Exodus 32:16
New International Version
The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.

New Living Translation
These tablets were God’s work; the words on them were written by God himself.

English Standard Version
The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.

Berean Standard Bible
The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.

King James Bible
And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

New King James Version
Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God engraved on the tablets.

New American Standard Bible
The tablets were God’s work, and the writing was God’s writing engraved on the tablets.

NASB 1995
The tablets were God’s work, and the writing was God’s writing engraved on the tablets.

NASB 1977
And the tablets were God’s work, and the writing was God’s writing engraved on the tablets.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God engraved on the tablets.

Amplified Bible
The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God engraved on the tablets.

Christian Standard Bible
The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was God’s writing, engraved on the tablets.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was God’s writing, engraved on the tablets.

American Standard Version
And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

English Revised Version
And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was God's writing inscribed on the tablets.

Good News Translation
God himself had made the tablets and had engraved the commandments on them.

International Standard Version
The tablets were the work of God and the writing was God's writing, inscribed on the tablets.

Majority Standard Bible
The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.

NET Bible
Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.

New Heart English Bible
The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tables.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

World English Bible
The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and the tablets are the work of God, and the writing is the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.

Young's Literal Translation
and the tables are the work of God, and the writing is the writing of God, graven on the tables.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the tables they the work of God, and the writing the writing of God, it being cut in the tables.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And made by the work of God: the writing also of God was graven in the tables.

Catholic Public Domain Version
and accomplished by the work of God. Also, the writing of God was engraved on the tablets.

New American Bible
The tablets were made by God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.

New Revised Standard Version
The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved upon the tablets.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved upon the tablets.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Moshe turned and came down from the mountain and two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand, tablets that were inscribed from both their sides, from one and to the other they were written.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the tables were the work of God, and the writing the writing of God written on the tables.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Moses Descends with the Tablets
15Then Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. 16The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. 17When Joshua heard the sound of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “The sound of war is in the camp.”…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 9:10
Then the LORD gave me the two stone tablets, inscribed by the finger of God with the exact words that the LORD spoke to you out of the fire on the mountain on the day of the assembly.

Deuteronomy 10:4
And the LORD wrote on the tablets what had been written previously, the Ten Commandments that He had spoken to you on the mountain out of the fire on the day of the assembly. The LORD gave them to me,

2 Corinthians 3:3
It is clear that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

Hebrews 8:10
For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds and inscribe them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.

Jeremiah 31:33
“But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.

2 Corinthians 3:7
Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory,

2 Corinthians 3:6
And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Hebrews 9:4
containing the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. Inside the ark were the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.

2 Corinthians 3:9
For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness!

2 Corinthians 3:11
For if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which endures!

2 Corinthians 3:13
We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of what was fading away.

2 Corinthians 3:14
But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed.

2 Corinthians 3:15
And even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.

2 Corinthians 3:16
But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

2 Corinthians 3:17
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.


Treasury of Scripture

And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven on the tables.

Exodus 31:18
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 34:1,4
And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest…

Deuteronomy 9:9-11,15
When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water: …

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Cut Engraved Engraven God's Graven Stones Tables Tablets Work Writing
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Cut Engraved Engraven God's Graven Stones Tables Tablets Work Writing
Exodus 32
1. The people in the absence of Moses, caused Aaron to make a calf
7. God informs Moses, who intercedes for Israel, and prevails
15. Moses comes down with the tablets
19. He breaks them
20. He destroys the calf
22. Aaron's excuse for himself
25. Moses causes the idolaters to be slain
30. He prays for the people














The tablets were the work of God
This phrase emphasizes the divine origin of the tablets, underscoring that they were not crafted by human hands. In the context of the Exodus narrative, this highlights the direct involvement of God in establishing His covenant with Israel. The tablets, containing the Ten Commandments, symbolize God's law and His authority. This divine authorship sets the tablets apart from other ancient legal codes, such as the Code of Hammurabi, which were humanly devised. The notion of God directly crafting the tablets also prefigures the New Covenant, where God's law is written on the hearts of believers (Jeremiah 31:33).

and the writing was the writing of God
This phrase further emphasizes the divine nature of the commandments. The writing being God's own signifies the perfection and holiness of the law. It reflects the idea that God's word is eternal and unchanging, as seen in Psalm 119:89, "Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens." The divine writing also points to the authority and authenticity of the commandments, which were meant to guide the moral and spiritual life of the Israelites. This can be seen as a type of Christ, who is described as the Word made flesh (John 1:14), embodying the perfect revelation of God.

engraved on the tablets
The engraving signifies permanence and durability, indicating that God's law is meant to be lasting and unalterable. In ancient times, engraving on stone was a common method for preserving important texts, suggesting the enduring significance of the commandments. This permanence is echoed in the New Testament, where Paul speaks of believers as "letters from Christ...written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts" (2 Corinthians 3:3). The engraving also connects to the idea of God's law being internalized by His people, a theme that runs throughout Scripture.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to deliver His people from Egypt and to receive the Law on Mount Sinai.

2. Mount Sinai
The mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God, a place of divine revelation and covenant.

3. The Tablets
Stone tablets inscribed by God Himself, containing the Ten Commandments, representing God's covenant with Israel.

4. God
The divine author of the Law, who directly inscribed His commandments on the tablets, signifying His authority and holiness.

5. The Israelites
The people of God, who were waiting at the base of Mount Sinai while Moses received the Law.
Teaching Points
Divine Authority
The fact that the tablets were the work of God underscores the divine authority and perfection of His Law. As believers, we are called to respect and adhere to God's commandments as the ultimate standard for our lives.

God's Direct Involvement
God's personal inscription of the Law signifies His direct involvement in the lives of His people. We can take comfort in knowing that God is actively engaged in guiding and shaping our lives.

The Permanence of God's Word
The engraving on stone tablets symbolizes the enduring nature of God's Word. In a world of shifting values, we are reminded to hold fast to the unchanging truth of Scripture.

The Covenant Relationship
The giving of the Law was part of God's covenant with Israel. As Christians, we are part of a new covenant through Christ, called to live in a relationship with God that reflects His holiness and love.

Internalization of God's Law
While the Law was originally given on stone, the New Testament teaches that God's laws are now written on our hearts. We are encouraged to internalize God's Word and let it transform our lives from the inside out.(16) The tables were the work of God.--Rosenmller supposes this to mean merely that the size and shape of the stones was prescribed to Moses by God; but the natural meaning of the words is that God Himself fashioned them. This was not the case with the second tables (Exodus 34:1; Exodus 34:4).

The writing was the writing of God.--See Note 3 on Exodus 31:18.

Verse 16. - The tables were the work of God. Shaped, i.e., by the same power by which the commandments were inscribed upon them; not, necessarily, of matter newly created for the purpose.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The tablets
וְהַ֨לֻּחֹ֔ת (wə·hal·lu·ḥōṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3871: To glisten, a tablet, of stone, wood, metal

were the work
מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה (ma·‘ă·śêh)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4639: An action, a transaction, activity, a product, property

of God,
אֱלֹהִ֖ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

and the writing
וְהַמִּכְתָּ֗ב (wə·ham·miḵ·tāḇ)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4385: A thing written, the characters, a document

[was] the writing
מִכְתַּ֤ב (miḵ·taḇ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4385: A thing written, the characters, a document

of God,
אֱלֹהִים֙ (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

engraved
חָר֖וּת (ḥā·rūṯ)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 2801: To grave, engrave

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the tablets.
הַלֻּחֹֽת׃ (hal·lu·ḥōṯ)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3871: To glisten, a tablet, of stone, wood, metal


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Exodus 32:15
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