Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 34:9
And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it [is] a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.
9. Jehovah’s ‘ways’ (Exo 33:13) and character having now been disclosed to Moses, he again entreats Jehovah, who is ready to forgive ( v. 7a), to pardon His people’s sin, and give proof that He has again received them into His favour, by going personally with them to Canaan. Exo 33:14 (see note) should now probably follow as the answer.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
9. stiffnecked ] This character of the people (Exo 32:9, Exo 33:3; Exo 33:5) is here made the motive for its being treated with favour and forgiven.
for thine inheritance ] The thought of Israel being Jehovah’s inheritance occurs in Deu 4:20; Deu 9:26; Deu 9:29, and in the Song, Exo 32:9, but not elsewhere in the earlier books of the Pentateuch.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
This yearning struggle after assurance is like the often-repeated utterance of the heart, when it receives a blessing beyond its hopes, can this be real?
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 9. O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us] The original is not Jehovah, but Adonai in both these places, and seems to refer particularly to the Angel of the Covenant, the Messiah. See Clarke on Ge 15:8.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
It is a stiff-necked people, and therefore need thy glorious and powerful presence to rule them. Or rather,
though it be a stiff-necked people, as thou sayest, yet forsake them not. The Hebrew particle chi oft signifies though, as Exo 5:11; Isa 44:6.
Take us for thine inheritance, i.e. deal with us as men do with their inheritances, dwell among us, protect us, improve us.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9, 10. he said, If now I have foundgrace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among usOnthis proclamation, he, in the overflowing benevolence of s heart,founded an earnest petition for the Divine Presence being continuedwith the people; and God was pleased to give His favorable answer toMoses’ intercession by a renewal of His promise under the form of acovenant, repeating the leading points that formed the conditions ofthe former national compact.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he said, if now I have found grace in thy sight,…. Or “seeing now”, for he could have no doubt upon his mind but that he had found grace and favour in the sight of God, since he had caused his goodness and glory to pass before him, and made such a proclamation of his grace and mercy to him; but he takes it for granted, and improves it, and argues upon it, as follows:
O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go amongst us; as the Lord had signified as if he would not go among them, but leave them to the conduct of a created angel; and Moses had before prayed that his presence or face might go with them, Ex 33:3 and now having some fresh tokens of the favour and good will of God towards him, renews his request with great earnestness and importunity, entreating the Lord Jehovah the Father, that Moses’s Lord Jehovah the Son, the Angel of God’s presence, in whom his name was, might go with them, as he had said he should:
for it is a stiffnecked people; and therefore have need of such an one to be with them, to rule and govern them, to restrain and keep them within due bounds; or “though m it is a stiffnecked people”; for this is the reason given by the Lord why he would not go among them,
Ex 33:3 wherefore Moses prays that he would go, notwithstanding this; he owns the character of them was just, yet humbly prays that God would nevertheless vouchsafe his presence:
and pardon our iniquity, and our sin; which he had the greater reason to hope he would, since he had just proclaimed his name, a God pardoning iniquity, transgression, and sin; and, the more to gain his suit, makes himself a party concerned, calling the sin committed, “our iniquity, and our sin”; even his among the rest, who had found grace in the sight of God, and therefore entreats others might also, since they were all sinners, and there was forgiveness with him:
and take us for thine inheritance; to possess and enjoy, protect and defend, cultivate and improve, keep and preserve for ever.
m Quamvis, Piscator, Patrick; so R. Marinus in Aben Ezra; and some in Abendana.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
On this manifestation of mercy, Moses repeated the prayer that Jehovah would go in the midst of Israel. It is true the Lord had already promised that His face should go with them (Exo 33:14); but as Moses had asked for a sign of the glory of the Lord as a seal to the promise, it was perfectly natural that, when this petition was granted, he should lay hold of the grace that had been revealed to him as it never had been before, and endeavour to give even greater stability to the covenant. To this end he repeated his former intercession on behalf of the nation, at the same time making this confession, “For it is a stiff-necked people; therefore forgive our iniquity and our sin, and make us the inheritance.” Moses spoke collectively, including himself in the nation in the presence of God. The reason which he assigned pointed to the deep root of corruption that had broken out in the worship of the golden calf, and was appropriately pleaded as a motive for asking forgiveness, inasmuch as God Himself had assigned the natural corruption of the human race as a reason why He would not destroy it again with a flood (Gen 8:21). Wrath was mitigated by a regard to the natural condition. – in the Kal, with an accusative of the person, does not mean to lead a person into the inheritance, but to make a person into an inheritance; here, therefore, to make Israel the possession of Jehovah (Deu 4:20; Deu 9:26, cf. Zec 2:12). Jehovah at once declared (Exo 34:10) that He would conclude a covenant, i.e., restore the broken covenant, and do marvels before the whole nation, such as had not been done in all the earth or in any nation, and thus by these His works distinguish Israel before all nations as His own property (Exo 33:16). The nation was to see this, because it would be terrible; terrible, namely, through the overthrow of the powers that resisted the kingdom of God, every one of whom would be laid prostrate and destroyed by the majesty of the Almighty.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
THE COVENANT RENEWED, AND THE DECALOGUE A SECOND TIME GIVEN.
