1._And the Lord said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone _Although the renewal of the broken covenant was ratified by this pledge or visible symbol, still, lest His readiness to pardon should produce indifference, God would have some trace of their punishment remain, like a scar that continues... [ Continue Reading ]
3._And no man shall come up with thee _Again men as well as beasts are prohibited from access to the mount, as had been the case at the first promulgation of the Law, in order that the people might obediently receive the Law as if come down from heaven. Why God admitted no witness, is a question the... [ Continue Reading ]
5._And the Lord descended in the cloud _It is by no means to be doubted but that the cloud received Moses into it in the sight of the people, so that, after having been separated from the common life of men for forty days, he should again come forth like a new man. Thus did this visible demonstratio... [ Continue Reading ]
8._And Moses made haste, and bowed his head _This haste shews that Moses was astounded when he first beheld the brightness; for thus does God, when He reveals Himself, immediately ravish the godly into such admiration of Him, that there is no time for delay. (384) This prayer follows, that God would... [ Continue Reading ]
10._And he said, Behold, I make a covenant _It is not specified with whom God would make the covenant. Some interpreters, (386) therefore, supply the name of Moses, and this they seem to do on probable grounds, especially since it is added at the end of the verse “the work (387) that I will do with... [ Continue Reading ]
Exodus 34:11._Observe that which I command thee. _Although these supplements belong alike to the First and Second Commandment, still it was fit to postpone them to this place; because in them God applied a remedy to all external and manifest superstitions, which might easily have insinuated themselv... [ Continue Reading ]
Exodus 34:17._Thou shalt make thee no molten gods. _When he calls graven things, statues, and pictures, by the name of gods, he shews the object and sum of the Second Commandment, viz., that God is insulted when He is clothed in a corporeal image. Moreover, the name of God is transferred to idols, a... [ Continue Reading ]
19._All that openeth the matrix is mine. _He here defines what the offering was to be, viz., that they should redeem their children as well as the unclean animals at a price; but that they should bring into the tabernacle whatsoever could be offered in sacrifice. But God would not have their own son... [ Continue Reading ]
28._And he was there with the Lord forty days _The number of forty days is repeated, in order that the second Tables might have no less credit than the first; for we have stated that Moses was withdrawn from the common life of men, that he might bring the Law, as it were, from heaven. If he had only... [ Continue Reading ]
29._And it came to pass when Moses came down _Another remarkable honor given to the Law is here narrated, viz., that the brightness of the heavenly glory appeared in the face of Moses; for it is said that his face gave forth rays, or was irradiated. The word is derived from קרן _keren, _a _horn; _an... [ Continue Reading ]