used those translations. Also, while working on this chapter, the Easy-to-Read 2001 disappeared from being online. I was sorry to lose that one, as it often had some interesting differences from the current 2008 edition.

 

The Definition of Theological Terms is now linked both ways to those terms when they first occur. So, if you come across a hyperlinked theological term, you can click on it to get the definition; but you can click on that term in the list of definitions, and be taken right back to its first occurrence in this document (right back where you started from). For those who use the PDF or WPD version of this document, that can be quite helpful (one could always use the back button for the HTML document).

 

I have gone back to take a look at Precept Austin, which is a repository of various sources (I do not know how much original work is to be found here; I would assume that the unattributed work is original with the site creator). In any case, it is an excellent website, and I will begin to include some of his materials in my own studies. What is particularly helpful is, on occasion, a verse or a passage will stump me. At Precept Austin, most verses have the commentary of 4–10 others, so it is easier to look through them and see if anything is helpful. Also, he provides a title for nearly every verse, so I will try placing that as the verse summation and see how that goes.

 

What I used to do in some exegetical studies is provide a plethora of commentators for nearly every phrase from every chapter. This might add an additional pages onto a single chapter. Precept Austin does a fine job of gathering up quotations for each verse. Therefore, even though I may continue to group commentators opinions about this or that verse, I will do this perhaps 3–6 times for any given chapter, as opposed to 30–60 times.

 

I have been placing more things in the addendum, but I have not put them in any real order before; nor have I connected them back with specific verses. I have tried to change that.

 

At first, I was placing questions and answers from Got Questions within the text. Then I began to place them in the Addendum. Then, partway through this particular chapter, I started to list them simply as reference links. This does not mean that I will not, on occasion, include an entire question and answer from them; but I will begin using more links instead.

As I have done previously, since this chapters is what God is saying to Moses, I will begin and end the chapter with quotation marks. I will not insert a new set of quotation marks for each new paragraph.

——————————

God Gives Moses Instructions to Return to Him up Mount Sinai

Deuteronomy 10:1–2

What happened previously is, God presented Moses with two stone tablets, with the Ten Commandments written on them (Exodus 24:1–2 31:18). When Moses arrived near to the bottom of Mount Sinai, he saw the people celebrating the golden calf which they had made (Exodus 32:15–20).

The agreement (covenant) between God and the Israelites had been thus broken. The Israelites had agreed to this relationship with God, and here they were rejecting God (by violating His commandments) and rejecting Moses, whom they believed to be lost or dead.

Moses took these stones, fashioned, carved and written upon by God, and threw them onto the ground, shattering them (Exodus 32:19–20 Deuteronomy 9:15–17). Some might say, “Moses lost his excrement.”

His throwing these tablets onto the ground really accomplished nothing. The people had no appreciation for what he had just done. After all, they had no idea what was written on those tables of stone.

Here is how others have translated this verse:

Ancient texts:                       Note: I compare the Hebrew text to English translations of the Latin, Syriac (= Aramaic) and Greek texts, using the Douay-Rheims translation; George Lamsa’s translation, and Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brenton’s translation as revised and edited by Paul W. Esposito, respectively. I often update these texts with non-substantive changes (e.g., you for thou, etc.). I often use the text of the Complete Apostles’ Bible instead of Brenton’s translation, because it updates the English text.

The Septuagint was the earliest known translation of a book (circa 200 b.c.). Since this translation was made before the textual criticism had been developed into a science and because different books appear to be translated by different men, the Greek translation can sometimes be very uneven.

When there are serious disparities between my translation and Brenton’s (or the text of the Complete Apostles’ Bible), I look at the Greek text of the Septuagint (the LXX) to see if a substantive difference actually exists (and I reflect these changes in the English rendering of the Greek text). I use the Greek LXX with Strong’s numbers and morphology available for e-sword. The only problem with this resource (which is a problem for similar resources) is, there is no way to further explore Greek verbs which are not found in the New Testament. Although I usually quote the Complete Apostles’ Bible here, I have begun to make changes in the translation when their translation conflicts with the Greek and note what those changes are.

The Masoretic text is the Hebrew text with all of the vowels (vowel points) inserted (the original Hebrew text lacked vowels). We take the Masoretic text to be the text closest to the original. However, differences between the Masoretic text and the Greek, Latin and Syriac are worth noting and, once in a great while, represent a more accurate text possessed by those other ancient translators.