(9) If now, I have found grace in thy sight.Rather, Since now, &c. The evidences of Gods favour towards himwhich Moses had now experienced, emboldened him to prefer fresh requests on behalf of the people. God has promised to go up in the midst of them; will He not also promise to forgive their iniquity and sin if they offend Him in the way, and permanently to attach them to Himself by making them His inheritance? God does not directly answer these prayers, but indirectly accepts them by renewing His covenant with Israel (Exo. 34:10; Exo. 34:27).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. Go among us pardon take us After all the mercy shown, and the assurance of Exo 33:14, and the fuller revelations that followed, Moses still repeats his cry for the presence of Jehovah among the people . Importunate prayer, and clinging by faith to God! He will not let him go!
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Exo 34:12 Scripture References – Note:
Jos 9:14-15, “And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.”
Exo 34:14 Scripture References – Note:
1Co 10:22, “Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?”
Exo 34:24 “go up to appear before the Lord thy God” – Comments – Perhaps this is why all went to Jerusalem for the Passover, etc. God’s presence was to come into the Temple.
Joh 2:13, “And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem”
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
EXPOSITION
THE RENEWAL OF THE COVENANT. Dazed, as it would seem, by the splendour of the vision which he had beheld, Moses forgot that God had already pledged himself to renew the covenant, and lead the people in person to Canaan. In his forgetfulness, he once more set himself to intercede with God on their behalf, and besought him
1. That he would go up with them;
2. That he would pardon them; and
3. That he would once more take them as his inheritance (Exo 34:9). Without replying separately to these requests, God formally renews the covenant; promises not only to go up with the people, but to work miracles for them (Exo 34:10), and to drive out the nations before them when they have arrived (Exo 34:11); and makes a brief summary of the chief points of positive observance, which he requires of them in addition to the moral law. These points may be reduced to twelve:
1. That no treaty of peace should be made with the Canaanite nations (Exo 34:12).
2. That all their images, altars, and groves should be destroyed (Exo 34:13).
3. That no molten image should be made to represent God (Exo 34:17).
4. That the Passover festival should be observed as previously commanded (Exo 34:18).
5. That the first-born should be dedicated, or redeemed (Exo 34:19, Exo 34:20).
6. That the Sabbath rest should be observed at all times of the year (Exo 34:21).
7. That the feast of Pentecost (weeks) should be observed regularly (Exo 34:22).
8. That the feast of tabernacles should also be observed (ib,).
9. That at all the three great festivals all the males should appear before God (Exo 34:23).
10. That no leaven should be used with any sacrifice (Exo 34:25).
11. That first-fruits of all things should be offered to God (Exo 34:26). 12. That no kid should be seethed in her mother’s milk (Exo 34:26).
Exo 34:9
If now I have found grace in thy sight. The vision vouchsafed him makes Moses feel that he has indeed been received into favour with God. The first use which it occurs to him to make of his position is to intercede anew for his people, he, apparently, forgets that God has already promised to go with them (Exo 33:17), and prefers exactly the same request which he had made on the preceding day, and which had been granted. To this he adds a prayer for pardon, and a request that God would take Israel for his inheritance. The last phrase is a new one, but expresses perhaps no more than has been implied in such phrases as “thy people, which thou hast purchased” (Exo 15:16)”ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me” (Exo 19:5).
