Exo 19:16-18 | NETfull | STEP | On the third day in the morning there was thunder and lightning and a dense cloud on the mountain, and the sound of a very loud horn; all the people who were in the camp trembled.

Exodus 19:16-18

16 On ^{▼▼ Heb “and it was on.”} the third day in the morning there was thunder and lightning and a dense ^{▼▼ Heb “heavy” (כָּבֵד, kaved).} cloud on the mountain, and the sound of a very loud ^{▼▼ Literally “strong” (חָזָק, khazaq).} horn; ^{▼▼ The word here is שֹׁפָר (shofar), the normal word for “horn.” This word is used especially to announce something important in a public event (see 1 Kgs 1:34; 2 Sam 6:15). The previous word used in the context (v. 16) was יֹבֵל (yovel, “ram’s horn”).} all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their place at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was completely covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire, and its smoke went up like the smoke of a great furnace, ^{▼▼ The image is that of a large kiln, as in Gen 19:28.} and the whole mountain shook ^{▼▼ This is the same word translated “trembled” above (v. 16).} violently.