This verse is part of the extensive description in the Torah of how Revelation occurred on Har Sinai (Mount Sinai). The experiential aspect of the Revelation is very important and one which merits very careful study through a close reading of the pesukim (verses).

Let us concentrate on the second part of the pasuk (verse).

Who is Moses speaking to and what does he say? Neither of these details appear in the pasuk. Rashi, the premier Torah commentator, explains that Moshe spoke the last eight of the Ten Commandments as the people could not cope with the experience of hearing G-d say the first two. While Moshe spoke, the Shofar still blew so G-d helped Moshe’s voice to be heard over the Shofar. G-d also supplied Moshe with the words that Moshe was to speak.

However, this pasuk comes before the Ten Commandments, which are listed in chapter 20! This could be an example of how Rashi understands that the Torah is not necessarily to be read in chronological order. Perhaps Rashi thinks that we can read the Torah in the style of a novel. At the end of one chapter with character A at a certain point, the next chapter may need to go back chronologically so that character B can catch up.

Contrastingly, the commentary of Ramban takes a different view. Ramban prefers to read the pesukim in a chronological sequence. Read the verses in this chapter carefully and you can see how this unfolds. To give an example, Moshe brought the people to the foot of the mountain (verse 17), the people heard communication with G-d, (verse 19) Moshe then went up towards the top of the mountain (verse 20). The Ramban has many interesting insights based on this close reading, too many for word limit!

R’Avraham Ibn Ezra takes a different view. He writes that Moshe’s unexplained speaking is in fact him asking a question to G-d, a question which the Torah does not reveal. Whatever the question was, G-d answered Moshe but not with the Shofar. Then, in the next verse, G-d calls Moshe to go up to the mountain. Perhaps Moshe was still a seeker (see our discussion about Moshe’ role as a shepherd at the start of Shemot chapter 3). He sought G-d, here through a question and G-d responded.

As the famous Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Kotsk is quoted to have said, “Where is G-d? Wherever you let Him in”.

Perhaps even at Har Sinai, Moshe may be teaching us a similar message, albeit one which is not always easy for us and not one that should be treated with any flippancy. This reading may also be supported by the Targum Yonatan Ben Uziel, an important earlier translation and explanation of the Torah (thanks to Eliot Kaye for this last insight).