Exo 34:10
I make a covenanti.e; “I lay down afresh the terms of the covenant between me and Israel.” On my part, I will go with them (implied, not expressed), and do miracles for them, and drive out the nations before them (Exo 34:10, Exo 34:11), and enlarge their borders, and not allow their land to be invaded at the festival seasons (Exo 34:24): on their part, they must “observe that which I command them” (Exo 34:11). Marvels such as have not been done in all the earth. As the drying up of the Jordan (Jos 3:16, Jos 3:17); the falling down of the walls of Jericho (Jos 6:20), the slaughter of the army of the five kings by hailstones (Jos 10:11), and the like. It is a terrible thing that I will do with thee. Terrible, not to Israel, but to Israel’s enemies. Compare Deu 10:21; Psa 106:22; Psa 145:6, etc.
Exo 34:11
Observe thou that which I command thee this day. The precepts expressly given (Exo 34:12-26) are, as observed above, almost wholly positive. The moral law did not require recapitulation, because it was enjoined on the people afresh by the writing on the two tables (Exo 34:28). I drive out before thee. Compare Exo 3:8, Exo 3:17; Exo 6:4, Exo 6:8; Exo 13:5, Exo 13:11; Exo 33:2.
Exo 34:12
Take heed to thyself lest thou make a covenant. See above, Exo 23:32 A snare. See Exo 23:33.
Exo 34:13
Ye shall destroy their altars, etc. This command is more sweeping than the corresponding one in the “Book of the Covenant” (Exo 23:24), which expressly mentions only the “images.” Here the destruction of idol-altars and idol-groves is further commanded. On idol-altars, see Num 23:1, Num 23:29; Jdg 2:2; 1Ki 16:32; 1Ki 18:26, etc. Groves are here for the first time mentioned. They appear to have been artificial constructions, either of wood or metal, or both, more or less imitative of trees, and regarded as emblems of the Oriental nature-deities, especially Baal and Astarte or Ashtoreth. The word translated “grove” (asherah) is a modification of the name Ashtoreth. The well-known “sacred tree” of the Assyrians is probably an asherah.
Exo 34:14
For thou shalt worship no other God. This is a reference to the Second Commandment (Exo 20:5). The meaning is”Thou shalt not spare the idolatrous emblems of the Canaanite nations, for thou couldst only do so to worship them, and thou art already forbidden to worship any other god beside me.” The existence of the Decalogue and its binding nature, is assumed throughout this chapter
Exo 34:15, Exo 34:16
The probable consequences of making treaties with the Canaanite nations, alluded to in Exo 34:12, and in Exo 23:33, are here fully set forth. They include
1. Joining in their idol-feasts;
2. Intermarriages;
3. The actual apostasy of. those who married idolatrous wives.
The event fully justified the warning here given. See Jdg 2:2, Jdg 2:11-13, Jdg 2:17; Jdg 6:25; Jdg 10:6, etc. They go a whoring. This expression, so common in the later books, is here used for the first time It implies that the relation between man and God is analogous to that of the marriage-bond, so that deserting him for other gods is a species of adultery. Compare the frequent representations in the New Testament of Christ as the “Bridegroom” and the Church as his “Bride.”
Exo 34:17
Thou shalt make thee no molten gods. An express allusion to the recent sin of the golden calf.
Exo 34:18
The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. See Exo 23:15, and compare Exo 12:14-20, and Exo 13:3-10. The month Abib. See the comment on Exo 13:4.
Exo 34:19, Exo 34:20
All that openeth the matrix is mine, etc. This is a repetition of the command given in Exo 13:12, Exo 13:13, which had not been inserted in the “Book of the Covenant.” It is again enjoined in Le 27:26, 27. None shall appear before me empty. Repeated from Exo 23:15.
Exo 34:21
Six days, etc. This is repeated from the “Book of the Covenant” (Exo 23:12), but with a remarkable additionin earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest. “Earing time” is “ploughing time”to “ear” being to “plough” in Old English, a word cognate with the Greek and the Latin are; and the command to rest both then and at harvest time is a command not to break the Sabbath rest at the seasons when it might seem most necessary so to do The temptation to “save the harvest” is readily intelligible to Englishmen. To appreciate the other temptation, we require to know the peculiar circumstances of the East. It is necessary there to complete the ploughing before the spring rains are over. These last but a short time; and when they are once past no rain can be looked for till the autumn.
Exo 34:22
Of the first-fruits. There is here an unfortunate ambiguity. The English reader naturally supposes that three festivals are mentioned
1. That of weeks;
2. That of the first-fruits of wheat harvest; and
3. That of in-gathering.
But in reality the feast of weeks is that of the first-fruits of wheat harvest. See Le Exo 23:17; Num 28:26. The observance of this feast, as well as that of the feast of in-gathering, was commanded in the “Book of the Covenant” (Exo 23:16).
