The Meaning of Exodus 34:32 Explained

Exodus 34:32

KJV: And 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.

YLT: and afterwards have all the sons of Israel come nigh, and he chargeth them with all that Jehovah hath spoken with him in mount Sinai.

Darby: And afterwards, all the children of Israel came near; and he gave them in commandment all that Jehovah had spoken with him on mount Sinai.

ASV: And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that Jehovah had spoken with him in mount Sinai.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And 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. 

What does Exodus 34:32 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 34:18-35 - Moses Brings The Renewed Tables Of The Law
For forty days, with no sustenance from bread or water, Moses abode on the Mount-absorbed with a passion of love and awe-not counting the hours which passed like a dream. He talked with God as a man face to face with His friend; but he was completely unaware of the marvelous transformation which this holy intercourse was effecting. At God's dictation he wrote out the covenant, as we have it in this Book, and finally God gave him the two tables of stone, on which He had imprinted His autograph.
With these in his hand Moses descended to the plain, unconscious that his face shone. See 2 Corinthians 3:18, r.v. The Apostle urges that we, as Christians, should first behold, and then reflect the glory of Jesus. We must be mirrors, for the purpose of shedding His light among our fellow-men; and in the effort to do this we shall become transfigured into His glorious beauty from one degree to another. The crowning glory of that transfiguration will be our unconsciousness: "He wist not." [source]

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 34:32 mean?

And afterward came near all the sons of Israel and he gave them as commandments - that had spoken Yahweh with him on Mount Sinai
וְאַחֲרֵי־ כֵ֥ן נִגְּשׁ֖וּ כָּל־ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיְצַוֵּ֕ם אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה אִתּ֖וֹ בְּהַ֥ר סִינָֽי

כֵ֥ן  afterward 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
נִגְּשׁ֖וּ  came  near 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: נָגַשׁ  
Sense: to draw near, approach.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וַיְצַוֵּ֕ם  and  he  gave  them  as  commandments 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
אֵת֩  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
דִּבֶּ֧ר  had  spoken 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
יְהוָ֛ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אִתּ֖וֹ  with  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
בְּהַ֥ר  on  Mount 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
סִינָֽי  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.