Keluaran 30:1--36:7
Konteks30:1 1 “You are to make an altar for burning incense; 2 you are to make it of 3 acacia wood. 4 30:2 Its length is to be a foot and a half 5 and its width a foot and a half; it will be square. Its height is to be three feet, 6 with its horns of one piece with it. 7 30:3 You are to overlay it with pure gold – its top, 8 its four walls, 9 and its horns – and make a surrounding border of gold for it. 10 30:4 You are to make two gold rings for it under its border, on its two flanks; you are to make them on its two sides. 11 The rings 12 will be places 13 for poles to carry it with. 30:5 You are to make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.
30:6 “You are to put it in front of the curtain that is before the ark of the testimony (before the atonement lid that is over the testimony), where I will meet you. 30:7 Aaron is to burn sweet incense 14 on it morning by morning; when he attends 15 to the lamps he is to burn incense. 16 30:8 When Aaron sets up the lamps around sundown he is to burn incense on it; it is to be a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. 30:9 You must not offer strange incense on it, nor burnt offering, nor meal offering, and you must not pour out a drink offering on it. 30:10 Aaron is to make atonement on its horns once in the year with some of the blood of the sin offering for atonement; 17 once in the year 18 he is to make atonement on it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.” 19
30:11 20 The Lord spoke to Moses: 21 30:12 “When you take a census 22 of the Israelites according to their number, 23 then each man is to pay a ransom 24 for his life to the Lord when you number them, 25 so that there will be no plague among them when you number them. 30:13 Everyone who crosses over to those who are numbered 26 is to pay this: a half shekel 27 according to the shekel of the sanctuary 28 (a shekel weighs twenty gerahs). The half shekel is to be an offering 29 to the Lord. 30:14 Everyone who crosses over to those numbered, from twenty years old and up, is to pay an offering to the Lord. 30:15 The rich are not to increase it, 30 and the poor are not to pay less than the half shekel when giving 31 the offering of the Lord, to make atonement 32 for your lives. 30:16 You are to receive the atonement money 33 from the Israelites and give it for the service 34 of the tent of meeting. It will be a memorial 35 for the Israelites before the Lord, to make atonement 36 for your lives.”
30:17 37 The Lord spoke to Moses: 38 30:18 “You are also to make a large bronze 39 basin with a bronze stand 40 for washing. You are to put it between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it, 41 30:19 and Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and their feet from it. 42 30:20 When they enter 43 the tent of meeting, they must wash with 44 water so that they do not die. 45 Also, when they approach 46 the altar to minister by burning incense 47 as an offering made by fire 48 to the Lord, 30:21 they must wash 49 their hands and their feet so that they do not die. And this 50 will be a perpetual ordinance for them and for their descendants 51 throughout their generations.” 52
30:22 53 The Lord spoke to Moses: 54 30:23 “Take 55 choice spices: 56 twelve and a half pounds 57 of free-flowing myrrh, 58 half that – about six and a quarter pounds – of sweet-smelling cinnamon, six and a quarter pounds of sweet-smelling cane, 30:24 and twelve and a half pounds of cassia, all weighed 59 according to the sanctuary shekel, and four quarts 60 of olive oil. 30:25 You are to make this 61 into 62 a sacred anointing oil, a perfumed compound, 63 the work of a perfumer. It will be sacred anointing oil.
30:26 “With it you are to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, 30:27 the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and its utensils, the altar of incense, 30:28 the altar for the burnt offering and all its utensils, and the laver and its base. 30:29 So you are to sanctify them, 64 and they will be most holy; 65 anything that touches them will be holy. 66
30:30 “You are to anoint Aaron and his sons and 67 sanctify them, so that they may minister as my priests. 30:31 And you are to tell the Israelites: ‘This is to be my sacred anointing oil throughout your generations. 30:32 It must not be applied 68 to people’s bodies, and you must not make any like it with the same recipe. It is holy, and it must be holy to you. 30:33 Whoever makes perfume like it and whoever puts any of it on someone not a priest 69 will be cut off 70 from his people.’”
30:34 The Lord said to Moses: “Take 71 spices, gum resin, 72 onycha, 73 galbanum, 74 and pure frankincense 75 of equal amounts 76 30:35 and make it into an incense, 77 a perfume, 78 the work of a perfumer. It is to be finely ground, 79 and pure and sacred. 30:36 You are to beat some of it very fine and put some of it before the ark of the testimony in the tent of meeting where I will meet with you; it is to be most holy to you. 30:37 And the incense that you are to make, you must not make for yourselves using the same recipe; it is to be most holy to you, belonging to the Lord. 30:38 Whoever makes anything like it, to use as perfume, 80 will be cut off from his people.”
31:1 81 The Lord spoke to Moses: 82 31:2 “See, I have chosen 83 Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 31:3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God 84 in skill, 85 in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds 86 of craftsmanship, 31:4 to make artistic designs 87 for work with gold, with silver, and with bronze, 31:5 and with cutting and setting stone, and with cutting wood, to work in all kinds of craftsmanship. 31:6 Moreover, 88 I have also given him Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, and I have given ability to all the specially skilled, 89 that they may make 90 everything I have commanded you: 31:7 the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, the atonement lid that is on it, all the furnishings 91 of the tent, 31:8 the table with its utensils, the pure lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense, 31:9 the altar for the burnt offering with all its utensils, the large basin with its base, 31:10 the woven garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons, to minister as priests, 31:11 the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the Holy Place. They will make all these things just as I have commanded you.”
31:12 92 The Lord said to Moses, 93 31:13 “Tell the Israelites, ‘Surely you must keep my Sabbaths, 94 for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. 95 31:14 So you must keep the Sabbath, for it is holy for you. Everyone who defiles it 96 must surely be put to death; indeed, 97 if anyone does 98 any 99 work on it, then that person will be cut off from among his 100 people. 31:15 Six days 101 work may be done, 102 but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, 103 holy to the Lord; anyone who does work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death. 31:16 The Israelites must keep the Sabbath by observing the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. 31:17 It is a sign between me and the Israelites forever; for in six days 104 the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’” 105
31:18 He gave Moses two tablets of testimony when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, tablets of stone written by the finger of God. 106
32:1 107 When the people saw that Moses delayed 108 in coming down 109 from the mountain, they 110 gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Get up, 111 make us gods 112 that will go before us. As for this fellow Moses, 113 the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what 114 has become of him!”
32:2 So Aaron said to them, “Break off the gold earrings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 115 32:3 So all 116 the people broke off the gold earrings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron. 32:4 He accepted the gold 117 from them, 118 fashioned 119 it with an engraving tool, and made a molten calf. 120 Then they said, “These are your gods, 121 O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”
32:5 When 122 Aaron saw this, 123 he built an altar before it, 124 and Aaron made a proclamation 125 and said, “Tomorrow will be a feast 126 to the Lord.” 32:6 So they got up early on the next day and offered up burnt offerings and brought peace offerings, and the people sat down to eat and drink, 127 and they rose up to play. 128
32:7 The Lord spoke to Moses: “Go quickly, descend, 129 because your 130 people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have acted corruptly. 32:8 They have quickly turned aside 131 from the way that I commanded them – they have made for themselves a molten calf and have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt.’”
32:9 Then the Lord said to Moses: “I have seen this people. 132 Look 133 what a stiff-necked people they are! 134 32:10 So now, leave me alone 135 so that my anger can burn against them and I can destroy them, and I will make from you a great nation.”
32:11 But Moses sought the favor 136 of the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your anger burn against your people, whom you have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 32:12 Why 137 should the Egyptians say, 138 ‘For evil 139 he led them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy 140 them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger, and relent 141 of this evil against your people. 32:13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel your servants, to whom you swore by yourself and told them, ‘I will multiply your descendants 142 like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken about 143 I will give to your descendants, 144 and they will inherit it forever.’” 32:14 Then the Lord relented over the evil that he had said he would do to his people.
32:15 Moses turned and went down from the mountain with 145 the two tablets of the testimony in his hands. The tablets were written on both sides – they were written on the front and on the back. 32:16 Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. 32:17 When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, 146 he said to Moses, “It is the sound of war in the camp!” 32:18 Moses 147 said, “It is not the sound of those who shout for victory, 148 nor is it the sound of those who cry because they are overcome, 149 but the sound of singing 150 I hear.” 151
32:19 When he approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses became extremely angry. 152 He threw the tablets from his hands and broke them to pieces at the bottom of the mountain. 153 32:20 He took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire, ground it 154 to powder, poured it out on the water, and made the Israelites drink it. 155
32:21 Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you, that you have brought on them so great a sin?” 32:22 Aaron said, “Do not let your anger burn hot, my lord; 156 you know these people, that they tend to evil. 157 32:23 They said to me, ‘Make us gods that will go before us, for as for this fellow Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’ 32:24 So I said to them, ‘Whoever has gold, break it off.’ So they gave it 158 to me, and I threw it into the fire, and this calf came out.” 159
32:25 Moses saw that the people were running wild, 160 for Aaron had let them get completely out of control, causing derision from their enemies. 161 32:26 So Moses stood at the entrance of the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come 162 to me.” 163 All the Levites gathered around him, 32:27 and he said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Each man fasten 164 his sword on his side, and go back and forth 165 from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and each one kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.’” 166
32:28 The Levites did what Moses ordered, 167 and that day about three thousand men of the people died. 168 32:29 Moses said, “You have been consecrated 169 today for the Lord, for each of you was against his son or against his brother, so he has given a blessing to you today.” 170
32:30 The next day Moses said to the people, 171 “You have committed a very serious sin, 172 but now I will go up to the Lord – perhaps I can make atonement 173 on behalf of your sin.”
32:31 So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Alas, this people has committed a very serious sin, 174 and they have made for themselves gods of gold. 32:32 But now, if you will forgive their sin…, 175 but if not, wipe me out 176 from your book that you have written.” 177 32:33 The Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me – that person I will wipe out of my book. 32:34 So now go, lead the people to the place I have spoken to you about. See, 178 my angel will go before you. But on the day that I punish, I will indeed punish them for their sin.” 179
32:35 And the Lord sent a plague on the people because they had made the calf 180 – the one Aaron made. 181
33:1 The Lord said to Moses, “Go up 182 from here, you and the people whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land I promised on oath 183 to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ 184 33:2 I will send an angel 185 before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 186 33:3 Go up 187 to a land flowing with milk and honey. But 188 I will not go up among you, for you are a stiff-necked people, and I might destroy you 189 on the way.”
33:4 When the people heard this troubling word 190 they mourned; 191 no one put on his ornaments. 33:5 For 192 the Lord had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I went up among you for a moment, 193 I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments, 194 that I may know 195 what I should do to you.’” 196 33:6 So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments by Mount Horeb.
33:7 197 Moses took 198 the tent 199 and pitched it outside the camp, at a good distance 200 from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. Anyone 201 seeking 202 the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting that was outside the camp.
33:8 And when Moses went out 203 to the tent, all the people would get up 204 and stand at the entrance to their tents 205 and watch 206 Moses until he entered the tent. 207 33:9 And 208 whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord 209 would speak with Moses. 210 33:10 When all the people would see the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people, each one at the entrance of his own tent, would rise and worship. 211 33:11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, 212 the way a person speaks 213 to a friend. Then Moses 214 would return to the camp, but his servant, Joshua son of Nun, a young man, did not leave the tent. 215
33:12 Moses said to the Lord, “See, you have been saying to me, ‘Bring this people up,’ 216 but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. But you said, ‘I know you by name, 217 and also you have found favor in my sight.’ 33:13 Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me 218 your way, that I may know you, 219 that I may continue to find 220 favor in your sight. And see 221 that this nation is your people.”