In general, the Latin text is an outstanding translation from the Hebrew text into Latin and very trustworthy (I say this as a non-Catholic). Unfortunately, I do not read Latin—apart from some very obvious words—so I am dependent upon the English translation of the Latin (principally, the Douay-Rheims translation).

The comparisons which I do are primarily between the English translations which are taken from the ancient tongues. For the most part, the variances are so minor that I rarely investigate them any further than that.

Underlined words indicate differences in the text.

Bracketed portions of the Dead Sea Scrolls are words, letters and phrases lost in the scroll due to various types of damage. Underlined words or phrases are those in the Dead Sea Scrolls but not in the Masoretic text.

I will only list the translation from the Dead Sea Scrolls if it exists and if it is different from the Masoretic text.

The Targum of Onkelos is actually the Pentateuchal Targumim, which are The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan Ben Uzziel. On the Pentateuch With The Fragments of the Jerusalem Targum From the Chaldee by J. W. Etheridge, M.A. From http://www.becomingjewish.org/texts/targum/onkelos_Exodus.html and first published in 1862.

Occasionally, there is an obvious error in the English translation, and I correct those without additional mention or footnoting. For instance, the online version of the Targum of Onkelos which I use has gorund in Ex. 4:9; I simply corrected the text. This may occur once or twice in a chapter.

I attempt to include translations which are different in their vocabulary and phrasing. On many occasions, I may include a translation which is not substantially different than another listed translation.

Most of the translations can be found here.

Ancient texts:

Masoretic Text (Hebrew)        And so says Y^ehowah unto Moses, “Cut out two of tablets of stones like the first [ones] and I have written upon the tablets the words which were on the tablets the first [ones] which you broke (into pieces). And be prepared for the morning and you have gone up in the morning upon the mountain of Sinai. And you have stood toward Me there upon a top of the mountain. And a man will not come up with you; and also a man is not to be seen in the mountain. Also the flock and the herd are not to be fed in front of the mountain the this.”

Dead Sea Scrolls                   .

Targum (Onkelos)                  And the Lord said to Mosheh, Hew thee two tablets of stone as the first ones, and I will write upon the tablets the words that were upon the former tablets which thou hast broken. And be ready in the morning, and go up at morn to Mount Sinai, and stand there before Me on the summit of the mountain. Let no man ascend with thee; let no man be seen upon all the mountain, nor sheep nor oxen be grazing upon the mountain. And hew two tablets of stone like the former ones. Translation for Onkelos and Pseudo-Jonathan by J. W. Etheridge, M.A. (1862).

Targum (Pseudo-Jonathan)   And the Lord said to Mosheh, Hew thee two tables of stone, as the former, and write upon the tables the words that were upon the former tables which thou didst break; and be ready in the morn; and at morning ascend thou Mount Sinai and stand there before Me on the summit of the mountain. No man shall ascend with thee, nor any man be seen on all the mountain, nor sheep, nor oxen grazing on the side of the mount. And he hewed two tables of stone like the former: and Mosheh arose in the morning and ascended Mount Sinai, as the Lord had instructed him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone.

Jerusalem targum                  .

Updated Douay-Rheims         And after this he said: Hew you two tables of stone like unto the former, and I will write upon them the words, which were in the tables, which you brokest. Be ready in the morning, that you mayst forthwith go up into Mount Sinai, and you will stand with me upon the top of the mount. Let no man go up with you, and let not any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the oxen nor the sheep feed over against it.

Douay-Rheims 1899 (Amer.) .

Aramaic ESV of Peshitta        Mar-Yah said to Mosha, "Chisel two stone tablets like the first: and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain. No one shall come up with you; neither let anyone be seen throughout all the mountain; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mountain."

Lamsa’s Peshitta (Syriac)     And LORD JEHOVAH said to Moshe: “Hew for you two tablets of stone like the former, and I shall write on the tablets the statements that were on the former tablets that you broke. And be ready at dawn and come up at dawn to the mountain of Sinai and stand there at the top the mountain. And a man shall not ascend with you and a man shall not appear in the whole mountain, neither a flock nor oxen shall feed against that mountain.

Samaritan Pentateuch           And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon [these] tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest.

And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount.

And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.

