12. The Lord said to Moses, “Come up the mountain to me. Wait there, and I will give you two stone tablets. On these are the teachings and the commandments. I have written these to teach the people.”
13. So Moses and his helper Joshua set out. Moses went up Sinai, the mountain of God.
14. Moses said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are with you. Anyone who has a disagreement with others can take it to them.”
15. When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it.
16. The greatness of the Lord came down on Mount Sinai. The cloud covered the mountain for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from inside the cloud.
17. The Israelites could see the greatness of the Lord. It looked like a fire burning on top of the mountain.
18. Then Moses went into the cloud and went higher up the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights.