Exodus 34

Exodus 34		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה פְּסָל־לְךָ֛ שְׁנֵֽי־לֻחֹ֥ת אֲבָנִ֖ים כָּרִאשֹׁנִ֑ים וְכָתַבְתִּי֙ עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֔ת אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֛וּ עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֥ת הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר שִׁבַּֽרְתָּ	1		And Yahweh said to Moses, Sculpt your two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write upon the tablets the things that were upon the former tablets that you broke.	3d	4C	22 29
וֶהְיֵ֥ה נָכ֖וֹן לַבֹּ֑קֶר וְעָלִ֤יתָ בַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ אֶל־הַ֣ר סִינַ֔י וְנִצַּבְתָּ֥ לִ֛י שָׁ֖ם עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ הָהָֽר	2		And be prepared in the morning, and ascend in the morning to mount Sinai, and stand firm for me there on the top of the hill.	3d	4C	7 21
וְאִישׁ֙ לֹֽא־יַעֲלֶ֣ה עִמָּ֔ךְ וְגַם־אִ֥ישׁ אַל־יֵרָ֖א בְּכָל־הָהָ֑ר גַּם־הַצֹּ֤אן וְהַבָּקָר֙ אַל־יִרְע֔וּ אֶל־מ֖וּל הָהָ֥ר הַהֽוּא	3		And no-one will ascend with you and moreover let no-one be seen in all the hill, even the flock, the oxen, let none pasture to be in the forefront of that hill.	3e	4C	17 16
וַיִּפְסֹ֡ל שְׁנֵֽי־לֻחֹ֨ת אֲבָנִ֜ים כָּרִאשֹׁנִ֗ים וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם מֹשֶׁ֤ה בַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ וַיַּ֙עַל֙ אֶל־הַ֣ר סִינַ֔י כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֹת֑וֹ וַיִּקַּ֣ח בְּיָד֔וֹ שְׁנֵ֖י לֻחֹ֥ת אֲבָנִֽים	4		So he sculpted two tablets of stone like the first, and Moses rose up early in the morning, and ascended to mount Sinai as Yahweh commanded him, and he took in his hand both tablets of stone.	3d	4C	37 13
וַיֵּ֤רֶד יְהוָה֙ בֶּֽעָנָ֔ן וַיִּתְיַצֵּ֥ב עִמּ֖וֹ שָׁ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֥א בְשֵׁ֖ם יְהוָֽה	5		And Yahweh descended in a cloud and presented himself with him there, and he called in the name of Yahweh.	3e	4C	15 7
וַיַּעֲבֹ֨ר יְהוָ֥ה ׀ עַל־פָּנָיו֮ וַיִּקְרָא֒ יְהוָ֣ה ׀ יְהוָ֔ה אֵ֥ל רַח֖וּם וְחַנּ֑וּן אֶ֥רֶךְ אַפַּ֖יִם וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת ׀	6		And Yahweh, passed over before him, and he called, Yahweh, Yahweh, a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in kindness and truth,	3e	4B	22 11
נֹצֵ֥ר חֶ֙סֶד֙ לָאֲלָפִ֔ים נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֺ֛ן וָפֶ֖שַׁע וְחַטָּאָ֑ה וְנַקֵּה֙ לֹ֣א יְנַקֶּ֔ה פֹּקֵ֣ד ׀ עֲוֺ֣ן אָב֗וֹת עַל־בָּנִים֙ וְעַל־בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֖ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִֽים	7		Preserving mercy for thousands, bearing iniquity, and transgression, and sin, and as for holding innocent, he will not hold innocent, visiting the iniquity of forebears on children and on the children's children over three and over four generations.	3d	4B	19 31
וַיְמַהֵ֖ר מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיִּקֹּ֥ד אַ֖רְצָה וַיִּשְׁתָּֽחוּ	8		And Moses was swift, and bowed the head earthward, and prostrated himself.	3e	4A	5 9
וַיֹּ֡אמֶר אִם־נָא֩ מָצָ֨אתִי חֵ֤ן בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲדֹנָ֔י יֵֽלֶךְ־נָ֥א אֲדֹנָ֖י בְּקִרְבֵּ֑נוּ כִּ֤י עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֙רֶף֙ ה֔וּא וְסָלַחְתָּ֛ לַעֲוֺנֵ֥נוּ וּלְחַטָּאתֵ֖נוּ וּנְחַלְתָּֽנוּ	9		And he said, If, please, I have found grace in your eyes, my Lord, walk, if you will, my Lord, within us, for a people of intransigent scruff it is, and forgive our iniquity, and our sin, and make us your inheritance.	3d	4C	26 25