Updated Brenton (Greek)       And the Lord said to Moses, Hew for yourself two tablets of stone, like the first ones were, and come up to Me on the mountain; and I will write upon the tablets the words which were on the first tablets, which you broke. And be ready by the morning, and you shall go up to Mount Sinai, and you shall stand there before Me on the top of the mountain. And let no one go up with you, nor be seen in all the mountain; and let not the sheep and oxen feed near that mountain.

Significant differences: 

Limited Vocabulary Translations:

Bible in Basic English             And the Lord said to Moses, Make two other stones like the first two; and I will put on them the words which were on the first stones, which were broken by you. 

And be ready by the morning, and come up on Mount Sinai, and come before me there in the morning, on the top of the mountain. 

No one is to come up with you, and let no man be seen anywhere on the mountain; let no flocks or herds come near to get their food at its foot.

Easy English                          Two new flat stones

The Lord said to Moses, ‘Cut two flat stones like the first stones. Then I will write on them all the words that I wrote on the first stones. Those were the stones that you broke into pieces. Make yourself ready in the morning and come up Sinai mountain. Stand there, ready to meet me on the top of the mountain. Nobody must come with you. Nobody must go anywhere on the mountain. Even your sheep and your cows must not eat grass near the bottom of the mountain.’

Easy-to-Read Version–2006  Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make two more stone tablets like the first two that were broken. I will write the same words on these stones that were written on the first two stones. Be ready tomorrow morning and come up on Mount Sinai. Stand before me there on the top of the mountain. No one will be allowed to come with you. No one should even be seen anywhere on the mountain. Even your herds of animals or flocks of sheep will not be allowed to eat grass at the bottom of the mountain."

God’s Word™                         .

Good News Bible (TEV)         The LORD said to Moses, "Cut two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Get ready tomorrow morning, and come up Mount Sinai to meet me there at the top. No one is to come up with you; no one is to be seen on any part of the mountain; and no sheep or cattle are to graze at the foot of the mountain."

The Message                         God spoke to Moses: “Cut out two tablets of stone just like the originals and engrave on them the words that were on the original tablets you smashed. Be ready in the morning to climb Mount Sinai and get set to meet me on top of the mountain. Not a soul is to go with you; the whole mountain must be clear of people, even animals—not even sheep or oxen can be grazing in front of the mountain.”

Names of God Bible               The Lord Meets with Moses on the Mountain

Yahweh said to Moses, “Cut two more stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets which you smashed. Be ready in the morning. Then come up on Mount Sinai, and stand in my presence on the top of the mountain. No one may come with you or even be seen anywhere on the mountain. Even the flocks and herds may not graze in front of this mountain.”

NIRV                                      The New Stone Tablets

The Lord said to Moses, “Cut out two stone tablets that are just like the first ones. I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Be ready in the morning. Then come up on Mount Sinai. Meet with me there on top of the mountain. No one must come with you. No one must be seen anywhere on the mountain. Not even the flocks and herds must be allowed to eat grass in front of the mountain.”

New Simplified Bible              .

Thought-for-thought translations; dynamic translations; paraphrases:

Contemporary English V.       One day the LORD said to Moses, "Cut two flat stones like the first ones I made, and I will write on them the same commandments that were on the two you broke. Be ready tomorrow morning to come up Mount Sinai and meet me at the top. No one is to come with you or to be on the mountain at all. Don't even let the sheep and cattle graze at the foot of the mountain."

The Living Bible                     The Lord told Moses, “Prepare two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write upon them the same commands that were on the tablets you broke. Be ready in the morning to come up into Mount Sinai and present yourself to me on the top of the mountain. No one shall come with you and no one must be anywhere on the mountain. Do not let the flocks or herds feed close to the mountain.”

New Berkeley Version           .

New Life Version                    Moses Makes New Pieces of Stone

The Lord said to Moses, “Cut two pieces of stone like the first ones. And I will write on the stones the words that were on the first stones which you broke. So be ready in the morning. Come up in the morning to Mount Sinai. And stand before Me on the top of the mountain. No one is to come up with you. Do not let anyone be seen on the whole mountain. Even the sheep and the cattle may not eat in front of the mountain.”

New Living Translation           A New Copy of the Covenant

Then the Lord told Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones. I will write on them the same words that were on the tablets you smashed. Be ready in the morning to climb up Mount Sinai and present yourself to me on the top of the mountain. No one else may come with you. In fact, no one is to appear anywhere on the mountain. Do not even let the flocks or herds graze near the mountain.”

Unlocked Dynamic Bible        .

