Exodus 34:34-35
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 and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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While we often focus on the glory radiating from Moses' face, the key is that he removed the veil before entering God's presence, not after. This highlights that true communion with God requires an unveiled heart, a complete openness to Him, before any divine encounter can even begin.
After Moses descended from Mount Sinai with the renewed tablets of the covenant and his face radiantly shining, he began a practice of entering the Tent of Meeting to commune with God. When he went in to speak with the Lord, he would remove the veil, only to put it back on after he came out and relayed God's commands to the Israelites. This repeated action highlights a pattern of direct, unmediated encounter with God's presence, followed by the communication of His word to the people.
When Moses stepped into God's presence, he removed his veil. What does this profound act reveal about approaching the Divine?
This passage highlights a striking practice: Moses removed his veil before entering the Tent of Meeting to speak with the Lord. This wasn't just a quaint ritual; it was a symbol of direct, unhindered access. Imagine stepping into the most sacred space, before the very King of Kings, and choosing to be fully exposed, vulnerable, and open. It signifies a heart ready to receive, a mind eager to listen, and a spirit surrendered to God's voice.
This act underscores that true communion with God requires honesty and openness. We can't approach the Almighty with pretense or hidden agendas. The veil, when worn, concealed a divinely imparted radiance, but before God, Moses laid that aside. It’s a powerful reminder that our most authentic connection with God happens when we bring our whole selves, without trying to shield or mask our true condition.
After speaking with God, Moses' face shone with an incredible light. But why the veil when he returned to the people?
The text tells us that when Moses came out from speaking with God, his face shone with a glory that awed the Israelites. This radiance was a visible manifestation of his encounter with the Divine – a testament to God’s presence and power.
However, Moses would then put the veil back on until his next meeting. This wasn't to hide shame, but rather to manage how this overwhelming glory was revealed. The commentators suggest it also symbolized the fading nature of that particular manifestation, pointing towards the greater, enduring glory found in the New Covenant (as Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 3). The veil served as a transition, allowing the people to receive God's commands through Moses without being overwhelmed by the immediate, physical manifestation of God's glory, while still recognizing the divine authority behind his words.
Understand the original words
qaran · Hebrew Verb
Refers to the radiance, brilliance, or glow resulting from proximity to the presence and glory of God; it is a visible manifestation of divine holiness.
This passage directly references Moses' veil and explains its symbolic meaning, contrasting the fading glory of the old covenant with the open glory of the new.
2 Corinthians 3:16This verse speaks of the veil being taken away when one turns to the Lord, echoing the theme of approaching God directly, just as Moses removed his veil before the Lord.
Exodus 33:11This verse describes God speaking to Moses face to face, setting the context for Moses' intimate communion with God and the subsequent shining of his face, which necessitated the veil.
Leviticus 16:17This passage describes the high priest entering the holy of holies alone, highlighting the special and unique access Moses had to God's presence that led to his radiant appearance.
cambridgeExodus 34:34: "But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded."
34 . went in before Jehovah ] viz. into the Tent of Meeting (which is here presupposed): cf. Exodus 25:22 , Numbers 7:89 . Comp. 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 , noticing (1) that St Paul interprets the narrative allegorically, assigning as the reason why Moses used to put on the veil, not that the Israelites…
gillExodus 34:34: "But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded."
But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him,.... Went into the tabernacle to converse with him, to pray unto him, and inquire about any matter of difficulty respecting the people of Israel he was concerned for, which he often did: he took the vail off until he came out: and so when men…
While we often focus on the glory radiating from Moses' face, the key is that he removed the veil before entering God's presence, not after. This highlights that true communion with God requires an unveiled heart, a complete openness to Him, before any divine encounter can even begin.
After Moses descended from Mount Sinai with the renewed tablets of the covenant and his face radiantly shining, he began a practice of entering the Tent of Meeting to commune with God. When he went in to speak with the Lord, he would remove the veil, only to put it back on after he came out and relayed God's commands to the Israelites. This repeated action highlights a pattern of direct, unmediated encounter with God's presence, followed by the communication of His word to the people.
After Moses descended from Mount Sinai with the renewed tablets of the covenant and his face radiantly shining, he began a practice of entering the Tent of Meeting to commune with God. When he went in to speak with the Lord, he would remove the veil, only to put it back on after he came out and relayed God's commands to the Israelites. This repeated action highlights a pattern of direct, unmediated encounter with God's presence, followed by the communication of His word to the people.
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"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 and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the ski…" — While we often focus on the glory radiating from Moses' face, the key is that he removed the veil before entering God's presence, not after. This highlights that true communion with God requires…
