Exodus 34:10 Meaning and Explanation
“And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →The LORD answers Moses' plea for presence, pardon, and covenant belonging. He announces covenant renewal and promises a publicly visible work that will fill surrounding people with deep awe. The promise then leads directly into commands Israel must observe faithfully.
The LORD renews His covenant and promises unprecedented, awe-inspiring works that Israel and surrounding peoples will openly witness together publicly.
The Context of Exodus 34:10
After Israel's golden calf, Moses has broken the first tablets and pleaded for the people. On the renewed ascent, the LORD proclaims His merciful, truthful, and just character. Moses bows, asks the LORD to go among Israel, pardon their sin, and take them as His inheritance. Verse 10 answers with covenant language and a promise of marvels before the people. Verse 11 immediately commands Israel to observe what the LORD says and names the peoples He will drive out. The following commands guard Israel against idolatrous covenants and order their feasts, firstborn offerings, Sabbath rest, sacrifices, and firstfruits. Written words and restored tablets confirm the renewal.
What Does Exodus 34:10 Mean?
'Behold, I make a covenant' answers a crisis with divine faithfulness. Israel's sin has been real, Moses' intercession has been urgent, and the LORD's mercy now takes an ordered covenant form. The promised marvels will occur 'before all thy people,' so the renewal is not a private agreement hidden between Moses and God. Israel will witness the LORD's work, and people among whom Israel lives will see it too. Public divine action confirms that the restored relationship carries consequences larger than Moses' personal experience.
The word 'terrible' describes a work that inspires fear and awe, not conduct that Scripture invites readers to imitate for shock value. The LORD identifies the coming work as His own and immediately calls Israel to observe His commands. Marvel and obedience belong together. Spectacle detached from covenant faithfulness would reverse the emphasis. Readers should also resist turning the promise into a guarantee that every faithful person will receive an unprecedented public miracle. This is a particular word to Israel and Moses at a decisive covenant moment.
Jesus says that the works given by the Father bear witness that the Father sent Him. His signs and saving work reveal divine authority and lead hearers toward faith and obedience. Exodus 34:10 prepares readers to recognize that God's mighty works disclose His faithfulness, while Christ provides the decisive center for Christian trust. We should value God's works without chasing novelty. A ministry's unusual claims, dramatic crowds, or emotional force cannot substitute for truth, mercy, holiness, and accountable obedience to Jesus.
Bible Verses Related to Exodus 34:10
“And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O LORD, let my LORD, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance. And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee. Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.”
- Exodus 34:9-11
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel. And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.”
- Exodus 34:27-29
“At that time the LORD said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood. And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark. And I made an ark of shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand. And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me. And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the LORD commanded me.”
- Deuteronomy 10:1-5
“But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.”
- John 5:36
Where Exodus 34:10 Echoes in Scripture
Deuteronomy 10:1-5 retells the replacement of the tablets and emphasizes that the LORD wrote the same ten commandments as before. The account helps define covenant renewal as merciful continuity, with the restored testimony faithfully preserved in the ark as commanded.
How to Apply Exodus 34:10 Today
When someone advertises a unique work of God, examine the teaching, conduct, use of money, treatment of vulnerable people, and willingness to accept correction. Awe is a fitting response to God's genuine work, while amazement alone proves little. Give thanks for visible mercy without demanding a public sign for every prayer. Keep God's commands connected to claims about His power. If you tell a story of answered prayer, state what you know, avoid embellishment, and direct attention toward the LORD's faithfulness rather than your importance.
Reflection & Prayer
Are we seeking the LORD's faithful work or merely an experience that feels unprecedented? We might pray: 'Covenant LORD, make Your mercy visible among us, give us reverent awe, and join every sincere testimony of Your work to truthful obedience.'