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּ֣ה אָנֹכִי֮ כֹּרֵ֣ת בְּרִית֒ נֶ֤גֶד כָּֽל־עַמְּךָ֙ אֶעֱשֶׂ֣ה נִפְלָאֹ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־נִבְרְא֥וּ בְכָל־הָאָ֖רֶץ וּבְכָל־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וְרָאָ֣ה כָל־הָ֠עָם אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֨ה בְקִרְבּ֜וֹ אֶת־מַעֲשֵׂ֤ה יְהוָה֙ כִּֽי־נוֹרָ֣א ה֔וּא אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י עֹשֶׂ֥ה עִמָּֽךְ	10		And he said, Behold, I cut a covenant in front of all your people. I will do wonderful things that have not been created in all the earth, and among all the nations. And all the people that you are among will see the deed of Yahweh, for to be feared it is, what I will do with you.	3d	4C	39 30
שְׁמָ֨ר־לְךָ֔ אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָנֹכִ֖י מְצַוְּךָ֣ הַיּ֑וֹם הִנְנִ֧י גֹרֵ֣שׁ מִפָּנֶ֗יךָ אֶת־הָאֱמֹרִי֙ וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י וְהַחִתִּי֙ וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י וְהַחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִֽי	11		Keep as yours what I am commanding you today. Behold me expelling from your presence the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.	3c	4B	15 34
הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֗ פֶּן־תִּכְרֹ֤ת בְּרִית֙ לְיוֹשֵׁ֣ב הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֖ה בָּ֣א עָלֶ֑יהָ פֶּן־יִהְיֶ֥ה לְמוֹקֵ֖שׁ בְּקִרְבֶּֽךָ	12		Keep watch for yourself, lest you cut a covenant with the inhabitants of the land that you are going toward, lest it become a trap within you.	3e	4C	24 10
כִּ֤י אֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתָם֙ תִּתֹּצ֔וּן וְאֶת־מַצֵּבֹתָ֖ם תְּשַׁבֵּר֑וּן וְאֶת־אֲשֵׁרָ֖יו תִּכְרֹתֽוּן	13	C	For their altars you will break down, and their monuments you will shatter, and its fetishes you will cut off.	3e	4C	19 8
כִּ֛י לֹ֥א תִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה לְאֵ֣ל אַחֵ֑ר כִּ֤י יְהוָה֙ קַנָּ֣א שְׁמ֔וֹ אֵ֥ל קַנָּ֖א הֽוּא	14	d	For you will not worship another god, because Yahweh is jealous of his name, a jealous god he is.	3d	4C	10 11
פֶּן־תִּכְרֹ֥ת בְּרִ֖ית לְיוֹשֵׁ֣ב הָאָ֑רֶץ וְזָנ֣וּ ׀ אַחֲרֵ֣י אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֗ם וְזָבְחוּ֙ לֵאלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם וְקָרָ֣א לְךָ֔ וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ מִזִּבְחֽוֹ	15		Lest you cut a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they prostitute themselves after their God, and sacrifice to their God, and someone calls for you, and you eat from its sacrifice.	3e	4B	11 29
וְלָקַחְתָּ֥ מִבְּנֹתָ֖יו לְבָנֶ֑יךָ וְזָנ֣וּ בְנֹתָ֗יו אַחֲרֵי֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ן וְהִזְנוּ֙ אֶת־בָּנֶ֔יךָ אַחֲרֵ֖י אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽן	16		And you take from their daughters for your sons, and their daughters prostitute themselves after their God, and make your sons prostitute themselves after their God.	3e	4B	11 27
אֱלֹהֵ֥י מַסֵּכָ֖ה לֹ֥א תַעֲשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ	17		Gods of molten metal, you will not make for yourself.	3e	3g	11
אֶת־חַ֣ג הַמַּצּוֹת֮ תִּשְׁמֹר֒ שִׁבְעַ֨ת יָמִ֜ים תֹּאכַ֤ל מַצּוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּיתִ֔ךָ לְמוֹעֵ֖ד חֹ֣דֶשׁ הָאָבִ֑יב כִּ֚י בְּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽאָבִ֔יב יָצָ֖אתָ מִמִּצְרָֽיִם	18		The feast of unleavened bread you will keep. Seven days you will eat unleavened bread as I have commanded you, at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in the month of Abib, you come forth from Egypt.	3e	4C	29 14
