Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 34:30
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.
Verse 30. They were afraid to come nigh him.] A sight of his face alarmed them; their consciences were still guilty from their late transgression, and they had not yet received the atonement. The very appearance of superior sanctity often awes the guilty into respect.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
30. they were afraid to come nighhimTheir fear arose from a sense of guiltthe beamingradiance of his countenance made him appear to their awe-struckconsciences a flaming minister of heaven.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses,…. Who very probably met him at the bottom of the mount; these Israelites with Aaron were the princes, as Aben Ezra seems rightly to interpret it, and as appears from the following verse; for Moses could not well be seen by the whole body of the people at once, upon his descent from the mount:
behold, the skin of his face shone; darted out rays of light and glory all around it, much perhaps in the same manner as the glory about our Lord, and others, is painted by the Romanists:
and they were afraid to come nigh him; there was something so majestic and striking in it; and perhaps they could not tell whether it foreboded good or evil to them; and this may signify, that as by the light of the law sin is discovered, it fills with a sense of wrath and fear of damnation; and being the ministration of condemnation and death, it is terrifying and killing, though it has a glory in it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(30) They were afraid.The supernatural appearance terrified them. Compare the feelings of Ezekiel (Eze. 1:18) and St. John (Rev. 1:17).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
30. They were afraid At a former time (Exo 20:19) they had said to Moses, “Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die . ” Now Moses bears upon his face so much of the divine glory that they fear to talk even with him .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Doth not this fear of Aaron and the people, teach us how a sanctity of life overawes the ungodly? 2Co 3:7-9 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 34:30 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.
Ver. 30. And they were afraid. ] This was another manner of brightness and majesty than that which piercing gaze from the eyes of Augustus and Tamerlane; whose eyes so shone, as that a man could hardly endure to behold them without closing of his own: and many in talking with them, and often beholding of them, became dumb: which caused them ofttimes with a comely modesty to abstain from looking too earnestly upon such as spake unto them, or discoursed with them. a
a Turk. Hist., fol. 236.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
children = sons. afraid. See Exo 20:18-21.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
afraid: Num 12:8, Mar 9:3, Mar 9:15, Luk 5:8
Reciprocal: Exo 34:35 – General Ecc 8:1 – a man’s
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 34:30. And Aaron and the children of Israel saw it, and were afraid It not only dazzled their eyes, but struck such an awe upon them as obliged them to retire. Probably they doubted whether it was a token of Gods favour, or of his displeasure.