Bible Strands
Exodus 24:17
And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountaintop in the eyes of the Israelites.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Israelites observe the manifestation of the LORD’s glory on Mount Sinai immediately after the covenant ratification and just before Moses ascends into the cloud. This occurs on the seventh day of the cloud’s covering, marking the transition from communal ceremony to divine communion.
The words — כְּב֣וֹד (ke.Vod) denotes the visible weight or manifestation of divine presence, while אֹכֶ֖לֶת ('o.Khe.let) literally means consuming or devouring. The text states that the visible glory appeared to the people as a fire that destroys what it touches.
The thread — The motif of divine fire as a consuming presence appears in Deuteronomy 4:24 and Hebrews 12:29, which explicitly call God a consuming fire. Exodus 3:2 also establishes fire as the medium of God’s visible appearance to Moses.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that divine glory is both visible and dangerously real to human observers. It requires the reader to approach God’s presence with sober reverence, as Moses does by entering the cloud without flinching.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.
Cross-references
- Hebrews 12:29 “For our God is a consuming fire.”
- Deuteronomy 4:24 For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
- Exodus 3:2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from within a bush. Moses saw the bush ablaze with fire, but it was not consumed.
- Deuteronomy 4:36 He let you hear His voice from heaven to discipline you, and on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the fire.
- Hebrews 12:18 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm;
- Exodus 19:18 Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke, because the LORD had descended on it in fire. And the smoke rose like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently.
- Habakkuk 3:4 His radiance was like the sunlight; rays flashed from His hand, where His power is hidden.
- Ezekiel 1:27 From what seemed to be His waist up, I saw a gleam like amber, with what looked like fire within it all around. And from what seemed to be His waist down, I saw what looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded Him.
- Nahum 1:6 Who can withstand His indignation? Who can endure His burning anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; even rocks are shattered before Him.