The Meaning of Exodus 34:4 Explained

Exodus 34:4

KJV: And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone.

YLT: And he heweth two tables of stone like the first, and Moses riseth early in the morning, and goeth up unto mount Sinai, as Jehovah commanded him, and he taketh in his hand two tables of stone.

Darby: And he hewed two tables of stone like the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning and went up to mount Sinai, as Jehovah had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone.

ASV: And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as Jehovah had commanded him, and took in his hand two tables of stone.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he hewed  two  tables  of stone  like unto the first;  and Moses  rose up early  in the morning,  and went up  unto mount  Sinai,  as the LORD  had commanded  him, and took  in his hand  the two  tables  of stone. 

What does Exodus 34:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 34:1-17 - The Covenant Of The Law Renewed
Before we can behold the vision of Eternal Love we must be willing to fulfill three conditions: (1) Earliness: "My soul, be ready in the morning." (2) Solitude: "No man shall come up with thee." (3) The open heart: "That God may write there what He will." God is always passing by and covering us with the shadow of His hand, and proclaiming His loving kindness and tender mercy. He keeps mercy for thousands, and limits the entail of sin to the third and fourth generation.
Whenever we get near to God we should begin to think of and pray for others. As the last notes of the divine procession were dying away Moses bowed his head and worshiped, saying, "Let the Lord go in the middle of us and forgive." It was as though he said, "If thou art a God like that, thou art the God that stiff-necked people need. Go with us, therefore, for thou canst bear with us." He went on to ask that they might be pardoned, and that God would account them His heritage. His request was more than granted! God entered into covenant with them and promised to drive out their enemies on conditions which He proceeded to enumerate.
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Chapter Summary: Exodus 34

1  The tablets are replaced
5  The name of the Lord proclaimed
8  Moses entreats God to go with them
10  God makes a covenant with them, repeating certain duties
28  Moses after forty days on the mount, comes down with the tablets
29  His face is radiant, and he covers it with a veil

What do the individual words in Exodus 34:4 mean?

So he cut two tablets of stone like the first [ones] and rose early Moses in the morning and went up unto Mount Sinai as had commanded Yahweh him and he took in his hand two the tablets of stone
וַיִּפְסֹ֡ל שְׁנֵֽי־ לֻחֹ֨ת אֲבָנִ֜ים כָּרִאשֹׁנִ֗ים וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם מֹשֶׁ֤ה בַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ וַיַּ֙עַל֙ אֶל־ הַ֣ר סִינַ֔י כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֹת֑וֹ וַיִּקַּ֣ח בְּיָד֔וֹ שְׁנֵ֖י לֻחֹ֥ת אֲבָנִֽים

וַיִּפְסֹ֡ל  So  he  cut 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּסַל  
Sense: to cut, hew, hew into shape.
שְׁנֵֽי־  two 
Parse: Number, mdc
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
לֻחֹ֨ת  tablets 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: לוּחַ  
Sense: board, slab, tablet, plank.
אֲבָנִ֜ים  of  stone 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone (large or small).
כָּרִאשֹׁנִ֗ים  like  the  first  [ones] 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רִאשֹׁון  
Sense: first, primary, former.
וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם  and  rose  early 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁכַם  
Sense: to rise or start early.
מֹשֶׁ֤ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
בַבֹּ֙קֶר֙  in  the  morning 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּקֶר 
Sense: morning, break of day.
וַיַּ֙עַל֙  and  went  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
אֶל־  unto 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַ֣ר  Mount 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
סִינַ֔י  Sinai 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: סִינַי  
Sense: the mountain where Moses received the Law from Jehovah; located at the southern end of the Sinai peninsula between the horns of the Red Sea; exact site unknown.
צִוָּ֥ה  had  commanded 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַיִּקַּ֣ח  and  he  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
בְּיָד֔וֹ  in  his  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
שְׁנֵ֖י  two 
Parse: Number, mdc
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
לֻחֹ֥ת  the  tablets 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: לוּחַ  
Sense: board, slab, tablet, plank.
אֲבָנִֽים  of  stone 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone (large or small).

What are the major concepts related to Exodus 34:4?

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