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Commentary on Exodus 34 verses 5–9
No sooner had Moses got to the top of the mount than God gave him the meeting (Exo 34:5): The Lord descended, by some sensible token of his presence, and manifestation of his glory. His descending bespeaks his condescension; he humbles himself to take cognizance of those that humble themselves to walk with him. Psa 113:6, Lord, what is man, that he should be thus visited? He descended in the cloud, probably that pillar of cloud which had hitherto gone before Israel, and had the day before met Moses at the door of the tabernacle. This cloud was to strike an awe upon Moses, that the familiarity he was admitted to might not breed contempt. The disciples feared, when they entered the cloud. His making a cloud his pavilion intimated that, though he made known much of himself, yet there was much more concealed. Now observe,
I. How God proclaimed his name (Exo 33:6, Exo 33:7): he did it in transitu - as he passed by him. Fixed views of God are reserved for the future state; the best we have in this world are transient. God now was performing what he had promised Moses, the day before, that his glory should pass by, Exo 33:22. He proclaimed the name of the Lord, by which he would make himself known. He had made himself known to Moses in the glory of his self-existence and self-sufficiency when he proclaimed that name, I am that I am; now he makes himself known in the glory of his grace, and goodness, and all-sufficiency to us. Now that God is about to publish a second edition of the law he prefaces it with this proclamation; for it is God's grace or goodness that gives the law, especially the remedial law. The pardon of Israel's sin in worshipping the calf was now to pass the seals; and God, by this declaration, would let them know that he pardoned ex mero motu - merely out of his own good pleasure, not for their merits' sake, but from his own inclination to forgive. The proclaiming of it denotes the universal extent of God's mercy. He is not only good to Israel, but good to all; let all take notice of it. He that hath an ear, let him hear, and know, and believe,
1.That the God with whom we have to do is a great God. He is Jehovah, the Lord, who has his being of himself, and is the fountain of all being, Jehovah-El, the Lord, the strong God, a God of almighty power himself, and the original of all power This is prefixed before the display of his mercy, to teach us to think and to speak even of God's grace and goodness with great seriousness and a holy awe, and to encourage us to depend upon these mercies; they are not the mercies of a man, that is frail and feeble, false and fickle, but the mercies of the Lord, the Lord God; therefore sure mercies, and sovereign mercies, mercies that may be trusted, but not tempted.
2.That he is a good God. His greatness and goodness illustrate and set off each other. That the terror of his greatness may not make us afraid, we are told how good he is; and, that we may not presume upon his goodness, we are told how great he is. Many words are here heaped up, to acquaint us with, and convince us of, God's goodness, and to show how much his goodness is both his glory and his delight, yet without any tautology. (1.) He is merciful. This bespeaks his tender compassion, like that of a father to his children. This is put first, because it is the first wheel in all the instances of God's good-will to fallen man, whose misery makes him an object of pity, Jdg 10:16; Isa 63:9. Let us not then have either hard thoughts of God or hard hearts towards our brethren. (2.) He is gracious. This bespeaks both freeness and kindness; it intimates not only that he has a compassion to his creatures, but a complacency in them and in doing good to them, and this of his own good-will, and not for the sake of any thing in them. His mercy is grace, free grace; this teaches us to be not only pitiful, but courteous, Pe1 3:8. (3.) He is long-suffering. This is a branch of God's goodness which the wickedness of sinners gives occasion for; that of Israel had done so: they had tried his patience, and experienced it. He is long-suffering, that is, he is slow to anger, and delays the execution of his justice; he waits to be gracious, and lengthens out the offers of his mercy. (4.) He is abundant in goodness and truth. This bespeaks plentiful goodness, goodness abounding above our deserts, above our conception and expression. The springs of mercy are always full, the streams of mercy always flowing; there is mercy enough in God, enough for all, enough for each, enough for ever. It bespeaks promised goodness, goodness and truth put together, goodness engaged by promise, and his faithfulness pledged for the security of it. He not only does good, but by his promise he raises our expectation of it, and even binds himself to show mercy. (5.) He keepeth mercy for thousands. This denotes, [1.] Mercy extended to thousands of persons. When he gives to some, still he keeps for others, and is never exhausted; he has mercy enough for all the thousands of Israel, when they shall multiply as the sand. [2.] Mercy entailed upon thousands of generations, even those upon whom the ends of the world have come; nay, the line of it is drawn parallel with that of eternity itself. (6.) He forgiveth iniquity, transgression, and sin. Pardoning mercy is specified, because in this divine grace is most magnified, and because in this divine grace is most magnified, and because it is this which opens the door to all other gifts of his divine grace, and because of this he had lately given a very pregnant proof. He forgives offences of all sorts - iniquity, transgression, and sin, multiplies his pardons; and with him is plenteous redemption.
