Charles Ellicott Commentary Exodus 31:18

"And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, the two tables of the testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God." — Exodus 31:18 (ASV)

THE TWO TABLES GIVEN.

The culmination and crown of the entire conference which Moses had held with God on Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights (Exodus 24:18) was the giving into his hands of the two tables of testimony which had been promised before he ascended the mountain (Exodus 24:12), and which were presupposed in the entire arrangement of the sanctuary.

The Court presupposed the tabernacle; the outer chamber of the tabernacle, or holy place, was a mere entryway to the inner chamber, or holy of holies: the inner chamber was a receptacle for the ark; and the ark was a chest or coffer constructed to contain the Two Tables. The entire design having been established, it was a first step towards carrying out the design to place that treasure into Moses' hands, for which all the directions concerning the tabernacle had been given.

Two tables of testimony. —Rather, the two tables. The treasure which had been referred to in Exodus 25:21, and distinctly promised in Exodus 24:12.

Written with the finger of God. —Compare Exodus 24:12, where God speaks of commandments which He has written. We must understand that the tables were inscribed by some supernatural process, and not by any human hand. The exact nature of the supernatural process is not revealed to us.