33:14 And the Lord 222 said, “My presence 223 will go with you, 224 and I will give you rest.” 225
33:15 And Moses 226 said to him, “If your presence does not go 227 with us, 228 do not take us up from here. 229 33:16 For how will it be known then that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not by your going with us, so that we will be distinguished, I and your people, from all the people who are on the face of the earth?” 230
33:17 The Lord said to Moses, “I will do this thing also that you have requested, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know 231 you by name.”
33:18 And Moses 232 said, “Show me your glory.” 233
33:19 And the Lord 234 said, “I will make all my goodness 235 pass before your face, and I will proclaim the Lord by name 236 before you; I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy.” 237 33:20 But he added, “You cannot see my face, for no one can 238 see me and live.” 239 33:21 The Lord said, “Here 240 is a place by me; you will station yourself 241 on a rock. 33:22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and will cover 242 you with my hand 243 while I pass by. 244 33:23 Then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back, 245 but my face must not be seen.” 246
34:1 247 The Lord said to Moses, “Cut out 248 two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write 249 on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you smashed. 34:2 Be prepared 250 in the morning, and go up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and station yourself 251 for me there on the top of the mountain. 34:3 No one is to come up with you; do not let anyone be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks or the herds may graze in front of that mountain.” 34:4 So Moses 252 cut out two tablets of stone like the first; 253 early in the morning he went up 254 to Mount Sinai, just as the Lord had commanded him, and he took in his hand the two tablets of stone.
34:5 The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the Lord by name. 255 34:6 The Lord passed by before him and proclaimed: 256 “The Lord, the Lord, 257 the compassionate and gracious 258 God, slow to anger, 259 and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness, 260 34:7 keeping loyal love for thousands, 261 forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. But he by no means leaves the guilty unpunished, responding to the transgression 262 of fathers by dealing with children and children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.”
34:8 Moses quickly bowed 263 to the ground and worshiped 34:9 and said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, let my Lord 264 go among us, for we 265 are a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”
34:10 He said, “See, I am going to make 266 a covenant before all your people. I will do wonders such as have not been done 267 in all the earth, nor in any nation. All the people among whom you live will see the work of the Lord, for it is a fearful thing that I am doing with you. 268
34:11 “Obey 269 what I am commanding you this day. I am going to drive out 270 before you the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 34:12 Be careful not to make 271 a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it become a snare 272 among you. 34:13 Rather you must destroy their altars, smash their images, and cut down their Asherah poles. 273 34:14 For you must not worship 274 any other god, 275 for the Lord, whose name 276 is Jealous, is a jealous God. 34:15 Be careful 277 not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, for when 278 they prostitute themselves 279 to their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone invites you, 280 you will eat from his sacrifice; 34:16 and you then take 281 his daughters for your sons, and when his daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will make your sons prostitute themselves to their gods as well. 34:17 You must not make yourselves molten gods.
34:18 “You must keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days 282 you must eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you; do this 283 at the appointed time of the month Abib, for in the month Abib you came out of Egypt.
34:19 “Every firstborn of the womb 284 belongs to me, even every firstborn 285 of your cattle that is a male, 286 whether ox or sheep. 34:20 Now the firstling 287 of a donkey you may redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then break its neck. 288 You must redeem all the firstborn of your sons.
“No one will appear before me empty-handed. 289
34:21 “On six days 290 you may labor, but on the seventh day you must rest; 291 even at the time of plowing and of harvest 292 you are to rest. 293
34:22 “You must observe 294 the Feast of Weeks – the firstfruits of the harvest of wheat – and the Feast of Ingathering at the end 295 of the year. 34:23 At three times 296 in the year all your men 297 must appear before the Lord God, 298 the God of Israel. 34:24 For I will drive out 299 the nations before you and enlarge your borders; no one will covet 300 your land when you go up 301 to appear before the Lord your God three times 302 in the year.
34:25 “You must not offer the blood of my sacrifice with yeast; the sacrifice from the feast of Passover must not remain until the following morning. 303
34:26 “The first of the firstfruits of your soil you must bring to the house of the Lord your God.
You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.” 304
34:27 The Lord said to Moses, “Write down 305 these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” 34:28 So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; 306 he did not eat bread, and he did not drink water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. 307
34:29 308 Now when Moses came down 309 from Mount Sinai with 310 the two tablets of the testimony in his hand 311 – when he came down 312 from the mountain, Moses 313 did not know that the skin of his face shone 314 while he talked with him. 34:30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone; 315 and they were afraid to approach him. 34:31 But Moses called to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and Moses spoke to them. 34:32 After this all the Israelites approached, and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken to him on Mount Sinai. 34:33 When Moses finished 316 speaking 317 with them, he would 318 put a veil on his face. 34:34 But when Moses went in 319 before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil until he came out. 320 Then he would come out and tell the Israelites what he had been commanded. 321 34:35 When the Israelites would see 322 the face of Moses, that 323 the skin of Moses’ face shone, Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with the Lord. 324
35:1 Moses assembled the whole community of the Israelites and said to them, “These are the things that the Lord has commanded you to do. 325 35:2 In six days 326 work may be done, but on the seventh day there must be a holy day 327 for you, a Sabbath of complete rest to the Lord. 328 Anyone who does work on it will be put to death. 35:3 You must not kindle a fire 329 in any of your homes 330 on the Sabbath day.” 331
35:4 332 Moses spoke to the whole community of the Israelites, “This is the word that the Lord has commanded: 35:5 ‘Take 333 an offering for the Lord. Let everyone who has a willing heart 334 bring 335 an offering to the Lord: 336 gold, silver, bronze, 35:6 blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, fine linen, goat’s hair, 35:7 ram skins dyed red, fine leather, 337 acacia wood, 35:8 olive oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 35:9 onyx stones, and other gems 338 for mounting 339 on the ephod and the breastpiece. 35:10 Every skilled person 340 among you is to come and make all that the Lord has commanded: 35:11 the tabernacle with 341 its tent, its covering, its clasps, its frames, its crossbars, its posts, and its bases; 35:12 the ark, with its poles, the atonement lid, and the special curtain that conceals it; 35:13 the table with its poles and all its vessels, and the Bread of the Presence; 35:14 the lampstand for 342 the light and its accessories, its lamps, and oil for the light; 35:15 and the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense; the hanging for the door at the entrance of the tabernacle; 35:16 the altar for the burnt offering with its bronze grating that is on it, its poles, and all its utensils; the large basin and its pedestal; 35:17 the hangings of the courtyard, its posts and its bases, and the curtain for the gateway to the courtyard; 35:18 tent pegs for the tabernacle and tent pegs for the courtyard and their ropes; 35:19 the woven garments for serving in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments for his sons to minister as priests.”
35:20 So the whole community of the Israelites went out from the presence of Moses. 35:21 Everyone 343 whose heart stirred him to action 344 and everyone whose spirit was willing 345 came and brought the offering for the Lord for the work of the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments. 346 35:22 They came, men and women alike, 347 all who had willing hearts. They brought brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments, all kinds of gold jewelry, 348 and everyone came who waved 349 a wave offering of gold to the Lord.
35:23 Everyone who had 350 blue, purple, or 351 scarlet yarn, fine linen, goats’ hair, ram skins dyed red, or fine leather 352 brought them. 353 35:24 Everyone making an offering of silver or bronze brought it as 354 an offering to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood 355 for any work of the service brought it. 356 35:25 Every woman who was skilled 357 spun with her hands and brought what she had spun, blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, or fine linen, 35:26 and all the women whose heart stirred them to action and who were skilled 358 spun goats’ hair.
35:27 The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted 359 for the ephod and the breastpiece, 35:28 and spices and olive oil for the light, for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense.
35:29 The Israelites brought a freewill offering to the Lord, every man and woman whose heart was willing to bring materials for all the work that the Lord through 360 Moses had commanded them 361 to do.
35:30 Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen 362 Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 35:31 He has filled him with the Spirit of God – with skill, with understanding, with knowledge, and in all kinds of work, 35:32 to design artistic designs, to work in gold, in silver, and in bronze, 35:33 and in cutting stones for their setting, 363 and in cutting wood, to do work in every artistic craft. 364 35:34 And he has put it in his heart 365 to teach, he and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. 35:35 He has filled them with skill 366 to do all kinds of work 367 as craftsmen, as designers, as embroiderers in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and in fine linen, and as weavers. They are 368 craftsmen in all the work 369 and artistic designers. 370 36:1 So Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person 371 in whom the Lord has put skill 372 and ability 373 to know how 374 to do all the work for the service 375 of the sanctuary are to do the work 376 according to all that the Lord has commanded.”
36:2 Moses summoned 377 Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person in whom 378 the Lord had put skill – everyone whose heart stirred him 379 to volunteer 380 to do the work, 36:3 and they received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to do 381 the work for the service of the sanctuary, and they still continued to bring him a freewill offering each morning. 382 36:4 So all the skilled people who were doing all the work on the sanctuary came from the work 383 they were doing 36:5 and told Moses, “The people are bringing much more than 384 is needed for the completion 385 of the work which the Lord commanded us to do!” 386
36:6 Moses instructed them to take 387 his message 388 throughout the camp, saying, “Let no man or woman do any more work for the offering for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing any more. 389 36:7 Now the materials were more than enough 390 for them to do all the work. 391
[30:1] 1 sn Why this section has been held until now is a mystery. One would have expected to find it with the instructions for the other furnishings. The widespread contemporary view that it was composed later does not answer the question, it merely moves the issue to the work of an editor rather than the author. N. M. Sarna notes concerning the items in chapter 30 that “all the materials for these final items were anticipated in the list of invited donations in 25:3-6” and that they were not needed for installing Aaron and his sons (Exodus [JPSTC], 193). Verses 1-10 can be divided into three sections: the instructions for building the incense altar (1-5), its placement (6), and its proper use (7-10).
[30:1] 2 tn The expression is מִזְבֵּחַ מִקְטַר קְטֹרֶת (mizbeakh miqtar qÿtoret), either “an altar, namely an altar of incense,” or “an altar, [for] burning incense.” The second noun is “altar of incense,” although some suggest it is an active noun meaning “burning.” If the former, then it is in apposition to the word for “altar” (which is not in construct). The last noun is “incense” or “sweet smoke.” It either qualifies the “altar of incense” or serves as the object of the active noun. B. Jacob says that in order to designate that this altar be used only for incense, the Torah prepared the second word for this passage alone. It specifies the kind of altar this is (Exodus, 828).
[30:1] 3 tn This is an adverbial accusative explaining the material used in building the altar.
[30:1] 4 sn See M. Haran, “The Uses of Incense in Ancient Israel Ritual,” VT 10 (1960): 113-15; N. Glueck, “Incense Altars,” Translating and Understanding the Old Testament, 325-29.
[30:2] 7 tn Heb “its horns from it.”
[30:3] 9 tn Heb “its walls around.”
[30:3] 10 tn Heb “and make for it border gold around.” The verb is a consecutive perfect. See Exod 25:11, where the ark also has such a molding.
[30:4] 11 sn Since it was a small altar, it needed only two rings, one on either side, in order to be carried. The second clause clarifies that the rings should be on the sides, the right and the left, as you approach the altar.
[30:4] 12 tn Heb “And it”; this refers to the rings collectively in their placement on the box, and so the word “rings” has been used to clarify the referent for the modern reader.
[30:4] 13 tn Heb “for houses.”
[30:7] 14 tn The text uses a cognate accusative (“incense”) with the verb “to burn” or “to make into incense/sweet smoke.” Then, the noun “sweet spices” is added in apposition to clarify the incense as sweet.
