The New Stone Tablets

34 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. ² Be ready in the morning. Then come up on Mount Sinai. Meet with me there on top of the mountain. ³ 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.”

⁴ So Moses carved out two stone tablets just like the first ones. Early in the morning he went up Mount Sinai. He carried the two stone tablets in his hands. He did as the Lord had commanded him to do. ⁵ Then the Lord came down in the cloud. He stood there with Moses and announced his name, the Lord. ⁶ As he passed in front of Moses, he called out. He said, “I am the Lord, the Lord. I am the God who is tender and kind. I am gracious. I am slow to get angry. I am faithful and full of love. ⁷ I continue to show my love to thousands of people. I forgive those who do evil. I forgive those who refuse to obey me. And I forgive those who sin. But I do not let guilty people go without punishing them. I cause the sins of the parents to affect their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”

⁸ Moses bowed down to the ground at once and worshiped. ⁹ “Lord,” he said, “if you are pleased with me, then go with us. Even though these people are stubborn, forgive the evil things we have done. Forgive our sin. And accept us as your people.”

¹⁰ Then the Lord said, “I am making a covenant with you. I will do wonderful things in front of all your people. I will do amazing things that have never been done before in any nation in the whole world. The people you live among will see the things that I, the Lord, will do for you. And they will see how wonderful those things really are. ¹¹ Obey what I command you today. I will drive out the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites to make room for you. ¹² Be careful. Do not make a peace treaty with those who live in the land where you are going. They will be a trap to you. ¹³ Break down their altars. Smash their sacred stones. Cut down the poles they use to worship the female god named Asherah. ¹⁴ Do not worship any other god. The Lord is a jealous God. In fact, his name is Jealous.

The Face of Moses Shines

²⁹ Moses came down from Mount Sinai. He had the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands. His face was shining because he had spoken with the Lord. But he didn’t realize it. ³⁰ Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses. His face was shining. So they were afraid to come near him. ³¹ But Moses called out to them. So Aaron and all the leaders of the community came to him. And Moses spoke to them. ³² After that, all the Israelites came near him. And he gave them all the commands the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai.