The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai refers to “the kavod of Yahweh,” which is discussed at 16.7. Good News Translation calls it “the dazzling light of the LORD’s presence,” and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh calls it “the Presence of the LORD.” As usual the verse begins with the conjunction waw, so some translations make this a part of the preceding sentence (New International Version, Translator’s Old Testament). Settled means that it “came down” (Good News Translation), or “rested,” on the mountain. And the cloud covered it six days means that it covered the mountain, not the kavod of Yahweh.

And on the seventh day he called to Moses means that the LORD called. The Septuagint has “the LORD called,” which is the obvious meaning of the pronoun he. Out of the midst of the cloud is literally “from the middle of the cloud.” This clearly locates Yahweh in the cloud.

Note that Good News Translation joins verses 16-17 together and inserts verse 17 between the two sentences of verse 16. This makes it clear that the Israelites actually saw this “dazzling light” during the six days. (The complete text of these verses in Good News Translation is printed on page 574.)

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .