Did God speak to Moses in Exodus when He gave him the Ten Commandments?

The story of Moses receiving the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai is one of the most iconic moments in the Bible. According to the book of Exodus, Moses climbed the mountain to speak with God and receive the tablets containing the Ten Commandments. But did God really speak to Moses, or was it just a metaphorical representation of the divine inspiration that led to the commandments' creation?

The question of whether God literally spoke to Moses is a subject of much debate among theologians and scholars. Some argue that the story of the burning bush in Exodus 3, where God speaks to Moses through a bush that is on fire but not consumed, is proof that God can and does speak to humans. Others suggest that the story is a metaphor for the way that God communicates with people, using signs and symbols to convey his message.

In the case of the Ten Commandments, the text of the Bible seems to suggest that God did indeed speak to Moses. Exodus 19:19 says, "As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him." And in Exodus 20:1, the text says, "And God spoke all these words." These verses seem to indicate that God spoke directly to Moses, and that he heard God's voice audibly.

However, some scholars argue that the text should not be taken literally. They point out that the Hebrew word used in the Bible for "speak" can also mean "command" or "proclaim." This interpretation suggests that God did not literally speak to Moses, but rather commanded him through a divine inspiration that led to the creation of the Ten Commandments.