John Gill Commentary Exodus 24:18

"And Moses entered into the midst of the cloud, and went up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights." — Exodus 24:18 (ASV)

And Moses went into the midst of the cloud
Where the glory of God was, and he must at this time be endowed with more than ordinary courage to enter into it, when the glory of the Lord flashed out of it like flames of fire; yet being called of God he was not intimidated, but with great serenity and composure of mind, as may be thought, he went into the presence chamber of the most High, to hear what he had to say unto him:

and got himself up into the mount ;
that is, he went into the cloud, after he had ascended the summit of the mount; for it cannot be supposed that he first went into the cloud, and then got himself up to the mount, which yet our version, if not carefully guarded against, may lead unto:

and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights ;
without eating or drinking; and just such a term of time Christ fasted in the wilderness; it is probable that the six days before mentioned are to be reckoned part of those forty days, since it is not said that he was in the cloud forty days and forty nights, but in the mount. The Targum of Jonathan adds,

``learning the words of the law from the mouth of the Holy One, whose name is to be praised.'' Living without food so long must be ascribed to a miracle; for Hippocrates <sup>F25</sup> that great physician, says, that ``those who remain without food seven days, thenceforward, if they would, cannot receive any support from food, because then the belly will not admit of any;'' and gives this reason for it, because the fasting intestine coheres, or is wrinkled.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F25: Lib. de Carn. in fine, apud Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr. vol. 2. p. 196.