Exodus 34:31-35 Meaning: Why Moses Called the Fearful People
31Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses spoke to them.
32Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them all the commandments that Yahweh had spoken with him on Mount Sinai.
33When Moses was done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.
34But when Moses went in before Yahweh to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out; and he came out, and spoke to the children of Israel that which he was commanded.
35The children of Israel saw Moses’ face, that the skin of Moses’ face shone; so Moses put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
31And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them.
32And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him in mount Sinai.
33And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face.
34But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.
35And 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.
31And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses spake to them.
32And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that Jehovah had spoken with him in mount Sinai.
33And when Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.
34But when Moses went in before Jehovah to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out; and he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.
35And 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.
31And Moses calleth unto them, and Aaron and all the princes in the company return unto him, and Moses speaketh unto them;
32and afterwards have all the sons of Israel come nigh, and he chargeth them with all that Jehovah hath spoken with him in mount Sinai.
33And Moses finisheth speaking with them, and putteth on his face a vail;
34and in the going in of Moses before Jehovah to speak with Him, he turneth aside the vail until his coming out; and he hath come out and hath spoken unto the sons of Israel that which he is commanded;
35and the sons of Israel have seen the face of Moses that the skin of the face of Moses hath shone, and Moses hath put back the vail on his face until his going in to speak with Him.
31And Moses called to them; and they turned to him, — Aaron and all the principal men of the assembly; and Moses talked with them.
32And afterwards, all the children of Israel came near; and he gave them in commandment all that Jehovah had spoken with him on mount Sinai.
33And Moses ended speaking with them; and he had put on his face a veil.
34And when Moses went in before Jehovah to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out; and he came out, and spoke to the children of Israel what he was commanded.
35And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone; and Moses put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
Meaning in one sentence
Moses' face shone after meeting God; the people feared. He called them near, spoke God's words, then veiled his face, a picture of mediation.
Context
Moses had just spent forty days and nights on Mount Sinai, face to face with God. The covenant was renewed, the tablets rewritten. When he came down, his skin shone with a brightness that terrified Aaron and the leaders. They drew back. But Moses did not let their fear stand in the way. He called them to return, spoke God's commands to all Israel, and then covered his face. From that day on, every time Moses entered the tent to speak with God, he removed the veil. When he came out to give God's message, he wore it again. The shining face was not for display. It was a sign that the God of Sinai still spoke through a man.
Key Words
The Hebrew word behind shone in verse 35 is qaran. It means to send out rays, like horns of light. The ancient Latin translation pictured Moses with actual horns, which is where the famous statue of Moses by Michelangelo gets its odd feature. But the real point is simpler: Moses reflected God's glory just by being near Him, without any effort of his own. The word for veil, masveh, appears only here in the whole Old Testament. It is a covering, something that hides while something greater remains behind it. Paul later used this picture to show that the old covenant had a glory that faded, but the new covenant in Christ has no veil at all. And the verb called (qara) is the same word God used when He summoned Moses from the burning bush. Moses now does what God did: he calls a fearful people to come close.
How Christians Read This Verse
Paul sees this passage as a picture of two covenants. In 2 Corinthians 3, he writes that the glory on Moses' face was fading, and the veil kept the Israelites from seeing its end. The old covenant, for all its majesty, was temporary. Christian readers often take this as a contrast with the permanent glory of the Gospel. Jewish tradition has focused more on Moses' unique role: he spoke with God face to face, and the veil protected ordinary people from a glory they could not bear. Both readings honour the same reality: God's holiness is real, and it takes a mediator to stand between Him and His people.
A common misunderstanding
Many assume Moses wore the veil because his face was too bright to look at while he spoke to the people. But the passage says exactly the opposite: he spoke to them without the veil. The veil went on after he finished delivering God's words. It was for ordinary life, not for prophecy. The people saw his face while he commanded them. The veil covered the glory when he was not actively mediating God's message.
Living This Out
You might feel afraid to come close to God sometimes. His holiness seems overwhelming, your own failures too obvious. But notice what Moses did: he called the people. He did not wait for them to muster courage. He invited them. This week, when you feel that hesitation, remember that God calls you through His Son. The veil that once hid glory has been torn. You do not need to wait until you feel worthy. Listen for His voice and come near.
Main takeaway: God’s glory is too bright for us to bear, but He calls us close through a mediator who speaks His words.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Moses talked to God, and his face was very bright. The people were scared. But Moses said, “Come here.” He told them what God said. God wants us to come close too.
For ages 9, 12
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, his face was shining because he had been with God. The people were so afraid they moved back. But Moses called them to come close, and he gave them God's commands. Then he put a cloth over his face so the brightness would not scare them when he was not speaking for God. This shows that God is holy and wonderful, but He still wants us to come near. Today, Jesus makes us welcome to come to God without fear.
Questions People Ask
Why did Moses' face shine?
Moses' face shone because he had been speaking with God on Mount Sinai. The Hebrew word used means 'sent out rays,' like beams of light. The glory of God's presence left a visible mark on him, even though he did not realize it at first.
Did Moses always wear the veil?
No. He removed the veil whenever he went into the tent to speak with God. He also spoke to the people without the veil while delivering God's message. He put it back on after he finished speaking, during ordinary life.
What does Paul say about Moses' veil in the New Testament?
In 2 Corinthians 3, Paul compares the veil to the old covenant. He says the glory on Moses' face was fading, and the veil kept the Israelites from seeing that it was temporary. For Paul, the new covenant in Christ has a lasting glory and no veil.
Does this story connect to Jesus?
Many Christians see Moses as a model of a mediator. Just as Moses brought God's words to the people and stood between them and God, Jesus is the perfect mediator. Unlike Moses, Jesus does not veil His glory, He reveals God fully.
Why were the people afraid of Moses?
They were afraid because his face shone with a supernatural brightness that reminded them of God's holy presence. Earlier, at Mount Sinai, the people had been terrified of God's thunder and fire. Seeing that same glory on Moses' face brought back that fear.
For pastors & researchers
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