Exodus 34:35

KJV

And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

KJV (with Strong's)

And the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478} saw {H7200} the face {H6440} of Moses {H4872}, that the skin {H5785} of Moses {H4872}' face {H6440} shone {H7160}: and Moses {H4872} put {H7725} the vail {H4533} upon his face {H6440} again {H7725}, until he went {H935} in to speak {H1696} with him.

Complete Jewish Bible

But when the people of Isra'el saw Moshe's face, that the skin of Moshe's face shone, he would put the veil back over his face until he went in again to speak with [ADONAI].

Berean Standard Bible

and the Israelites would see that the face of Moses was radiant. So Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD.

American Standard Version

And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the veil upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Exodus 34:35 vividly describes the aftermath of Moses' second encounter with God on Mount Sinai, revealing that his face radiated a divine glory so intense that the Israelites were unable to look upon it directly. This verse highlights Moses' unique role as mediator, as he subsequently veiled his face when interacting with the people, removing it only when he returned to commune with the Lord, thereby underscoring the profound and transformative power of God's immediate presence.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Exodus 34:35 serves as the concluding verse to a pivotal narrative arc that began with Israel's egregious sin of the golden calf in [Exodus 32](/exodus/32 "Exodus 32 - The Golden Calf"). Following this catastrophic breach of the covenant, Moses interceded on behalf of the people and sought a deeper revelation of God's glory in [Exodus 33](/exodus/33 "Exodus 33 - Moses' Intercession and Desire to See God's Glory"). Chapter [Exodus 34](/exodus/34 "Exodus 34 - The Renewed Covenant") then details God's gracious renewal of the covenant, Moses' second forty-day and forty-night period on Mount Sinai, during which he received a new set of stone tablets inscribed with the Law. The preceding verses (Exodus 34:29-34) specifically describe Moses' descent from the mountain, his unawareness of his radiant face, and the fearful reaction of Aaron and the Israelites, which prompted him to veil his face. This verse thus solidifies Moses' unique status as God's chosen intermediary, whose very person visibly bore the indelible mark of divine communion.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the ancient Near East, the concept of a deity's visible glory or presence was often associated with light, fire, or overwhelming splendor, which could be dangerous or impossible for mortals to behold directly. The Israelites, having witnessed the terrifying manifestations of God's presence at Mount Sinai (e.g., thunder, lightning, smoke, fire, and a trumpet blast as described in [Exodus 19:16-19](/exodus/19-16 "Exodus 19:16-19 - Theophany at Sinai")), were acutely aware of the chasm between human sinfulness and divine holiness. Moses' radiant face was a tangible, undeniable sign of his intimate communion with Yahweh, a visible manifestation of the divine *kavod* (glory). This phenomenon underscored his unparalleled mediatorial role, as he alone could approach God directly and then convey His words to a people who, out of fear and reverence, preferred to hear God's voice through a human agent (see [Exodus 20:18-19](/exodus/20-18 "Exodus 20:18-19 - The People's Fear at Sinai")). The veil, therefore, served not only to protect the people from the overwhelming glory but also to regulate their interaction with their divine representative.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Shone (Hebrew, _qaran'_):** The Hebrew verb קָרַן (_qaran_) means "to send out rays," "to radiate light," or "to shine." While related to the noun for "horn" (קֶרֶן, _qeren_), which famously led to the medieval artistic misrepresentation of Moses with horns, its primary meaning in this context is clearly effulgence or radiance. It denotes a supernatural, divine light emanating from Moses' face, a direct consequence and visible manifestation of his prolonged and intimate communion with God. This radiance was not a natural phenomenon but a miraculous sign of God's glory dwelling upon and through Moses.
* **Face (Hebrew, _panim'_):** The Hebrew word פָּנִים (_panim_), translated as "face," often carries broader theological significance than merely a physical countenance. It can refer to presence, person, or even the very essence of an individual. In the context of Moses' encounter with God, to see God's "face" (as Moses sought in [Exodus 33:18-23](/exodus/33-18 "Exodus 33:18-23 - Moses Sees God's Glory")) implies a direct, intimate, and transformative encounter with God's very being. Thus, Moses' shining face is not just a physical phenomenon but a visible sign that his very person had been profoundly affected by the immediate presence of the Divine.
* **Vail (Hebrew, _masveh'_):** The Hebrew noun מַסְוֶה (_masveh_) refers to a covering or veil. Its use here is crucial, as it signifies a barrier. Moses put the veil on his face to shield the Israelites from the intense, overwhelming, and perhaps even terrifying, glory that radiated from him. This act of veiling highlights the people's inability to endure the direct manifestation of God's glory, even when mediated through Moses. It also underscores the temporary and conditional nature of the Old Covenant's revelation, which required a covering due to the people's sinfulness and spiritual immaturity.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses":** This clause emphasizes the direct observation by the entire community. It was not a private vision but a public, undeniable reality. Their seeing implies a recognition of something extraordinary and awe-inspiring, yet also frightening, about Moses' appearance.
* **"that the skin of Moses' face shone":** This is the core observation. The verb "shone" (from _qaran_) describes the miraculous effulgence emanating from Moses' skin, specifically his face. This radiance was a direct, physical manifestation of the divine glory (כבוד, _kavod_) that Moses had absorbed during his time in God's immediate presence on Mount Sinai. It was a tangible proof of his unique communion with the Almighty.
* **"and Moses put the vail upon his face again":** This describes Moses' immediate and repeated action. "Again" implies that he had removed it to speak to them (as per Exodus 34:33), but now, seeing their reaction, he replaced it. This act was a compassionate response to the Israelites' fear and inability to gaze upon the divine glory, protecting them from its overwhelming intensity. It also served to regulate his interaction with them, allowing them to approach him without terror.
* **"until he went in to speak with him":** This final clause clarifies the specific condition under which the veil was removed. Moses removed the veil exclusively when he re-entered the presence of the Lord to speak with Him. This highlights the distinction between his unmediated access to God and his mediated interaction with the people, emphasizing that the veil was a necessity for the latter, but a hindrance for the former.

