Exodus 19:18

Translations

Modern

Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke, because the LORD had descended on it in fire. And the smoke rose like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently.

Traditional

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.

Literal

And Mount Sinai smoked—all of it—because YHWH descended on it in the fire. And its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and all the mountain trembled greatly.

Latin

Totus autem mons Sinai fumabat, eo quod descendisset Dominus super eum in igne: et ascenderet fumus ex eo quasi de fornace, eratque omnis mons terribilis.

Original

Hebrew

English

Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke, because the LORD had descended on it in fire. And the smoke rose like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently.

Notes

Exodus 19:16–25

The final preparation phase included events that helped people accept the covenant. Some of the experiences were visual: lightning and a cloud (19:16), smoke and fire (19:18). The people also heard thunder, a ram’s horn, and the voice of God (19:16, 19). The entire mountain shook violently (19:18). In the Bible, such unusual events are often associated with a theophany, which is a visible appearance of God’s holy presence.

Theme notes and profiles

Moses God’s Covenant with David God’s Covenants The Cloud and Fire

Events

Ten Commandments Given

Related verses

Judges 5:5
The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel.
Revelation 15:8
And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
Psalm 144:5
Part Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
Exodus 3:2
There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from within a bush. Moses saw the bush ablaze with fire, but it was not consumed.
Jeremiah 4:24
I looked at the mountains, and behold, they were quaking; all the hills were swaying.
Psalm 68:7–8
O God, when You went out before Your people, when You marched through the wasteland, Selah
Genesis 19:28
He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of the plain, and he saw the smoke rising from the land like smoke from a furnace.
Deuteronomy 33:2
He said: “The LORD came from Sinai and dawned upon us from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran and came with myriads of holy ones, with flaming fire at His right hand.
Exodus 24:17
And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountaintop in the eyes of the Israelites.
Psalm 104:32
He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smolder.
1 Kings 19:11–12
Then the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
2 Chronicles 7:1–3
When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.

Places

Sinai: Mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments

Glossary

Book of Exodus Burning Bush Covenant Criminal Law and Punishment Deuteronomy, Book of Earthquake Furnace Glory History of Israel Incense John the Baptist Miracle Mount Sinai Mount, Mountain Shekinah

Topics

Earthquakes: At Mount Sinai Earthquakes: At Sinai Fire: A Symbol: On Sinai Fire: God Appeared In God: Appearances of To Moses, at Sinai God: Glory of Law: (Contained in the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy): Divine Authority For Miracles: Catalogue of Thundering and Lightning on Mount Sinai Reverence for God Sinai: A Mountain in the Peninsula East of the Red Sea: The Law Delivered to Moses Upon The Law of Moses: Remarkable Phenomena Connected With, at Giving of Trumpet used at Mount Sinai

Exodus 19:18

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Original?

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Events?

Related verses?