Exodus 32:15
ESV
Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets that were written on both sides; on the front and on the back they were written.
NIV
Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back.
NASB
Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets which were written on both sides; they were written on one side and the other.
CSB
Then Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides—inscribed front and back.
NLT
Then Moses turned and went down the mountain. He held in his hands the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back.
KJV
And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.
NKJV
And Moses turned and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand. The tablets were written on both sides; on the one side and on the other they were written.
What does Exodus 32:15 mean?
Among the more famous images associated with the Bible is that of Moses carrying two stone tablets from Mount Sinai. The event has been depicted in many works of art as well as popular culture and media. On these tablets are the Ten Commandments (Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 4:13).This verse only depicts the first time Moses brought stone tablets from the mountain top (Exodus 34:29; Deuteronomy 10:4). While Moses was away (Exodus 24:18), the Israelites broke at least one of those first ten rules (Exodus 20:3–6). They made an idol and offered sacrifices in front of it (Exodus 32:1–6). Moses has been told what the Israelites did (Exodus 32:7), and when he sees it himself, in anger he will smash these first tablets on the ground (Exodus 32:19).
These tablets were probably not the gigantic slabs often depicted in art or movies. They were to be placed in the ark (Exodus 25:16), which was a large chest (Exodus 25:10). But stone blocks sized to the ark's dimensions would be half as tall and possibly twice the mass of an adult. More likely, there were no bigger than an oversized book, and probably smaller. Scripture gives no details about their size.
Nor does the Bible explain the tablets' exact shape. The traditional image of these tablets is rectangles with rounded tops. Jewish tradition suggested the tablets were large bricks 20 inches square, or 50 centimeters on a side, and 10 inches, or 25 centimeters thick. These would have been even heavier than the ark-sized slabs. The Bible does not record the tablets' exact size, shape, or the type of rock from which they were made.
