Exodus 34: This Time You Must Play Your Part

In chapter 34, God gives Moshe and the people a redo of the giving of the Ten Commandments. This time, God handles things differently. Moshe is told to carve the tablets himself:“Carve two tablets of stone like the first, and I will inscribe upon the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you shattered.” (Exodus 34:1)פְּסָל־לְךָ שְׁנֵי לֻחֹת אֲבָנִים כָּרִאשֹׁנִים וְכָתַבְתִּי עַל־הַלֻּחֹת אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ עַל־הַלֻּחֹת הָרִאשֹׁנִים אֲשֶׁר שִׁבַּרְתָּ׃The first time, God helped fashion the tablets. The first time, Moshe is told to bring the elders and Aaron with him up the mountain. This time, Moshe is told to go up by himself:“No one shall come up with you, and let no one be seen throughout the mountain.” (Exodus 34:3)וְאִישׁ לֹא־יַעֲלֶה עִמָּךְ וְגַם־אִישׁ אַל־יֵרָא בְּכָל־הָהָר׃Both times God descends in a cloud, but the first time God calls out the Ten Commandments. This time, God calls out the Thirteen Attributes of God:“The LORD passed before him and proclaimed: ‘The LORD, the LORD, God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness…’” (Exodus 34:6)וַיַּעֲבֹר ה׳ עַל־פָּנָיו וַיִּקְרָא ה׳ ה׳ אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב־חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת׃The rest of the chapter is very different. God repeats that He will wipe out the nations of the land, but then explains that the people must destroy all idols that they encounter:“You shall tear down their altars, smash their pillars, and cut down their sacred posts.” (Exodus 34:13)כִּי אֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתָם תִּתֹּצוּן וְאֶת־מַצֵּבֹתָם תְּשַׁבֵּרוּן וְאֶת־אֲשֵׁרָיו תִּכְרֹתוּן׃God then talks about the three pilgrimage festivals and the sanctification of the firstborn:“Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Sovereign LORD, the God of Israel.” (Exodus 34:23)שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים בַּשָּׁנָה יֵרָאֶה כָּל־זְכוּרְךָ אֶת־פְּנֵי הָאָדֹן ה׳ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃God then talks about Shabbat:“Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall cease; in plowing time and in harvest you shall cease.” (Exodus 34:21)שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תַּעֲבֹד וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי תִּשְׁבֹּת בֶּחָרִישׁ וּבַקָּצִיר תִּשְׁבֹּת׃Why does God use this opportunity to talk about destroying the idols and celebrating the pilgrimage festivals and Shabbat? The second set of tablets begins the transition from Mt. Sinai to the land. In the land of Israel, the people will need to be more self-sufficient and less reliant on God. These commandments are specifically tailored to that goal. God promises to wipe out the nations, but the people must play their part destroying the idols. The people saw firsthand what can happen when they are surrounded by idols even with the best intentions. Next, the people are told to come to God three times a year and to observe Shabbat. Notice how God connects these laws with agricultural concepts—the first of your harvest, the first of your fruits, cease to harvest, etc. The historical reasons behind these laws are missing because it is not about the past, but about how the laws will weave into the lives of the people in the land. This is also why God has Moshe fashion the tablets to show his partnership in the laws. God also calls out the prayer of the thirteen attributes and not laws brought down on high. If the people want forgiveness, they have to do their part and pray to God. Again, God is trying to instill a practical structure around these commandments geared toward a self-sufficient population in the land.