Add parallel Print Page Options

A New Copy of the Covenant

34 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.”

So Moses chiseled out two tablets of stone like the first ones. Early in the morning he climbed Mount Sinai as the Lord had commanded him, and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands.

Then the Lord came down in a cloud and stood there with him; and he called out his own name, Yahweh.[a] The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out,

“Yahweh![b] The Lord!
    The God of compassion and mercy!
I am slow to anger
    and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations.[c]
    I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin.
But I do not excuse the guilty.
    I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren;
the entire family is affected—
    even children in the third and fourth generations.”

Moses immediately threw himself to the ground and worshiped. And he said, “O Lord, if it is true that I have found favor with you, then please travel with us. Yes, this is a stubborn and rebellious people, but please forgive our iniquity and our sins. Claim us as your own special possession.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 34:5 Yahweh is a transliteration of the proper name YHWH that is sometimes rendered “Jehovah”; in this translation it is usually rendered “the Lord” (note the use of small capitals).
  2. 34:6 See note on 34:5.
  3. 34:7 Hebrew for thousands.

The Two Tablets Replaced

34 Now the Lord said to Moses, “Cut out for yourself (A)two stone tablets like the former ones, and (B)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 (C)Mount Sinai, and [a]present yourself there to Me on the top of the mountain. And (D)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.” So he cut out (E)two stone tablets like the former ones, and Moses got up early in the morning and went up to Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and he took the two stone tablets in his hand. And (F)the Lord descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he [c]called upon the name of the Lord. Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, (G)compassionate and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in faithfulness and [d]truth; who (H)keeps faithfulness for thousands, who forgives wrongdoing, violation of His Law, and sin; yet He (I)will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, (J)inflicting the [e]punishment of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” And Moses hurried [f](K)to bow low toward the ground and worship. Then he said, “(L)If in any way I have found favor in Your sight, Lord, please may the Lord go along in our midst, even though [g](M)the people are so obstinate, and (N)pardon our wrongdoing and our sin, and (O)take us as Your own [h]possession.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 34:2 Or place yourself before Me
  2. Exodus 34:3 Lit on all
  3. Exodus 34:5 Or called out with the name of the Lord
  4. Exodus 34:6 Or trustworthiness
  5. Exodus 34:7 I.e., punishment for the wrongdoing
  6. Exodus 34:8 Lit and bowed...worshiped
  7. Exodus 34:9 Lit it is a people stiff-necked
  8. Exodus 34:9 Or inheritance