Unfolding Bible (simplified)    Yahweh said to Moses, "Cut two slabs of stone that will be like the first slabs, the ones that you broke. Then I will write on them the words that were on the first slabs. Get ready tomorrow morning, and come up to the top of Mount Sinai again to talk with me there. Do not allow anyone to come up with you. I do not want anyone else to be anywhere on the mountain. Do not even allow any sheep or cattle to graze at the base of the mountain."

Partially literal and partially paraphrased translations:

American English Bible          And the Lord said to Moses:

‘Now, you must cut two tablets of stone like the first ones, and climb the mountain to Me; then I will write the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.

So, be ready to climb Mount Sinai in the morning, and then stand there [and wait] for Me at the top of the Mountain.

Don’t allow anyone to go up with you or to even be seen on the Mountain. And don’t allow any sheep or bulls to graze near the Mountain.’

Beck’s American Translation .

Common English Bible           A deeper revealing of God’s character

The Lord said to Moses, “Cut two stone tablets like the first ones. I’ll write on these tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke into pieces. Get ready in the morning and come up to Mount Sinai. Stand there on top of the mountain in front of me. No one else can come up with you. Don’t allow anyone even to be seen anywhere on the mountain. Don’t even let sheep and cattle graze in front of the mountain.”

New Advent (Knox) Bible       After this the Lord said to him, Carve two tablets of stone, like those others, and I will write on them the same words as I wrote on the tablets thou didst break. Be ready to come up on to mount Sinai in the morning, and there thou shalt stand before me on the mountain top. No one else is to climb up with thee, no one else is to be in sight on any part of the mountain; even the cattle and the sheep must not be allowed to graze within view.

Translation for Translators              Yahweh gave Moses another copy of his commandments

Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Cut two slabs of stone that will be like the first slabs, the ones that you broke. Then I will engrave on them the words that were on the first slabs. Get ready tomorrow morning, and come up to the top of Sinai Mountain again to talk with me there. Do not allow anyone to come up with you. I do not want anyone else to be anywhere on the mountain. Do not allow any sheep or cattle to graze ◂at the base of/near► the mountain.”

Mostly literal renderings (with some occasional paraphrasing):

Conservapedia                       The LORD said to Moses: make two stone tablets like the previous ones; I will write on the tablets the things that were on the first tablets that you broke. Be prepared for the morning, and go in the morning to mount Sinai, and on top of it you will show yourself to me. No one is to come with you, and no one should be seen next to the mountain, and the herds and the cattle should also not come close to the mountain.

Ferrar-Fenton Bible                Command to make New Tablets for the Commandments.

The Ever-living afterwards said to Moses, "Cut for yourself two tablets of stone, like the former ones, and I will write upon them the Commandments which were upon the first that you broke; and when dawn comes, go up at dawn to the Mount Sinai, and sit with Me upon the top of the hill. But no man shall come up with you; for no man must be seen in all the hill, nor sheep, or beast approach to the hill."

God’s Truth (Tyndale)           And the Lord said unto Moses: hew the two tables of stone like unto the first that I may write in them the words which were in the first two tables, which you broke. And be ready against the morning that you may come up early unto the mount of Sinai and stand me there upon the top of the mount. But let no man come up with you, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount, neither let sheep nor oxen feed before the hill.

HCSB                                     New Stone Tablets

The Lord said to Moses, “Cut 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 prepared by morning. Come up Mount Sinai in the morning and stand before Me on the mountaintop. No one may go up with you; in fact, no one must be seen anywhere on the mountain. Even the flocks and herds are not to graze in front of that mountain.”

International Standard V        The Tablets of the Law Replaced

The Lord told Moses, “Cut out for yourself two stone tablets like the first ones, and I’ll write on the tablets the words which were on the first tablets which you broke. Be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning on Mount Sinai, where you are to present yourself to me there on the top of the mountain. No one is to come up with you, nor shall anyone be seen anywhere on the mountain. Also, the sheep and cattle are not to graze in front of that mountain.”

Jubilee Bible 2000                  .

Lexham English Bible            Yahweh’s Description of Himself

And Yahweh said to Moses, “Cut for yourself two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. And be ready for the morning, and go up in the morning to Mount Sinai and present yourself to me there on the top of the mountain. And no one will go up with you, and neither let anyone be seen on all the mountain, nor let the sheep and goats and the cattle graze opposite [Literally “to the front of”] that mountain.”

NIV, ©2011                             .

