Israel gathers at Sinai on the third day of the third month after leaving Egypt (Exod. 19:16). From the cloud, Yahweh speaks what the Bible calls the “Ten Words” (Exod. 34:28; Deut. 4:13).
He has spoken ten words before. “And Elohim spoke” occurs ten times in the creation account. And the Lord has spoken on the third day before. On the third day of creation week, in the seventh of ten creation words, God calls the land (‘eretz) to bring forth (yatza') grass yielding seed and trees yielding fruit (Gen. 1:11). From Sinai, Yahweh reminds Israel that he brought them (yatza') from the land (‘eretz) of Egypt. Israel is the first fruits of the harvest of nations, the first to rise from the land on the third day. Israel is a new creation, spoken into being by ten divine words.
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