Keluaran 2:6

2:6 opened it, ¹  and saw the child ²  – a boy, ³  crying! ⁴  – and she felt compassion ⁵  for him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”

Keluaran 4:25

4:25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off the foreskin of her son and touched it to Moses’ feet, ⁶  and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood ⁷  to me.”

Keluaran 6:13

6:13 The Lord spoke ⁸  to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge ⁹  for the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.

Keluaran 7:22

7:22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same ¹⁰  by their secret arts, and so ¹¹  Pharaoh’s heart remained hard, ¹²  and he refused to listen to Moses and Aaron ¹³  – just as the Lord had predicted.

Keluaran 8:17

8:17 They did so; Aaron extended his hand with his staff, he struck the dust of the ground, and it became gnats on people ¹⁴  and on animals. All the dust of the ground became gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.

Keluaran 8:28

8:28 Pharaoh said, “I will release you ¹⁵  so that you may sacrifice ¹⁶  to the Lord your God in the desert. Only you must not go very far. ¹⁷  Do ¹⁸  pray for me.”

Keluaran 9:9

9:9 It will become fine dust over the whole land of Egypt and will cause boils to break out and fester ¹⁹  on both people and animals in all the land of Egypt.”

Keluaran 9:28

9:28 Pray to the Lord, for the mighty ²⁰  thunderings and hail are too much! ²¹  I will release you and you will stay no longer.” ²² 

Keluaran 10:23

10:23 No one ²³  could see ²⁴  another person, and no one could rise from his place for three days. But the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.

Keluaran 11:7

11:7 But against any of the Israelites not even a dog will bark ²⁵  against either people or animals, ²⁶  so that you may know that the Lord distinguishes ²⁷  between Egypt and Israel.’

Keluaran 12:46

12:46 It must be eaten in one house; you must not bring any of the meat outside the house, and you must not break a bone of it.

Keluaran 13:6

13:6 For seven days ²⁸  you must eat ²⁹  bread made without yeast, and on the seventh day there is to be ³⁰  a festival to the Lord.

Keluaran 15:22

The Bitter Water

15:22 ³¹ Then Moses led Israel to journey ³²  away from the Red Sea. They went out to the Desert of Shur, walked for three days ³³  into the desert, and found no water.

Keluaran 16:13

16:13 In the evening the quail ³⁴  came up and covered the camp, and in the morning a layer of dew was all around the camp.

Keluaran 16:29

16:29 See, because the Lord has given you the Sabbath, that is why ³⁵  he is giving you food for two days on the sixth day. Each of you stay where you are; ³⁶  let no one ³⁷  go out of his place on the seventh day.”

Keluaran 20:20

20:20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, ³⁸  that the fear of him ³⁹  may be before you so that you do not ⁴⁰  sin.”

Keluaran 22:2

22:2 “If a thief is caught ⁴¹  breaking in ⁴²  and is struck so that he dies, there will be no blood guilt for him. ⁴³ 

Keluaran 22:8

22:8 If the thief is not caught, ⁴⁴  then the owner of the house will be brought before the judges ⁴⁵  to see ⁴⁶  whether he has laid ⁴⁷  his hand on his neighbor’s goods.

Keluaran 23:2

23:2 “You must not follow a crowd ⁴⁸  in doing evil things; ⁴⁹  in a lawsuit you must not offer testimony that agrees with a crowd so as to pervert justice, ⁵⁰ 

Keluaran 23:5

23:5 If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen under its load, you must not ignore him, ⁵¹  but be sure to help ⁵²  him with it. ⁵³ 

Keluaran 25:20

25:20 The cherubim are to be spreading their wings upward, overshadowing ⁵⁴  the atonement lid with their wings, and the cherubim are to face each other, ⁵⁵  looking ⁵⁶  toward the atonement lid.

Keluaran 26:7

26:7 “You are to make curtains of goats’ hair ⁵⁷  for a tent over the tabernacle; ⁵⁸  you are to make ⁵⁹  eleven curtains.

Keluaran 27:11

27:11 Likewise ⁶⁰  for its length on the north side, there are to be ⁶¹  hangings for one hundred fifty feet, with twenty posts and their twenty bronze bases, with silver hooks and bands ⁶²  on the posts.

Keluaran 28:33

28:33 You are to make pomegranates ⁶³  of blue, purple, and scarlet all around its hem ⁶⁴  and bells of gold between them all around.