3.That he is a just and holy God. For, (1.) He will by no means clear the guilty. Some read it so as to express a mitigation of wrath, even when he does punish: When he empties, he will not make quite desolate; that is, "He does not proceed to the greatest extremity, till there be no remedy." As we read it, we must expound it that he will by no means connive at the guilty, as if he took no notice of their sin. Or, he will not clear the impenitently guilty, that go on still in their trespasses: he will not clear the guilty without some satisfaction to his justice, and necessary vindications of the honour of his government. (2.) He visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children. He may justly do it, for all souls are his, and there is a malignity in sin that taints the blood. He sometimes will do it, especially for the punishment of idolaters. Thus he shows his hatred to sin, and displeasure against it; yet he keepeth not his anger for ever, but visits to the third and fourth generation only, while he keepeth his mercy for thousands. Well, this is God's name for ever, and this is his memorial unto all generations.
II. How Moses received this declaration which God made of himself, and of his grace and mercy. It should seem as if Moses accepted this as a sufficient answer to his request that God would show him his glory; for we read not that he went into the cleft of the rock, whence to gain a sight of God's back parts. Perhaps this satisfied him, and he desired no more; as we read not that Thomas did thrust his hand into Christ's side, though Christ invited him to do it. God having thus proclaimed his name, Moses says, "It is enough, I expect no more till I come to heaven;" at least he did not think fit to relate what he saw. Now we are here told,
1.What impression it made upon him: Moses made haste, and bowed his head, Exo 34:8. Thus he expressed, (1.) His humble reverence and adoration of God's glory, giving him the honour due to that name he had thus proclaimed. Even the goodness of God must be looked upon by us with a profound veneration and holy awe. (2.) His joy in this discovery which God had made of himself, and his thankfulness for it. We have reason gratefully to acknowledge God's goodness to us, not only in the real instances of it, but in the declarations he has made of it by his word; not only that he is, and will be, gracious to us, but that he is pleased to let us know it. (3.) His holy submission to the will of God, made known in this declaration, subscribing to his justice as well as mercy, and putting himself and his people Israel under the government and direction of such a God as Jehovah had now proclaimed himself to be. Let this God be our God for ever and ever.
2.What improvement he made of it. He immediately grounded a prayer upon it (Exo 34:9); and a more earnest affectionate prayer it is, (1.) For the presence of God with his people Israel in the wilderness: "I pray thee, go among us, for thy presence is all in all to our safety and success." (2.) For pardon of sin: "O pardon our iniquity and our sin, else we cannot expect thee to go among us." And, (3.) For the privileges of a peculiar people: "Take us for thy inheritance, which thou wilt have a particular eye to, and concern for, and delight in." These things God had already promised, and given Moses assurances of, and yet he prays for them, not as doubting the sincerity of God's grants, but as one solicitous for the ratification of them. God's promises are intended, not to supersede, but to direct and encourage, prayer. Those who have some good hopes, through grace, that their sins are pardoned, must yet continue to pray for pardon, for the renewing of their pardon, and the clearing of it more and more to their souls. The more we see of God's goodness the more ashamed we should be of our own sins, and the more earnest for an interest in it. God had said, in the close of the proclamation, that he would visit the iniquity upon the children; and Moses here deprecates that. "Lord, do not only pardon it to them, but to their children, and let our covenant-relation to thee be entailed upon our posterity, as an inheritance." Thus Moses, like a man of a truly public spirit, intercedes even for the children that should be born. But it is a strange plea he urges: For it is a stiff-necked people. God had given this as a reason why he would not go along with them, Exo 33:3. "Yea," says Moses, "the rather go along with us; for the worse they are the more need they have of thy presence and grace to make them better." Moses sees them so stiff-necked that, for his part, he has neither patience nor power enough to deal with them. "Therefore, Lord, do thou go among us, else they will never be kept in awe. Thou wilt spare, and bear with them, for thou art God, and not man," Hos 11:9.
