Exodus 34:35 - The children of Israel saw Moses’ face, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Generated Verse: Exodus 34:35

What does "Exodus 34:35" mean?


Exodus 34:35 describes a key moment after Moses' second encounter with God on Mount Sinai. Here's a breakdown of its meaning:

"The children of Israel saw Moses’ face, that the skin of Moses’ face shone:" After Moses received the second set of tablets containing the Ten Commandments, his face emanated a radiant glow. This glow, often interpreted as a reflection of God's glory or presence, was visible to the Israelites. It was so intense that they were likely awestruck or even frightened. The Hebrew word used here for "shone" is often translated as "radiated" or "emitted beams of light."

"and Moses put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him:" Because the radiance was overwhelming or perhaps because Moses felt it was too much for the Israelites to bear, he covered his face with a veil. He would only remove the veil when he went back into the presence of God to speak with Him. This suggests several things:

Humility: Moses didn't want to draw attention to himself or be seen as someone special. The veil was a way of downplaying his own role and emphasizing the source of the glory – God.
Protection: The veil may have been a way of protecting the Israelites from being overwhelmed by the intensity of the divine glory.
Reverence: The veil served as a reminder of the sacredness of God's presence and the separation between the divine and human realms.
Ritual: This action established a pattern or ritual. Moses would reveal the glory when delivering God's message, then conceal it until the next encounter, reinforcing the source of the message.

In summary, the verse portrays Moses as a mediator between God and the Israelites, carrying a visible manifestation of God's glory. However, it also highlights his humility and the need to protect the people from the full intensity of the divine presence by using a veil. The veil becomes a symbol of both the closeness and the distance between God and humanity.

This passage is often interpreted theologically, with the veil representing the limitations of human understanding and the need for Christ (in Christian theology) to remove the veil that separates humanity from God. In this context, it's important to remember that interpretations can vary across different religious traditions and theological viewpoints.

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