And he gave to Moses means “Yahweh gave to Moses.” New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and Contemporary English Version have “God” instead of “the LORD” (New International Version, New American Bible), which of course can be used interchangeably. This is probably because of the concluding reference to the finger of God, which is literally “by the finger of ʾelohim.” But since verse 12 identifies “the LORD” (Yahweh) as the speaker, it is good to be consistent.

When he had made an end of speaking with him is literally “when completing to speak with him.” This indicates the end of the entire seven chapters, beginning with chapter 25, in which Yahweh gave to Moses all the detailed instructions about the construction of the tabernacle. And as indicated in 24.18, this was during the forty days and nights that Moses was upon Mount Sinai.

The two tables of the testimony, tables of stone refers to “the two stone tablets” (Good News Translation). These are mentioned earlier in 24.12. (See the comment there.) The meaning of testimony is explained at 16.34. Written with the finger of God is probably a figure of speech, as in 8.19, referring to “God himself” (Good News Translation), or possibly to “God’s own hand” (Durham). (See the comment on this synecdoche at 8.19.) In Exodus it is always God who is the writer on the “stone tablets” (Good News Translation), with the exception of 34.28 (see 32.16).

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 .