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SUMMARY
Exodus 34:9 captures Moses' profound intercessory prayer immediately following God's majestic self-revelation on Mount Sinai. Despite Israel's recent egregious sin with the golden calf, Moses boldly appeals for God's continued, intimate presence among His rebellious people, confessing their inherent stubbornness and pleading for comprehensive pardon. Simultaneously, he reasserts their identity as God's chosen inheritance, underscoring Moses' pivotal role as mediator, God's enduring covenant faithfulness, and the essential nature of divine grace in the face of human sin.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Moses' prayer in Exodus 34:9 is rich with literary artistry that amplifies its theological depth. The primary device is Intercession, where Moses acts as a pivotal mediator, standing between a holy God and a sinful people, a role he consistently fulfills throughout the Exodus narrative. His opening phrase, "If now I have found grace in thy sight," employs profound Humility and Dependence, setting a tone of earnest supplication rather than demand, acknowledging his position before the Almighty. The description of Israel as a "stiffnecked people" is a vivid Metaphor (specifically, a synecdoche, where the neck represents the whole person's stubbornness), drawing on the imagery of an unruly animal refusing to be led. This unflattering self-description functions as a powerful Rhetorical Paradox, as it is offered as a reason for God's continued grace, appealing to His boundless patience and mercy rather than Israel's merit. The pairing of "iniquity and our sin" demonstrates Merism or Synonymic Parallelism, using two related terms to encompass the full scope of their transgression, highlighting the comprehensive nature of the pardon needed. The entire prayer is a compelling example of Pathos, appealing directly to God's revealed character and compassion, demonstrating Moses' deep understanding of God's nature as the ultimate ground for hope.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Exodus 34:9 profoundly illustrates the nature of divine grace and the indispensable necessity of intercession in the face of human sin. It reveals that God's covenant faithfulness is not contingent on human perfection or merit but on His own steadfast character, which Moses appeals to directly. The verse highlights the profound tension between God's absolute holiness and humanity's pervasive sinfulness, demonstrating that reconciliation is possible only through divine initiative and a mediator's humble, persistent plea. It underscores the preciousness of God's active presence, which is the ultimate blessing for His people, and the transformative power of honest confession and comprehensive pardon in restoring a broken relationship, ultimately pointing to God's unwavering desire to maintain His people as His own.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Moses' prayer in Exodus 34:9 serves as a timeless model for our own approach to God, especially when confronting our failures and the brokenness of the world around us. It teaches us to come with profound humility, acknowledging our unworthiness and complete dependence on His grace, rather than relying on any perceived merit of our own. Like Moses, we are called to be earnest intercessors, not only for ourselves but for our communities, our nations, and even for those who are "stiffnecked" and rebellious against God. This verse reminds us that true spiritual vitality and effectiveness stem from God's active, abiding presence among us, and we should earnestly pray for Him to "go among us" in our churches, our families, and our personal lives. Furthermore, it underscores the absolute necessity of honest and unvarnished confession of sin as a prerequisite for experiencing God's comprehensive pardon and for being reclaimed as His cherished inheritance. Even when we fail spectacularly, God's enduring faithfulness and His desire to have us as His own remain steadfast, inviting us back into His gracious embrace.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does Moses highlight Israel's "stiffnecked" nature when asking for God's favor?
Answer: Moses' mention of Israel being a "stiffnecked people" (a recurring biblical description, also found in Exodus 32:9 and Deuteronomy 9:6) is not an accusation but a profound theological statement. It serves as a basis for God's grace, rather than a reason for His judgment. By admitting their deep-seated obstinacy and rebellion, Moses appeals directly to God's character, which was just revealed as "merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness" (Exodus 34:6). He is essentially saying, "Lord, only Your immense patience and boundless mercy can deal with such a rebellious people. Our unworthiness is precisely why we need Your grace." It highlights that God's love and forgiveness are extended not because we deserve them, but because of who He is—a God whose nature is to show compassion even to the undeserving.
What is the significance of Moses' plea, "let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us"?
Answer: This plea is central to Moses' prayer and Israel's very identity. For ancient peoples, the active, personal presence of their deity was paramount for their well-being, protection, and national identity. For Israel, God's presence (often manifested in the pillar of cloud and fire, the Tabernacle, or the Ark of the Covenant) signified His covenant faithfulness, His divine guidance, and His power to deliver them. After the golden calf incident, God threatened to send an angel instead of going Himself (Exodus 33:3), which Moses recognized as a catastrophic loss, effectively nullifying their unique status. Moses understood that without God's personal, active presence, Israel would lose its distinctiveness, its security, and its very reason for being. His fervent prayer for God to "go among us" is a plea for the full restoration of intimate fellowship and the continuation of God's unique, personal relationship with His people, underscoring that God's presence is their greatest treasure and ultimate security.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Exodus 34:9 finds its ultimate and most glorious fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Moses, as the great intercessor, standing between a holy God and a sinful people, powerfully foreshadows Christ, who is our one Mediator between God and mankind. Just as Moses pleaded for God's presence to "go among us," the New Testament reveals that God's ultimate dwelling with humanity is found in the incarnation of Jesus, the Word who "dwelt among us" (literally, "tabernacled" among us). The "stiffnecked" nature of Israel, which Moses so honestly confessed, points to the universal human condition of rebellion against God, a deep-seated stubbornness that only the radical, transforming grace of Christ can overcome. Jesus, through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, not only pardons our "iniquity and our sin" but completely removes them, making us righteous in God's sight and reconciling us to Him. Furthermore, Moses' request for Israel to be taken as God's "inheritance" is profoundly fulfilled in Christ, who gathers a new people—the Church—from every tribe, tongue, and nation, making them God's treasured possession through adoption into His family (Ephesians 1:11-14). In Christ, God's presence is not just among us but in us through the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17), guaranteeing our eternal inheritance and transforming our rebellious hearts into willing vessels of His grace, enabling us to walk in newness of life.