Exodus 24:16 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Bible Comments

And the glory of the Lord abode— The glory of the Lord was, as appears from Exodus 24:17 like devouring fire; see Psalms 97:2-3. This was the immediate symbol of the Divine Presence. Besides this, a thick dark cloud enveloped the mountain; which cloud, for six days, covered or concealed from the view of Moses himself, the bright symbol of the Divine glory. On the seventh day God called Moses into the midst of this cloud, and, consequently, to the nearest possible access to the Divine Presence: he was pleased to exercise the patience and humility of Moses for the space of six days, and not to admit him to receive his orders till the seventh, which, probably, was the sabbath: where Joshua attended during this period, we are not informed. From this intercourse of Moses with God, the Pagans derived their fables concerning the intercourse of their most celebrated lawgivers with the gods who communicated their laws to them.

Exodus 24:16

16 And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.