כָּל־פֶּ֥טֶר רֶ֖חֶם לִ֑י וְכָֽל־מִקְנְךָ֙ תִּזָּכָ֔ר פֶּ֖טֶר שׁ֥וֹר וָשֶֽׂה	19		Every firstling of the womb is mine, and every purchase that is male, firstling of bull or lamb.	3e	4A	6 13
וּפֶ֤טֶר חֲמוֹר֙ תִּפְדֶּ֣ה בְשֶׂ֔ה וְאִם־לֹ֥א תִפְדֶּ֖ה וַעֲרַפְתּ֑וֹ כֹּ֣ל בְּכ֤וֹר בָּנֶ֙יךָ֙ תִּפְדֶּ֔ה וְלֹֽא־יֵרָא֥וּ פָנַ֖י רֵיקָֽם	20	C	But the firstling of an ass will be ransomed with a lamb, and if not you do ransom, then you will break its nape, All the firstborn of your sons you will ransom, and they will not appear before me empty.	3e	4C	18 16
שֵׁ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ תַּעֲבֹ֔ד וּבַיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖י תִּשְׁבֹּ֑ת בֶּחָרִ֥ישׁ וּבַקָּצִ֖יר תִּשְׁבֹּֽת	21	C	Six days you will serve, and on the seventh day you will cease. Whether ploughing or reaping, you will cease.	3e	4C	15 9
וְחַ֤ג שָׁבֻעֹת֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה לְךָ֔ בִּכּוּרֵ֖י קְצִ֣יר חִטִּ֑ים וְחַג֙ הָֽאָסִ֔יף תְּקוּפַ֖ת הַשָּׁנָֽה	22		And the feast of weeks you will do for yourself, the first ripe fruit of the harvest of wheat, and the feast of ingathering at the circuit of the year.	3e	4C	17 11
שָׁלֹ֥שׁ פְּעָמִ֖ים בַּשָּׁנָ֑ה יֵרָאֶה֙ כָּל־זְכ֣וּרְךָ֔ אֶת־פְּנֵ֛י הָֽאָדֹ֥ן ׀ יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	23		Three times in the year, your every male will appear before the Lord Yahweh, the God of Israel.	3d	4B	8 21
כִּֽי־אוֹרִ֤ישׁ גּוֹיִם֙ מִפָּנֶ֔יךָ וְהִרְחַבְתִּ֖י אֶת־גְּבוּלֶ֑ךָ וְלֹא־יַחְמֹ֥ד אִישׁ֙ אֶֽת־אַרְצְךָ֔ בַּעֲלֹֽתְךָ֗ לֵרָאוֹת֙ אֶת־פְּנֵי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ שָׁלֹ֥שׁ פְּעָמִ֖ים בַּשָּׁנָֽה	24		For I will dispossess nations from before you, and enlarge your borders, and no-one will covet your land when you go up to appear before Yahweh your God, three times in the year.	3e	4C	17 33
לֹֽא־תִשְׁחַ֥ט עַל־חָמֵ֖ץ דַּם־זִבְחִ֑י וְלֹא־יָלִ֣ין לַבֹּ֔קֶר זֶ֖בַח חַ֥ג הַפָּֽסַח	25		You will not butcher with leaven the blood of my offerings, and will not bide to the morning, an offering of the feast of the Passover.	3e	4B	9 12
רֵאשִׁ֗ית בִּכּוּרֵי֙ אַדְמָ֣תְךָ֔ תָּבִ֕יא בֵּ֖ית יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לֹא־תְבַשֵּׁ֥ל גְּדִ֖י בַּחֲלֵ֥ב אִמּֽוֹ	26		The first of the first ripe fruit of your ground, you will bring to the house of Yahweh your God. You will not boil a male kid in the milk of its mother.	3e	4B	17 11
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה כְּתָב־לְךָ֖ אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה כִּ֞י עַל־פִּ֣י ׀ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה כָּרַ֧תִּי אִתְּךָ֛ בְּרִ֖ית וְאֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	27		And Yahweh said to Moses, Write for you these words, for on the mandate of these words, I have cut with you a covenant, and with Israel.	3c	4C	19 21
וַֽיְהִי־שָׁ֣ם עִם־יְהוָ֗ה אַרְבָּעִ֥ים יוֹם֙ וְאַרְבָּעִ֣ים לַ֔יְלָה לֶ֚חֶם לֹ֣א אָכַ֔ל וּמַ֖יִם לֹ֣א שָׁתָ֑ה וַיִּכְתֹּ֣ב עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֗ת אֵ֚ת דִּבְרֵ֣י הַבְּרִ֔ית עֲשֶׂ֖רֶת הַדְּבָרִֽים	28		And he was there with Yahweh a forty day and forty night span. Bread he did not eat, and water he did not imbibe. And he inscribed upon the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten words.	3e	4C	26 18
וַיְהִ֗י בְּרֶ֤דֶת מֹשֶׁה֙ מֵהַ֣ר סִינַ֔י וּשְׁנֵ֨י לֻחֹ֤ת הָֽעֵדֻת֙ בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בְּרִדְתּ֖וֹ מִן־הָהָ֑ר וּמֹשֶׁ֣ה לֹֽא־יָדַ֗ע כִּ֥י קָרַ֛ן ע֥וֹר פָּנָ֖יו בְּדַבְּר֥וֹ אִתּֽוֹ	29		And it was when Moses descended from mount Sinai, and the two tablets of the testimony in the hand of Moses, when he descended from the hill, that Moses did not know that the skin of his face was intensely bright, from his speaking with him.	3d	4C	28 16
