Exodus 19:18 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly.

NIV: Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently.

NASB: Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the entire mountain quaked violently.

CSB: Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord came down on it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently.

NLT: All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a brick kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently.

KJV: And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.

NKJV: Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.

Archaeologists are unsure about the exact location of Mount Sinai. "Sinai" is the name for the general area, which is also called "Horeb" (Exodus 3:1). Here, Israel waits (Exodus 19:1–2) while Moses goes back and forth from the mountain with God's instructions (Exodus 19:3–15). When the time is right, Sinai is covered in smoke, fire, and lightning. The people hear thunder and trumpets and feel the earth shake (Exodus 19:16–17).

These intense experiences have a purpose. God is expressing His holiness: that He is set apart and distinguished from His creation. The spectacle at the mountain underscores the need for a healthy "fear" of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7). While this "fear" includes reverence and awe, it also means understanding His power. As God introduces His covenant (Exodus 20:1–21), He establishes His absolute sovereignty and omnipotence (Hebrews 12:18–21).

A major purpose of this Mosaic covenant—later known as the "old covenant"—is to demonstrate human sinfulness and our inability to match God's holiness. The "new covenant" (Jeremiah 31:31–33) will mark the old covenant's fulfillment and allow believers to approach God with confidence instead of terror (Romans 7:4–7; Hebrews 4:16; 8:1–13; 12:22–24).

Exodus 19:16–25 depicts the Lord God descending onto a mountain to give the Law to Israel. This involved dramatic amounts of smoke, fire, lightning, tremors, and noise. Under the Lord's instruction, Moses makes multiple trips up and down Mount Sinai to relay messages from God. Records of the Law will make up nearly the entire remaining book of Exodus.

God instructs the Israelites to prepare for His arrival on Mount Sinai in Horeb. They are to be clean and careful not to come onto the mountain itself. When God appears, He arrives amidst smoke, fire, lightning, earthquakes, and noise. Moses travels to the mountaintop and back, relaying messages about God's will. The first and most important of these are the fundamental principles of Old Testament law: the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1–21).

Prior chapters in the book of Exodus described Israel's history after Jacob and his family settled there (Genesis 46:27; 47:10). God used Moses to deliver divine messages and as a conduit for miraculous power. Once Israel was freed (Exodus 12:40–41), the Lord continued to care for them (Exodus 15:22–25; 16:13–15; 17:6, 8–13). In this chapter, Israel prepares to receive God's Law at Mount Sinai. Almost the entire rest of the book (Exodus 20—40) are details about these commands.

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.