#### Literary Devices
Exodus 34:35 is rich in **Symbolism**. Moses' shining face is the primary symbol, representing the transformative power of divine presence, the tangible manifestation of God's glory, and Moses' unique role as a divinely appointed mediator. It is a visible sign of the covenant relationship and God's approval. The **veil** itself is another powerful symbol, representing the inability of the Israelites (and humanity in general) to directly behold the full intensity of God's glory due to their sinfulness and the limitations of the Old Covenant. It also symbolizes the separation between the holy and the profane, and later, as interpreted by Paul, the spiritual blindness that prevented many under the old covenant from grasping its true meaning. The narrative also employs **Contrast** between Moses' unveiled access to God's presence and the people's need for a veiled mediator, highlighting the qualitative difference in their relationship with the divine. The entire scene functions as a **Theophany** (or rather, the visible *result* of a theophany), a manifestation of God's presence and power, albeit indirectly through Moses.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Exodus 34:35 profoundly illustrates the transformative power of God's presence and the nature of divine glory. Moses' radiant face is a physical testament to the reality that encountering the living God leaves an indelible mark, reflecting His very character and splendor. This passage also underscores the mediatorial principle inherent in the Old Covenant, where a chosen individual (Moses) stood between a holy God and a sinful people, bearing the divine word and presence to them. The necessity of the veil, however, points to the inherent limitations of this covenant—a glory that was both awe-inspiring and terrifying, ultimately requiring a covering due to human inability to endure its full intensity. This foreshadows the greater, unveiled glory of the New Covenant, where direct access to God's presence is made possible.

* [Exodus 33:18-23](/exodus/33-18 "Exodus 33:18-23 - Moses Sees God's Glory"): Moses' request to see God's glory and God's partial revelation, which directly precedes and explains the radiance of Moses' face.
* [2 Corinthians 3:7-18](/2_corinthians/3-7 "2 Corinthians 3:7-18 - The Fading Glory of the Old Covenant vs. the Greater Glory of the New"): Paul's profound theological commentary on Moses' veil, contrasting the fading glory of the Old Covenant with the surpassing and permanent glory of the New Covenant in Christ, which transforms believers from glory to glory with unveiled faces.
* [Hebrews 12:18-24](/hebrews/12-18 "Hebrews 12:18-24 - Mount Sinai vs. Mount Zion"): This passage contrasts the terrifying and unapproachable nature of Mount Sinai under the Old Covenant with the welcoming and accessible Mount Zion under the New Covenant, where believers approach God through Christ, the mediator of a better covenant.

