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.

EXODUS 31:18KJV
truelightbible.com

Exodus 31:18 (KJV)

What does Exodus 31:18 mean?

Exodus 31:18 describes how, after God finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, God gave Moses two stone tablets called the "tables of testimony," which were inscribed by God’s own finger. These tablets contained the written record of God's covenant and commands for the Israelites.

In this verse, the scene is Moses on Mount Sinai, having received direct instructions from God. The "tables of testimony" are physical objects—stone tablets—that serve as a permanent, tangible sign of the agreement between God and the people of Israel. The detail that they are "written with the finger of God" emphasizes their divine origin and authority, setting them apart from anything made by human hands.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 31:18

  • "tables" (לוּחַ, luach): This word refers to flat stone slabs, highlighting that these were solid, enduring objects meant to last and be preserved.
  • "testimony" (תֵּעוּדָה, eduth): This term means "witness" or "evidence," showing that the tablets were not just commands but served as a witness to the covenant relationship between God and Israel.
  • "written" (כָּתַב, kathav): The verb here stresses that the writing was not ordinary; the verse says it was done by God Himself, underlining the sacredness and authority of what was written.
  • "finger" (אֶצְבַּע, etsba): The phrase "written with the finger of God" is a vivid way of saying that the inscription was directly from God, not mediated through any human scribe.

Why Exodus 31:18 matters

  • Exodus 31:18 makes clear that the commandments were not just spoken but physically given in a permanent form, underscoring their importance and unchanging nature.
  • The verse highlights the unique role of Moses as the mediator who receives God’s direct communication and brings it to the people.
  • By stressing that the tablets were written by God’s own "finger," the verse sets up the seriousness of what happens when the tablets are later broken, and it emphasizes the direct involvement of God in forming Israel’s identity and law.