Exodus 34:30
New International Version
When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.

New Living Translation
So when Aaron and the people of Israel saw the radiance of Moses’ face, they were afraid to come near him.

English Standard Version
Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.

Berean Standard Bible
Aaron and all the Israelites looked at Moses, and behold, his face was radiant. And they were afraid to approach him.

King James Bible
And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.

New King James Version
So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.

New American Standard Bible
So when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to approach him.

NASB 1995
So when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.

NASB 1977
So when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.

Amplified Bible
When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to approach him.

Christian Standard Bible
When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone! They were afraid to come near him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone! They were afraid to come near him.

American Standard Version
And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.

Contemporary English Version
When Aaron and the others looked at Moses, they saw this, and they were afraid to go near him.

English Revised Version
And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When Aaron and all the Israelites looked at Moses and saw his face shining, they were afraid to come near him.

Good News Translation
Aaron and all the people looked at Moses and saw that his face was shining, and they were afraid to go near him.

International Standard Version
Aaron and all the Israelis saw Moses and immediately noticed that the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him.

Majority Standard Bible
Aaron and all the Israelites looked at Moses, and behold, his face was radiant. And they were afraid to approach him.

NET Bible
When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to approach him.

New Heart English Bible
When Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, look, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come near him.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come nigh him.

World English Bible
When Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come near him.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and Aaron sees—all the sons of Israel also—Moses, and behold, the skin of his face has shone, and they are afraid of coming near to him.

Young's Literal Translation
and Aaron seeth -- all the sons of Israel also -- Moses, and lo, the skin of his face hath shone, and they are afraid of coming nigh unto him.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Aaron and all the sons of Israel will see Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone; and they will fear coming near to him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Aaron and the children of Israel seeing the face of Moses horned, were afraid to come near.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then Aaron and the sons of Israel, seeing that the face of Moses was radiant, were afraid to approach close by.

New American Bible
When Aaron, then, and the other Israelites saw Moses and noticed how radiant the skin of his face had become, they were afraid to come near him.

New Revised Standard Version
When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses' face, behold, the skin of Moses' face shone; and they were afraid to come near to him.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And when Moshe went down from the mountain of Sinai, two tablets of the Testimony were in the hand of Moshe when he went down from the mountain and Moshe did not know that the skin of his face shone as God spoke with him.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face sent forth beams; and they were afraid to come nigh him.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Aaron and all the elders of Israel saw Moses, and the appearance of the skin of his face was made glorious, and they feared to approach him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The LORD Renews the Covenant
29And when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was unaware that his face had become radiant from speaking with the LORD. 30Aaron and all the Israelites looked at Moses, and behold, his face was radiant. And they were afraid to approach him. 31But Moses called out to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke to them.…

Cross References
2 Corinthians 3:7-18
Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory, / will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? / For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness! ...

Matthew 17:2
There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

Acts 6:15
All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Revelation 1:16
He held in His right hand seven stars, and a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.

Luke 9:29
And as He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became radiantly white.

1 John 3:2
Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.

1 Corinthians 13:12
Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 17:24
Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, that they may see the glory You gave Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

Psalm 34:5
Those who look to Him are radiant with joy; their faces shall never be ashamed.

Isaiah 60:1-5
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. / For behold, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you, and His glory will appear over you. / Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. ...

Daniel 12:3
Then the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.

Exodus 33:11
Thus the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua son of Nun would not leave the tent.

Numbers 12:8
I speak with him face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you unafraid to speak against My servant Moses?”


Treasury of Scripture

And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come near him.

afraid

Numbers 12:8
With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

Mark 9:3,15
And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them…

Luke 5:8
When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

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Aaron Afraid Beams Children Face Fear Forth Israel Israelites Moses Nigh Radiant Shining Shone Skin
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Aaron Afraid Beams Children Face Fear Forth Israel Israelites Moses Nigh Radiant Shining Shone Skin
Exodus 34
1. The tablets are replaced
5. The name of the Lord proclaimed
8. Moses entreats God to go with them
10. God makes a covenant with them, repeating certain duties
28. Moses after forty days on the mount, comes down with the tablets
29. His face is radiant, and he covers it with a veil














