So when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to approach him.
Parallel translations
- WEB When Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come near him.
- KJV And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.
- BSB Aaron and all the Israelites looked at Moses, and behold, his face was radiant. And they were afraid to approach him.
- NKJV So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.
- NLT So when Aaron and the people of Israel saw the radiance of Moses’ face, they were afraid to come near him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Aaron and the people see Moses' shining face and are afraid to come near him.
Overview
The glory on Moses' face provoked fear, for sinful people instinctively shrink from the reflected holiness of God. This reverent dread showed both the majesty of God and the distance sin creates. In Christ, however, the glory of God draws near in grace, so that we may behold it and not be consumed (John 1:14).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Mark 9:3His clothing became glistening, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.
- Luke 5:8But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.”
- Mark 9:15Immediately all the multitude, when they saw him, were greatly amazed, and running to him greeted him.
- Num 12:8With him, I will speak mouth to mouth, even plainly, and not in riddles; and he shall see Yahweh’s form. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 34:30 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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