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The Description Of Yahweh From Exodus 34 Essay

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The description of Yahweh found in Exodus 34:5-7 is a significant and influential passage from the Old Testament text which is foundational for biblical theology, since it provides the most complete description of both the name and the nature of God found anywhere within the scriptural canon. Its significance can is noted by the fact that this passage is quoted and referred back to at least eleven times throughout the Old Testament including in the books of Jeremiah, Joel, Numbers, Nehemiah, Lamentations, Daniel, and 1 Kings.. In order to fully understand the meaning and purpose of this passage, several other passages must be considered which serve both as anticipatory texts and texts which provide contextual meaning. One such text is found in the thirty third chapter of Exodus. The passage from Exodus 34 is especially significant as many characteristics of Yahweh are revealed to Moses by Yahweh Himself. Another important aspect of this passage is its poeticism and the fact that it reveals the innate characteristics of God in such a way that demonstrates literary beauty and rhythm. Many phrases and expressions in this passage are presented in pairs. This is augmented by the fact that this passage, in the broadest sense, serves to emphasize the two aspects of God which are most basic. These two aspects are His love and His justice. The purpose of this paper is to examine and analyze this passage in Exodus 34, as well as several contextual texts, in order to attempt to grasp

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