Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 19:18
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.
18. on smoke ] For the archaism, see Wright’s Bible Word-Book, s.v. On; and cf. Hamlet v. 1. 211 ‘ on a roar,’ 2Sa 9:3 ‘lame on his feet,’ Psa 78:14 (P. B. V.) ‘ on an heap,’ Psa 79:1 ‘ on heaps.’
the smoke of a kiln ] as Exo 9:8, Gen 19:28 (‘the steam of a kiln ’).
quaked ] The word rendered ‘trembled’ in v. 16 end. LXX. and 9 Heb. MSS. have people for mount (as v. 16b); and it is true (Di.) that rd is not used elsewhere of the merely physical movement of inanimate objects.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
A furnace – The word in the original is Egyptian, and occurs only in the Pentateuch.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The Lord descended in fire for further terror to obstinate sinners. Hence this law is called a
fiery law, Deu 33:2.
The whole mount quaked greatly, by an earthquake, as appears from Psa 60:2; 104:32.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke,…. Not from nature, as volcanos, but for a reason after given; it seemed to be one large body of smoke, nothing else to be seen but smoke; an emblem of the darkness of the legal dispensation, which was full of obscure types and figures, of dark shadows and smoky sacrifices, to which the clear day, of the Gospel dispensation is opposed, see 2Co 3:12
because the Lord descended upon it in fire; in flaming fire, as the Targums, which set the mountain on fire, and caused this prodigious smoke; for if he, who is a consuming fire, but toucheth the hills and mountains, they smoke, Ps 104:32
and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace such an one as that which Abraham in vision saw, Ge 15:17
and the whole mount quaked greatly; to which circumstance Deborah refers in her song, when she speaks of mountains melting and flowing from before the presence of the God of Israel, and particularly of Sinai, Jud 5:4, and the psalmist, who makes mention of the earth shaking, and the heavens dropping, and of Sinai being moved at his presence, Ps 68:8, it is probable there was an earthquake at this time, which sometimes attends thunders and lightnings, see
Re 16:18.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
18. And all the people saw the thunderings. Because in the parallel passage (218) Moses more largely pursues what he here only touches upon briefly, I shall also defer my full exposition of it. If he had been the only spectator of God’s glory, the credit of his testimony would be lighter; after having, then, reported the ten commandments, which God Himself spoke with His own sacred lips in the hearing of the people, he adds, at the same time, that the lightning’s shone openly, the mountain smoked, the trumpets sounded, and the thunder rolled. It follows, therefore, that by these conspicuous and illustrious signs, the law was ratified before all the people, from the greatest even to the least. The confession of the whole people is added; when, overwhelmed with alarm, they supplicate God to go on speaking no more. For no longer could they now despise the voice of the man, whom they had of their own accord desired to be given them as their mediator, lest they should be consumed by the awful voice of God. He lays before them the object, for which those signs had appeared to terrify them, viz., that God might subdue them to obedience. They were terrified, then, not that they might be stupified with astonishment, but only that they might be humbled and submit themselves to God. And this is a peculiar privilege, that the majesty of God, before whom heaven and earth tremble, does not (219) destroy but only proves and searches His children.
(218) Au passage de Deuteronome, que nous verrons tantost. — Fr.
(219) There is a play on the words in the Latin here: “Non exanimet, sed tantum examinet.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(18) Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke.Heb., smoked, all of it. Some understand by this, dense clouds, having the appearance of smoke. But if the mountain burned with fire, as asserted (Deu. 4:11), the smoke would be real.
The whole mount quaked greatly.Comp. Psa. 68:8, The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God. The expression is more suitable to an earthquake than to the vibration sometimes produced by very violent thunder.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And Mount Sinai was totally covered in smoke because Yahweh descended on it in fire, and its smoke ascended as the smoke of a furnace and the whole mountain quaked greatly.’
