Deuteronomy 4:11

The mountain burned with fire unto the midst [unto the heart] of heaven ; i . e . up to the Very skies; a rhetorical description of the mighty pillar of fire that blazed on Sinai, and betokened the presence of him whose symbol is fire. With darkness, clouds [cloud], and thick darkness; underneath the fire was a cloud of deep darkness, out of which it blazed, the "thick cloud" of Exodus 19:9 , Exodus 19:16 , and the "smoke" out of which the lightnings flashed, and over which the glory of the Lord, like devouring fire, rested on the top of the mountain ( Exodus 19:18 ; Exodus 20:18 ; Exodus 24:16 , Exodus 24:17 ).