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Exodus 34
New International Version
Exodus 34
New International Version
The New Stone Tablets
34 The Lord said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones,(A) and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets,(B) which you broke.(C) 2 Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai.(D) Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain. 3 No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain;(E) not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain.”
4 So Moses chiseled(F) out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the Lord had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands.(G) 5 Then the Lord came down in the cloud(H) and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord.(I) 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate(J) and gracious God, slow to anger,(K) abounding in love(L) and faithfulness,(M) 7 maintaining love to thousands,(N) and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.(O) Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished;(P) he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”(Q)
8 Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. 9 “Lord,” he said, “if I have found favor(R) in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us.(S) Although this is a stiff-necked(T) people, forgive our wickedness and our sin,(U) and take us as your inheritance.”(V)
10 Then the Lord said: “I am making a covenant(W) with you. Before all your people I will do wonders(X) never before done in any nation in all the world.(Y) The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you. 11 Obey what I command(Z) you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.(AA) 12 Be careful not to make a treaty(AB) with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare(AC) among you. 13 Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles.[a](AD) 14 Do not worship any other god,(AE) for the Lord, whose name(AF) is Jealous, is a jealous God.(AG)
15 “Be careful not to make a treaty(AH) with those who live in the land; for when they prostitute(AI) themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you and you will eat their sacrifices.(AJ) 16 And when you choose some of their daughters as wives(AK) for your sons and those daughters prostitute themselves to their gods,(AL) they will lead your sons to do the same.
17 “Do not make any idols.(AM)
18 “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread.(AN) For seven days eat bread made without yeast,(AO) as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv,(AP) for in that month you came out of Egypt.
19 “The first offspring(AQ) of every womb belongs to me, including all the firstborn males of your livestock, whether from herd or flock. 20 Redeem the firstborn donkey with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck.(AR) Redeem all your firstborn sons.(AS)
“No one is to appear before me empty-handed.(AT)
21 “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest;(AU) even during the plowing season and harvest(AV) you must rest.
22 “Celebrate the Festival of Weeks with the firstfruits(AW) of the wheat harvest, and the Festival of Ingathering(AX) at the turn of the year.[b] 23 Three times(AY) a year all your men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord, the God of Israel. 24 I will drive out nations(AZ) before you and enlarge your territory,(BA) and no one will covet your land when you go up three times each year to appear before the Lord your God.
25 “Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me along with anything containing yeast,(BB) and do not let any of the sacrifice from the Passover Festival remain until morning.(BC)
26 “Bring the best of the firstfruits(BD) of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.
“Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.”(BE)
27 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write(BF) down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant(BG) with you and with Israel.” 28 Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights(BH) without eating bread or drinking water.(BI) And he wrote on the tablets(BJ) the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments.(BK)
The Radiant Face of Moses
29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai(BL) with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands,(BM) he was not aware that his face was radiant(BN) because he had spoken with the Lord. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community(BO) came back to him, and he spoke to them. 32 Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands(BP) the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai.
33 When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil(BQ) over his face. 34 But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 they saw that his face was radiant.(BR) Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord.
Footnotes
- Exodus 34:13 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah
- Exodus 34:22 That is, in the autumn
Exodus 34
English Standard Version
Exodus 34
English Standard Version
Moses Makes New Tablets
34 The Lord said to Moses, (A)“Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, (B)and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, (C)which you broke. 2 Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me (D)on the top of the mountain. 3 No (E)one shall come up with you, and let no one be seen throughout all the mountain. Let no flocks or herds graze opposite that mountain.” 4 So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone. 5 The Lord (F)descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and (G)proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, (H)“The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and (I)gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast (J)love and faithfulness, 7 (K)keeping steadfast love for thousands,[a] (L)forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but (M)who will by no means clear the guilty, (N)visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.” 8 And Moses quickly (O)bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. 9 And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please (P)let the Lord go in the midst of us, for (Q)it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for (R)your inheritance.”
The Covenant Renewed
10 And he said, “Behold, (S)I am making a covenant. Before all your people (T)I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord, for it is an (U)awesome thing that I will do with you.
11 “Observe what I command you this day. Behold, (V)I will drive out before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 12 (W)Take care, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it become a (X)snare in your midst. 13 You shall (Y)tear down their altars and (Z)break their pillars and cut down their (AA)Asherim 14 (for (AB)you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), 15 (AC)lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they (AD)whore after their gods and sacrifice to their gods and (AE)you are invited, you eat of his sacrifice, 16 and you take of (AF)their daughters for your sons, and their daughters (AG)whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods.
17 (AH)“You shall not make for yourself any gods of cast metal.
18 (AI)“You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in (AJ)the month Abib, for in the month Abib you came out from Egypt. 19 (AK)All that open the womb are mine, all your male[b] livestock, the firstborn of cow and sheep. 20 The (AL)firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. And (AM)none shall appear before me empty-handed.
21 (AN)“Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest. In plowing time and in harvest you shall rest. 22 (AO)You shall observe the Feast of Weeks, the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year's end. 23 (AP)Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel. 24 For I will (AQ)cast out nations before you and (AR)enlarge your borders; (AS)no one shall covet your land, when you go up to appear before the Lord your God three times in the year.
