Exodus 34:30 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.

NIV: When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.

NASB: So when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to approach him.

CSB: When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone! They were afraid to come near him.

NLT: So when Aaron and the people of Israel saw the radiance of Moses’ face, they were afraid to come near him.

KJV: And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.

NKJV: So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.

Exodus 34:29–35 says that after speaking with God on Sinai (Exodus 34:1–2), Moses' face was shining. This is more than an intimidating attitude or a happy expression. The text notes that Moses' actual skin was "shining." This was a result of his close encounter with God's glory (Exodus 33:18–23; 34:5–7). The people are afraid to look at him (Genesis 32:30), so Moses covers his face when speaking to them. Scripture does not indicate how long this condition lasted.

Moses obeys God's command to bring new stone tablets (Exodus 32:19) onto Mount Sinai. There, God fulfills His earlier promise to reveal more of His glory to Moses (Exodus 33:18–23). The Lord renews the covenant with Israel and gives additional details on subjects such as idolatry, the Sabbath, and certain festivals. When Moses returns, the people are intimidated by his now-shining face.

Israel quickly broke God's laws (Exodus 20:3–6) by committing idolatry (Exodus 32:1–6). This caused a rift between them and God. One consequence was a removal of God's direct presence (Exodus 33:1–3). In this chapter, the covenant is renewed. The remaining chapters (Exodus 35—40) mirror the instructions for building the tabernacle (Exodus 25—31).

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.

Accessed 10/7/2025 9:38:24 PM