Tree of Life Version                .

Unfolding Bible Literal Text    .

Unlocked Literal Bible            .

Urim-Thummim Version         YHWH spoke to Moses, Cut out two tablets of stone similar to the first and I will write on these tablets the Words that were in the first tablets that you broke in pieces. Be ready in the morning and come up at sunrise to Mount Sinai and present yourself there to me at the top of the mountain. No other man will ascend up with you and let no man be seen throughout all the mountain, the flocks and herds will not be permitted to graze on the mountain either.

Wikipedia Bible Project          And Yahweh said to Moses:
Sculpt for yourself two stone tablets like the first, and I will write on the tablets the things which were on the first tablets which you broke. And be ready for the morning, and on the morning you will come up to mount Sinai, and you post yourself to me there on the top of the mountain. And no man will go up with you, and also no man will show up on the whole mountain, and also the sheep and the cattle will not be herded in front of this mountain.

Catholic Bibles (those having the imprimatur):

Christian Community (1988)  Yahweh said to Moses, “Cut two slabs of stone like the first, and I will write on the slabs the words that were on the former slabs that you broke.

Be ready in the morning and come up to Mount Sinai and wait for me on the top of the mountain. No one will go up with you and no one is to be seen anywhere on the mountain. Even the sheep and the cattle are not to graze near the mountain.”

The Heritage Bible                 And Jehovah said to Moses, Carve two tables of stone like the first, and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables which you broke. And be set up in the dawn, and come up in the dawn to Mount Sinai, and station yourself there to me upon the top of the mount. And no man shall come up with you, and let no man be seen throughout all the mount, neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.

New American Bible (2002)             . commandments

New American Bible(2011)    Renewal of the Tablets.

The LORD said to Moses: “Cut two stone tablets like the former,^a that I may write on them the words* which were on the former tablets that you broke. Get ready for tomorrow morning, when you are to go up Mount Sinai and there present yourself to me on the top of the mountain. No one shall come up with you, and let no one even be seen on any part of the mountain;^b even the sheep and the cattle are not to graze in front of this mountain.”

* [34:1] Words: a common term for commandments, especially the Decalogue (see v. 28). In v. 27 “words” connotes the commands given in vv. 11–26.

a. [34:1] Dt 10:1–2.

b. [34:3] Ex 19:12–13, 21.

New English Bible–1970        The second set of tablets of the Law. - Dt.10.1-5

The LORD said to Moses, 'Cut two stone tablets like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words which were on the first tablets, which you broke in pieces. Be ready by morning. Then in the morning go up Mount Sinai; stand and wait for me there on the top. No man shall go up with you, no man shall even be seen anywhere on the mountain, nor shall flocks or herds graze within sight of that mountain.'

New Jerusalem Bible             .

New RSV                               .

Jewish/Hebrew Names Bibles:

Complete Jewish Bible           (v) Adonai said to Moshe, “Cut yourself two tablets of stone like the first ones; and I will inscribe on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Be ready by morning; in the morning you are to ascend Mount Sinai and present yourself to me on the top of the mountain. No one is to come up with you, and no one is to be seen anywhere on the mountain; don’t even let the flocks or herds feed in front of this mountain.”

exeGeses companion Bible   And Yah Veh says to Mosheh,

Sculpt two slabs of stone like the first:

and I inscribe on these slabs

the words that were in the first slabs you broke:

and prepare in the morning

and ascend in the morning to mount Sinay

and station yourself there to me

on the top of the mount:

and no man ascends with you,

and no man is seen throughout all the mount;

and graze not flocks or oxen in front of that mount.

Hebraic Roots Bible               And YAHWEH said to Moses, Cut out for yourself two tablets of stone, like the former. And I will write on the tablets the words which were on the former tablet, which you broke. And be prepared in the morning, and go up in the morning to Mount Sinai. And place yourself there by Me, on the top of the mountain. And a man shall not go up with you. And also let no man be seen on all the mountain. Also do not allow the flocks and the herds to feed before that mountain.

Israeli Authorized Version      .

Kaplan Translation                 The Second Tablets

God said to Moses, 'Carve out two tablets for yourself, just like the first ones. I will write on those tablets the same words that were on the first tablets that you broke.

Be ready in the morning, so that you will be able to climb Mount Sinai in the morning and stand waiting for Me on the mountain peak.

