Exodus 34:6
The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The repeated "The LORD, The LORD" isn't just emphasis; it's God presenting Himself as the eternal, self-existent One ("I AM") who is also the source of all these merciful qualities, showing that His very being is rooted in goodness and compassion. This proclamation isn't just a list of attributes, but a revelation of His core identity, especially crucial for Moses and Israel after their great failure.
Fresh from the devastating sin of the golden calf and its immediate consequences, Moses is asking to see God's glory. In response, God promises to let His goodness pass before Moses, and then, as God passes by in a powerful, awe-inspiring revelation, He proclaims His very nature: a God of immense mercy, grace, and enduring faithfulness, explicitly designed to reveal His character to Moses and all future generations. This proclamation is a profound re-establishment of God's covenant relationship with Israel after their grievous sin.
Moses asked to see God's glory, and God promised to reveal His name. But what does 'The LORD, the LORD' really mean?
This isn't just a name; it's a profound declaration. When God proclaims 'The LORD, the LORD,' He's emphasizing His very being and nature. It's a callback to His covenant name, Jehovah, signifying His eternal existence and faithfulness. By repeating it, He's capturing Moses' attention, making sure he understands that the God who is eternal and unchanging is the very God who is about to reveal His character in a powerful way.
Think of it like someone saying, 'Listen, listen! I have something vital to tell you!' This repetition underscores the importance of what follows – a revelation of His heart.
The verse lists several attributes of God. Why such a detailed description, and what's the order telling us?
God doesn't just have mercy; He is merciful and gracious. He is also , meaning He patiently endures our failures. The language here isn't just a dry list; it's a vibrant picture of God's heart. He's described as 'abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness' – overflowing with a deep, committed, and enduring affection.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Exodus 34:6 is available in the Sola app.
This isn't mercy because we deserve it, but because it's His nature. The repetition and accumulation of these terms emphasize that God's mercy isn't a small flicker, but an overwhelming flood, especially in light of the nation's recent failures. It's meant to reassure Moses and Israel that even after their sin, God's fundamental disposition is one of abundant, faithful love.
Understand the original words
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God, revealed to Moses, representing His self-existence and eternal faithfulness to His people.
rachum · Hebrew Adjective
Compassion or pity, often associated with the womb, describing God's deep, protective affection for His people despite their unworthiness.
channun · Hebrew Adjective
Favor shown to the undeserving; God's generous, unearned kindness and goodness toward His creation.
erek appayim · Hebrew Phrase
A phrase describing God’s patience, showing that He is not quick to execute judgment but allows time for repentance.
chesed · Hebrew Noun
God’s covenantal loyalty, steadfastness, and faithful love; a committed, reliable love that keeps its promises.
emeth · Hebrew Noun
Reliability, firmness, and truth; it describes God as completely dependable and in accordance with reality.
This passage directly quotes Exodus 34:6, reaffirming God's character as 'slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will not leave the guilty unpunished.'
Psalm 103:8This Psalm echoes the proclamation from Exodus 34:6, stating, 'The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.'
Nehemiah 9:17During a prayer of confession and remembrance, the Israelites recall God's nature as described in Exodus 34:6, calling Him 'a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.'
Joel 2:13This prophetic call to repentance utilizes the language of Exodus 34:6, urging the people to 'rend your hearts and not your garments... for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.'
Romans 2:4Paul reflects on the 'kindness of God' that leads to repentance, a concept directly tied to God's graciousness and slowness to anger described in Exodus 34:6.
cambridgeExodus 34:6: "And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,"
6–8 . Description of the theophany promised in Exodus 33:19-23 . The theophany consists essentially in a proclamation of the glories of Jehovah’s moral nature, developed with special reference to the occasion giving rise to the theophany, and emphasizing the predominance of the Divine attributes of mercy above those of judgement. Ech…
gillExodus 34:6: "And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,"
And the Lord passed by before him,.... Or caused his Shechinah, his divine Majesty, and the glory of it, to pass before him, as the Targums; his glory and goodness, which he had promised should pass before him, Exodus 33:19 and it is but a transient passing view the greatest of men, God's peculiar favourites, have of him in this life…
The repeated "The LORD, The LORD" isn't just emphasis; it's God presenting Himself as the eternal, self-existent One ("I AM") who is also the source of all these merciful qualities, showing that His very being is rooted in goodness and compassion. This proclamation isn't just a list of attributes, but a revelation of His core identity, especially crucial for Moses and Israel after their great failure.
Fresh from the devastating sin of the golden calf and its immediate consequences, Moses is asking to see God's glory. In response, God promises to let His goodness pass before Moses, and then, as God passes by in a powerful, awe-inspiring revelation, He proclaims His very nature: a God of immense mercy, grace, and enduring faithfulness, explicitly designed to reveal His character to Moses and all future generations. This proclamation is a profound re-establishment of God's covenant relationship with Israel after their grievous sin.
Fresh from the devastating sin of the golden calf and its immediate consequences, Moses is asking to see God's glory. In response, God promises to let His goodness pass before Moses, and then, as God passes by in a powerful, awe-inspiring revelation, He proclaims His very nature: a God of immense mercy, grace, and enduring faithfulness, explicitly designed to reveal His character to Moses and all future generations. This proclamation is a profound re-establishment of God's covenant relationship with Israel after their grievous sin.
"The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness," — The repeated "The LORD, The LORD" isn't just emphasis; it's God presenting Himself as the eternal, self-existent One ("I AM") who is also the source of all these merciful qualities, showing that His…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