Keluaran 28:37

28:37 You are to attach to it a blue cord so that it will be ⁶⁵  on the turban; it is to be ⁶⁶  on the front of the turban,

Keluaran 29:3

29:3 You are to put them in one basket and present ⁶⁷  them in the basket, along with ⁶⁸  the bull and the two rams.

Keluaran 30:13

30:13 Everyone who crosses over to those who are numbered ⁶⁹  is to pay this: a half shekel ⁷⁰  according to the shekel of the sanctuary ⁷¹  (a shekel weighs twenty gerahs). The half shekel is to be an offering ⁷²  to the Lord.

Keluaran 31:13

31:13 “Tell the Israelites, ‘Surely you must keep my Sabbaths, ⁷³  for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. ⁷⁴ 

Keluaran 32:25

32:25 Moses saw that the people were running wild, ⁷⁵  for Aaron had let them get completely out of control, causing derision from their enemies. ⁷⁶ 

Keluaran 34:4

34:4 So Moses ⁷⁷  cut out two tablets of stone like the first; ⁷⁸  early in the morning he went up ⁷⁹  to Mount Sinai, just as the Lord had commanded him, and he took in his hand the two tablets of stone.

Keluaran 34:29

The Radiant Face of Moses

34:29 ⁸⁰ Now when Moses came down ⁸¹  from Mount Sinai with ⁸²  the two tablets of the testimony in his hand ⁸³  – when he came down ⁸⁴  from the mountain, Moses ⁸⁵  did not know that the skin of his face shone ⁸⁶  while he talked with him.

[2:6]  ¹ tn Heb “and she opened.”

[2:6]  ² tn The grammatical construction has a pronominal suffix on the verb as the direct object along with the expressed object: “and she saw him, the child.” The second object defines the previous pronominal object to avoid misunderstanding (see GKC 425 §131.m).

[2:6]  ³ tn The text has נַעַר (na’ar, “lad, boy, young man”), which in this context would mean a baby boy.

[2:6]  ⁴ tn This clause is introduced with a disjunctive vav and the deictic particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “behold” in the KJV). The particle in this kind of clause introduces the unexpected – what Pharaoh’s daughter saw when she opened the basket: “and look, there was a baby boy crying.” The clause provides a parenthetical description of the child as she saw him when she opened the basket and does not advance the narrative. It is an important addition, however, for it puts readers in the position of looking with her into the basket and explains her compassion.

[2:6]  ⁵ tn The verb could be given a more colloquial translation such as “she felt sorry for him.” But the verb is stronger than that; it means “to have compassion, to pity, to spare.” What she felt for the baby was strong enough to prompt her to spare the child from the fate decreed for Hebrew boys. Here is part of the irony of the passage: What was perceived by many to be a womanly weakness – compassion for a baby – is a strong enough emotion to prompt the woman to defy the orders of Pharaoh. The ruler had thought sparing women was safe, but the midwives, the Hebrew mother, the daughter of Pharaoh, and Miriam, all work together to spare one child – Moses (cf. 1 Cor 1:27-29).

[4:25]  ⁶ tn Heb “to his feet.” The referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The LXX has “and she fell at his feet” and then “the blood of the circumcision of my son stood.” But it is clear that she caused the foreskin to touch Moses’ feet, as if the one were a substitution for the other, taking the place of the other (see U. Cassuto, Exodus, 60).

[4:25]  ⁷ sn U. Cassuto explains that she was saying, “I have delivered you from death, and your return to life makes you my bridegroom a second time, this time my blood bridegroom, a bridegroom acquired through blood” (Exodus, 60-61).

[6:13]  ⁸ tn Heb “And Yahweh spoke.”

[6:13]  ⁹ tn The term וַיְצַוֵּם (vayÿtsavvem) is a Piel preterite with a pronominal suffix on it. The verb צָוָה (tsavah) means “to command” but can also have a much wider range of meanings. In this short summary statement, the idea of giving Moses and Aaron a commission to Israel and to Pharaoh indicates that come what may they have their duty to perform.

[7:22]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “thus, so.”

[7:22]  ¹¹ tn The vav consecutive on the preterite introduces the outcome or result of the matter – Pharaoh was hardened.

[7:22]  ¹² tn Heb “and the heart of Pharaoh became hard.” This phrase translates the Hebrew word חָזַק (khazaq; see S. R. Driver, Exodus, 53). In context this represents the continuation of a prior condition.

[7:22]  ¹³ tn Heb “to them”; the referents (Moses and Aaron) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:17]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “man,” but in the generic sense of “humans” or “people” (also in v. 18).

