Exodus 24:18 kjv

And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

Exodus 24:18 nkjv

So Moses went into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Exodus 24:18 niv

Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Exodus 24:18 esv

Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Exodus 24:18 nlt

Then Moses disappeared into the cloud as he climbed higher up the mountain. He remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Exodus 24 verses

Exodus 24 18 Meaning

Exodus 24:18 describes the moment Moses entered the dense cloud of God's presence on Mount Sinai and remained there for forty days and forty nights. This marked a unique and intense period of divine encounter, where God alone communed directly with His chosen mediator, Moses, preparing to deliver the divine Law and instructions for the tabernacle to the people of Israel. It signifies a time of exclusive revelation, profound consecration, and supernatural sustenance, underscoring the gravity and holiness of the covenant being established.

Exodus 24 18 Context

Exodus chapter 24 details the formal ratification of the Mosaic Covenant at Mount Sinai. Following the Ten Commandments and the "Book of the Covenant" (Exo 20-23), God called Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders of Israel to ascend the mountain. Verses 9-11 describe this initial ascent where the elders beheld a vision of God and ate a covenant meal in His presence. This awe-inspiring encounter served as the ceremonial sealing of the covenant. Immediately after, God specifically summoned Moses further up the mountain to receive the stone tablets inscribed with the Law, as well as the commandments and ordinances. Verse 18 then describes Moses' solitary and profound journey into the very cloud of God's presence, marking the commencement of an extended, intimate communion crucial for receiving the comprehensive divine instructions for the tabernacle and Israel's spiritual governance. This period was essential for equipping Moses to lead and teach the newly formed nation of Israel.

Exodus 24 18 Word analysis

• And Moses went: This phrase signifies a deliberate act of obedience and responsiveness on Moses' part. He was summoned (Exo 24:12) and he followed, demonstrating his role as a faithful servant and the divinely chosen mediator.
• into the midst: Hebrew: בְּתוֹךְ (bə·ṯōḵ), meaning "in the middle of," "inside," "among." This is not just to the cloud, but into its core, indicating a level of unparalleled proximity and intimacy with God's dwelling place that no one else was permitted.
• of the cloud: Hebrew: הֶעָנָן (he·‘ā·nān), "the cloud." This refers to the specific cloud associated with the manifest presence (Shekinah) of God on Sinai. This cloud was awe-inspiring, mysterious, and simultaneously served as a veil protecting humans from the full glory of God, and as the very indication of His presence. It was God's dwelling and the medium of His revelation, often signifying His holiness, majesty, and unapproachable glory, yet here, it becomes Moses' sanctuary.
• and went up: Hebrew: וַיַּעַל (way·ya·‘al), "and he went up," "he ascended." This emphasizes the continued upward journey, symbolic of spiritual ascent and drawing nearer to the Most High God. The mount itself was considered a holy, elevated space where the heavens and earth seemed to meet.
• into the mount: Hebrew: הָהָרָה (hā·hā·rāh), "to the mountain." This refers to Mount Sinai, also known as Horeb, the "mountain of God." It was the location of God's initial revelation to Moses at the burning bush and now the site of the giving of the Law and the covenant with Israel. Its elevated position signifies divine transcendence and the sanctity of the revelation.
• and Moses was in the mount: This phrasing emphasizes Moses' prolonged stay and continuous presence within the divine presence on the sacred mountain. It denotes a dwelling, a sustained engagement, not just a fleeting visit.
• forty days: Hebrew: אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם (ʾarbāʿim yōm), "forty days."
• and forty nights: Hebrew: וְאַרְבָּעִים לַיְלָה (wəʾarbāʿim lay·lāh), "and forty nights."
  • This specific period of "forty days and forty nights" is highly symbolic and recurrent throughout biblical narratives. It often denotes a significant duration of testing, purification, intense preparation, divine judgment, or complete transformation before a major event or new beginning. For Moses, it indicates a period of supernatural sustenance where he neither ate nor drank, signifying total reliance on God (Deut 9:9). It was a period of unhindered, focused communion for the weighty purpose of receiving God's comprehensive Law and blueprint for His dwelling among Israel.
• went into the midst of the cloud, and went up into the mount: This grouping of words highlights the extraordinary nature of Moses' approach to God. The general populace was commanded to keep their distance, while Moses, as the uniquely appointed mediator, was invited into the very epicenter of divine presence. This movement underscores both God's ineffable holiness and His sovereign choice of Moses for such a close encounter.
• Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights: This phrase signifies a period of absolute dedication and profound revelation. The extended time underscores the vastness and complexity of the divine instructions being imparted, implying a thorough and comprehensive preparation of Moses for his prophetic and priestly role as he receives the blueprint for Israel's entire religious and civic life directly from the Divine Architect.

Exodus 24 18 Bonus section

• The parallel between Moses' forty-day fast in preparation for receiving the Law and Jesus' forty-day fast in the wilderness before beginning His ministry highlights a recurring biblical pattern of intense, spiritual preparation under divine leading for a profound redemptive or revelatory purpose. Jesus' act perfects and fulfills the preparatory fast, ushering in the new covenant.
• Moses, by dwelling within the cloud of God's glory, underwent a transformation so profound that his face shone when he descended from the mountain (Exo 34:29-35), demonstrating the impact of prolonged exposure to divine holiness. This foreshadows the transformative power of knowing God and the New Covenant's promise of changed hearts and faces reflecting Christ's glory (2 Cor 3:18).
• The mountain experience contrasts starkly with the fear of the people (Exo 20:18-19). While Israel heard a voice and saw lightning and thick cloud from afar, Moses alone ventured into the midst of it, indicating a unique intimacy granted to God's chosen prophet that others could not bear. This establishes the essential role of a mediator for covenant relationship with a holy God.

Exodus 24 18 Commentary

Exodus 24:18 climaxes Moses' initial ascent to Sinai, moving from a covenant-ratifying ceremony with the elders to a singular, extended communion with God. The act of "going into the midst of the cloud" denotes Moses' unparalleled access to the divine presence, distinguishing him as the unique mediator between a holy God and an elect but fallible people. This cloud, symbolizing God's glory and holiness, usually meant a barrier, but for Moses, it became a sanctuary of revelation.

The "forty days and forty nights" in God's presence on the mountain signify far more than mere temporal duration. It speaks to a supernatural act of divine sustenance and purification, setting Moses apart for the sacred task of receiving the Ten Commandments (written on stone by God Himself, Exo 31:18) and the detailed architectural plans for the Tabernacle (Exo 25-30), the portable dwelling place for God among His people. This extended period allowed for a profound, immersive divine instruction, preparing Moses not only with the written law but also with an intimate understanding of God's character and intentions for Israel. It also mirrored a spiritual purification or preparation period found in other biblical narratives, like Noah's flood, Elijah's journey, or most significantly, Jesus' fasting in the wilderness before His public ministry, marking a foundational moment of divine initiative and human receptivity for monumental spiritual epochs.