[30:7] 15 tn The Hebrew is בְּהֵיטִיבוֹ (bÿhetivo), a Hiphil infinitive construct serving in a temporal clause. The Hebrew verb means “to make good” and so in this context “to fix” or “to dress.” This refers to cleansing and trimming the lamps.
[30:7] 16 sn The point of the little golden altar of incense is normally for intercessory prayer, and then at the Day of Atonement for blood applied atonement. The instructions for making it show that God wanted his people to make a place for prayer. The instructions for its use show that God expects that the requests of his people will be pleasing to him.
[30:10] 17 tn The word “atonements” (plural in Hebrew) is a genitive showing the result or product of the sacrifice made.
[30:10] 18 sn This ruling presupposes that the instruction for the Day of Atonement has been given, or at the very least, is to be given shortly. That is the one day of the year that all sin and all ritual impurity would be removed.
[30:10] 19 sn The phrase “most holy to the
[30:11] 20 sn This brief section has been interpreted a number of ways by biblical scholars (for a good survey and discussion, see B. Jacob, Exodus, 829-35). In this context the danger of erecting and caring for a sanctuary may have been in view. A census would be taken to count the losses and to cover the danger of coming into such proximity with the holy place; payment was made to ransom the lives of the people numbered so that they would not die. The money collected would then be used for the care of the sanctuary. The principle was fairly straightforward: Those numbered among the redeemed of the
[30:11] 21 tn Heb “and Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying.” This full means for introducing a quotation from the Lord is used again in 30:17, 22; 31:1; and 40:1. It appears first in 6:10. Cynthia L. Miller discusses its use in detail (The Representation of Speech in Biblical Hebrew Narrative, 373-86).
[30:12] 22 tn The expression is “when you take [lift up] the sum [head] of the Israelites.”
[30:12] 23 tn The form is לִפְקֻדֵיהֶם (lifqudehem, “according to those that are numbered of/by them”) from the verb פָּקַד (paqad, “to visit”). But the idea of this word seems more to be that of changing or determining the destiny, and so “appoint” and “number” become clear categories of meaning for the word. Here it simply refers to the census, but when this word is used for a census it often involves mustering an army for a military purpose. Here there is no indication of a war, but it may be laying down the principle that when they should do this, here is the price. B. Jacob (Exodus, 835) uses Num 31 as a good illustration, showing that the warrior was essentially a murderer, if he killed anyone in battle. For this reason his blood was forfeit; if he survived he must pay a כֹּפֶר (kofer) because every human life possesses value and must be atoned for. The payment during the census represented a “presumptive ransom” so that they could not be faulted for what they might do in war.
[30:12] 24 tn The “ransom” is כֹּפֶר (kofer), a word related to words translated “atone” and “atonement.” Here the noun refers to what is paid for the life. The idea is that of delivering or redeeming by a substitute – here the substitute is the money. If they paid the amount, their lives would be safe (W. C. Kaiser, Jr., “Exodus,” EBC 2:473).
[30:12] 25 tn The temporal clause uses a preposition, an infinitive construct, and then an accusative. The subject is supplied: “in numbering them” means “when [you] number them.” The verb could also be rendered “when you muster them.”
[30:13] 26 sn Each man was to pass in front of the counting officer and join those already counted on the other side.
[30:13] 27 sn The half shekel weight of silver would be about one-fifth of an ounce (6 grams).
[30:13] 28 sn It appears that some standard is in view for the amount of a shekel weight. The sanctuary shekel is sometimes considered to be twice the value of the ordinary shekel. The “gerah,” also of uncertain meaning, was mentioned as a reference point for the ancient reader to understand the value of the required payment. It may also be that the expression meant “a sacred shekel” and looked at the purpose more – a shekel for sanctuary dues. This would mean that the standard of the shekel weight was set because it was the traditional amount of sacred dues (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 333). “Though there is no certainty, the shekel is said to weigh about 11,5 grams…Whether an official standard is meant [by ‘sanctuary shekel’] or whether the sanctuary shekel had a different weight than the ‘ordinary’ shekel is not known” (C. Houtman, Exodus, 3:181).
[30:13] 29 tn Or “contribution” (תְּרוּמָה, tÿrumah).
[30:15] 31 tn The form is לָתֵת (latet), the Qal infinitive construct with the lamed preposition. The infinitive here is explaining the preceding verbs. They are not to increase or diminish the amount “in paying the offering.” The construction approximates a temporal clause.
[30:15] 32 tn This infinitive construct (לְכַפֵּר, lÿkhapper) provides the purpose of the giving the offering – to atone.
[30:16] 33 tn Heb “the silver of the atonements.” The genitive here is the result (as in “sheep of slaughter”) telling what the money will be used for (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 11, §44).
[30:16] 34 sn The idea of “service” is maintenance and care of the sanctuary and its service, meaning the morning and evening sacrifices and the other elements to be used.
[30:16] 35 sn S. R. Driver says this is “to keep Jehovah in continual remembrance of the ransom which had been paid for their lives” (Exodus, 334).
[30:16] 36 tn The infinitive could be taken in a couple of ways here. It could be an epexegetical infinitive: “making atonement.” Or it could be the infinitive expressing result: “so that atonement will be made for your lives.”
[30:17] 37 sn Another piece of furniture is now introduced, the laver, or washing basin. It was a round (the root means to be round) basin for holding water, but it had to be up on a pedestal or base to let water run out (through taps of some kind) for the priests to wash – they could not simply dip dirty hands into the basin. This was for the priests primarily to wash their hands and feet before entering the tent. It stood in the courtyard between the altar and the tent. No dimensions are given. The passage can be divided into three sections: the instructions (17-18), the rules for washing (19-20), and the reminder that this is a perpetual statute.
[30:17] 38 tn Heb “and Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying.”
[30:18] 39 sn The metal for this object was obtained from the women from their mirrors (see Exod 38:8).
[30:18] 40 tn Heb “and its stand bronze.”
[30:18] 41 tn The form is the adverb “there” with the directive qamets-he ( ָה).
[30:19] 42 tn That is, from water from it.
[30:20] 43 tn The form is an infinitive construct with the temporal preposition bet (ב), and a suffixed subjective genitive: “in their going in,” or, whenever they enter.
[30:20] 44 tn “Water” is an adverbial accusative of means, and so is translated “with water.” Gesenius classifies this with verbs of “covering with something.” But he prefers to emend the text with a preposition (see GKC 369 §117.y, n. 1).
[30:20] 45 tn The verb is a Qal imperfect with a nuance of final imperfect. The purpose/result clause here is indicated only with the conjunction: “and they do not die.” But clearly from the context this is the intended result of their washing – it is in order that they not die.
[30:20] 46 tn Here, too, the infinitive is used in a temporal clause construction. The verb נָגַשׁ (nagash) is the common verb used for drawing near to the altar to make offerings – the official duties of the priest.
[30:20] 47 tn The text uses two infinitives construct: “to minister to burn incense”; the first is the general term and expresses the purpose of the drawing near, and the second infinitive is epexegetical, explaining the first infinitive.
[30:20] 48 tn The translation “as an offering made by fire” is a standard rendering of the one word in the text that appears to refer to “fire.” Milgrom and others contend that it simply means a “gift” (Leviticus 1-16, 161).
[30:21] 49 tn Heb “and [then] they will wash.”
[30:21] 50 tn The verb is “it will be.”
[30:21] 51 tn Heb “for his seed.”
[30:21] 52 tn Or “for generations to come”; it literally is “to their generations.”
[30:21] sn The symbolic meaning of washing has been taught throughout the ages. This was a practical matter of cleaning hands and feet, but it was also symbolic of purification before Yahweh. It was an outward sign of inner spiritual cleansing, or forgiveness. Jesus washed the disciples feet (Jn 13) to show this same teaching; he asked the disciples if they knew what he had done (so it was more than washing feet). In this passage the theological points for the outline would be these: I. God provides the means of cleansing; II. Cleansing is a prerequisite for participating in the worship, and III. (Believers) priests must regularly appropriate God’s provision of cleansing.
[30:22] 53 sn The chapter ends with these two sections. The oil (22-33) is the mark of consecration, and the incense (34-38) is a mark of pleasing service, especially in prayer. So the essence of the message of the chapter is that the servants of God must be set apart by the Spirit for ministry and must be pleasing to God in the ministry.
[30:22] 54 tn Heb “and Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying.”
[30:23] 55 tn The construction uses the imperative “take,” but before it is the independent pronoun to add emphasis to it. After the imperative is the ethical dative (lit. “to you”) to stress the task to Moses as a personal responsibility: “and you, take to yourself.”
[30:23] 56 tn Heb “spices head.” This must mean the chief spices, or perhaps the top spice, meaning fine spices or choice spices. See Song 4:14; Ezek 27:22.
[30:23] 57 tn Or “500 shekels.” Verse 24 specifies that the sanctuary shekel was the unit for weighing the spices. The total of 1500 shekels for the four spices is estimated at between 77 and 100 pounds, or 17 to 22 kilograms, depending on how much a shekel weighed (C. Houtman, Exodus, 3:576).
[30:23] 58 sn Myrrh is an aromatic substance that flows from the bark of certain trees in Arabia and Africa and then hardens. “The hardened globules of the gum appear also to have been ground into a powder that would have been easy to store and would have been poured from a container” (J. Durham, Exodus [WBC], 3:406).
[30:24] 59 tn The words “all weighed” are added for clarity in English.
[30:24] 60 tn Or “a hin.” A hin of oil is estimated at around one gallon (J. Durham, Exodus [WBC], 3:406).
[30:25] 62 tn The word “oil” is an adverbial accusative, indicating the product that results from the verb (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, §52).
[30:25] 63 tn The somewhat rare words rendered “a perfumed compound” are both associated with a verbal root having to do with mixing spices and other ingredients to make fragrant ointments. They are used with the next phrase, “the work of a perfumer,” to describe the finished oil as a special mixture of aromatic spices and one requiring the knowledge and skills of an experienced maker.
[30:29] 64 tn The verb is a Piel perfect with vav (ו) consecutive; in this verse it is summarizing or explaining what the anointing has accomplished. This is the effect of the anointing (see Exod 29:36).
[30:29] 65 tn This is the superlative genitive again, Heb “holy of holies.”
[30:29] 66 tn See Exod 29:37; as before, this could refer to anything or anyone touching the sanctified items.
[30:30] 67 tn The perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive follows the imperfect of instruction; it may be equal to the instruction, but more likely shows the purpose or result of the act.
[30:32] 68 tn Without an expressed subject, the verb may be treated as a passive. Any common use, as in personal hygiene, would be a complete desecration.
[30:33] 69 tn Heb “a stranger,” meaning someone not ordained a priest.
[30:33] 70 sn The rabbinic interpretation of this is that it is a penalty imposed by heaven, that the life will be cut short and the person could die childless.
[30:34] 71 tn The construction is “take to you,” which could be left in that literal sense, but more likely the suffix is an ethical dative, stressing the subject of the imperative.
[30:34] 72 sn This is from a word that means “to drip”; the spice is a balsam that drips from a resinous tree.
[30:34] 73 sn This may be a plant, or it may be from a species of mollusks; it is mentioned in Ugaritic and Akkadian; it gives a pungent odor when burnt.
[30:34] 74 sn This is a gum from plants of the genus Ferula; it has an unpleasant odor, but when mixed with others is pleasant.
[30:34] 75 tn The word “spice is repeated here, suggesting that the first three formed half of the ingredient and this spice the other half – but this is conjecture (U. Cassuto, Exodus, 400).
[30:34] 76 tn Heb “of each part there will be an equal part.”
