Exodus 34:29

“And it came to pass, when Moses came down Mount Sinai, etc.] Which was on the day of atonement, according to Jarchi, that is, the tenth of Tisri, or September; and so the Jewish chronologers f978 fix his descent on this day: with the two tables of testimony in Moses’s hand; the two tables he carried up, on which God had wrote the law, called “the testimony”, being a testification and declaration of his will to the children of Israel: when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone, while he talked with him: the Targum of Jonathan is, “Moses knew not that the splendour of the form of his face was become illustrious, which he had from the brightness of the…”

“Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him--It was an intimation of the exalted presence into which he had been admitted and of the glory he had witnessed (Co2 3:18); and in that view, it was a badge of his high office as the ambassador of God. No testimonial needed to be produced. He bore his credentials on his very face; and whether this extraordinary effulgence was a permanent or merely temporary distinction, it cannot be doubted that this reflected glory was given him as an honor before all the people.”

“The two tables of testimony - Compare Exodus 31:18. The skin of his face shone - Compare Matthew 17:2. The brightness of the Eternal Glory, though Moses had witnessed it only in a modified manner Exodus 33:22-23, was so reflected in his face, that Aaron and the people were stricken with awe, and feared to approach him until he gave them words of encouragement. The word translated “shine” is closely connected with a word translated “horn”; and hence, the Latin version and others have rendered the verb “to be horned.” From this rendering of the word has arisen the popular representation of Moses with horns on his forehead; e. g. in Michaelangelo’s statue at Rome. return to 'Top of Page'”

“The skin of his face shone - This time of his being in the mount he heard only the same he had heard before. But he saw more of the glory of God, which having with open face beheld, he was in some measure changed into the same image. This was a great honour done to Moses, that the people might never again question his mission, or think or speak slightly of him. He carried his credentials in his very countenance, some think as long as he lived, he retained some remainders of this glory, which perhaps contributed to the vigour of his old age; that eye could not wax dim which had seen God, nor that face wrinkle which had shone with his glory. Exodus 34:30”

“34:29-35 Moses, who had asked to see the glory of God, wasn’t aware that his own face reflected that glory.”

“am 2513, bc 1491, An, Ex, Is, 1, Elul Two tables: Exo 32:15 wist: Exo 16:15; Jos 2:4, Jos 8:14; Jdg 16:20; Mar 9:6, Mar 14:40; Luk 2:49; Joh 5:13; Act 12:9, Act 23:5 the skin: Mat 17:2; Luk 9:29; Act 6:15; Co2 3:7-9, Co2 3:13; Rev 1:16, Rev 10:1 face shone: As the original word karan, signifies to shine out, or dart forth, as horns on the head of an animal, or rays of light reflected from a polished surface, we may suppose that the heavenly glory which filled the soul of this holy man, darted out from his face in coruscations, in the manner in which light is generally represented. The Vulgate renders it, et ignorabat quod cornuta esset facies sua, "and he did not know that his face was…”