Exodus - 24:1-18



      1 He said to Moses, "Come up to Yahweh, you, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship from a distance. 2 Moses alone shall come near to Yahweh, but they shall not come near, neither shall the people go up with him." 3 Moses came and told the people all the words of Yahweh, and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, "All the words which Yahweh has spoken will we do." 4 Moses wrote all the words of Yahweh, and rose up early in the morning, and built an altar under the mountain, and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 He sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of cattle to Yahweh. 6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7 He took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people, and they said, "All that Yahweh has spoken will we do, and be obedient." 8 Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, "Look, this is the blood of the covenant, which Yahweh has made with you concerning all these words." 9 Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up. 10 They saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was like a paved work of sapphire stone, like the skies for clearness. 11 He didn't lay his hand on the nobles of the children of Israel. They saw God, and ate and drank. 12 Yahweh said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain, and stay here, and I will give you the tables of stone with the law and the commands that I have written, that you may teach them." 13 Moses rose up with Joshua, his servant, and Moses went up onto God's Mountain. 14 He said to the elders, "Wait here for us, until we come again to you. Behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever is involved in a dispute can go to them." 15 Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 The glory of Yahweh settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. The seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 The appearance of the glory of Yahweh was like devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel. 18 Moses entered into the midst of the cloud, and went up on the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.


Chapter In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Exodus 24.

Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders, are commanded to go to the mount to meet the Lord, Exodus 24:1. Moses alone to come near to the Divine presence, Exodus 24:2. He informs the people, and they promise obedience, Exodus 24:3. He writes the words of the Lord, erects an altar at the foot of the hill, and sets up twelve pillars for the twelve tribes, Exodus 24:4. The young priests offer burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, Exodus 24:5. Moses reads the book of the covenant, sprinkles the people with the blood, and they promise obedience, Exodus 24:6-8. Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel, go up to the mount, and get a striking display of the majesty of God, Exodus 24:9-11. Moses alone is called up into the mount, in order to receive the tables of stone, written by the hand of God, Exodus 24:12. Moses and his servant Joshua go up, and Aaron and Hur are left regents of the people during his absence, Exodus 24:13, Exodus 24:14. The glory of the Lord rests on the mount, and the cloud covers it for six days, and on the seventh God speaks to Moses out of the cloud, Exodus 24:15, Exodus 24:16. The terrible appearance of God's glory on the mount, Exodus 24:17. Moses continues with God on the mount forty days, Exodus 24:18.

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 24
In this chapter we have an account that Moses was ordered to come up to the Lord alone, Exodus 24:1, but that before he did go up, he related to the people all the above laws delivered to him, which they promised obedience to, and so a covenant was made between God and the people by sacrifice, and by the sprinkling of blood, Exodus 24:3, upon which he and Aaron, and his two sons and seventy elders of Israel, went up part of the mountain, and had a vision of God, Exodus 24:9, when Moses with Joshua was called, and went up higher, until at length he entered into the cloud where the Lord was, and continued forty days and forty nights, Exodus 24:12.

(Exodus 24:1-8) Moses is called up into the mountain, The people promise obedience.
(Exodus 24:9-11) The glory of the Lord appears.
(Exodus 24:12-18) Moses goes up into the mountain.

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