[30:35] 77 tn This is an accusative of result or product.
[30:35] 78 tn The word is in apposition to “incense,” further defining the kind of incense that is to be made.
[30:35] 79 tn The word מְמֻלָּח (mÿmullakh), a passive participle, is usually taken to mean “salted.” Since there is no meaning like that for the Pual form, the word probably should be taken as “mixed,” as in Rashi and Tg. Onq. Seasoning with salt would work if it were food, but since it is not food, if it means “salted” it would be a symbol of what was sound and whole for the covenant. Some have thought that it would have helped the incense burn quickly with more smoke.
[30:38] 80 tn Or to smell it, to use for the maker’s own pleasure.
[31:1] 81 sn The next unit describes the preparation of skilled workers to build all that has been listed now for several chapters. This chapter would have been the bridge to the building of the sanctuary (35-39) if it were not for the idolatrous interlude. God called individuals and prepared them by his Spirit to be skilled to do the work for the tabernacle. If this were the substance of an exposition, it would clearly be a message on gifted people doing the work – close to the spiritual lesson of Ephesians 4. There would be two levels of meaning: the physical, which looks at the skilled artisans providing for a place to worship Yahweh, and the spiritual, which would bring in the Spirit-filled servants of God participating in building up his kingdom.
[31:1] 82 tn Heb “and Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying.”
[31:2] 83 tn Heb “called by name.” This expression means that the person was specifically chosen for some important task (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 342). See the expression with Cyrus in Isa 45:3-4.
[31:3] 84 sn The expression in the Bible means that the individual was given special, supernatural enablement to do what God wanted done. It usually is said of someone with exceptional power or ability. The image of “filling” usually means under the control of the Spirit, so that the Spirit is the dominant force in the life.
[31:3] 85 sn The following qualities are the ways in which the Spirit’s enablement will be displayed. “Skill” is the ability to produce something valuable to God and the community, “understanding” is the ability to distinguish between things, to perceive the best way to follow, and “knowledge” is the experiential awareness of how things are done.
[31:3] 86 tn Heb “and in all work”; “all” means “all kinds of” here.
[31:4] 87 tn The expression is לַחְשֹׁב מַחֲשָׁבֹת (lakhshov makhashavot, “to devise devices”). The infinitive emphasizes that Bezalel will be able to design or plan works that are artistic or skillful. He will think thoughts or devise the plans, and then he will execute them in silver or stone or whatever other material he uses.
[31:6] 88 tn The expression uses the independent personal pronoun (“and I”) with the deictic particle (“behold”) to enforce the subject of the verb – “and I, indeed I have given.”
[31:6] 89 tn Heb “and in the heart of all that are wise-hearted I have put wisdom.”
[31:6] sn The verse means that there were a good number of very skilled and trained artisans that could come to do the work that God wanted done. But God’s Spirit further endowed them with additional wisdom and skill for the work that had to be done.
[31:6] 90 tn The form is a perfect with vav (ו) consecutive. The form at this place shows the purpose or the result of what has gone before, and so it is rendered “that they may make.”
[31:7] 91 tn Heb “all the vessels of the tent.”
[31:12] 92 sn There are some questions about the arrangement of the book. The placement of this section here, however, should come as no surprise. After the instructions and preparation for work, a Sabbath day when work could not be done had to be legislated. In all that they were going to do, they must not violate the Sabbath,
[31:12] 93 tn Heb “and Yahweh said (אָמַר, ’amar) to Moses, saying.”
[31:13] 94 sn The instruction for the Sabbath at this point seems rather abrupt, but it follows logically the extended plans of building the sanctuary. B. Jacob, following some of the earlier treatments, suggests that these are specific rules given for the duration of the building of the sanctuary (Exodus, 844). The Sabbath day is a day of complete cessation; no labor or work could be done. The point here is that God’s covenant people must faithfully keep the sign of the covenant as a living commemoration of the finished work of Yahweh, and as an active part in their sanctification. See also H. Routtenberg, “The Laws of Sabbath: Biblical Sources,” Dor le Dor 6 (1977): 41-43, 99-101, 153-55, 204-6; G. Robinson, “The Idea of Rest in the OT and the Search for the Basic Character of Sabbath,” ZAW 92 (1980): 32-42; M. Tsevat, “The Basic Meaning of the Biblical Sabbath, ZAW 84 (1972): 447-59; M. T. Willshaw, “A Joyous Sign,” ExpTim 89 (1978): 179-80.
[31:13] 95 tn Or “your sanctifier.”
[31:14] 96 tn This clause is all from one word, a Piel plural participle with a third, feminine suffix: מְחַלְלֶיהָ (mÿkhalleha, “defilers of it”). This form serves as the subject of the sentence. The word חָלַל (khalal) is the antonym of קָדַשׁ (qadash, “to be holy”). It means “common, profane,” and in the Piel stem “make common, profane” or “defile.” Treating the Sabbath like an ordinary day would profane it, make it common.
[31:14] 97 tn This is the asseverative use of כִּי (ki) meaning “surely, indeed,” for it restates the point just made (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 73, §449).
[31:14] 98 tn Heb “the one who does.”
[31:14] 99 tn “any” has been supplied.
[31:14] 100 tn Literally “her” (a feminine pronoun agreeing with “soul/life,” which is grammatically feminine).
[31:15] 101 tn This is an adverbial accusative of time, indicating that work may be done for six days out of the week.
[31:15] 102 tn The form is a Niphal imperfect; it has the nuance of permission in this sentence, for the sentence is simply saying that the six days are work days – that is when work may be done.
[31:15] 103 tn The expression is שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן (shabbat shabbaton), “a Sabbath of entire rest,” or better, “a sabbath of complete desisting” (U. Cassuto, Exodus, 404). The second noun, the modifying genitive, is an abstract noun. The repetition provides the superlative idea that complete rest is the order of the day.
[31:17] 104 tn The expression again forms an adverbial accusative of time.
[31:17] 105 sn The word “rest” essentially means “to cease, stop.” So describing God as “resting” on the seventh day does not indicate that he was tired – he simply finished creation and then ceased or stopped. But in this verse is a very bold anthropomorphism in the form of the verb וַיִּנָּפַשׁ (vayyinnafash), a Niphal preterite from the root נָפַשׁ (nafash), the word that is related to “life, soul” or more specifically “breath, throat.” The verb is usually translated here as “he was refreshed,” offering a very human picture. It could also be rendered “he took breath” (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 345). Elsewhere the verb is used of people and animals. The anthropomorphism is clearly intended to teach people to stop and refresh themselves physically, spiritually, and emotionally on this day of rest.
[31:18] 106 sn The expression “the finger of God” has come up before in the book, in the plagues (Exod 8:15) to express that it was a demonstration of the power and authority of God. So here too the commandments given to Moses on stone tablets came from God. It too is a bold anthropomorphism; to attribute such a material action to Yahweh would have been thought provoking to say the least. But by using “God” and by stating it in an obviously figurative way, balance is maintained. Since no one writes with one finger, the expression simply says that the Law came directly from God.
[32:1] 107 sn This narrative is an unhappy interlude in the flow of the argument of the book. After the giving of the Law and the instructions for the tabernacle, the people get into idolatry. So this section tells what the people were doing when Moses was on the mountain. Here is an instant violation of the covenant that they had just agreed to uphold. But through it all Moses shines as the great intercessor for the people. So the subject matter is the sin of idolatry, its effects and its remedy. Because of the similarities to Jeroboam’s setting up the calves in Dan and Bethel, modern critics have often said this passage was written at that time. U. Cassuto shows how the language of this chapter would not fit an Iron Age setting in Dan. Rather, he argues, this story was well enough known for Jeroboam to imitate the practice (Exodus, 407-10). This chapter can be divided into four parts for an easier exposition: idolatry (32:1-6), intercession (32:7-14), judgment (32:15-29), intercession again (32:30-33:6). Of course, these sections are far more complex than this, but this gives an overview. Four summary statements for expository points might be: I. Impatience often leads to foolish violations of the faith, II. Violations of the covenant require intercession to escape condemnation, III. Those spared of divine wrath must purge evil from their midst, and IV. Those who purge evil from their midst will find reinstatement through intercession. Several important studies are available for this. See, among others, D. R. Davis, “Rebellion, Presence, and Covenant: A Study in Exodus 32-34,” WTJ 44 (1982): 71-87; M. Greenberg, “Moses’ Intercessory Prayer,” Ecumenical Institute for Advanced Theological Studies (1978): 21-35; R. A. Hamer, “The New Covenant of Moses,” Judaism 27 (1978): 345-50; R. L. Honeycutt, Jr., “Aaron, the Priesthood, and the Golden Calf,” RevExp 74 (1977): 523-35; J. N. Oswalt, “The Golden Calves and the Egyptian Concept of Deity,” EvQ 45 (1973): 13-20.
[32:1] 108 tn The meaning of this verb is properly “caused shame,” meaning cause disappointment because he was not coming back (see also Judg 5:28 for the delay of Sisera’s chariots [S. R. Driver, Exodus, 349]).
[32:1] 109 tn The infinitive construct with the lamed (ל) preposition is used here epexegetically, explaining the delay of Moses.
[32:1] 110 tn Heb “the people.”
[32:1] 111 tn The imperative means “arise.” It could be serving here as an interjection, getting Aaron’s attention. But it might also have the force of prompting him to get busy.
[32:1] 112 tn The plural translation is required here (although the form itself could be singular in meaning) because the verb that follows in the relative clause is a plural verb – that they go before us).
[32:1] 113 tn The text has “this Moses.” But this instance may find the demonstrative used in an earlier deictic sense, especially since there is no article with it.
[32:1] 114 tn The interrogative is used in an indirect question (see GKC 443-44 §137.c).
[32:2] 115 sn B. Jacob (Exodus, 937-38) argues that Aaron simply did not have the resolution that Moses did, and wanting to keep peace he gave in to the crowd. He also tries to explain that Aaron was wanting to show their folly through the deed. U. Cassuto also says that Aaron’s request for the gold was a form of procrastination, but that the people quickly did it and so he had no alternative but to go through with it (Exodus, 412). These may be right, since Aaron fully understood what was wrong with this, and what the program was all about. The text gives no strong indication to support these ideas, but there are enough hints from the way Aaron does things to warrant such a conclusion.
[32:3] 116 tn This “all” is a natural hyperbole in the narrative, for it means the large majority of the people.
[32:4] 117 tn Here “the gold” has been supplied.
[32:4] 118 tn Heb “from their hand.”
[32:4] 119 tn The verb looks similar to יָצַר (yatsar), “to form, fashion” by a plan or a design. That is the verb used in Gen 2:7 for Yahweh God forming the man from the dust of the ground. If it is here, it is the reverse, a human – the dust of the ground – trying to form a god or gods. The active participle of this verb in Hebrew is “the potter.” A related noun is the word יֵצֶּר (yetser), “evil inclination,” the wicked designs or intent of the human heart (Gen 6:5). But see the discussion by B. S. Childs (Exodus [OTL], 555-56) on a different reading, one that links the root to a hollow verb meaning “to cast out of metal” (as in 1 Kgs 7:15).
[32:4] 120 sn The word means a “young bull” and need not be translated as “calf” (although “calf” has become the traditional rendering in English). The word could describe an animal three years old. Aaron probably made an inner structure of wood and then, after melting down the gold, plated it. The verb “molten” does not need to imply that the image was solid gold; the word is used in Isa 30:22 for gold plating. So it was a young bull calf that was overlaid with gold, and the gold was fashioned with the stylus.
