Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. New Living Translation When Moses finished speaking with them, he covered his face with a veil. English Standard Version And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. Berean Standard Bible When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. King James Bible And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face. New King James Version And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. New American Standard Bible When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. NASB 1995 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. NASB 1977 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. Legacy Standard Bible Then Moses finished speaking with them and put a veil over his face. Amplified Bible When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. Christian Standard Bible When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. Holman Christian Standard Bible When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. American Standard Version And when Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. Contemporary English Version The face of Moses kept shining, and after he had spoken with the people, he covered his face with a veil. English Revised Version And when Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. GOD'S WORD® Translation When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. Good News Translation When Moses had finished speaking with them, he covered his face with a veil. International Standard Version When Moses finished speaking with them he put a veil over his face, NET Bible When Moses finished speaking with them, he would put a veil on his face. New Heart English Bible When Moses was done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. Webster's Bible Translation And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleWhen Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. World English Bible When Moses was done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd Moses finishes speaking with them, and puts a veil on his face; Young's Literal Translation And Moses finisheth speaking with them, and putteth on his face a vail; Smith's Literal Translation And Moses will finish speaking to them and he will give a vail upon his face. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd having done speaking, he put a veil upon his face. Catholic Public Domain Version And having completed these words, he placed a veil over his face. New American Bible When Moses finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. New Revised Standard Version When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And then all of the children of Israel approached him and he commanded them everything that LORD JEHOVAH spoke with him in the mountain of Sinai. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And when Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. Brenton Septuagint Translation And when he ceased speaking to them, he put a veil on his face. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The LORD Renews the Covenant…32And after this all the Israelites came near, and Moses commanded them to do everything that the LORD had told him on Mount Sinai. 33When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. 34But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would remove the veil until he came out. And when he came out, he would tell the Israelites what he had been commanded,… Cross References 2 Corinthians 3:13-16 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of what was fading away. / But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed. / And even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. ... 2 Corinthians 3:7-9 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! 2 Corinthians 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 2 Corinthians 3:6 And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Matthew 17:2 There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. Hebrews 3:5 Now Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be spoken later. 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 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes. Romans 8:3-4 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh, / so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 3:20 Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin. Galatians 3:19 Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred. It was administered through angels by a mediator. Galatians 3:24 So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Treasury of Scripture And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. a vail Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 2 Corinthians 3:13-18 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: … 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them… Jump to Previous End Ended Face Finished Finisheth Moses Putteth Speaking Talk Vail VeilJump to Next End Ended Face Finished Finisheth Moses Putteth Speaking Talk Vail VeilExodus 34 1. The tablets are replaced5. 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 When Moses had finished speaking with them This phrase refers to Moses' communication with the Israelites after receiving the second set of tablets on Mount Sinai. The context is the renewal of the covenant after the incident of the golden calf. Moses acts as a mediator between God and the people, a role that prefigures Christ as the ultimate mediator (1 Timothy 2:5). The act of speaking signifies the transmission of divine law and guidance, emphasizing the importance of God's word in leading His people. he put a veil over his face Persons / Places / Events 1. MosesThe central figure in this passage, Moses is the leader of the Israelites and the mediator between God and His people. He has just returned from Mount Sinai with the renewed tablets of the covenant. 2. Mount Sinai The mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God. It is a place of divine revelation and covenant renewal. 3. The Israelites The people of God who are witnessing Moses' radiant face after he has been in the presence of God. 4. The Veil A physical covering that Moses uses to shield the Israelites from the radiance of his face after speaking with God. 5. The Covenant The renewed agreement between God and the Israelites, symbolized by the tablets Moses brings down from the mountain. Teaching Points The Glory of GodMoses' radiant face is a testament to the glory of God. When we spend time in God's presence, His glory should be reflected in our lives. The Role of a Mediator Moses serves as a mediator between God and the Israelites, foreshadowing Christ as our ultimate mediator who brings us into direct relationship with God. Transformation through Encounter Just as Moses was transformed by his encounter with God, we too are transformed when we spend time in His presence, allowing His Spirit to work in us. The Veil and Understanding The veil symbolizes the limitations of the old covenant. In Christ, the veil is removed, allowing us to see and understand God's glory more fully. Living in the New Covenant As believers, we are called to live in the freedom and boldness of the new covenant, reflecting God's glory without a veil. