What Does Exodus 34:5 Mean in the King James?

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

Exodus 34:5 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

The LORD speaks his nature from within the cloud, so what is hidden is also where the name is revealed.

THE MEANING

The divine presence stands with you even where your view is clouded. There, the LORD’s nature is spoken aloud: the name is not merely a label but a disclosure of who is present.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

This undoes the belief that a clouded view means the divine presence is absent or unreachable.

THE ROOT

וַיִּקְרָא

wayyiqra

GROWS FROM

קרא

to call, summon, or call aloud

“proclaimed” in this verse is wayyiqra. The Hebrew says the LORD “called” the name: the name is voiced as a disclosure of nature, not left as a title. A small sound-shape echo sharpens the scene: “there” (⁨שָׁם⁩, sham) and “name” (⁨שֵׁם⁩, shem) share the consonants ⁨שׁם⁩, though they are different words, not one root, the place of meeting and the nature spoken meet in the same phrase.

ALSO GROWS

miqra: a convocation or assembly; something called together

מִקְרָא

The calling of the name gathers the encounter around what the LORD reveals.

qeri'ah: a calling or reading aloud

קְרִיאָה

This branch keeps the voice in view: the name is made known by being spoken.

THE PATTERN

The presence makes its nature known by coming near and speaking.

And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

Exodus 34:6 · KJVThe spoken name opens into the qualities that disclose the LORD’s nature.

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:6 · KJVGod makes what is hidden known by shining into the heart and showing the divine nature in a face.

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

John 1:18 · KJVThe one who is near the Father makes the unseen God known.

THE THREAD

And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

Exodus 33:19 · KJV

“Proclaim” in both verses comes from ⁨קרא⁩ (qara), to call aloud. This earlier promise shows what the spoken name discloses: the LORD’s goodness, favor, and compassion.

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