Aaron and all the Israelites looked at Moses
This phrase highlights the communal aspect of the Israelite experience in the wilderness. Aaron, as the high priest and Moses' brother, represents the leadership of Israel, while "all the Israelites" indicates the entire community. This collective observation underscores the importance of Moses' role as the mediator between God and His people. The Israelites had witnessed Moses' leadership through the Exodus and the giving of the Law, and now they see a physical manifestation of his encounter with God. This moment is pivotal as it reinforces Moses' authority and the divine origin of his leadership.

and behold, his face was radiant
The radiance of Moses' face signifies the glory of God reflected through him. This transformation occurs after Moses' direct encounter with God on Mount Sinai, where he received the second set of tablets. The radiance serves as a visible sign of God's presence and approval. In biblical context, light often symbolizes purity, truth, and divine revelation. This event foreshadows the transfiguration of Jesus Christ in the New Testament, where His face also shone with divine glory (Matthew 17:2). The radiance of Moses' face is a type of the greater glory revealed in Christ.

And they were afraid to approach him
The fear of the Israelites reflects a common biblical theme where humans react with awe and fear in the presence of divine holiness. This fear is not merely terror but a reverent acknowledgment of God's majesty and power. The Israelites' reaction is reminiscent of their earlier fear at Mount Sinai when they heard God's voice (Exodus 20:18-19). It underscores the holiness of God and the seriousness of His covenant with Israel. This fear also points to the need for a mediator, which Moses fulfills, and ultimately foreshadows the perfect mediation of Jesus Christ, who bridges the gap between God and humanity.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The central figure in this passage, Moses is returning from Mount Sinai after speaking with God. His face is radiant, reflecting the glory of God.

2. Aaron
Moses' brother and the high priest of Israel. He is among those who see Moses' radiant face and is initially afraid.

3. The Israelites
The people of Israel, who are witnesses to Moses' transformed appearance. Their fear indicates their recognition of the divine encounter Moses has experienced.

4. Mount Sinai
The mountain where Moses meets with God and receives the Ten Commandments. It is a place of divine revelation and covenant.

5. The Radiance
The visible glory on Moses' face, symbolizing the presence and holiness of God. It serves as a testament to Moses' intimate encounter with the Divine.
Teaching Points
The Transformative Power of God's Presence
Encountering God can lead to a visible transformation in our lives. Just as Moses' face shone with God's glory, our lives should reflect His presence and holiness.

The Fear of the Lord
The Israelites' fear upon seeing Moses' radiant face reminds us of the awe and reverence due to God. We should approach Him with humility and respect.

The Role of a Mediator
Moses serves as a mediator between God and the Israelites, prefiguring Christ as our ultimate mediator. We can approach God with confidence through Jesus.

The Glory of the New Covenant
While Moses' radiance was temporary, the glory of the new covenant in Christ is eternal. We are called to live in the light of this greater glory.

Reflecting God's Glory in Daily Life
As believers, we are called to reflect God's glory in our actions and interactions. Our lives should be a testament to His transformative power.(30) They were afraid.--The supernatural appearance terrified them. Compare the feelings of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:18) and St. John (Revelation 1:17).

Verse 30. - They were afraid. They shrank from Moses, as if he were more than man. (Compare Ezekiel 1:28; Revelation 1:17.) Perhaps they thought that what they saw was his spirit.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Aaron
אַהֲרֹ֜ן (’a·hă·rōn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 175: Aaron -- an elder brother of Moses

and all
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the Israelites
בְּנֵ֤י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

looked at
וַיַּ֨רְא (way·yar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

Moses,
מֹשֶׁ֔ה (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

and behold,
וְהִנֵּ֥ה (wə·hin·nêh)
Conjunctive waw | Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

his face
פָּנָ֑יו (pā·nāw)
Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

was radiant.
קָרַ֖ן (qā·ran)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7160: To shoot out horns, rays

And they were afraid
וַיִּֽירְא֖וּ (way·yî·rə·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

to approach
מִגֶּ֥שֶׁת (mig·ge·šeṯ)
Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5066: To draw near, approach

him.
אֵלָֽיו׃ (’ê·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to


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OT Law: Exodus 34:30 When Aaron and all the children (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 34:29
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