No man may climb up with you, and no one else may appear on the entire mountain. Even the cattle and sheep may not graze near the mountain.' The Kaplan Translation, particularly in Exodus through Deuteronomy, takes note of historic rabbinic opinions.

God said...

This was on 1 Elul (Seder Olam 6). Moses would remain on the mountain for a third period of 40 days (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 10:10), finally coming down with the second Tablets on Yom Kippur.

The Scriptures 2009              And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Cut two tablets of stone like the first ones, and I shall write on these tablets the Words that were on the first tablets which you broke. 

“And be ready in the morning. Then you shall come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself to Me there on the top of the mountain. 

“And let no man come up with you, and let no man be seen in all the mountain, and let not even the flock or the herd feed in front of that mountain.” 

Weird English, Olde English, Anachronistic English Translations:

Alpha & Omega Bible            AND JESUS SAID TO MOSES, “CUT OUT FOR YOURSELF TWO TABLES OF STONE, AS ALSO THE FIRST WERE, AND COME UP TO ME TO THE MOUNTAIN; AND I WILL WRITE UPON THE TABLES THE WORDS, WHICH WERE ON THE FIRST TABLES, WHICH YOU BROKE.

AND BE READY BY THE MORNING, AND YOU SHALL GO UP TO THE MOUNT SINAI, AND SHALL STAND THERE FOR ME ON THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN.

AND LET NO ONE GO UP WITH YOU, NOR BE SEEN IN ALL THE MOUNTAIN; AND LET NOT THE SHEEP AND OXEN FEED NEAR THAT MOUNTAIN.”

Awful Scroll Bible                   Sustains To Become was to say to Moses: Be chiseling out two tablets of stone, as the former, even am I to have engraved on the tablets, the concern as on the former tablets, that you is to have shattered.

Be preparing it in the morning, and be ascending in the morning to Mount Sinai, even is you to have stationed yourself at the top of the mountain.

Was there a man to ascend it? - Not a man was to be seen on the mountain - even was there the small cattle or large cattle to graze about the mountain?

Concordant Literal Version    .

Darby Translation (1889)       .

exeGeses companion Bible   .

Orthodox Jewish Bible           And Hashem said unto Moshe, Chisel thee two Luchot Avanim like the first ones; and I will write upon these Luchot the divarim that were on the Luchot HaRishonim, which thou broke.

And be ready in the boker, and come up in the boker unto Mt.Sinai, and present thyself there to Me on the rosh Hagar.

And no ish shall come up with thee, neither let any ish be seen throughout kol HaHar; neither let the tzon nor herd graze in front of that Har.

Rotherham’s Emphasized B. And Yahweh said unto Moses—

Hew thee two tables of stoneˎ like the first,—and I will write upon the tablesˎ the words which were upon the first tablesˎ which thou didst break in pieces; and be thou ready by the morning,—and thou shalt come upˎ in the morningˎ into Mount Sinai; then shalt thou station thyself for me thereˎ upon the top of the mount; and ||no man|| may come up with thee, and let no man so much as be seenˎ in all the mount,—and let not even ||the flocks or the herds|| feedˎ in front of that mountain.

Third Millennium Bible            .

Expanded/Embellished Bibles:

The Amplified Bible                The Two Tablets Replaced

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Cut two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on these tablets the words that were on the first tablets which you smashed [when you learned of Israel’s idolatry]. So be ready by morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to Me on the top of the mountain. No man is to come up with you, nor let any man be seen anywhere on the mountain; nor let flocks or herds feed in front of that mountain.”

The Expanded Bible              Moses Gets New Stone Tablets

The Lord said to Moses, “·Cut [Hew out; Chisel] two more stone tablets like the ·first two [former], and I will write the same words on them that were on the ·first two [former] stones which you broke [32:15–16]. Be ready tomorrow morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai. Stand before me there on the top of the mountain. No one may come with you or even be seen any place on the mountain. Not even the flocks or herds may ·eat grass [graze] near that mountain.”

Kretzmann’s Commentary    Verses 1-9

The Glorious Vision

And the Lord said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, which the Lord Himself had fashioned: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest. Moses was familiar with the form and workmanship of the original tables, and could therefore make the second set after that pattern.

And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto Mount Sinai, and present thyself there to Me in the top of the mount. The covenant relation between God and the people having been restored by the Lord's pardon, the giving of the covenant ordinances could now be resumed.

