John Calvin Commentary Exodus 34:3

"And no man shall come up with thee; neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount." — Exodus 34:3 (ASV)

And no man shall come up with you. Again, men as well as beasts are prohibited from access to the mount, as had been the case at the first promulgation of the Law, so that the people might obediently receive the Law as if it had come down from heaven.

Why God admitted no witness is a question, the answer to which must remain with God Himself. The miracle indeed would have been illustrious if the writing had appeared in a moment on the empty tables; but God would leave some room for faith when He employed the intermediate agency of man.

But still, He amply provided what was sufficient to establish the dignity of the Law, when Moses brought the Ten Commandments written upon two tables which the people had recently seen taken up blank and empty, since He could not have found on the mount a chisel or engraving tool.

For³⁷⁶ God so administers the dispensation of His heavenly doctrine as to prove the obedience and teachableness of believers, while He leaves no room for doubting.

³⁷⁶ “Voyla comment Dieu dispense par bon moyen le cognoissance de sa Parole;” Behold how God dispenses in a good way the knowledge of His Word. — Fr.