What does Exodus 34:5 mean?
ESV: The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.
NIV: Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord.
NASB: And the Lord descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the Lord.
CSB: The Lord came down in a cloud, stood with him there, and proclaimed his name, "the Lord."
NLT: Then the Lord came down in a cloud and stood there with him; and he called out his own name, Yahweh.
KJV: And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.
NKJV: Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.
Verse Commentary:
Please see our chapter commentary on Exodus 34; verse-level content coming soon!
Verse Context:
Exodus 34:5–9 records God passing in front of Moses to fulfill an earlier promise (Exodus 33:18–23). The Lord comes down to Sinai in a cloud and proclaims Himself as "Yahweh" as His glory passes in front of Moses. The declaration also emphasizes God's mercy, justice, and consistency. Moses responds with humility, but close contact with Divinity creates a side effect seen by other Israelites when he returns (Exodus 34:29).
Chapter Summary:
Moses obeys God's command to bring new stone tablets (Exodus 32:19) onto Mount Sinai. There, God fulfills His earlier promise to reveal more of His glory to Moses (Exodus 33:18–23). The Lord renews the covenant with Israel and gives additional details on subjects such as idolatry, the Sabbath, and certain festivals. When Moses returns, the people are intimidated by his now-shining face.
Chapter Context:
Israel quickly broke God's laws (Exodus 20:3–6) by committing idolatry (Exodus 32:1–6). This caused a rift between them and God. One consequence was a removal of God's direct presence (Exodus 33:1–3). In this chapter, the covenant is renewed. The remaining chapters (Exodus 35—40) mirror the instructions for building the tabernacle (Exodus 25—31).
Book Summary:
The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.
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