Exo 34:23
Thrice in the year, Repeated from Exo 23:17.
Exo 34:24
I will enlarge thy borders. The original promise to Abraham was to give to his seed “the land of Canaan” (Gen 12:5-7). Afterwards this promise was enlarged, and he was told that the land assigned them was the entire tract between the Nile and the Euphrates (Gen 15:18). And practically, they took possession first of the one, while at a later date their border was enlarged, and they became masters of the other. See 1Ki 4:21, 1Ki 4:24; 2Ch 9:26. Neither shall any man desire thy land, etc. This promise is nowhere else made. It would serve as a great encouragement to the proper observance of the festivals.
Exo 34:25
Repeated from Exo 23:18.
Exo 34:26
Repeated from Exo 23:19. It is remarkable that both legislations terminate with the same, somewhat strange, proviso. There must have been an intention of impressing strongly upon the people the principle of tenderness involved in it. (See the comment on Exo 23:19.)
HOMILETICS
Exo 34:9-26
The covenant renewed.
That God should have consented to renew the covenant with Israel after it had been violated so flagrantly is evidence of two things:
1. His faithfulness towards his true followers, which makes him “merciful unto thousands of those that love him,” and renders him tender to the children for the sake of the fathers;
2. The value that he sets on intercessory prayer, when offered earnestly by a believer. In the renewal itself we may notice:
I. THAT THE PROMISES NOW MADE EXCEED ALL THOSE WHICH HAD BEEN MADE TO THE PEOPLE PREVIOUSLY. Leadership had been promised; help in driving out the nation had been promised; the possession of Canaan had been promised. But not “marvels such as had not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation” (Exo 34:10)not an enlargement of the nation’s boundaries beyond the limits of Canaan (Exo 34:24)not security against their land being invaded when they went up to the three great festivals (ibid.). These, so far as the people were concerned, were new and additional pledges. God is apt “to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think.” He ties himself down to perform certain promises; but he does not tie himself down not to do more than he has promised. He will give to man ultimately, not only more than he is bound to give, but more than “it has entered into the heart of man to conceive.”
II. THAT THE PROHIBITIONS ARE IN SOME CASES MORE STRINGENT THAN BEFORE. According to the former covenant, idolatrous images were not to be spared; according to this neither images, nor altars, nor groves (Exo 34:13); according to that, the Sabbath rest was not to be infringed, as a general ruleaccording to this, not even on account of the most necessary operations of husbandry (Exo 34:21); according to that, treaties were not to be made with the Canaanitish nationsaccording to this, neither treaties nor matrimonial alliances. To balance the greater favours, there were imposed greater obligations, whereby was inculcated the lesson that the two are correlative.
III. THE PRECEPTS REIMPOSED WERE, IN ADDITION TO THE DECALOGUE, CHIEFLY THOSE CONNECTED WITH WORSHIP. It was the attraction of a corrupt worship which had caused Israel to fall away. Their best security against a second similar fall would be careful and constant observance of the pure worship prescribed to them. If they kept properly the Sabbath, the great festivals, the laws of sacrifice, of redemption, of first fruits, and whatever was similar to these, it might well content their religious aspirations, and leave no such vacuum in their lives as they had hoped to fill with their calf-worship. True, that many of the precepts could not be observed until they reached Canaan; but, as a compensation, they would have in the wilderness the daily worshipmorning and eveningof the tabernacle, and the near presence of God in the pillar of the cloud, not henceforth to be withdrawn from them. The true spiritual life could be amply sustained on theseit was only a pseudo-spiritualism that the calf-worship would have exercised.
HOMILIES BY J. ORR
Exo 34:10
I make a covenant.
I. A COVENANT RENEWED. Mark how in connection with this there is
(1) A new command to ascend the mount.
(2) A new command that the mount shall not be touched.
(3) A new manifestation of the Divine glory. Yet how different!
(4) A new giving of the law.
(5) A new rehearsal (in summary) of the “rights.”
(6) A new fast of forty days and forty nights.
II. A COVENANT RENEWED ON THE BASIS OF INTERCESSION. We have even more than thiswe have a “shadow of the Cross” (ch. 32:32). Peace made by
(1) mediation,
(2) atonement,
(3) intercession.