Fire and smoke were both symbols of God in Gen 15:17 where He appeared in a smoking furnace and a flaming torch. This manifestation at Sinai reproduced the same on a grander scale. It would remind the people of that covenant with Abram, confirmed by smoke and fire, and the great deliverance from Egypt He then promised (Gen 15:13-14). Fire was the most awe-inspiring thing known to ancient man, and fire swirling with smoke the most destructive. Man had experienced its effects often, he had seen it consume great areas of land, he knew himself how to use it for destructive purposes. And he had learned to fear it. And God was the untouchable and unapproachable fire.
God appearing in the likeness of fire is common in both Old and New Testaments (see Gen 15:17; Exo 13:21; Exo 19:16; Exo 19:18; Exo 20:18; Exo 24:17; Exo 40:38; Deu 4:11; Eze 1:27; Eze 8:2: Act 2:3 ; 1Ti 6:16; Rev 21:23; Rev 22:5). To the ancient such a manifestation showed God to be a combination of the inexplicable and the beneficial, of the dangerous and yet vital. Yahweh had no form and yet like fire could be seen even in the darkness. He could even bring light to the darkness. Like fire He benefited man and yet could consume him. He was glorious and awe-inspiring and then in a moment He could be gone. In manifestation fire brought home something of the significance of the divine. But above all it revealed glory.
“Totally covered in smoke — its smoke ascended as the smoke of a furnace.” Isa 4:5 demonstrates that smoke and cloud can be seen as parallels in this context, for he spoke of ‘a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night’ with the pillars of cloud and fire, and probably this scene, in mind (compare also Isa 6:4). Thus the smoke represented Yahweh appearing in a cloud.
But the ascending smoke would also remind them of that dreadful and awesome day when God reigned down fire from heaven on Sodom and Gomorrah. There too ‘the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace’ (Gen 19:28). He was a God of judgment as well as a God of glory. So we have both fire and smoke, light (Exo 13:21) and judgment, the Guide (through cloud and fire) and the Judge.
“The whole mountain quaked greatly.” This may have been caused by the impression given by the excessive rumbling of the heavy thunder and the continual flickering of the lightning, heightened by the divine presence, or there may have been a minor earthquake that shook the mountain to its core. Either way it added to the awesomeness of the experience.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 5:5 ; Hab 3:3-10 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 19:18 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.
Ver. 18. The Lord descended upon it in fire. ] This fire wherein the law was given, is still in it, and will never out. Deu 33:2
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 19:13, Isa 6:4, Rev 15:8
mount Sinai: Exo 20:18, Deu 4:11, Deu 4:12, Deu 5:22, Deu 33:2, Jdg 5:5, Psa 68:7, Psa 68:8, Psa 104:32, Psa 144:5
in fire: Exo 3:2, Exo 24:17, 2Ch 7:1-3, 2Th 1:8, 2Pe 3:10
as the smoke: Gen 15:17, Gen 19:28, Psa 144:5, Rev 15:8
whole: 1Ki 19:11, 1Ki 19:12, Psa 68:8, Psa 77:18, Psa 114:7, Jer 4:24, Nah 1:5, Nah 1:6, Zec 14:5, Mat 24:7, Heb 12:26
Reciprocal: Exo 19:11 – the Lord Exo 34:5 – descended Deu 4:33 – General Deu 5:4 – General Deu 9:15 – the mount Deu 10:4 – out of the 1Sa 14:15 – the earth quaked 2Sa 22:9 – went 1Ki 19:8 – Horeb Psa 50:3 – a fire Psa 114:4 – General Isa 64:1 – that thou wouldest come
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 19:18. The whole mount quaked greatly There cannot be a more grand, awful, and majestic description than this of the descent of Jehovah upon mount Sinai. We can scarcely read it without trembling; and all the tremendous majesty of God appears before our eyes. The psalmist seems to have conceived a most high idea of God from it: O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; the earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God, the God of Israel, Psa 68:7-8.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
19:18 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 {g} quaked greatly.
(g) God used these fearful signs, that his law would be held in greater reverence, and his majesty even more feared.