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Exodus 31:18
And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

Exodus 32:16,19
And the tableswere the work of God, and the writingwas the writing of God, graven upon the tables…

Deuteronomy 10:1
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.

I will

Exodus 34:28
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.

Deuteronomy 10:1-4
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…

the words

Psalm 119:89
LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

which

Exodus 32:19
And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.

Deuteronomy 9:15-17
So I turned and came down from the mount, and the mount burned with fire: and the two tables of the covenantwere in my two hands…

Chisel out two stone tablets like the originals
The command to chisel new tablets signifies a renewal of the covenant after Israel's breach. The original tablets, written by the finger of God (Exodus 31:18), were broken by Moses in righteous anger (Exodus 32:19). The act of chiseling represents human participation in divine work, paralleling the New Covenant where believers are called to actively engage in their faith (Philippians 2:12-13). The tablets symbolize the permanence and unchanging nature of God's law.

and I will write on them the words
God's promise to inscribe the words Himself underscores His authority and the divine origin of the law. This act signifies that the law is not merely human tradition but a divine mandate. It also foreshadows the New Covenant, where God's laws are written on the hearts of believers (Jeremiah 31:33;Hebrews 8:10), indicating an internal transformation rather than external adherence.

that were on the first tablets
The reference to the first tablets highlights continuity and restoration. Despite Israel's sin, God's covenant remains steadfast. This continuity is crucial for understanding the faithfulness of God, who does not abandon His promises (Deuteronomy 7:9). It also points to the consistency of God's moral standards, which are fulfilled in Christ (Matthew 5:17).

which you broke
This phrase recalls Moses' reaction to Israel's idolatry, symbolizing the broken relationship between God and His people due to sin. It serves as a reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the need for repentance and restoration. The breaking of the tablets prefigures the broken body of Christ, who was sacrificed to restore humanity's relationship with God (1 Corinthians 11:24).

• The initiative is entirely God’s; He speaks first, just as inExodus 3:4 and 19:3.

• This statement follows Moses’ intercession inExodus 33:12-17—God answers by restoring covenant conversation.

• Divine speech underscores the personal relationship: God is not distant, but addresses His servant directly (Numbers 12:7-8).

• The phrase “Then the LORD said” links the renewal of the covenant with Israel’s earlier failure, proving that God’s purposes stand (Romans 11:29).

• Moses must supply new tablets; human obedience now partners with divine grace (Exodus 24:12; 32:15-16).

• Stone indicates permanence; God’s law is not fluid or negotiable (Psalm 119:89).

• “Like the originals” shows God’s standards have not changed despite Israel’s sin (Malachi 3:6;James 1:17).

• The act of chiseling reminds Israel that sin carries consequences requiring effort and repentance (Joel 2:12-13).

• God Himself will inscribe the same commandments again—His word is unaltered (Deuteronomy 10:1-4).

• Divine authorship guarantees authority and accuracy (2 Timothy 3:16).

• Restoration is complete: the covenant text is identical, signaling full renewal (Jeremiah 31:33 anticipates an even deeper inscription on hearts).

• Partnership theme: Moses provides the stone; God supplies the writing—salvation is by grace, yet calls for response (Ephesians 2:8-10).

• A gentle but clear reminder of Moses’ earlier action inExodus 32:19, symbolizing Israel’s broken covenant (Psalm 78:10).

• God names the failure yet offers restoration—both justice and mercy (Psalm 103:8-10).

• The broken tablets illustrate how sin shatters fellowship; the replacement tablets show God’s willingness to heal (Isaiah 57:15).

• Personal address (“you broke”) keeps Moses humble and mindful of his leadership responsibility (Luke 12:48).

Exodus 34:1 reveals a God who both judges and restores. He initiates renewed dialogue, commands human participation, reissues His unchanging word, and confronts past failure, all to re-establish covenant relationship. The verse assures us that while sin fractures fellowship, God’s steadfast purpose and gracious provision can carve new beginnings on tablets—and on hearts willing to be shaped.

PREPARATIONS FOR A RENEWAL OF THE COVENANT.

(1-4) Before the covenant could be formally reestablished, before Israel could be replaced in the position forfeited by the idolatry of the golden calf, it was necessary that the conditions on which God consented to establish His covenant with them should be set forth afresh. Moses had asked for the return of God's favour, but had said nothing of these conditions. It is God who insists on them. "Hew thee two tables." The moral law must be delivered afresh--delivered in its completeness--exactly as at the first (Exodus 34:1), and even the ceremonial law must be reimposed in its main items (Exodus 34:12-26), or no return to favour is possible. Hence Moses is summoned once more to the top of Sinai, where the Law is to be delivered afresh to him, and is ordered to bring with him tables of stone like the former ones, to receive their written contents from God's hand.

(1)Hew thee two tables.--Something is always lost by sin, even when it is forgiven. The first tables were "the work of God" (Exodus 32:16). the second were hewn by the hand of Moses.

Of stone.--Literally,of stones--hewn,i.e.,out of two separate stones, which could not be said of the first tables, since none knew how God had fashioned them.

I will write.--It is quite clear, though some have maintained the contrary, that the second tables, equally with the first, were inscribed "with the finger of God." (Comp.Deuteronomy 4:13;Deuteronomy 10:2;Deuteronomy 10:4.) It is also quite clear that exactly the same words were written on each. . . .