25 (AT)“You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened, (AU)or let the sacrifice of the Feast of the Passover remain until the morning. 26 (AV)The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring to the house of the Lord your God. (AW)You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.”
27 And the Lord said to Moses, “Write these words, for in accordance with these words (AX)I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” 28 (AY)So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he (AZ)wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.[c]
The Shining Face of Moses
29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with (BA)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 (BB)shone because he had been talking with God.[d] 30 Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face (BC)shone, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them. 32 Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he (BD)commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a (BE)veil over his face.
34 Whenever Moses (BF)went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, 35 the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face was (BG)shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
Footnotes
- Exodus 34:7 Or to the thousandth generation
- Exodus 34:19 Septuagint, Theodotion, Vulgate, Targum; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Exodus 34:28 Hebrew the ten words
- Exodus 34:29 Hebrew him
Exodus 34
The Voice
Exodus 34
The Voice
34 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. 2 Make sure you are ready when morning arrives. Climb up to the summit of Mount Sinai and present yourself to Me. 3 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.
4 So Moses cut two stone tablets that were exactly like the first set. He woke up early the next morning and climbed up Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets, just as the Eternal One had instructed him to do.
5 The Eternal One descended in the cloud and stood with Moses as He proclaimed His name, the Eternal One. 6 Then the Eternal One passed before him.
Eternal One: The Eternal God, full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger, and abundant in loyal love and truth, 7 who maintains loyal love to thousands of people, who forgives wrongdoing, rebellion, and sin; yet does not allow sin to go unpunished, extending the consequences of a father’s sin to his children, his grandchildren, and even to the third and fourth generations.
8 Moses quickly bowed down on the ground and worshiped.
Moses: 9 If I have gained Your trust and blessing, Lord, please go with us, despite the incredible stubbornness of this people. I also ask that You forgive our wrongdoing and our sins, and receive us as Your very own people, Your inheritance.
Eternal One: 10 Look, I am about to make an extraordinary covenant with you. Before the eyes of all your people, I will do miraculous things that have never been done among any nation on earth. All of the nations living around you will witness the work that I do, for everything I do among you will inspire fear and awe. 11 You must be careful to obey the instructions I give you today. I am about to force the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites out of the land you will inherit. 12 Be careful. Do not make a covenant with the people who now live in the land where you are going. Any promises you make to these people could entrap you. 13 Destroy their altars and pillars, and cut down their sacred poles 14 because you must not worship any god except for Me. My name is Jealous, and I am a jealous God. 15 Do not make a covenant with the people who live in the land; for when they prostitute themselves with their so-called gods and sacrifice to them, they will coax you and you will feast upon their sacrifices. 16 And when you take some of their daughters as wives for your sons—the daughters who prostitute themselves with other gods—they will seduce your sons into joining them in chasing after other gods.
Here is a brief summary of some essentials found in the laws and ordinances handed down from the Eternal One to Moses.
17 You are not to cast metal images for yourselves of any gods.
18 You are to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread every year as I have instructed you. Eat bread made without yeast for seven days at the designated time in the month of Abib, the month that you departed from Egypt. 19 All the firstborn belong to Me. Every male animal from your livestock, both cattle and sheep, that opens the womb is Mine. 20 You may redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a lamb. If you choose not to redeem it, then you are to break its neck. Redeem all of your firstborn sons as well. No one may appear before Me empty-handed.
21 You are to work for six days; but when the seventh day arrives, you are to observe the Sabbath and rest. Even when it is the time to plow and harvest, you must still rest on the seventh day. 22 Also, you are to celebrate the Feast of Weeks, when the firstfruits from the wheat harvest are gathered. And when one year ends and another begins, celebrate the Ingathering Feast. 23 All your men are to appear before Me, the Lord and one True God of Israel, three times a year at these feasts. 24 For I will force the people out of the land before you and expand your borders. No one will try to take your land while you are going up those three times a year to appear before Me, your God.
25 You are not to offer blood from a sacrifice with bread made with yeast. Do not leave any of the meat from the Passover sacrifice until morning. 26 Offer only the best of your harvest when you bring a gift to the house of the Eternal One your God. Also you are not to boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.
27 (to Moses) Be sure to write down all that I have said to you. By these words of Mine, I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.
28 In all Moses was with the Eternal One for 40 days and 40 nights. He fasted the entire time—no food or water. He wrote down the Ten Directives, the essential words of the covenant, on the two stone tablets.
29 When Moses went back down Mount Sinai, he carried the two stone tablets in his hands as a witness to their agreement. But he did not realize that the skin on his face was glowing and radiant because he had been speaking with God.
30 When Aaron and the Israelites saw that Moses’ face was shining, they were afraid to get too close to him. 31 But when Moses summoned them, Aaron and all the leaders of the community were reassured and approached him. Moses talked to them. 32 After this, all the rest of the people of Israel approached Moses, and he instructed them to do everything that the Eternal had told him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses finished sharing the words of God with them, he covered his face with a veil. 34 From this time on whenever Moses went into the meeting tent to talk with the Eternal, he took off the veil until he left to share with the Israelites the Eternal’s instructions. 35 As Moses was speaking, the Israelites could see that the skin on his face was all aglow. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until the next time he went to speak with God.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
The Voice (VOICE)
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.