Exodus24
New American Standard
1Then He said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance.
2Moses alone, however, shall approach the Lord, but they shall not approach, nor shall the people come up with him.”
3Then Moses came and reported to the people all the words of the Lord and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the Lord has spoken we will do!”
4And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. Then he got up early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve memorial stones for the twelve tribes of Israel.
5And he sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed bulls as peace offerings to the Lord.
6Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
7Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it as the people listened; and they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!”
8So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
9Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel,
10and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.
11Yet He did not reach out with His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank.
12Now the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the Law and the commandments which I have written for their instruction.”
13So Moses got up along with Joshua his servant, and Moses went up to the mountain of God.
14But to the elders he said, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a legal matter, have him approach them.”
15Then Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.
16The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud.
17And to the eyes of the sons of Israel, the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the mountain top.
18Then Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Exodus 24.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Moses is called up into the mountain, The people promise obedience. (1–8). The glory of the Lord appears. (9–11). Moses goes up into the mountain. (12–18).
vv1-8
A solemn covenant was made between God and Israel. Very solemn it was, typifying the covenant of grace between God and believers, through Christ. As soon as God separated to himself a peculiar people, he governed them by a written word, as he has done ever since. God's covenants and commands are so just in themselves, and so much for our good, that the more we think of them, and the more plainly and fully they are set before us, the more reason we may see to comply with them. The blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled on the altar, on the book, and on the people. Neither their persons, their moral obedience, nor religious services, would meet with acceptance from a holy God, except through the shedding and sprinkling’ of blood. Also the blessings granted unto them were all of mercy; and the Lord would deal with them in kindness. Thus the sinner, by faith in the blood of Christ, renders willing and acceptable obedience. (Ex 24:9-11)
vv9-11
The elders saw the God of Israel; they had some glimpse of his glory, though whatever they saw, it was something of which no image or picture could be made, yet enough to satisfy them that God was with them of a truth. Nothing is described but what was under his feet. The sapphires are the pavement under his feet; let us put all the wealth of this world under our feet, and not in our hearts. Thus the believer sees in the face of Jesus Christ, far clearer discoveries of the glorious justice and holiness of God, than ever he saw under terrifying convictions; and through the Saviour, holds communion with a holy God.
vv12-18
A cloud covered the mount six days; a token of God's special presence there. Moses was sure that he who called him up would protect him. Even those glorious attributes of God which are most terrible to the wicked, the saints with humble reverence rejoice in. And through faith in the atoning Sacrifice, we hope for greater honour than Moses ever enjoyed on earth. Now we see through a glass darkly, but when he shall appear, then face to face. This vision of God will continue with equal, if not increasing brightness of joy; not for a few days only, but through eternity.
Key Words
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
עָלָה: to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
אַהֲרוֹן: Aharon, the brother of Moses
נָדָב: Nadab, the name of four Israelites
אֲבִיהוּא: Abihu, a son of Aaron
שִׁבְעִים: seventy
זָקֵן: old
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
שָׁחָה: to depress, i.e. prostrate (especially reflexive, in homage to royalty or God)
Cross References
Exodus 24Explicit NT fulfillment detailing Moses reading the book and sprinkling all the people with blood.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Jesus directly echoes Moses' words, establishing the New Covenant in His blood.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Ezekiel's vision of the divine throne mirrors the sapphire pavement under God's feet.
Supported by JFB
Moses' firsthand account of fasting forty days and nights on the mount to receive the stone tables.
Supported by JFB
Clarifies the identity of the 'young men' acting as the preliminary priests.
Supported by JFB
Theological parallel of believers being chosen for obedience and the sprinkling of Christ's blood.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Identifies the tables of stone as written with the finger of God.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Cites the description of God's consuming fire on the mount to describe His holy nature.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Genealogical identification of Nadab and Abihu as Aaron's oldest sons.
Supported by JFB
The appointment of seventy elders, echoing the seventy who ascended here.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Deuteronomy stresses that Israel saw no physical form, explaining the symbolic nature of this vision.
Supported by JFB
Elijah's forty-day fast at Horeb/Sinai, mirroring Moses' miraculous duration.
Supported by JFB
Jesus' forty-day fast in the wilderness, typified by Moses on the mount.
Supported by JFB
The people's initial unanimous vow of obedience prior to the formal covenant ratification.
Supported by JFB
Establishes Hur's prominence alongside Aaron in supporting Moses during battle.
Supported by Matthew Poole