12 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Come up unto Me to the mount, and be there, and I give to thee the tables of stone, and the law, and the command, which I have written to direct them.' 13 And Moses riseth—Joshua his minister also—and Moses goeth up unto the mount of God; 14 and unto the elders he hath said, 'Abide ye for us in this 'place', until that we turn back unto you, and lo, Aaron and Hur 'are' with you—he who hath matters doth come nigh unto them.' 15 And Moses goeth up unto the mount, and the cloud covereth the mount; 16 and the honour of Jehovah doth tabernacle on mount Sinai, and the cloud covereth it six days, and He calleth unto Moses on the seventh day from the midst of the cloud. 17 And the appearance of the honour of Jehovah 'is' as a consuming fire on the top of the mount, before the eyes of the sons of Israel; 18 and Moses goeth into the midst of the cloud, and goeth up unto the mount, and Moses is on the mount forty days and forty nights.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 24:12-18
Commentary on Exodus 24:12-18
(Read Exodus 24:12-18)
A cloud covered the mount six days; a token of God's special presence there. Moses was sure that he who called him up would protect him. Even those glorious attributes of God which are most terrible to the wicked, the saints with humble reverence rejoice in. And through faith in the atoning Sacrifice, we hope for greater honour than Moses ever enjoyed on earth. Now we see through a glass darkly, but when he shall appear, then face to face. This vision of God will continue with equal, if not increasing brightness of joy; not for a few days only, but through eternity.