The bestowal of the blessing on this ground
1. Prevented the people from looking lightly on sin, or from imagining that God looked lightly on it.
2. Conserved the Divine honour.
3. Gave a higher value to the gift.
4. Put honour upon Moses.
5. Taught that blessings can be won from God by intercession.J.O.
Exo 34:10-29
Revived obligations.
Former instructions are renewed; only, however, so far as relates to the duties of religion. Renewal of the civil code was not required. Subject to this limit, the new book of the covenant (Exo 34:27) revives, supplements, expands, and endorses the teachings and precepts of the old one. We have in it
I. PROMISE (Exo 34:10, Exo 34:11). God, as on the former occasion (Exo 23:23-30), pledges himself to drive out all their enemies. The work would be
1. Wonderful“Before all the people will I do marvels,” etc.
2. Terrible“For it is a terrible thing which I will do with thee.” Men have passed the same judgment upon it. God however, called it terrible before they did. They should remember this when they build on it an objection to the Bible. God can do terrible things.
3. Thorough. The extirpation would be complete.
II. CAUTION (Exo 34:12-18). The Israelites were to beware of being snared into idolatry. To this end they were
1. To make no league with the Canaanites. “Evil communications corrupt good manners” (1Co 15:33).
2. To destroy all signs of their idolatrous worship. No good comes of retaining in our midst that which can only be a snare to us.
3. To avoid intermarriages. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2Co 6:14).
III. COMMAND (Exo 34:18-27). The command relates to the three feasts. See former Homilies.J.O.
Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary
Exo 34:9. And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight This verse might be rendered, and he said, since now I have found grace in thy sight, let my LORD, adoni [an unquestionable name or title of the MESSIAH] I pray thee, go amongst us; though it be a stiff-necked people: for thou wilt pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.
Note; Moses receives the proclamation of God with reverence, thankfulness, and submission; and having such grounds, improves them into a prayer for the pardon of Israel and God’s presence among them. The more stiff-necked they had been, the more needful was God’s patience and power to bear with and convert them. Note; 1. The ground of all prayer is the promises of God. 2. We have need continually to ask for the pardon of our sins, because we continually need it. 3. They who have found favour for their own souls, ought never to forget their stiff-necked neighbours.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Isa_48:4; Isa_48:8-11 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 34:9 And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it [is] a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.
Ver. 9. Let my lord, I pray thee. ] See Trapp on “ Exo 33:12 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Lord . . . my Lord. Hebrew. Adonai, Adonai. But this is one of the 134 places where Jehovah was altered to Adonai by the Sopherim. See App-32.
for, &c. The moment Jehovah speaks of grace, Moses turns the very charge of Jehovah, in Exo 33:5, . into a plea and ground for His presence.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
If now: Exo 33:13, Exo 33:17
let my Lord: Exo 33:14-16, Mat 28:20
stiffnecked: Exo 32:9, Exo 33:3-5, Isa 48:4
pardon: Num 14:19, Psa 25:11
take us: Exo 19:5, Deu 32:9, Psa 28:9, Psa 33:12, Psa 78:62, Psa 94:14, Psa 135:4, Jer 10:16, Zec 2:12
Reciprocal: Gen 18:32 – I will not Exo 17:7 – Is the Lord Exo 33:9 – talked Exo 33:15 – General Num 11:2 – prayed Num 23:21 – the Lord Deu 9:6 – a stiffnecked Deu 9:26 – prayed Psa 78:8 – as their Joe 2:17 – Spare Amo 7:2 – O Lord Luk 13:8 – let Act 7:51 – stiffnecked 1Jo 5:16 – he shall ask
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 34:9. And he said, I pray thee go among us Thus Moses prays for the things God had already promised, not as doubting the sincerity of Gods grants, but as one solicitous for the ratification of them. But it is a strange plea he urges; for it is a stiff-necked people God had given this as a reason why he would not go along with them, Exo 33:3. Yea, saith Moses, the rather go along with us; for the worse they are, the more need they have of thy presence. Moses sees them so stiff-necked, that he has neither patience nor power enough to deal with them; therefore, Lord, do thou go among us; else they will never be kept in awe; thou wilt spare, and bear with them, for thou art God and not man.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
34:9 And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; {b} for it [is] a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.
(b) Seeing the people are of this nature, the rulers need to call on God that he would always be present with his Spirit.