[32:4] 121 tn The word could be singular here and earlier; here it would then be “this is your god, O Israel.” However, the use of “these” indicates more than one god was meant by the image. But their statement and their statue, although they do not use the holy name, violate the first two commandments.
[32:5] 122 tn The preterite with the vav (ו) consecutive is subordinated as a temporal clause to the next preterite.
[32:5] 123 tn The word “this” has been supplied.
[32:5] 124 tn “Before it” means before the deity in the form of the calf. Aaron tried to redirect their worship to Yahweh, but the people had already broken down the barrier and were beyond control (U. Cassuto, Exodus, 413).
[32:5] 126 sn The word is חַג (khag), the pilgrim’s festival. This was the word used by Moses for their pilgrimage into the wilderness. Aaron seems here to be trying to do what Moses had intended they do, make a feast to Yahweh at Sinai, but his efforts will not compete with the idol. As B. Jacob says, Aaron saw all this happening and tried to rescue the true belief (Exodus, 941).
[32:6] 127 tn The second infinitive is an infinitive absolute. The first is an infinitive construct with a lamed (ל) preposition, expressing the purpose of their sitting down. The infinitive absolute that follows cannot take the preposition, but with the conjunction follows the force of the form before it (see GKC 340 §113.e).
[32:6] 128 tn The form is לְצַחֵק (lÿtsakheq), a Piel infinitive construct, giving the purpose of their rising up after the festal meal. On the surface it would seem that with the festival there would be singing and dancing, so that the people were celebrating even though they did not know the reason. W. C. Kaiser says the word means “drunken immoral orgies and sexual play” (“Exodus,” EBC 2:478). That is quite an assumption for this word, but is reflected in some recent English versions (e.g., NCV “got up and sinned sexually”; TEV “an orgy of drinking and sex”). The word means “to play, trifle.” It can have other meanings, depending on its contexts. It is used of Lot when he warned his sons-in-law and appeared as one who “mocked” them; it is also used of Ishmael “playing” with Isaac, which Paul interprets as mocking; it is used of Isaac “playing” with his wife in a manner that revealed to Abimelech that they were not brother and sister, and it is used by Potiphar’s wife to say that her husband brought this slave Joseph in to “mock” them. The most that can be gathered from these is that it is playful teasing, serious mocking, or playful caresses. It might fit with wild orgies, but there is no indication of that in this passage, and the word does not mean it. The fact that they were festive and playing before an idol was sufficient.
[32:7] 129 tn The two imperatives could also express one idea: “get down there.” In other words, “Make haste to get down.”
[32:7] 130 sn By giving the people to Moses in this way, God is saying that they have no longer any right to claim him as their God, since they have shared his honor with another. This is God’s talionic response to their “These are your gods who brought you up.” The use of these pronoun changes also would form an appeal to Moses to respond, since Moses knew that God had brought them up from Egypt.
[32:8] 131 tn The verb is a perfect tense, reflecting the present perfect nuance: “they have turned aside” and are still disobedient. But the verb is modified with the adverb “quickly” (actually a Piel infinitive absolute). It has been only a matter of weeks since they heard the voice of God prohibiting this.
[32:9] 132 sn This is a bold anthropomorphism; it is as if God has now had a chance to get to know these people and has discovered how rebellious they are. The point of the figure is that there has been discernible evidence of their nature.
[32:9] 133 tn Heb “and behold” or “and look.” The expression directs attention in order to persuade the hearer.
[32:9] 134 sn B. Jacob says the image is that of the people walking before God, and when he called to them the directions, they would not bend their neck to listen; they were resolute in doing what they intended to do (Exodus, 943). The figure describes them as refusing to submit, but resisting in pride.
[32:10] 135 tn The imperative, from the word “to rest” (נוּחַ, nuakh), has the sense of “leave me alone, let me be.” It is a directive for Moses not to intercede for the people. B. S. Childs (Exodus [OTL], 567) reflects the Jewish interpretation that there is a profound paradox in God’s words. He vows the severest punishment but then suddenly conditions it on Moses’ agreement. “Let me alone that I may consume them” is the statement, but the effect is that he has left the door open for intercession. He allows himself to be persuaded – that is what a mediator is for. God could have slammed the door (as when Moses wanted to go into the promised land). Moreover, by alluding to the promise to Abraham God gave Moses the strongest reason to intercede.
[32:11] 136 tn S. R. Driver (Exodus, 351) draws on Arabic to show that the meaning of this verb (חָלָה, khalah) was properly “make sweet the face” or “stroke the face”; so here “to entreat, seek to conciliate.” In this prayer, Driver adds, Moses urges four motives for mercy: 1) Israel is Yahweh’s people, 2) Israel’s deliverance has demanded great power, 3) the Egyptians would mock if the people now perished, and 4) the oath God made to the fathers.
[32:12] 137 tn The question is rhetorical; it really forms an affirmation that is used here as a reason for the request (see GKC 474 §150.e).
[32:12] 138 tn Heb “speak, saying.” This is redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
[32:12] 139 tn The word “evil” means any kind of life-threatening or fatal calamity. “Evil” is that which hinders life, interrupts life, causes pain to life, or destroys it. The Egyptians would conclude that such a God would have no good intent in taking his people to the desert if now he destroyed them.
[32:12] 140 tn The form is a Piel infinitive construct from כָּלָה (kalah, “to complete, finish”) but in this stem, “bring to an end, destroy.” As a purpose infinitive this expresses what the Egyptians would have thought of God’s motive.
[32:12] 141 tn The verb “repent, relent” when used of God is certainly an anthropomorphism. It expresses the deep pain that one would have over a situation. Earlier God repented that he had made humans (Gen 6:6). Here Moses is asking God to repent/relent over the judgment he was about to bring, meaning that he should be moved by such compassion that there would be no judgment like that. J. P. Hyatt observes that the Bible uses so many anthropomorphisms because the Israelites conceived of God as a dynamic and living person in a vital relationship with people, responding to their needs and attitudes and actions (Exodus [NCBC], 307). See H. V. D. Parunak, “A Semantic Survey of NHM,” Bib 56 (1975): 512-32.
[32:13] 142 tn Heb “your seed.”
[32:13] 143 tn “about” has been supplied.
[32:15] 145 tn The disjunctive vav (ו) serves here as a circumstantial clause indicator.
[32:17] 146 sn See F. C. Fensham, “New Light from Ugaritica V on Ex, 32:17 (br’h),” JNSL 2 (1972): 86-7.
[32:18] 147 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[32:18] 148 tn Heb “the sound of the answering of might,” meaning it is not the sound of shouting in victory (U. Cassuto, Exodus, 418).
[32:18] 149 tn Heb “the sound of the answering of weakness,” meaning the cry of the defeated (U. Cassuto, Exodus, 415).
[32:18] 150 tn Heb “answering in song” (a play on the twofold meaning of the word).
[32:18] 151 sn See A. Newman, “Compositional Analysis and Functional Ambiguity Equivalence: Translating Exodus 32, 17-18,” Babel 21 (1975): 29-35.
[32:19] 152 tn Heb “and the anger of Moses burned hot.”
[32:19] 153 sn See N. M. Waldham, “The Breaking of the Tablets,” Judaism 27 (1978): 442-47.
[32:20] 154 tn Here “it” has been supplied.
[32:20] 155 tn Here “it” has been supplied.
[32:20] sn Pouring the ashes into the water running from the mountain in the brook (Deut 9:21) and making them drink it was a type of the bitter water test that tested the wife suspected of unfaithfulness. Here the reaction of the people who drank would indicate guilt or not (U. Cassuto, Exodus, 419).
[32:22] 156 sn “My lord” refers to Moses.
[32:22] 157 tn Heb “that on evil it is.”
[32:24] 158 tn Here “it” has been supplied.
[32:24] 159 sn Aaron first tried to blame the people, and then he tried to make it sound like a miracle – was it to sound like one of the plagues where out of the furnace came life? This text does not mention it, but Deut 9:20 tells how angry God was with Aaron. Only intercession saved his life.
[32:25] 160 tn The word is difficult to interpret. There does not seem to be enough evidence to justify the KJV’s translation “naked.” It appears to mean something like “let loose” or “lack restraint” (Prov 29:18). The idea seems to be that the people had broken loose, were undisciplined, and were completely given over to their desires.
[32:25] 161 tn The last two words of the verse read literally “for a whispering among those who rose up against them.” The foes would have mocked and derided them when they heard that they had abandoned the God who had led them out of Egypt (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 354).
[32:26] 162 tn “come” is not in the text, but has been supplied.
[32:26] 163 tn S. R. Driver suggests that the command was tersely put: “Who is for Yahweh? To me!” (Exodus, 354).
[32:27] 165 tn The two imperatives form a verbal hendiadys: “pass over and return,” meaning, “go back and forth” throughout the camp.
[32:27] 166 tn The phrases have “and kill a man his brother, and a man his companion, and a man his neighbor.” The instructions were probably intended to mean that they should kill leaders they knew to be guilty because they had been seen or because they failed the water test – whoever they were.
[32:28] 167 tn Heb “did according to the word of Moses.”
[32:29] 169 tn Heb “Your hand was filled.” The phrase “fill your hands” is a familiar expression having to do with commissioning and devotion to a task that is earlier used in 28:41; 29:9, 29, 33, 35. This has usually been explained as a Qal imperative. S. R. Driver explains it “Fill your hand today,” meaning, take a sacrifice to God and be installed in the priesthood (Exodus, 355). But it probably is a Piel perfect, meaning “they have filled your hands today,” or, “your hand was filled today.” This was an expression meant to say that they had been faithful to God even though it turned them against family and friends – but God would give them a blessing.
[32:29] 170 tn The text simply has “and to give on you today a blessing.” Gesenius notes that the infinitive construct seems to be attached with a vav (ו; like the infinitive absolute) as the continuation of a previous finite verb. He reads the verb “fill” as an imperative: “fill your hand today…and that to bring a blessing on you, i.e., that you may be blessed” (see GKC 351 §114.p). If the preceding verb is taken as perfect tense, however, then this would also be perfect – “he has blessed you today.”
[32:30] 171 tn Heb “and it was on the morrow and Moses said to the people.”
[32:30] 172 tn The text uses a cognate accusative: “you have sinned a great sin.”
[32:30] 173 tn The form אֲכַפְּרָה (’akhappÿrah) is a Piel cohortative/imperfect. Here with only a possibility of being successful, a potential imperfect nuance works best.
[32:31] 174 tn As before, the cognate accusative is used; it would literally be “this people has sinned a great sin.”
[32:32] 175 tn The apodosis is not expressed; it would be understood as “good.” It is not stated because of the intensity of the expression (the figure is aposiopesis, a sudden silence). It is also possible to take this first clause as a desire and not a conditional clause, rendering it “Oh that you would forgive!”
[32:32] 176 tn The word “wipe” is a figure of speech indicating “remove me” (meaning he wants to die). The translation “blot” is traditional, but not very satisfactory, since it does not convey complete removal.
[32:32] 177 sn The book that is referred to here should not be interpreted as the NT “book of life” which is portrayed (figuratively) as a register of all the names of the saints who are redeemed and will inherit eternal life. Here it refers to the names of those who are living and serving in this life, whose names, it was imagined, were on the roster in the heavenly courts as belonging to the chosen. Moses would rather die than live if these people are not forgiven (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 356).
[32:34] 178 tn Heb “behold, look.” Moses should take this fact into consideration.
[32:34] 179 sn The Law said that God would not clear the guilty. But here the punishment is postponed to some future date when he would revisit this matter. Others have taken the line to mean that whenever a reckoning was considered necessary, then this sin would be included (see B. Jacob, Exodus, 957). The repetition of the verb traditionally rendered “visit” in both clauses puts emphasis on the certainty – so “indeed.”