[8:28]  ¹⁵ sn By changing from “the people” to “you” (plural) the speech of Pharaoh was becoming more personal.

[8:28]  ¹⁶ tn This form, a perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive, is equivalent to the imperfect tense that precedes it. However, it must be subordinate to the preceding verb to express the purpose. He is not saying “I will release…and you will sacrifice,” but rather “I will release…that you may sacrifice” or even “to sacrifice.”

[8:28]  ¹⁷ tn The construction is very emphatic. First, it uses a verbal hendiadys with a Hiphil imperfect and the Qal infinitive construct: לֹא־תַרְחִיקוּ לָלֶכֶת (lo’ tarkhiqu lalekhet, “you will not make far to go”), meaning “you will not go far.” But this prohibition is then emphasized with the additional infinitive absolute הַרְחֵק (harkheq) – “you will in no wise go too far.” The point is very strong to safeguard the concession.

[8:28]  ¹⁸ tn “Do” has been supplied here to convey that this somewhat unexpected command is tacked onto Pharaoh’s instructions as his ultimate concern, which Moses seems to understand as such, since he speaks about it immediately (v. 29).

[9:9]  ¹⁹ tn The word שְׁחִין (shÿkhin) means “boils.” It may be connected to an Arabic cognate that means “to be hot.” The illness is associated with Job (Job 2:7-8) and Hezekiah (Isa 38:21); it has also been connected with other skin diseases described especially in the Law. The word connected with it is אֲבַעְבֻּעֹת (’ava’bu’ot); this means “blisters, pustules” and is sometimes translated as “festering.” The etymology is debated, whether from a word meaning “to swell up” or “to overflow” (W. C. Kaiser, Jr., “Exodus,” EBC 2:359).

[9:28]  ²⁰ sn The text has Heb “the voices of God.” The divine epithet can be used to express the superlative (cf. Jonah 3:3).

[9:28]  ²¹ tn The expression וְרַב מִהְיֹת (vÿrav mihyot, “[the mighty thunder and hail] is much from being”) means essentially “more than enough.” This indicates that the storm was too much, or, as one might say, “It is enough.”

[9:28]  ²² tn The last clause uses a verbal hendiadys: “you will not add to stand,” meaning “you will no longer stay.”

[10:23]  ²³ tn Heb “a man…his brother.”

[10:23]  ²⁴ tn The perfect tense in this context requires the somewhat rare classification of a potential perfect.

[11:7]  ²⁵ tn Or perhaps “growl”; Heb “not a dog will sharpen his tongue.” The expression is unusual, but it must indicate that not only would no harm come to the Israelites, but that no unfriendly threat would come against them either – not even so much as a dog barking. It is possible this is to be related to the watchdog (see F. C. Fensham, “Remarks on Keret 114^b – 136^a,” JNSL 11 [1983]: 75).

[11:7]  ²⁶ tn Heb “against man or beast.”

[11:7]  ²⁷ tn The verb פָּלָה (palah) in Hiphil means “to set apart, make separate, make distinct.” See also Exod 8:22 (18 HT); 9:4; 33:16.

[13:6]  ²⁸ tn Heb “Seven days.”

[13:6]  ²⁹ tn The imperfect tense functions with the nuance of instruction or injunction. It could also be given an obligatory nuance: “you must eat” or “you are to eat.” Some versions have simply made it an imperative.

[13:6]  ³⁰ tn The phrase “there is to be” has been supplied.

[15:22]  ³¹ sn The first event of the Israelites’ desert experience is a failure, for they murmur against Yahweh and are given a stern warning – and the provision of sweet water. The event teaches that God is able to turn bitter water into sweet water for his people, and he promises to do such things if they obey. He can provide for them in the desert – he did not bring them into the desert to let them die. But there is a deeper level to this story – the healing of the water is incidental to the healing of the people, their lack of trust. The passage is arranged in a neat chiasm, starting with a journey (A), ending with the culmination of the journey (A'); developing to bitter water (B), resolving to sweet water (B'); complaints by the people (C), leading to to the instructions for the people (C'); and the central turning point is the wonder miracle (D).

[15:22]  ³² tn The verb form is unusual; the normal expression is with the Qal, which expresses that they journeyed. But here the Hiphil is used to underscore that Moses caused them to journey – and he is following God. So the point is that God was leading Israel to the bitter water.

[15:22]  ³³ sn The mention that they travelled for three days into the desert is deliberately intended to recall Moses’ demand that they go three days into the wilderness to worship. Here, three days in, they find bitter water and complain – not worship.

