Exodus 24

King James Version

Full text for Exodus Chapter 24

1¶ And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off.

2And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him.

3And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.

4And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.

5And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD.

6And Moses took half of the blood, and put [it] in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.

7And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.

8And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled [it] on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.

9¶ Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:

10And they saw the God of Israel: and [there was] under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in [his] clearness.

11And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.

12¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

13And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.

14And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur [are] with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.

15And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.

16And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

17And the sight of the glory of the LORD [was] like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.

18And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders are called to ascend Mount Sinai, with Moses alone approaching God. After the people agree to obey God's words, a covenant is ratified with sacrifices and sprinkled blood. Subsequently, Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the elders see God, and Moses then ascends the mount for forty days and forty nights to receive the stone tablets of the law.

Medium Summary

The LORD commanded Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders of Israel to come up Mount Sinai, though only Moses was permitted to draw near. Moses then presented all the LORD's words and judgments to the people, who unanimously pledged their obedience. To ratify this covenant, Moses built an altar with twelve pillars, offered burnt and peace offerings, and sprinkled half the sacrificial blood on the altar and half on the people, declaring it the "blood of the covenant." Following this, Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders ascended and beheld the God of Israel, noting a sapphire pavement beneath His feet, and they ate and drank in His presence without harm. The LORD then summoned Moses alone back to the mount to receive the stone tablets inscribed with the law and commandments. Moses ascended with Joshua, leaving Aaron and Hur in charge, and a cloud covered the mount for six days. On the seventh day, the LORD called Moses into the cloud, whose glory appeared as devouring fire, and Moses remained on the mount for forty days and forty nights.

Long Summary

Exodus chapter 24 details the formal ratification of the covenant between the LORD and Israel, and Moses's subsequent ascent to receive the law. The chapter opens with the LORD summoning Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders to come up Mount Sinai, specifying that only Moses should approach Him. Moses descended to the people and recounted all the LORD's words and judgments, to which the entire assembly responded with a unified declaration of obedience. To solemnize this agreement, Moses rose early to build an altar at the foot of the hill, erecting twelve pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. He then dispatched young men to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings of oxen to the LORD. Moses carefully divided the blood from these sacrifices, sprinkling half upon the altar and reserving the other half in basins. He then took "the book of the covenant" and read its contents aloud to the people, who reaffirmed their commitment, stating, "All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient." Moses then took the remaining blood and sprinkled it upon the people, proclaiming, "Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words." Following this ratification, Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders ascended the mount. There, they were granted a unique vision, seeing the God of Israel, with a description of a paved work of sapphire stone under His feet, resembling the clearness of heaven. Remarkably, the LORD did not harm these nobles of Israel, and they ate and drank in His presence. Subsequently, the LORD called Moses alone back into the mount to receive the stone tablets inscribed with the law and commandments. Moses departed with his minister Joshua, instructing the elders to remain and consult Aaron and Hur in his absence. As Moses ascended, a cloud enveloped the mount, and the glory of the LORD abode upon Mount Sinai for six days. On the seventh day, the LORD called Moses from the midst of the cloud, the sight of His glory appearing like devouring fire to the Israelites below. Moses entered the cloud and remained on the mount for a period of forty days and forty nights.

Core Concepts

  • Covenant RatificationThe formal process by which the agreement between God and Israel was sealed, involving the people's verbal assent, the building of an altar, sacrifices, and the sprinkling of blood upon both the altar and the people.
  • The Blood of the CovenantA central element in the ratification, where Moses sprinkled sacrificial blood on the people and the altar, signifying the solemn bond and commitment established between the LORD and Israel based on their obedience to His words.
  • Vision of GodMoses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders were granted a unique experience of seeing the God of Israel, described with a sapphire pavement under His feet, without being consumed, and they ate and drank in His presence.
  • Receiving the LawThe LORD summoned Moses back to Mount Sinai to receive the stone tablets containing the written law and commandments, indicating the formal transmission of divine instruction to Israel.
  • Divine Glory and PresenceThe manifestation of the LORD's glory on Mount Sinai, appearing as a devouring fire within a cloud that covered the mount, signifying His awesome and powerful presence to the Israelites.
  • Moses' Forty Days and NightsMoses' extended period of forty days and forty nights on Mount Sinai, during which he was in direct communion with the LORD and received the divine law.