[32:35] 180 tn The verse is difficult because of the double reference to the making of the calf. The NJPS’s translation tries to reconcile the two by reading “for what they did with the calf that Aaron had made.” B. S. Childs (Exodus [OTL], 557) explains in some detail why this is not a good translation based on syntactical grounds; he opts for the conclusion that the last three words are a clumsy secondary addition. It seems preferable to take the view that both are true, Aaron is singled out for his obvious lead in the sin, but the people sinned by instigating the whole thing.
[32:35] 181 sn Most commentators have difficulty with this verse. W. C. Kaiser says the strict chronology is not always kept, and so the plague here may very well refer to the killing of the three thousand (“Exodus,” EBC 2:481).
[33:1] 182 tn The two imperatives underscore the immediacy of the demand: “go, go up,” meaning “get going up” or “be on your way.”
[33:1] 183 tn Or “the land which I swore.”
[33:2] 185 sn This seems not to be the same as the Angel of the Presence introduced before.
[33:2] 186 sn See T. Ishida, “The Structure and Historical Implications of Lists of Pre-Israelite Nations,” Bib (1979): 461-90.
[33:3] 187 tn This verse seems to be a continuation of the command to “go up” since it begins with “to a land….” The intervening clauses are therefore parenthetical or relative. But the translation is made simpler by supplying the verb.
[33:3] 188 tn This is a strong adversative here, “but.”
[33:3] 189 tn The clause is “lest I consume you.” It would go with the decision not to accompany them: “I will not go up with you…lest I consume (destroy) you in the way.” The verse is saying that because of the people’s bent to rebellion, Yahweh would not remain in their midst as he had formerly said he would do. Their lives would be at risk if he did.
[33:4] 190 tn Or “bad news” (NAB, NCV).
[33:4] 191 sn The people would rather have risked divine discipline than to go without Yahweh in their midst. So they mourned, and they took off the ornaments. Such had been used in making the golden calf, and so because of their association with all of that they were to be removed as a sign of remorse.
[33:5] 192 tn The verse simply begins “And Yahweh said.” But it is clearly meant to be explanatory for the preceding action of the people.
[33:5] 193 tn The construction is formed with a simple imperfect in the first half and a perfect tense with vav (ו) in the second half. Heb “[in] one moment I will go up in your midst and I will destroy you.” The verse is certainly not intended to say that God was about to destroy them. That, plus the fact that he has announced he will not go in their midst, leads most commentators to take this as a conditional clause: “If I were to do such and such, then….”
[33:5] 194 tn The Hebrew text also has “from on you.”
[33:5] 195 tn The form is the cohortative with a vav (ו) following the imperative; it therefore expresses the purpose or result: “strip off…that I may know.” The call to remove the ornaments must have been perceived as a call to show true repentance for what had happened. If they repented, then God would know how to deal with them.
[33:5] 196 tn This last clause begins with the interrogative “what,” but it is used here as an indirect interrogative. It introduces a noun clause, the object of the verb “know.”
[33:7] 197 sn This unit of the book could actually include all of chap. 33, starting with the point of the
[33:7] 198 tn Heb “and Moses took.”
[33:7] 199 sn A widespread contemporary view is that this section represents a source that thought the tent of meeting was already erected (see S. R. Driver, Exodus, 359). But the better view is that this is a temporary tent used for meeting the
[33:7] 200 tn The infinitive absolute is used here as an adverb (see GKC 341 §113.h).
[33:7] 201 tn The clause begins with “and it was,” the perfect tense with the vav conjunction. The imperfect tenses in this section are customary, describing what used to happen (others describe the verbs as frequentative). See GKC 315 §107.e.
[33:7] 202 tn The form is the Piel participle. The seeking here would indicate seeking an oracle from Yahweh or seeking to find a resolution for some difficulty (as in 2 Sam 21:1) or even perhaps coming with a sacrifice. B. Jacob notes that the tent was even here a place of prayer, for the benefit of the people (Exodus, 961). It is not known how long this location was used.
[33:8] 203 tn The clause is introduced again with “and it was.” The perfect tense here with the vav (ו) is used to continue the sequence of actions that were done repeatedly in the past (see GKC 331-32 §112.e). The temporal clause is then formed with the infinitive construct of יָצָא (yatsa’), with “Moses” as the subjective genitive: “and it was according to the going out of Moses.”
[33:8] 205 tn The subject of this verb is specified with the individualizing use of “man”: “and all Israel would station themselves, each person (man) at the entrance to his tent.”
[33:8] 206 tn The perfect tense with the vav (ו) continues the sequence of the customary imperfect. The people “would gaze” (after) Moses until he entered the tent.
[33:8] 207 tn This is a temporal clause using an infinitive construct with a suffixed subject.
[33:9] 208 tn Heb “and it was when.”
[33:9] 209 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the
[33:9] 210 tn Both verbs, “stand” and “speak,” are perfect tenses with vav (ו) consecutive.
[33:10] 211 tn All the main verbs in this verse are perfect tenses continuing the customary sequence (see GKC 337 §112.kk). The idea is that the people would get up (rise) when the cloud was there and then worship, meaning in part bow down. When the cloud was not there, there was access to seek God.
[33:11] 212 tn “Face to face” is circumstantial to the action of the verb, explaining how they spoke (see GKC 489-90 §156.c). The point of this note of friendly relationship with Moses is that Moses was “at home” in this tent speaking with God. Moses would derive courage from this when he interceded for the people (B. Jacob, Exodus, 966).
[33:11] 213 tn The verb in this clause is a progressive imperfect.
[33:11] 214 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[33:11] 215 sn Moses did not live in the tent. But Joshua remained there most of the time to guard the tent, it seems, lest any of the people approach it out of curiosity.
[33:12] 216 tn The Hiphil imperative is from the same verb that has been used before for bringing the people up from Egypt and leading them to Canaan.
[33:12] 217 tn That is, “chosen you.”
[33:13] 218 tn The prayer uses the Hiphil imperative of the verb “to know.” “Cause me to know” is “show me, reveal to me, teach or inform me.” Moses wanted to know more of God’s dealings with people, especially after all that has happened in the preceding chapter.
[33:13] 219 tn The imperfect tense of the verb “to know” with the vav follows the imperative of this root, and so this indicates the purpose clause (final imperfect): “in order that I may know you.” S. R. Driver summarizes it this way: that I may understand what your nature and character is, and shape my petitions accordingly, so that I may find grace in your sight, and my future prayers may be answered (Exodus, 361).
[33:13] 220 tn The purpose clause simply uses the imperfect, “that I may find.” But since he already has found favor in God’s eyes, he is clearly praying that it be so in the future as well as now.
[33:13] 221 tn The verb “see” (an imperative) is a request for God to acknowledge Israel as his people by providing the divine leadership needed. So his main appeal will be for the people and not himself. To underscore this, he repeats “see” the way the section opened.
[33:14] 222 tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (the
[33:14] 223 sn Heb “my face.” This represents the presence of Yahweh going with the people (see 2 Sam 17:11 for an illustration). The “presence” probably refers to the angel of the presence or some similar manifestation of God’s leading and caring for his people.
[33:14] 224 tn The phrase “with you” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied.
[33:14] 225 sn The expression certainly refers to the peace of mind and security of knowing that God was with them. But the expression came to mean “settle them in the land of promise” and give them rest and peace from their enemies. U. Cassuto (Exodus, 434) observes how in 32:10 God had told Moses, “Leave me alone” (“give me rest”), but now he promises to give them rest. The parallelism underscores the great transition through intercession.
[33:15] 226 tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (
[33:15] 227 tn The construction uses the active participle to stress the continual going of the presence: if there is not your face going.
[33:15] 228 tn “with us” has been supplied.
[33:15] 229 tn Heb “from this.”
[33:16] 230 sn See W. Brueggemann, “The Crisis and Promise of Presence in Israel,” HBT 1 (1979): 47-86; and N. M. Waldman, “God’s Ways – A Comparative Note,” JQR 70 (1979): 67-70.
[33:17] 231 tn The verb in this place is a preterite with the vav (ו) consecutive, judging from the pointing. It then follows in sequence the verb “you have found favor,” meaning you stand in that favor, and so it means “I have known you” and still do (equal to the present perfect). The emphasis, however, is on the results of the action, and so “I know you.”
[33:18] 232 tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (
[33:18] 233 sn Moses now wanted to see the glory of Yahweh, more than what he had already seen and experienced. He wanted to see God in all his majesty. The LXX chose to translate this without a word for “glory” or “honor”; instead they used the pronoun seautou, “yourself” – show me the real You. God tells him that he cannot see it fully, but in part. It will be enough for Moses to disclose to him the reality of the divine presence as well as God’s moral nature. It would be impossible for Moses to comprehend all of the nature of God, for there is a boundary between God and man. But God would let him see his goodness, the sum of his nature, pass by in a flash. B. Jacob (Exodus, 972) says that the glory refers to God’s majesty, might, and glory, as manifested in nature, in his providence, his laws, and his judgments. He adds that this glory should and would be made visible to man – that was its purpose in the world.
[33:19] 234 tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (the
[33:19] 235 sn The word “goodness” refers to the divine appearance in summary fashion.
[33:19] 236 tn The expression “make proclamation in the name of Yahweh” (here a perfect tense with vav [ו] consecutive for future) means to declare, reveal, or otherwise make proclamation of who Yahweh is. The “name of Yahweh” (rendered “the name of the
[33:19] 237 sn God declares his mercy and grace in similar terms to his earlier self-revelation (“I am that I am”): “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious.” In other words, the grace and mercy of God are bound up in his own will. Obviously, in this passage the recipients of that favor are the penitent Israelites who were forgiven through Moses’ intercession. The two words are at the heart of God’s dealings with people. The first is חָנַן (khanan, “to be gracious, show favor”). It means to grant favor or grace to someone, grace meaning unmerited favor. All of God’s dealings are gracious, but especially in forgiving sins and granting salvation it is critical. Parallel to this is רָחַם (rakham), a word that means “show compassion, tender mercy.” It is a word that is related to the noun “womb,” the connection being in providing care and protection for that which is helpless and dependent – a motherly quality. In both of these constructions the verbs simply express what God will do, without explaining why. See further, J. R. Lundbom, “God’s Use of the Idem per idem to Terminate Debate,” HTR 71 (1978): 193-201; and J. Piper, “Prolegomena to Understanding Romans 9:14-15: An Interpretation of Exodus 33:19,” JETS 22 (1979): 203-16.
[33:20] 238 tn In view of the use of the verb “can, be able to” in the first clause, this imperfect tense is given a potential nuance.
[33:20] 239 tn Gesenius notes that sometimes a negative statement takes the place of a conditional clause; here it is equal to “if a man sees me he does not live” (GKC 498 §159.gg). The other passages that teach this are Gen 32:30; Deut 4:33, 5:24, 26; Judg 6:22, 13:22, and Isa 6:5.
[33:21] 240 tn The deictic particle is used here simply to call attention to a place of God’s knowing and choosing.
[33:21] 241 tn Heb “and you will,” or interpretively, “where you will.”
[33:22] 242 sn Note the use in Exod 40:3, “and you will screen the ark with the curtain.” The glory is covered, veiled from being seen.
[33:22] 243 tn The circumstantial clause is simply, “my hand [being] over you.” This protecting hand of Yahweh represents a fairly common theme in the Bible.
[33:22] 244 tn The construction has a preposition with an infinitive construct and a suffix: “while [or until] I pass by” (Heb “in the passing by of me”).
