And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This wasn't just a casual chat; God finishes "communing" with Moses on Sinai by handing over the very bedrock of the covenant, the Law, literally etched by His own "finger." This divine inscription on durable stone underscores that this law wasn't merely a suggestion, but an eternal testament meant to endure.
And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After forty days and forty nights of intense divine instruction on Mount Sinai regarding the Tabernacle, God concludes His direct communion with Moses. He then presents Moses with the two stone tablets, inscribed by God Himself, containing the foundational laws that are the central reason for the entire Tabernacle's construction. This marks the handing over of the covenant document that gives the sanctuary its ultimate purpose and significance.
Imagine receiving a message not just from a king, but directly inscribed by his own hand. That's the power of this moment.
Exodus 31:18 emphasizes a unique and direct divine action: God Himself wrote the Ten Commandments.
Why stone? Why "testimony"? These choices weren't accidental but carried profound meaning for Israel and for us.
The choice of materials and the name "tables of testimony" reveal the enduring and authoritative nature of God's law.
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More than just rules, these tablets were the blueprint for a relationship. But they also reveal a deeper human condition.
The Ten Commandments, inscribed on stone and given to Moses, served dual purposes: guiding relationship with God and revealing humanity's need.
Understand the original words
eduth · Hebrew Noun
A formal, divine witness or evidence of the covenant, specifically referring to the Ten Commandments inscribed on stone, representing God's moral law and standard of holiness.
etsba Elohim · Hebrew Noun phrase
A metonymic expression for the direct, sovereign act of God; it emphasizes the divine origin, authority, and permanence of the law, being untouched by human hand.
This passage reiterates that God spoke the Ten Commandments directly and wrote them on stone tablets, emphasizing the divine origin and authority of the law given at Sinai.
John 1:14The 'Word became flesh' and dwelt among us, echoing the concept of God's divine word being manifested in a tangible way, just as His law was written on stone.
2 Corinthians 3:3This passage contrasts the old covenant written on stone with the new covenant written on human hearts by the Spirit, highlighting the enduring significance and transformation brought by God's law.
Jeremiah 31:33This prophetic promise of a new covenant describes God writing His laws on the inner being of His people, looking forward to a deeper, internalized relationship with God's commands.
clarkeExodus 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."
When he had made an end of communing - When the forty days and forty nights were ended. Two tables of testimony - See Clarke's note on Exodus 34:1. Tables of stone - That the record might be lasting, because it was a testimony that referred to future generations, and therefore the materials should be durable. Written wi…
wesleyExodus 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."
31:18 These tables of stone, were not prepared by Moses, but probably by the ministry of angels. They were written with the finger of God - That is, by his will and power immediately, without the use of any instrument. They were written in two tables, being designed to direct us in our duty, towards God, and towards man…
This wasn't just a casual chat; God finishes "communing" with Moses on Sinai by handing over the very bedrock of the covenant, the Law, literally etched by His own "finger." This divine inscription on durable stone underscores that this law wasn't merely a suggestion, but an eternal testament meant to endure.
After forty days and forty nights of intense divine instruction on Mount Sinai regarding the Tabernacle, God concludes His direct communion with Moses. He then presents Moses with the two stone tablets, inscribed by God Himself, containing the foundational laws that are the central reason for the entire Tabernacle's construction. This marks the handing over of the covenant document that gives the sanctuary its ultimate purpose and significance.
After forty days and forty nights of intense divine instruction on Mount Sinai regarding the Tabernacle, God concludes His direct communion with Moses. He then presents Moses with the two stone tablets, inscribed by God Himself, containing the foundational laws that are the central reason for the entire Tabernacle's construction. This marks the handing over of the covenant document that gives the sanctuary its ultimate purpose and significance.
"And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God." — This wasn't just a casual chat; God finishes "communing" with Moses on Sinai by handing over the very bedrock of the covenant, the Law, literally etched by His own "finger." This divine inscription o…
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Last reviewed October 2026