Exodus24
New Living Translation
1Then the Lord instructed Moses: “Come up here to me, and bring along Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders. All of you must worship from a distance.
2Only Moses is allowed to come near to the Lord. The others must not come near, and none of the other people are allowed to climb up the mountain with him.”
3Then Moses went down to the people and repeated all the instructions and regulations the Lord had given him. All the people answered with one voice, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded.”
4Then Moses carefully wrote down all the Lord’s instructions. Early the next morning Moses got up and built an altar at the foot of the mountain. He also set up twelve pillars, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel.
5Then he sent some of the young Israelite men to present burnt offerings and to sacrifice bulls as peace offerings to the Lord.
6Moses drained half the blood from these animals into basins. The other half he splattered against the altar.
7Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people. Again they all responded, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded. We will obey.”
8Then Moses took the blood from the basins and splattered it over the people, declaring, “Look, this blood confirms the covenant the Lord has made with you in giving you these instructions.”
9Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel climbed up the mountain.
10There they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there seemed to be a surface of brilliant blue lapis lazuli, as clear as the sky itself.
11And though these nobles of Israel gazed upon God, he did not destroy them. In fact, they ate a covenant meal, eating and drinking in his presence!
12Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain. Stay there, and I will give you the tablets of stone on which I have inscribed the instructions and commands so you can teach the people.”
13So Moses and his assistant Joshua set out, and Moses climbed up the mountain of God.
14Moses told the elders, “Stay here and wait for us until we come back. Aaron and Hur are here with you. If anyone has a dispute while I am gone, consult with them.”
15Then Moses climbed up the mountain, and the cloud covered it.
16And the glory of the Lord settled down on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from inside the cloud.
17To the Israelites at the foot of the mountain, the glory of the Lord appeared at the summit like a consuming fire.
18Then Moses disappeared into the cloud as he climbed higher up the mountain. He remained on the mountain 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