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Exodus 34:35 offers a powerful spiritual truth for believers today: sustained communion with God inevitably transforms us. While we may not experience a literal shining of our faces, our inner being and outward character should increasingly reflect the glory of God. Just as Moses' face radiated God's presence, our lives, words, and actions should bear witness to the Lord we serve, becoming living epistles known and read by all. This passage challenges us to prioritize intimate time with God, recognizing that such encounters are not merely informational but transformational. In the New Covenant, through Christ, we have unveiled access to God's presence, enabling a continuous process of spiritual growth and transformation into His image. Our calling is to live as those who have seen the Lord, allowing His light to shine through us into a world that desperately needs to see His glory.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways does my daily life visibly reflect the time I spend in God's presence?**
* **What "veils" (spiritual blindness, fear, or worldly distractions) might be preventing me from experiencing or reflecting God's glory more fully?**
* **How can I cultivate a deeper, more consistent communion with God that leads to tangible transformation in my character and actions?**

### FAQ

**Why did Moses veil his face?**

Answer: Moses veiled his face for two primary reasons, as indicated in the text and further elaborated by later biblical interpretation. First, the radiance of his face was so intense and overwhelming—a direct manifestation of God's glory—that the [children of Israel were afraid to come near him](/exodus/34-30 "Exodus 34:30 - Israelites' Fear of Moses' Shining Face"). The veil served as a compassionate act to shield them from this overwhelming splendor, allowing them to approach him and hear God's commands without terror. Second, and more profoundly, as the Apostle Paul explains in [2 Corinthians 3:13-16](/2_corinthians/3-13 "2 Corinthians 3:13-16 - The Veil Over Hearts"), the veil symbolized the spiritual blindness of the Israelites under the Old Covenant, preventing them from fully grasping the temporary nature of that covenant's glory and its ultimate fulfillment in Christ. Moses put the veil on "so that the Israelites would not look at the end of what was fading away" (2 Corinthians 3:13, NIV).

**Does God's presence still make people's faces shine today?**

Answer: While the literal, physical shining of a person's face as described for Moses in [Exodus 34:35](/exodus/34-35 "Exodus 34:35 - Moses' Radiant Face") is a unique, miraculous event associated with his direct, prolonged encounter with God on Mount Sinai, the principle of transformation through divine presence remains profoundly true for believers today. In the New Covenant, through faith in [Jesus Christ](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word Became Flesh"), believers have unveiled access to God's presence by the Holy Spirit. As [2 Corinthians 3:18](/2_corinthians/3-18 "2 Corinthians 3:18 - Transformed into His Image") teaches, "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." This transformation is primarily spiritual and moral, manifesting in our character, attitudes, and actions, reflecting the light and love of Christ. While our faces may not literally radiate light, our lives should shine as lights in the world, bearing witness to the glory of God (see [Matthew 5:14-16](/matthew/5-14 "Matthew 5:14-16 - You Are the Light of the World")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Exodus 34:35 finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Moses' radiant face, a temporary and fading reflection of God's glory, pointed forward to the one who is the very "radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature" ([Hebrews 1:3](/hebrews/1-3 "Hebrews 1:3 - The Supremacy of Christ")). While Moses' glory required a veil because it was a mediated and fading glory, Christ is the unveiled glory of God, the "light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" ([2 Corinthians 4:6](/2_corinthians/4-6 "2 Corinthians 4:6 - God's Light in Our Hearts")). He is the true and perfect mediator, through whom we, with "unveiled face," can now behold the Lord's glory and be transformed into His image by the Spirit ([2 Corinthians 3:18](/2_corinthians/3-18 "2 Corinthians 3:18 - Transformed into His Image")). The veil over Moses' face symbolized the separation and the temporary nature of the Old Covenant; in Christ, that veil is torn (as signified by the tearing of the temple curtain at His death, [Matthew 27:51](/matthew/27-51 "Matthew 27:51 - The Temple Veil Torn")), granting direct, unhindered access to God's presence and a permanent, ever-increasing participation in His divine glory.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.