and the writing was the writing of God
This phrase further emphasizes the divine nature of the commandments. The writing being God's own signifies the perfection and holiness of the law. It reflects the idea that God's word is eternal and unchanging, as seen in Psalm 119:89, "Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens." The divine writing also points to the authority and authenticity of the commandments, which were meant to guide the moral and spiritual life of the Israelites. This can be seen as a type of Christ, who is described as the Word made flesh (John 1:14), embodying the perfect revelation of God.

engraved on the tablets
The engraving signifies permanence and durability, indicating that God's law is meant to be lasting and unalterable. In ancient times, engraving on stone was a common method for preserving important texts, suggesting the enduring significance of the commandments. This permanence is echoed in the New Testament, where Paul speaks of believers as "letters from Christ...written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts" (2 Corinthians 3:3). The engraving also connects to the idea of God's law being internalized by His people, a theme that runs throughout Scripture.

These stone slabs were physical, tangible objects Moses could hold (Exodus 31:18). God had summoned Moses up Sinai “to give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commandments I have written” (Exodus 24:12). Because they were stone, they:

• Signified permanence—truth that doesn’t shift with culture (Psalm 119:89).

• Stood separate from Moses’ later handwritten copy (Deuteronomy 31:9), underscoring a divine origin distinct from any human pen.

Scripture states plainly that the tablets themselves were fashioned by the LORD. Deuteronomy 9:10 repeats, “The LORD gave me the two tablets of stone written with the finger of God.”

• Creation: As Genesis 1 shows, God speaks and matter forms; here He directly shapes stone, reminding Israel the covenant comes from the same Maker of heaven and earth (Psalm 146:6).

• Sovereignty: No human chisels touched these first tablets. Their very substance testified that covenant begins with God’s initiative, not man’s effort (Romans 11:36).

God didn’t merely supply blank tablets; He filled them with words. Exodus 24:3 notes Moses later wrote what he heard, yet this initial covenant text was pre-inscribed.

• Content mattered as much as medium. These words were “the Ten Words” (Exodus 34:28), summarizing moral law that undergirds all later commands (Matthew 22:37-40).

• The act of writing reveals God as communicator, not distant or silent (Hebrews 1:1-2).

“Written by the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18) affirms divine authorship.

• Authority: Because it is God’s handwriting, the law is binding (James 4:12).

• Inerrancy: “All Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16); therefore these words are free from error and eternally reliable (Psalm 19:7).

• Continuation: 2 Peter 1:21 explains that later prophets wrote as they were “carried along by the Holy Spirit.” The same Author guarantees unity from Sinai to Revelation.

“Engraved” indicates the letters were cut into the stone, not inked on the surface.

• Depth: Carved truth resists fading, symbolizing the enduring nature of God’s moral standard (Isaiah 40:8).

• Foreshadowing: Jeremiah 31:33 promises a day when God will “put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts.” The external engraving anticipates an internal engraving accomplished by the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:3).

Exodus 32:16 teaches that both the medium and the message of Israel’s covenant originated entirely with God. He crafted the stone, inscribed His own words, and engraved them permanently, underscoring the authority, perfection, and enduring relevance of His law for every generation.

The writing was the writing of God.--See Note 3 on Exodus 31:18.