The Covenants

Exoduschapter 24

18 verses · ASV

This chapter sends 204 cross-references outward and receives 231 — heaviest partner: Exodus.

Chapter summary

The covenant sealed. Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders ascend; Moses alone comes near the LORD. An altar is built at the foot of the mount with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes. Burnt offerings and peace offerings. The book of the covenant is read in the audience of the people — ‘all that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient’. Moses sprinkles half the blood on the altar, half on the people: ‘behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words’. The seventy elders eat and drink in the presence of God. Moses disappears into the cloud for forty days and forty nights.

Drafted from Matthew Henry, Calvin, Gill, Clarke, JFB, and Barnes.

Context

Law · Moses — see the Exodus overview for the book's full setting.

3–18 The Covenants

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

2 and Moses alone shall come near unto Jehovah; but they shall not come near; neither shall the people go up with him.

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

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

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

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

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

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