Bible Strands
Exodus 34:35
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.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses stands before the Israelites after descending from Mount Sinai with the second tablets. The people observe his radiant face, prompting him to cover it again until he next enters the LORD's presence to receive instruction.
The words — The Hebrew verb קָרַן (qaran) literally means "it shone" or "it emitted rays," describing the visible radiance of Moses' face. The phrase בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (benei Yisrael) identifies the observers as the people of Israel.
The thread — This radiant face motif originates in Exodus 34:29 when Moses first descends Sinai, and reappears in Ecclesiastes 8:1 regarding wisdom brightening a face and Daniel 12:3 describing the wise shining like the heavens.
Why it lands — The text records that Moses covered his face to maintain the veil while approaching the LORD, marking the boundary between divine encounter and public revelation. A reader must recognize that the radiance served as a visible sign of communion with God, not a permanent state of holiness.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Exodus 34:29 And when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was unaware that his face had become radiant from speaking with the LORD.
- Ecclesiastes 8:1 Who is like the wise man? Who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed.
- Daniel 12:3 Then the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.
- Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
- Matthew 13:43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
- John 5:35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you were willing for a season to bask in his light.
- Philippians 2:15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world