[33:23] 245 tn The plural “my backs” is according to Gesenius an extension plural (compare “face,” a dual in Hebrew). The word denotes a locality in general, but that is composed of numerous parts (see GKC 397 §124.b). W. C. Kaiser says that since God is a spirit, the meaning of this word could just as easily be rendered “after effects” of his presence (“Exodus,” EBC 2:484). As S. R. Driver says, though, while this may indicate just the “afterglow” that he leaves behind him, it was enough to suggest what the full brilliancy of his presence must be (Exodus, 363; see also Job 26:14).
[33:23] 246 tn The Niphal imperfect could simply be rendered “will not be seen,” but given the emphasis of the preceding verses, it is more binding than that, and so a negated obligatory imperfect fits better: “it must not be seen.” It would also be possible to render it with a potential imperfect tense: “it cannot be seen.”
[34:1] 247 sn The restoration of the faltering community continues in this chapter. First, Moses is instructed to make new tablets and take them to the mountain (1-4). Then, through the promised theophany God proclaims his moral character (5-8). Moses responds with the reiteration of the intercession (8), and God responds with the renewal of the covenant (10-28). To put these into expository form, as principles, the chapter would run as follows: I. God provides for spiritual renewal (1-4), II. God reminds people of his moral standard (5-9), III. God renews his covenant promises and stipulations (10-28).
[34:1] 248 tn The imperative is followed by the preposition with a suffix expressing the ethical dative; it strengthens the instruction for Moses. Interestingly, the verb “cut out, chisel, hew,” is the same verb from which the word for a “graven image” is derived – פָּסַל (pasal).
[34:1] 249 tn The perfect tense with vav consecutive makes the value of this verb equal to an imperfect tense, probably a simple future here.
[34:1] sn Nothing is said of how God was going to write on these stone tablets at this point, but in the end it is Moses who wrote the words. This is not considered a contradiction, since God is often credited with things he has people do in his place. There is great symbolism in this command – if ever a command said far more than it actually said, this is it. The instruction means that the covenant had been renewed, or was going to be renewed, and that the sanctuary with the tablets in the ark at its center would be built (see Deut 10:1). The first time Moses went up he was empty-handed; when he came down he smashed the tablets because of the Israelites’ sin. Now the people would see him go up with empty tablets and be uncertain whether he would come back with the tablets inscribed again (B. Jacob, Exodus, 977-78).
[34:2] 250 tn The form is a Niphal participle that means “be prepared, be ready.” This probably means that Moses was to do in preparation what the congregation had to do back in Exod 19:11-15.
[34:2] 251 sn The same word is used in Exod 33:21. It is as if Moses was to be at his post when Yahweh wanted to communicate to him.
[34:4] 252 tn Heb “he”; the referent has been specified here and the name “Moses,” which occurs later in this verse, has been replaced with the pronoun (“he”), both for stylistic reasons.
[34:4] 253 sn Deuteronomy says that Moses was also to make an ark of acacia wood before the tablets, apparently to put the tablets in until the sanctuary was built. But this ark may not have been the ark built later; or, it might be the wood box, but Bezalel still had to do all the golden work with it.
[34:4] 254 tn The line reads “and Moses got up early in the morning and went up.” These verbs likely form a verbal hendiadys, the first one with its prepositional phrase serving in an adverbial sense.
[34:5] 255 tn Some commentaries wish to make Moses the subject of the second and the third verbs, the first because he was told to stand there and this verb suggests he did it, and the last because it sounds like he was worshiping Yahweh (cf. NASB). But it is clear from v. 6 that Yahweh was the subject of the last clause of v. 5 – v. 6 tells how he did it. So if Yahweh is the subject of the first and last clauses of v. 5, it seems simpler that he also be the subject of the second. Moses took his stand there, but God stood by him (B. Jacob, Exodus, 981; U. Cassuto, Exodus, 439). There is no reason to make Moses the subject in any of the verbs of v. 5.
[34:6] 256 tn Here is one of the clearest examples of what it means “to call on the name of the Lord,” as that clause has been translated traditionally (וַיִּקְרָא בְשֵׁם יְהוָה, vayyiqra’ vÿshem yÿhvah). It seems more likely that it means “to make proclamation of Yahweh by name.” Yahweh came down and made a proclamation – and the next verses give the content of what he said. This cannot be prayer or praise; it is a proclamation of the nature or attributes of God (which is what his “name” means throughout the Bible). Attempts to make Moses the subject of the verb are awkward, for the verb is repeated in v. 6 with Yahweh clearly doing the proclaiming.
[34:6] 257 sn U. Cassuto (Exodus, 439) suggests that these two names be written as a sentence: “Yahweh, He is Yahweh.” In this manner it reflects “I am that I am.” It is impossible to define his name in any other way than to make this affirmation and then show what it means.
[34:6] 258 tn See Exod 33:19.
[34:6] 259 sn This is literally “long of anger.” His anger prolongs itself, allowing for people to repent before punishment is inflicted.
[34:6] 260 sn These two words (“loyal love” and “truth”) are often found together, occasionally in a hendiadys construction. If that is the interpretation here, then it means “faithful covenant love.” Even if they are left separate, they are dual elements of a single quality. The first word is God’s faithful covenant love; the second word is God’s reliability and faithfulness.
[34:7] 261 tn That is, “for thousands of generations.”
[34:7] 262 sn As in the ten commandments (20:5-6), this expression shows that the iniquity and its punishment will continue in the family if left unchecked. This does not go on as long as the outcomes for good (thousands versus third or fourth generations), and it is limited to those who hate God.
[34:8] 263 tn The first two verbs form a hendiadys: “he hurried…he bowed,” meaning “he quickly bowed down.”
[34:9] 264 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” two times here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[34:9] 265 tn Heb “it is.” Hebrew uses the third person masculine singular pronoun here in agreement with the noun “people.”
[34:10] 266 tn Here again is a use of the futur instans participle; the deictic particle plus the pronoun precedes the participle, showing what is about to happen.
[34:10] 267 tn The verb here is בָּרָא (bara’, “to create”). The choice of this verb is to stress that these wonders would be supernaturally performed, for the verb is used only with God as the subject.
[34:10] 268 sn The idea is that God will be doing awesome things in dealing with them, i.e., to fulfill his program.
[34:11] 269 tn The covenant duties begin with this command to “keep well” what is being commanded. The Hebrew expression is “keep for you”; the preposition and the suffix form the ethical dative, adding strength to the imperative.
[34:11] 270 tn Again, this is the futur instans use of the participle.
[34:12] 271 tn The exact expression is “take heed to yourself lest you make.” It is the second use of this verb in the duties, now in the Niphal stem. To take heed to yourself means to watch yourself, be sure not to do something. Here, if they failed to do this, they would end up making entangling treaties.
[34:12] 272 sn A snare would be a trap, an allurement to ruin. See Exod 23:33.
[34:13] 273 tn Or “images of Asherah”; ASV, NASB “their Asherim”; NCV “their Asherah idols.”
[34:13] sn Asherah was a leading deity of the Canaanite pantheon, wife/sister of El and goddess of fertility. She was commonly worshiped at shrines in or near groves of evergreen trees, or, failing that, at places marked by wooden poles. These were to be burned or cut down (Deut 12:3; 16:21; Judg 6:25, 28, 30; 2 Kgs 18:4).
[34:14] 274 tn Heb “bow down.”
[34:14] 275 sn In Exod 20:3 it was “gods.”
[34:14] 276 sn Here, too, the emphasis on God’s being a jealous God is repeated (see Exod 20:5). The use of “name” here is to stress that this is his nature, his character.
[34:15] 277 tn The sentence begins simply “lest you make a covenant”; it is undoubtedly a continuation of the imperative introduced earlier, and so that is supplied here.
[34:15] 278 tn The verb is a perfect with a vav consecutive. In the literal form of the sentence, this clause tells what might happen if the people made a covenant with the inhabitants of the land: “Take heed…lest you make a covenant…and then they prostitute themselves…and sacrifice…and invite…and you eat.” The sequence lays out an entire scenario.
[34:15] 279 tn The verb זָנָה (zanah) means “to play the prostitute; to commit whoredom; to be a harlot” or something similar. It is used here and elsewhere in the Bible for departing from pure religion and engaging in pagan religion. The use of the word in this figurative sense is fitting, because the relationship between God and his people is pictured as a marriage, and to be unfaithful to it was a sin. This is also why God is described as a “jealous” or “impassioned” God. The figure may not be merely a metaphorical use, but perhaps a metonymy, since there actually was sexual immorality at the Canaanite altars and poles.
[34:15] 280 tn There is no subject for the verb. It could be rendered “and one invites you,” or it could be made a passive.
[34:16] 281 tn In the construction this verb would follow as a possible outcome of the last event, and so remain in the verbal sequence. If the people participate in the festivals of the land, then they will intermarry, and that could lead to further involvement with idolatry.
[34:18] 282 tn This is an adverbial accusative of time.
[34:18] 283 tn The words “do this” have been supplied.
[34:19] 284 tn Heb “everything that opens the womb.”
[34:19] 285 tn Here too: everything that “opens [the womb].”
[34:19] 286 tn The verb basically means “that drops a male.” The verb is feminine, referring to the cattle.
[34:20] 287 tn Heb “and the one that opens [the womb of] the donkey.”
[34:20] 288 sn See G. Brin, “The Firstling of Unclean Animals,” JQR 68 (1971): 1-15.
[34:20] 289 tn The form is the adverb “empty.”
[34:21] 290 tn This is an adverbial accusative of time.
[34:21] 291 tn Or “cease” (i.e., from the labors).
[34:21] 292 sn See M. Dahood, “Vocative lamed in Exodus 2,4 and Merismus in 34,21,” Bib 62 (1981): 413-15.
[34:21] 293 tn The imperfect tense expresses injunction or instruction.
[34:22] 294 tn The imperfect tense means “you will do”; it is followed by the preposition with a suffix to express the ethical dative to stress the subject.
[34:22] 295 tn The expression is “the turn of the year,” which is parallel to “the going out of the year,” and means the end of the agricultural season.
[34:23] 296 tn “Three times” is an adverbial accusative.
[34:23] 297 tn Heb “all your males.”
[34:23] 298 tn Here the divine name reads in Hebrew הָאָדֹן יְהוָה (ha’adon yÿhvah), which if rendered according to the traditional scheme of “
[34:23] sn The title “Lord” is included here before the divine name (translated “
[34:24] 299 tn The verb is a Hiphil imperfect of יָרַשׁ (yarash), which means “to possess.” In the causative stem it can mean “dispossess” or “drive out.”
[34:24] 300 sn The verb “covet” means more than desire; it means that some action will be taken to try to acquire the land that is being coveted. It is one thing to envy someone for their land; it is another to be consumed by the desire that stops at nothing to get it (it, not something like it).
[34:24] 301 tn The construction uses the infinitive construct with a preposition and a suffixed subject to form the temporal clause.
[34:24] 302 tn The expression “three times” is an adverbial accusative of time.
[34:25] 303 sn See M. Haran, “The Passover Sacrifice,” Studies in the Religion of Ancient Israel (VTSup), 86-116.
[34:26] 304 sn See the note on this same command in 23:19.
[34:27] 305 tn Once again the preposition with the suffix follows the imperative, adding some emphasis to the subject of the verb.
[34:28] 306 tn These too are adverbial in relation to the main clause, telling how long Moses was with Yahweh on the mountain.
[34:28] 307 tn Heb “the ten words,” though “commandments” is traditional.