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Exodus 34:33?2. Why did Moses cover his face after speaking with the Israelites in Exodus 34:33? 3. How does Moses' veil symbolize the separation between God and humanity? 4. What New Testament passages connect to Moses' veil in Exodus 34:33? 5. How can we reflect God's glory in our daily interactions with others? 6. What steps can we take to remove spiritual veils in our lives? 7. Why did Moses wear a veil after speaking with God in Exodus 34:33? 8. How does the veil symbolize separation between God and humanity in Exodus 34:33? 9. What is the significance of Moses' face shining in Exodus 34:33? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Exodus 34? 11. Did Moses have a direct encounter with God? 12. What truths does "Unveiled Face" reveal about identity? 13. In 2 Corinthians 3:14–15, Paul implies that a “veil” remains over Jewish hearts. Is there any historical or archaeological evidence to support such a metaphor, or is it purely theological? 14. Why did Moses cover his face with a veil? What Does Exodus 34:33 Mean When Moses had finished“When Moses had finished…” (Exodus 34:33) points us back to the event that just took place: Moses delivered God’s covenant terms to Israel after coming down from Sinai the second time. • Exodus 34:27-32 shows Moses relaying God’s words immediately, without delay, underscoring obedience and urgency. • Deuteronomy 5:1 echoes this model—leaders are responsible to communicate God’s statutes precisely. • Finishing indicates completion; nothing more needed to be added or revised, highlighting the sufficiency of God’s revelation (Psalm 19:7). speaking with them “…speaking with them,” reminds us that Moses served as mediator, relaying what he had personally heard from the LORD. • Exodus 33:11 notes, “the LORD would speak to Moses face to face” before Moses spoke to Israel, showing a direct chain of truth. • Acts 7:38 calls Moses “the one who received living words to pass on to us,” affirming the life-giving nature of the message. • This pattern anticipates Christ, “the one mediator between God and men” (1 Timothy 2:5), who also spoke what He heard from the Father (John 12:49-50). he put a veil “…he put a veil…” introduces a striking physical action. • Exodus 34:29-30 explains why: Moses’ face shone with borrowed glory from his encounter with God, and the people were afraid to come near. • 2 Corinthians 3:13 says Moses veiled himself “so that the Israelites would not gaze at the end of what was fading away,” connecting the veil with the temporary nature of the old covenant glory. • The veil both concealed and protected—shielding Israelites from overwhelming holiness while hinting that greater, unveiled access was still future (Hebrews 10:20 speaks of the veil of Christ’s flesh opening the way). over his face. “…over his face.” The location matters: the radiance was centered on Moses’ face, the very part that had been in closest communion with God. • Numbers 6:25 contains the priestly blessing, “The LORD make His face shine upon you,” showing that God’s shining face represents favor; Moses mirrored that. • Matthew 17:2 records Jesus’ transfiguration: “His face shone like the sun,” fulfilling in perfect, permanent form what Moses displayed temporarily. • Whenever Moses re-entered God’s presence the glory was renewed (Exodus 34:34-35), illustrating that true radiance flows only from abiding fellowship with the LORD (John 15:5). summary Exodus 34:33 captures the moment Moses completed God’s message, then veiled the reflected glory of God on his face to spare the people and signify that the old covenant’s splendor was temporary. The veil protected Israel from fear, preserved Moses’ role as mediator, and pointed forward to Christ, in whom the veil is removed and God’s glory is seen without obstruction (2 Corinthians 3:16-18). (33) Till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face.--This translation exactly inverts the meaning, which is that "when Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face." The vail became part of his ordinary costume, and was worn excepting upon occasions of two kinds: (1) When Moses was alone with God, either in the temporary "tent of meeting" or in the permanent Tabernacle, he ceased to wear the vail, and spoke with God face to face; (2) when he had a message to the people from God, and spoke to them as God's representative, he authenticated his message by uncovering himself, and allowing the glory of his face to be seen. Otherwise, in his ordinary dealings with the people he went about veiled.Verses 33-35. - Till Moses had done speaking with them. The Hebrew text will not bear this rendering. All the ancient versions (LXX. Vulg. Syr. etc.) and the Targums agree that the meaning is - "when Moses had done speaking, he put a veil on his face." And this agrees with the plain meaning of vers. 34 and 35, which are to be taken connectedly. Moses first delivered his message with face unveiled, then he veiled himself, and thenceforth he wore a veil at all times except when he sought the Divine presence in the "tent of meeting" or the tabernacle, and when he delivered to the people any message sent them from God by him. He wore the veil ordinarily to prevent them from being dazzled. He took it off when he entered the tabernacle, that the Divine presence might shine fully on him and renew his strength. He kept it off when he returned, if he had any message to the people, until he had delivered it, in order the more fully to authenticate the message and shew to the people that it was from God. Then the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone (ver. 35). Having discharged himself of the message intrusted to him, he once more covered himself, and continued veiled until he again entered the tabernacle. The only objection that can be taken to this exegesis is derived from 2 Corinthians 3:7-16, which has been thought to imply that Moses wore the veil whenever he was in the sight of the people. But the passage does not really assert any such thing. It is quite enough for the argument, that under the old covenant a veil had been worn to conceal some of its glory. This concealment St. Paul contrasts with the openness of Christianity (vers. 13, 18); while at the same time he argues that it may be viewed as typical of that blindness and darkness which was characteristic of the Jewish nation of his day. |
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