[16:13]  ³⁴ sn These are migratory birds, said to come up in the spring from Arabia flying north and west, and in the fall returning. They fly with the wind, and so generally alight in the evening, covering the ground. If this is part of the explanation, the divine provision would have had to alter their flight paths to bring them to the Israelites, and bring them in vast numbers.

[16:29]  ³⁵ sn Noting the rabbinic teaching that the giving of the Sabbath was a sign of God’s love – it was accomplished through the double portion on the sixth day – B. Jacob says, “God made no request unless He provided the means for its execution” (Exodus, 461).

[16:29]  ³⁶ tn Heb “remain, a man where he is.”

[16:29]  ³⁷ tn Or “Let not anyone go” (see GKC 445 §138.d).

[20:20]  ³⁸ tn נַסּוֹת (nassot) is the Piel infinitive construct; it forms the purpose of God’s coming with all the accompanying phenomena. The verb can mean “to try, test, prove.” The sense of “prove” fits this context best because the terrifying phenomena were intended to put the fear of God in their hearts so that they would obey. In other words, God was inspiring them to obey, not simply testing to see if they would.

[20:20]  ³⁹ tn The suffix on the noun is an objective genitive, referring to the fear that the people would have of God (GKC 439 §135.m).

[20:20]  ⁴⁰ tn The negative form לְבִלְתִּי (lÿvilti) is used here with the imperfect tense (see for other examples GKC 483 §152.x). This gives the imperfect the nuance of a final imperfect: that you might not sin. Others: to keep you from sin.

[22:2]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “found” (so KJV, ASV, NRSV).

[22:2]  ⁴² tn The word בַּמַּחְתֶּרֶת (bammakhteret) means “digging through” the walls of a house (usually made of mud bricks). The verb is used only a few times and has the meaning of dig in (as into houses) or row hard (as in Jonah 1:13).

[22:2]  ⁴³ tn The text has “there is not to him bloods.” When the word “blood” is put in the plural, it refers to bloodshed, or the price of blood that is shed, i.e., blood guiltiness.

[22:2]  sn This law focuses on what is reasonable defense against burglary. If someone killed a thief who was breaking in during the night, he was not charged because he would not have known it was just a thief, but if it happened during the day, he was guilty of a crime, on the assumption that in daylight the thief posed no threat to the homeowner’s life and could be stopped and made to pay restitution.

[22:8]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “found.”

[22:8]  ⁴⁵ tn Here again the word used is “the gods,” meaning the judges who made the assessments and decisions. In addition to other works, see J. R. Vannoy, “The Use of the Word ha’elohim in Exodus 21:6 and 22:7,8,” The Law and the Prophets, 225-41.

[22:8]  ⁴⁶ tn The phrase “to see” has been supplied.

[22:8]  ⁴⁷ tn The line says “if he has not stretched out his hand.” This could be the oath formula, but the construction here would be unusual, or it could be taken as “whether” (see W. C. Kaiser, Jr., “Exodus,” EBC 2:438). U. Cassuto (Exodus, 286) does not think the wording can possibly fit an oath; nevertheless, an oath would be involved before God (as he takes it instead of “judges”) – if the man swore, his word would be accepted, but if he would not swear, he would be guilty.

[23:2]  ⁴⁸ tn The word רָבִּים (rabbim), here rendered “crowd,” is also used infrequently to refer to the “mighty,” people of importance in society (Job 35:9; cf. Lev 19:15).

[23:2]  ⁴⁹ tn For any individual to join a group that is bent on acting wickedly would be a violation of the Law and would incur personal responsibility.

[23:2]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “you will not answer in a lawsuit to turn after the crowd to turn.” The form translated “agrees with” (Heb “to turn after”) is a Qal infinitive construct from נָטָה (natah); the same root is used at the end of the verse but as a Hiphil infinitive construct, “to pervert [justice].”

[23:5]  ⁵¹ tn The line reads “you will cease to forsake him” – refrain from leaving your enemy without help.

[23:5]  ⁵² tn The law is emphatic here as well, using the infinitive absolute and the imperfect of instruction (or possibly obligation). There is also a wordplay here: two words עָזַב (’azav) are used, one meaning “forsake” and the other possibly meaning “arrange” based on Arabic and Ugaritic evidence (see U. Cassuto, Exodus, 297-98).

[23:5]  ⁵³ sn See H. B. Huffmon, “Exodus 23:4-5: A Comparative Study,” A Light Unto My Path, 271-78.

