12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up the mountain to me, and while you are here, I will give you two stone tablets which contain all the laws that I have written for the instruction of the people.”
13 Moses and his helper Joshua got ready, and Moses began to go up the holy mountain.
14 Moses said to the leaders, “Wait here in the camp for us until we come back. Aaron and Hur are here with you; and so whoever has a dispute to settle can go to them.”
15 Moses went up Mount Sinai, and a cloud covered it.
16-17 The dazzling light of the Lord's presence came down on the mountain. To the Israelites the light looked like a fire burning on top of the mountain. The cloud covered the mountain for six days, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from the cloud.
18 Moses went on up the mountain into the cloud. There he stayed for forty days and nights.