And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before the mount, that Isaiah anywhere in its neighborhood. The entire mountain was again shut off to the people, as before the giving of the Law. Exodus 19:12-13; Exodus 19:20-23.

Syndein/Thieme                     .

The Voice                               Eternal One (to Moses): I want you to cut two stone tablets exactly like the first ones I gave you. I will write the same words on these tablets that were on the tablets you shattered. Make sure you are ready when morning arrives. Climb up to the summit of Mount Sinai and present yourself to Me. No one is allowed to accompany you this time. No one is allowed to be anywhere on the mountain. This goes for your flocks and herds as well; take them to graze away from the mountain.

Bible Translations with Many Footnotes:

The Complete Tanach           And the Lord said to Moses: "Hew for yourself two stone tablets like the first ones. And I will inscribe upon the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.

Be prepared for the morning, and in the morning you shall ascend Mount Sinai and stand before Me there on the top of the mountain.

No one shall ascend with you, neither shall anyone be seen anywhere on the mountain, neither shall the sheep and the cattle graze facing that mountain."

The Geneva Bible                  .

Kaplan Translation                 .

NET Bible®                             The New Tablets of the Covenant

¹ The Lord said to Moses, “Cut out² two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write³ on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you smashed. Be prepared⁴ in the morning, and go up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and station yourself⁵ for me there on the top of the mountain. No one is to come up with you; do not let anyone be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks or the herds may graze in front of that mountain.”

^1sn The restoration of the faltering community continues in this chapter. First, Moses is instructed to make new tablets and take them to the mountain (1-4). Then, through the promised theophany God proclaims his moral character (5-8). Moses responds with the reiteration of the intercession (8), and God responds with the renewal of the covenant (10-28). To put these into expository form, as principles, the chapter would run as follows: I. God provides for spiritual renewal (1-4), II. God reminds people of his moral standard (5-9), III. God renews his covenant promises and stipulations (10-28).

^2tn The imperative is followed by the preposition with a suffix expressing the ethical dative; it strengthens the instruction for Moses. Interestingly, the verb “cut out, chisel, hew,” is the same verb from which the word for a “graven image” is derived – פָּסַל (pasal).

^3tn The perfect tense with vav consecutive makes the value of this verb equal to an imperfect tense, probably a simple future here.

^sn Nothing is said of how God was going to write on these stone tablets at this point, but in the end it is Moses who wrote the words. This is not considered a contradiction, since God is often credited with things he has people do in his place. There is great symbolism in this command – if ever a command said far more than it actually said, this is it. The instruction means that the covenant had been renewed, or was going to be renewed, and that the sanctuary with the tablets in the ark at its center would be built (see Deut 10:1). The first time Moses went up he was empty-handed; when he came down he smashed the tablets because of the Israelites’ sin. Now the people would see him go up with empty tablets and be uncertain whether he would come back with the tablets inscribed again (B. Jacob, Exodus, 977-78).

^4tn The form is a Niphal participle that means “be prepared, be ready.” This probably means that Moses was to do in preparation what the congregation had to do back in Exod 19:11-15.

^5sn The same word is used in Exod 33:21. It is as if Moses was to be at his post when Yahweh wanted to communicate to him.

New American Bible(2011)    .

Literal, almost word-for-word, renderings:

Brenner’s Mechanical Trans....and "YHWH ^{He Is}" said to "Mosheh ^{Plucked out}", sculpt (for) yourself two slabs of stone like the first ones, and I will write upon the slabs the words, which existed upon the slabs, like the first ones, which you cracked, and <be ready> (for) the morning, and you will go up in the morning to the hill of "Sinai ^{My sharp thorns}", and you will stand up to me there upon the head of the hill, and (no) man will go up with you, and also, do not let a man [appear] in all the hill, also do not let the flocks and the cattle feed (on) the forefront of (that) hill,...

Charles Thompson OT           .

C. Thompson LXX (updated) .

Context Group Version          .

English Standard Version      .

Green’s Literal Translation    .

Modern English Version         .

Modern Literal Version           .

New American Standard B.    The Two Tablets Replaced

Now the Lord said to Moses, “Cut out for yourself two stone tablets like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets which you smashed. So be ready by morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and ^[a]present yourself there to Me on the top of the mountain. And no one is to come up with you, nor let anyone be seen ^[b]anywhere on the mountain; even the flocks and the herds are not to graze in front of that mountain.”

^[a] Exodus 34:2 Or place yourself before Me