[25:20]  ⁵⁴ tn The verb means “overshadowing, screening” in the sense of guarding (see 1 Kgs 8:7; 1 Chr 28:18; see also the account in Gen 3:24). The cherubim then signify two things here: by their outstretched wings they form the throne of God who sits above the ark (with the Law under his feet), and by their overshadowing and guarding they signify this as the place of atonement where people must find propitiation to commune with God. Until then they are barred from his presence. See U. Cassuto, Exodus, 330-35.

[25:20]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “their faces a man to his brother.”

[25:20]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “the faces of the cherubim will be” (“the cherubim” was moved to the preceding clause for smoother English).

[26:7]  ⁵⁷ sn This chapter will show that there were two sets of curtains and two sets of coverings that went over the wood building to make the tabernacle or dwelling place. The curtains of fine linen described above could be seen only by the priests from inside. Above that was the curtain of goats’ hair. Then over that were the coverings, an inner covering of rams’ skins dyed red and an outer covering of hides of fine leather. The movement is from the inside to the outside because it is God’s dwelling place; the approach of the worshiper would be the opposite. The pure linen represented the righteousness of God, guarded by the embroidered cherubim; the curtain of goats’ hair was a reminder of sin through the daily sin offering of a goat; the covering of rams’ skins dyed red was a reminder of the sacrifice and the priestly ministry set apart by blood, and the outer covering marked the separation between God and the world. These are the interpretations set forth by Kaiser; others vary, but not greatly (see W. C. Kaiser, Jr., “Exodus,” EBC 2:459).

[26:7]  ⁵⁸ sn This curtain will serve “for a tent over the tabernacle,” as a dwelling place.

[26:7]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “you will make them”

[27:11]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “and thus.”

[27:11]  ⁶¹ tn Here the phrase “there will be” has been supplied.

[27:11]  ⁶² sn These bands have been thought by some to refer to connecting rods joining the tops of the posts. But it is more likely that they are bands or bind rings surrounding the posts at the base of the capitals (see 38:17).

[28:33]  ⁶³ sn This must mean round balls of yarn that looked like pomegranates. The fruit was very common in the land, but there is no indication of the reason for its choice here. Pomegranates are found in decorative schemes in Ugarit, probably as signs of fertility. It may be that here they represent the blessing of God on Israel in the land. The bells that are between them possibly have the intent of drawing God’s attention as the priest moves and the bells jingle (anthropomorphic, to be sure), or that the people would know that the priest was still alive and moving inside. Some have suggested that the pomegranate may have recalled the forbidden fruit eaten in the garden (the gems already have referred to the garden), the reason for the priest entering for atonement, and the bells would divert the eye (of God) to remind him of the need. This is possible but far from supportable, since nothing is said of the reason, nor is the fruit in the garden identified.

[28:33]  ⁶⁴ tn The text repeats the idea: “you will make for its hem…all around its hem.”

[28:37]  ⁶⁵ tn The verb is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive; it follows the same at the beginning of the verse. Since the first verb is equal to the imperfect of instruction, this could be as well, but it is more likely to be subordinated to express the purpose of the former.

[28:37]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “it will be,” an instruction imperfect.

[29:3]  ⁶⁷ tn The verb קָרַב (qarav) in the Hiphil means to “bring near” to the altar, or, to offer something to God. These gifts will, therefore, be offered to him for the service of this ritual.

[29:3]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “and with.”

[30:13]  ⁶⁹ sn Each man was to pass in front of the counting officer and join those already counted on the other side.

[30:13]  ⁷⁰ sn The half shekel weight of silver would be about one-fifth of an ounce (6 grams).

[30:13]  ⁷¹ 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]  ⁷² tn Or “contribution” (תְּרוּמָה, tÿrumah).

[31:13]  ⁷³ 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]  ⁷⁴ tn Or “your sanctifier.”

[32:25]  ⁷⁵ 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]  ⁷⁶ 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).

[34:4]  ⁷⁷ 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]  ⁷⁸ 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]  ⁷⁹ 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.

[34:29]  ⁸⁰ 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 Lord is reflected differently today, but nonetheless reflected. II. The glory of Yahweh authenticates the message (31-32). III. The authentication of the message must be used cautiously with the weak and immature (33-35).

[34:29]  ⁸¹ 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]  ⁸² 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]  ⁸³ tn Heb “in the hand of Moses.”

[34:29]  ⁸⁴ 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]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “and Moses.”

[34:29]  ⁸⁶ 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).