[34:29] 308 sn Now, at the culmination of the renewing of the covenant, comes the account of Moses’ shining face. It is important to read this in its context first, holding off on the connection to Paul’s discussion in 2 Corinthians. There is a delicate balance here in Exodus. On the one hand Moses’ shining face served to authenticate the message, but on the other hand Moses prevented the people from seeing more than they could handle. The subject matter in the OT, then, is how to authenticate the message. The section again can be subdivided into three points that develop the whole idea: I. The one who spends time with God reflects his glory (29-30). It will not always be as Moses; rather, the glory of the
[34:29] 309 tn The temporal clause is composed of the temporal indicator (“and it happened”), followed by the temporal preposition, infinitive construct, and subjective genitive (“Moses”).
[34:29] 310 tn The second clause begins with “and/now”; it is a circumstantial clause explaining that the tablets were in his hand. It repeats the temporal clause at the end.
[34:29] 311 tn Heb “in the hand of Moses.”
[34:29] 312 tn The temporal clause parallels the first temporal clause; it uses the same infinitive construct, but now with a suffix referring to Moses.
[34:29] 313 tn Heb “and Moses.”
[34:29] 314 tn The word קָרַן (qaran) is derived from the noun קֶרֶן (qeren) in the sense of a “ray of light” (see Hab 3:4). Something of the divine glory remained with Moses. The Greek translation of Aquila and the Latin Vulgate convey the idea that he had horns, the primary meaning of the word from which this word is derived. Some have tried to defend this, saying that the glory appeared like horns or that Moses covered his face with a mask adorned with horns. But in the text the subject of the verb is the skin of Moses’ face (see U. Cassuto, Exodus, 449).
[34:30] 315 tn This clause is introduced by the deictic particle הִנֵּה (hinneh); it has the force of pointing to something surprising or sudden.
[34:33] 316 tn Heb “and Moses finished”; the clause is subordinated as a temporal clause to the next clause.
[34:33] 317 tn The Piel infinitive construct is the object of the preposition; the whole phrase serves as the direct object of the verb “finished.”
[34:33] 318 tn Throughout this section the actions of Moses and the people are frequentative. The text tells what happened regularly.
[34:34] 319 tn The construction uses a infinitive construct for the temporal clause; it is prefixed with the temporal preposition: “and in the going in of Moses.”
[34:34] 320 tn The temporal clause begins with the temporal preposition “until,” followed by an infinitive construct with the suffixed subjective genitive.
[34:34] 321 tn The form is the Pual imperfect, but since the context demands a past tense here, in fact a past perfect tense, this is probably an old preterite form without a vav consecutive.
[34:35] 322 tn Now the perfect tense with vav consecutive is subordinated to the next clause, “Moses returned the veil….”
[34:35] 323 tn Verbs of seeing often take two accusatives. Here, the second is the noun clause explaining what it was about the face that they saw.
[34:35] 324 tn Heb “with him”; the referent (the
[35:1] 325 tn Heb “to do them”; this is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
[35:2] 326 tn This is an adverbial accusative of time.
[35:2] 327 tn The word is קֹדֶשׁ (qodesh, “holiness”). S. R. Driver suggests that the word was transposed, and the line should read: “a sabbath of entire rest, holy to Jehovah” (Exodus, 379). But the word may simply be taken as a substitution for “holy day.”
[35:2] 328 sn See on this H. Routtenberg, “The Laws of the Sabbath: Biblical Sources,” Dor le Dor 6 (1977): 41-43, 99-101, 153-55, 204-6; G. Robinson, “The Idea of Rest in the Old Testament and the Search for the Basic Character of Sabbath,” ZAW 92 (1980): 32-43.
[35:3] 329 sn Kindling a fire receives special attention here because the people thought that kindling a fire was not work, but only a preparation for some kind of work. The Law makes sure that this too was not done. But see also G. Robinson, “The Prohibition of Strange Fire in Ancient Israel: A Look at the Case of Gathering Wood and Kindling Fire on the Sabbath,” VT 28 (1978): 301-17.
[35:3] 330 tn Heb “dwelling places”; KJV, ASV “habitations.”
[35:3] 331 sn The presence of these three verses in this place has raised all kinds of questions. It may be that after the renewal of the covenant the people needed a reminder to obey God, and obeying the sign of the covenant was the starting point. But there is more to it than this; it is part of the narrative design of the book. It is the artistic design that puts the filling of the Spirit section (31:1-11) prior to the Sabbath laws (31:12-18) before the idolatry section, and then after the renewal there is the Sabbath reminder (35:1-3) before the filling of the Spirit material (35:4-36:7).
[35:4] 332 sn The book now turns to record how all the work of the sanctuary was done. This next unit picks up on the ideas in Exod 31:1-11. But it adds several features. The first part is the instruction of God for all people to give willingly (35:4-19); the next section tells how the faithful brought an offering for the service of the tabernacle (35:20-29); the next section tells how God set some apart with special gifts (35:30-35), and finally, the narrative reports how the faithful people of God enthusiastically began the work (36:1-7).
[35:5] 333 tn Heb “from with you.”
[35:5] 334 tn “Heart” is a genitive of specification, clarifying in what way they might be “willing.” The heart refers to their will, their choices.
[35:5] 335 tn The verb has a suffix that is the direct object, but the suffixed object is qualified by the second accusative: “let him bring it, an offering.”
[35:5] 336 tn The phrase is literally “the offering of Yahweh”; it could be a simple possessive, “Yahweh’s offering,” but a genitive that indicates the indirect object is more appropriate.
[35:7] 337 tn See the note on this phrase in Exod 25:5.
[35:9] 338 tn Heb “and stones.”
[35:10] 340 tn Heb “wise of heart”; here also “heart” would be a genitive of specification, showing that there were those who could make skillful decisions.
[35:11] 341 tn In Hebrew style all these items are typically connected with a vav (ו) conjunction, but English typically uses commas except between the last two items in a series or between items in a series that are somehow related to one another. The present translation follows contemporary English style in lists such as this.
[35:14] 342 tn “for” has been supplied.
[35:21] 344 tn The verb means “lift up, bear, carry.” Here the subject is “heart” or will, and so the expression describes one moved within to act.
[35:21] 345 tn Heb “his spirit made him willing.” The verb is used in Scripture for the freewill offering that people brought (Lev 7).
[35:21] 346 tn Literally “the garments of holiness,” the genitive is the attributive genitive, marking out what type of garments these were.
[35:22] 347 tn The expression in Hebrew is “men on/after the women,” meaning men with women, to ensure that it was clear that the preceding verse did not mean only men. B. Jacob takes it further, saying that the men came after the women because the latter had taken the initiative (Exodus, 1017).
[35:22] 348 tn Heb “all gold utensils.”
[35:22] 349 tn The verb could be translated “offered,” but it is cognate with the following noun that is the wave offering. This sentence underscores the freewill nature of the offerings people made. The word “came” is supplied from v. 21 and v. 22.
[35:23] 350 tn The text uses a relative clause with a resumptive pronoun for this: “who was found with him,” meaning “with whom was found.”
[35:23] 351 tn The conjunction in this verse is translated “or” because the sentence does not intend to say that each person had all these things. They brought what they had.
[35:23] 352 tn See the note on this phrase in Exod 25:5.
[35:23] 353 tn Here “them” has been supplied.
[35:24] 354 tn This translation takes “offering” as an adverbial accusative explaining the form or purpose of their bringing things. It could also be rendered as the direct object, but that would seem to repeat without much difference what had just been said.
[35:24] 355 sn U. Cassuto notes that the expression “with whom was found” does not rule out the idea that these folks went out and cut down acacia trees (Exodus, 458). It is unlikely that they had much wood in their tents.
[35:24] 356 tn Here “it” has been supplied.
[35:25] 357 tn Heb “wisdom of heart,” which means that they were skilled and could make all the right choices about the work.
[35:26] 358 tn The text simply uses a prepositional phrase, “with/in wisdom.” It seems to be qualifying “the women” as the relative clause is.
[35:27] 359 tn Heb “and stones of the filling.”
[35:29] 360 tn Heb “by the hand of.”
[35:29] 361 tn Here “them” has been supplied.
[35:30] 362 tn Heb “called by name” (so KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV). This expression means that the person was specifically chosen for some important task (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 342). See the expression with Cyrus in Isa 45:3-4.
[35:33] 364 tn Heb “in every work of thought,” meaning, every work that required the implementation of design or plan.
[35:34] 365 sn The expression means that God has given them the ability and the desire to teach others how to do the work. The infinitive construct “to teach” is related to the word Torah, “instruction, guide, law.” They will be able to direct others in the work.
[35:35] 366 tn The expression “wisdom of heart,” or “wisdom in heart,” means artistic skill. The decisions and plans they make are skilled. The expression forms a second accusative after the verb of filling.
[35:35] 367 tn The expression “all the work” means “all kinds of work.”
[35:35] 368 tn Here “They are” has been supplied.
[35:35] 369 tn Heb “doers of all work.”
[35:35] 370 tn Heb “designers of designs.”
[36:1] 371 tn Heb “wise of [in] heart.”
[36:1] 373 tn Heb “understanding, discernment.”
[36:1] 374 tn The relative clause includes this infinitive clause that expresses either the purpose or the result of God’s giving wisdom and understanding to these folk.
[36:1] 375 tn This noun is usually given an interpretive translation. B. Jacob renders the bound relationship as “the holy task” or “the sacred task” (Exodus, 1019). The NIV makes it “constructing,” so read “the work of constructing the sanctuary.”
[36:1] 376 tn The first word of the verse is a perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive; it is singular because it agrees with the first of the compound subject. The sentence is a little cumbersome because of the extended relative clause in the middle.
[36:2] 377 tn The verb קָרָא (qara’) plus the preposition “to” – “to call to” someone means “to summon” that person.
[36:2] 378 tn Here there is a slight change: “in whose heart Yahweh had put skill.”
[36:2] 379 tn Or “whose heart was willing.”
[36:2] 380 sn The verb means more than “approach” or “draw near”; קָרַב (qarav) is the word used for drawing near the altar as in bringing an offering. Here they offer themselves, their talents and their time.
[36:3] 381 tn In the Hebrew text the infinitive “to do it” comes after “sanctuary”; it makes a smoother rendering in English to move it forward, rather than reading “brought for the work.”
[36:3] 382 tn Heb “in the morning, in the morning.”
[36:4] 383 tn Heb “a man, a man from his work”; or “each one from his work.”
[36:5] 384 tn The construction uses the verbal hendiadys: מַרְבִּים לְהָבִיא (marbim lÿhavi’) is the Hiphil participle followed (after the subject) by the Hiphil infinitive construct. It would read, “they multiply…to bring,” meaning, “they bring more” than is needed.
[36:5] 385 tn Heb “for the service” (so KJV, ASV).
[36:5] 386 tn The last clause is merely the infinitive with an object – “to do it.” It clearly means the skilled workers are to do it.
[36:6] 387 tn The verse simply reads, “and Moses commanded and they caused [a voice] to cross over in the camp.” The second preterite with the vav may be subordinated to the first clause, giving the intent (purpose or result).
[36:6] 389 tn The verse ends with the infinitive serving as the object of the preposition: “from bringing.”
[36:7] 390 tn This part of the sentence comes from the final verb, the Hiphil infinitive – leave over, meaning, have more than enough (see BDB 451 s.v. יָתַר).
[36:7] 391 tn Heb “for all the work, to do it.”
[36:7] sn This lengthy section (35:1-36:7) forms one of the most remarkable sections in the book. Here there is a mixture of God’s preparation of people to do the work and their willingness to give and to serve. It not only provides insight into this renewed community of believers, but it also provides a timeless message for the church. The point is clear enough: In response to God’s commission, and inspired by God’s Spirit, the faithful and willing people rally to support and participate in the