וַיַּ֨רְא אַהֲרֹ֜ן וְכָל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה קָרַ֖ן ע֣וֹר פָּנָ֑יו וַיִּֽירְא֖וּ מִגֶּ֥שֶׁת אֵלָֽיו	30		And Aaron, and all the children of Israel, saw Moses, and behold the skin of his face was intensely bright, and they feared to come close to him.	3e	4C	23 8
וַיִּקְרָ֤א אֲלֵהֶם֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה וַיָּשֻׁ֧בוּ אֵלָ֛יו אַהֲרֹ֥ן וְכָל־הַנְּשִׂאִ֖ים בָּעֵדָ֑ה וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֲלֵהֶֽם	31		And Moses called to them, and to him Aaron turned, and all the principals in the assembly, and Moses spoke to them.	3c	4C	25 8
וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵ֥ן נִגְּשׁ֖וּ כָּל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיְצַוֵּ֕ם אֵת֩ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה אִתּ֖וֹ בְּהַ֥ר סִינָֽי	32		And after, rightly, all the children of Israel came close, and he commanded them all that Yahweh had spoken with him on mount Sinai.	3c	4B	13 17
וַיְכַ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֔ה מִדַּבֵּ֖ר אִתָּ֑ם וַיִּתֵּ֥ן עַל־פָּנָ֖יו מַסְוֶֽה	33		And Moses was finished speaking with them. He permitted over his face, a mask:	3e	4B	9 8
וּבְבֹ֨א מֹשֶׁ֜ה לִפְנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אִתּ֔וֹ יָסִ֥יר אֶת־הַמַּסְוֶ֖ה עַד־צֵאת֑וֹ וְיָצָ֗א וְדִבֶּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְצֻוֶּֽה	34		When Moses entered the presence of Yahweh to speak with him, he put aside the mask until he came out, then he came out and spoke to the children of Israel what he was commanded.	3e	4C	22 18
וְרָא֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֔ה כִּ֣י קָרַ֔ן ע֖וֹר פְּנֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֑ה וְהֵשִׁ֨יב מֹשֶׁ֤ה אֶת־הַמַּסְוֶה֙ עַל־פָּנָ֔יו עַד־בֹּא֖וֹ לְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ	35		And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses that the skin of the face of Moses was intensely bright. And Moses restored the mask upon his face, till he went in to speak with him.	3e	4C	21 20

The problem might be not with the 'other gods' but with the 'God' worshiped in error. The question is not just idolatry, all too common, but taking the true God revealed and worshiping in a way that destroys the worshiper. There is a warning of this in the NT (1 Corinthians 11:29) and here perhaps is Paul's source. Also the source the phrase 'only in the Lord' (7:39) from Paul on remarriage is here as well.

It takes historical elapsed time for the nations to be prepared for the revelation of G-d. Here is both a unity of humanity and a warning that I found quite unexpected in this text, and it might change my reading of other texts (though not the words).

It is a kind of rationale for this 'God' to let sin run its course, as it were, even over 4 billion years from those first fossils. Sin is not new, and the remedy is very costly. There is nothing automatic about doing the right thing. (Customs agents and theologians alike, beware. You prostitute yourself to your local national gods with your shouting.)

Yet the fear of such cross-cultural pollution - how well is it grounded? And here in this passage as in the reforms of Josiah, as I noted before, we also see a shallow reading of justification for destruction. This is not a good sign for those who would see mercy actually work.

What is birthed from this fearful creation project? If there is nothing, then erase me, but if mercy and love, I'm in. Perhaps we can see the Gospel in Torah. But threading the needle is hard work.