Bible Verse Lookup
Exodus 34:4b-6,8-9
Chapter 34
4
So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first, and, with the two tablets of stone in his hands, he went up Mount Sinai in the early morning, as the Lord had commanded.
5
And the Lord came down in a cloud and stood there with him, and Moses called on the name of the Lord.
6
Then the Lord passed in front of him and cried out, “The Lord, the Lord is a God full of pity and mercy, slow to anger and abounding in truth and loving kindness.
8
Moses hastened to bow down to the ground and worshiped.
9
He then said:
“If you really look kindly on me, my Lord, please come and walk in our midst, and even though we are a stiff-necked people, pardon our wickedness and our sin and make us yours.”
Commentaries
New Covenant – Passage of Glory.
Suppose we keep in mind that the book of Exodus contains, in many passages, interruptions, additions, even clarifications, and perhaps corrections. In that case, it will not be difficult for us to understand that here the Yahwist account (J) of Moses’ ascent to Mount Sinai, begun in 19:20, is practically taken up again. The continuation of this narrative is interrupted by multiple stories, among them that of the golden calf, a symbol of infidelity to the Covenant. The numerous infidelities to this Covenant, along with their harmful consequences for the people—punishment—and their repentance, form the framework of this rereading carried out by the same Yahwist theological-literary school (J), shaping a text of “renewal of the Covenant.”
The restoration is not only spiritual, as people are forgiven and can continue to rely on God’s favor; it is also material, as the tablets of the Law are reconstructed and a new “decalogue” is proclaimed as a way for the people themselves to commit effectively to their restoration. The self-presentation of God as a compassionate, merciful, patient, and faithful Lord (6), who forgives infidelities but also punishes them (7), is highlighted. Only a God with these qualities can support a covenant with a people. No other god has these attributes; therefore, the warning not to form alliances with other nations or their gods, or to imitate their practices, is a deadly trap for Israel (12f).