Exodus 34:3

_AND NO MAN SHALL COME UP WITH THEE, NEITHER LET ANY MAN BE SEEN THROUGHOUT ALL THE MOUNT; NEITHER LET THE FLOCKS NOR HERDS FEED BEFORE THAT MOUNT._ No man ... neither ... flocks nor herds. Although no details are given, there is great probability that the arrangements made previous to the first promulgation were renewed, fences being placed around the base of the mount, and guards appointed to prevent unwarrantable intrusion, or even the too close encroachments of presumptuous curiosity. None of those who had accompanied him a considerable way up the mount were allowed to go on this occasion-not even his favourite attendant, Joshua, who had been privileged to make the highest ascent of all. He was left behind, perhaps as Moses' substitute in the government of the people-his tried fidelity and the energy of his military genius recommending him as fitter to overawe and restrain the turbu...

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 answer to which must remain with God Himself. The miracle indeed would have been illustrious if the writing had appeared in a moment on the empty tables; but God would leave some room for faith, when He employed the intermediate agency of man. But still He amply provided what was sufficient to establish the dignity of the Law, when Moses brought the Ten Commandments written upon two tables which the people had lately seen taken up void and empty, whereas He could not have found in the mount a chisel or graving-tool. For (376) God so administers the dispensation of His heavenly doctrine as to...

1-4 When God made man in his own image, the moral law was written in his heart, by the finger of God, without outward means. But since the covenant then made with man was broken, the Lord has used the ministry of men, both in writing the law in the Scriptures, and in writing it in the heart. When God was reconciled to the Israelites, he ordered the tables to be renewed, and wrote his law in them. Even under the gospel of peace by Christ, the moral law continues to bind believers. Though Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, yet not from the commands of it. The first and the best evidence of the pardon of sin, and peace with God, is the writing the law in the heart....

THE RESTORATION OF THE TWO TABLES, AND RENEWAL OF THE COVENANT. EXPOSITION THE TWO TABLES RENEWED. The fervent and prolonged intercession of Moses had brought about the pardon of the people; and that, together with their repentance and their prayers (Exodus 33:7), had been accepted as a renewal of the covenant on their part; but it remained for God to renew the covenant on his part The first step to this was the restoration of the tables, which were essential to the covenant, as being at once the basis of the law and of the ordained worship. To mark, however, that something is always forfeited by sin, even when forgiven, th

AND NO MAN SHALL COME UP WITH THEE,.... Before, Aaron and his two sons, and the seventy elders of Israel, went up with Moses, though they did not go so near the Lord as he did; but now having sinned in the matter of the golden calf, though a reconciliation was made, they were not allowed to go with him, nor even Joshua his servant, though he had no concern in the sin; Moses must be alone, that the ministration of the law might be by him only, and in order to receive a peculiar favour in answer to his request: NEITHER LET ANY MAN BE SEEN THROUGHOUT ALL THE MOUNT; in any part of it, as Joshua was before in some part of it, even all the while that Moses was there; but now not a single person must be seen anywhere, not only because of the giving of the law to Moses, but because of the display of the divine glory, which was to be made particularly to him: NEITHER LET THE FLOCKS NOR HERDS FE...

CHAPTER 34 THE RESULT: THE SECOND COVENANT AND THE GLORY _ 1. The command to hew two tables of stone (Exodus 34:1)_ 2. The proclamation of Jehovah (Exodus 34:5) 3. Moses' worship and prayer (Exodus 34:8) 4. The covenant restated (Exodus 34:10) 5. The second tables written (Exodus 34:27) 6. The glory upon the face of Moses (Exodus 34:29) The command is given to Moses to hew two tables of stone like the first, which Jeho

EXODUS 34:1 J. THE COVENANT WORDS. After removing Exodus 34:5, the sublime account of the revelation of Yahweh's nature as mercy and truth in their unity, which follows on Exodus 33:23, the remainder is the sequel of J's account of the descent upon Sinai in Exodus 19, and the clauses (Exodus 34:1; Exodus 34:3) referring to the first (tables) are glosses of the editor who displaced this section (_cf._ p. 183). And it may be that originally, as in Deuteronomy 10:1

MAN. Heb, _'ish._ See App-14....

Moses is commanded to hew two tables of stone, similar to those which he had broken (Exodus 32:19), and bring them up Sinai to Jehovah. The former tables are said (Exodus 32:16) to have been themselves God's handiwork: in the new tables only the writing is to be His....

HEW THEE TWO TABLES OF STONE, &C.— See Exodus 34:28. God being reconciled through Moses's intercession, the covenant is renewed. REFLECTIONS.—1. Moses is commanded to hew new tables for God to write upon, instead of those which were broken. _Note;_ (1.) Wherever God through Christ is reconciled to a soul, there he will anew engrave on the heart the law which sin had utterly defaced. We shall be under a dangerous delusion, if we promise ourselves peace with God, and live in the allowed transgression of his commandments. (2.) Whatever pains ministers may take to hew the table of the heart, it is God alone that can write his law there. 2. He goes up without delay into the mount of God, while the people with fear and trembling stand at a distance, and are left to lament for a season their late rebellion against God. _Note;_ (1.) We can never be in too great hast