Exodus 34:4

“So he cut two tablets of stone like the first ones; and Moses rose early in the morning and went up to Mount Sinai, as YHWH had commanded him, and he took in his hand two tablets of stone.”

Exodus 34:4 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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4

Exodus 34:4, word by word

So he cutיִּפְסֹלyifsol

carve, hew

Carve, hew stone or wood.

Where else “yifsol” appears
twoשְׁנֵיshene

two

A pair, a quantity of two.

Where else “shene” appears
tabletsלֻחֹתluchot

tablet

Tablet, a flat piece of stone, wood or metal to write on; also a board or plank.

Where else “luchot” appears
of stoneאֲבָנִיםavanim

stone

A piece of rock, large or small, used for building, marking or throwing.

Where else “avanim” appears
like the first onesרִאשֹׁנִיםrishonim

first

What comes ahead in order or in time; the first.

Where else “rishonim” appears
and Mosesמֹשֶׁהmoshe

Moses

Moses, the man God called to bring Israel out of Egypt and through whom he gave the Law. His name sounds like "draw out" (Exodus 2:10).

Where else “moshe” appears
rose earlyיַּשְׁכֵּםyashkem

rise early

To get up early to do something.

Where else “yashkem” appears
in the morningבֹּקֶרboker

morning

Morning, dawn.

Where else “boker” appears
and went upיַּעַלyaal

go up

To go from a low place to a higher one: up the mountain, to Jerusalem or to a city.

Where else “yaal” appears
to Mountהַרhar

mountain

A great rise of land, like Sinai or Zion.

Where else “har” appears
YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears
had commandedצִוָּהtsiva

command

To give an order: "as YHWH had commanded".

Where else “tsiva” appears
and he tookיִּקַּחyikach

fetch

To take someone along, or go and fetch something.

Where else “yikach” appears
in his handיָדyad

hand

The part of the body with which one takes, gives and works; also what one does.

Where else “yad” appears

Places in this verse

JerusalemSinai?
Approximate location. A “?” means it is not known for sure where it was.
  • Sinai ?

    Today: disputed; traditionally Jebel Musa, Sinai, Egypt

    A mountain in the wilderness; which one it was is not known for certain, and its location is disputed.

    There God spoke with Moses and gave the law to Israel (Exod 19:20; 24:16).

    Exodus 19:20Exodus 19:11Exodus 24:16Acts 7:38

The context

3No man shall come up with you, and also let no man be seen on all the mountain; not even the flocks and the herds shall graze in front of that mountain.”

4 · This verse (above)

5And YHWH descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of YHWH.

Read all of Exodus 34

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