1Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD—you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders—and you are to worship at a distance.
2Moses alone shall approach the LORD, but the others must not come near. And the people may not go up with him.”
3When Moses came and told the people all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all responded with one voice: “All the words that the LORD has spoken, we will do.”
4And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Early the next morning he got up and built an altar at the base of the mountain, along with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.
5Then he sent out some young men of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD.
6Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splattered on the altar.
7Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people, who replied, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.”
8So Moses took the blood, splattered it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that 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. Under His feet was a work like a pavement made of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.
11But God did not lay His hand on the nobles of Israel; they saw Him, and they ate and drank.
12Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay here, so that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”
13So Moses set out with Joshua his attendant and went up on the mountain of God.
14And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. Aaron and Hur are here with you. Whoever has a dispute can go to them.”
15When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it,
16and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered it, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud.
17And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountaintop in the eyes of the Israelites.
18Moses entered the cloud as he went up on the mountain, and he remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
Exodus 24 Verse Notes
Exod 24:1
Dead Sea Scrolls show textual variation in Exodus
The Dead Sea Scrolls reveal variations in biblical texts, such as Exodus 24. While the Masoretic Text lists Aaron, Nadav, Abihu, and 70 elders ascending with Moses, the Dead Sea Scrolls version includes Aaron's other two sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, among those who saw God. This is not a mere spelling difference but an actual change in the narrative, indicating that the text was not entirely consistent even in the first century BCE.
Summarized by AI · The Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Literature of Ancient Israel · Lecture 27: The Biblical Canon (There Was No Canon) · watch the clip
Moses' Unique Face-to-Face Encounter with God
The Bible generally states that humans cannot see God and live, making Moses' direct communication with God in Numbers 12:8 an exceptional event. This background explains Isaiah's apprehension when he finds himself face-to-face with the deity, highlighting the rarity and significance of such encounters.
Summarized by AI · The Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Literature of Ancient Israel · Lecture 17: Isaiah | In Three Acts · watch the clip
Exod 24:3
Joshua's Covenant and Death Mirror Moses' Actions
Joshua's final acts further solidify his role as a second Moses. He makes the people affirm their commitment to the covenant three times, similar to Moses in Exodus. Joshua then formalizes the covenant by writing it down and setting up a stone, just as Moses did. Finally, Joshua dies at the age of 110, closely approaching Moses' age of 120, completing the parallel.
Summarized by AI · The Rise and Fall of Biblical Israel: The Books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings · Lecture 2: Joshua and the Conquest of Canaan | Too Good to Be True · watch the clip
Exod 24:7
The Covenant Code forms the original covenant in Exodus
In the original Exodus narrative, God establishes a covenant with Israel based on the Covenant Code (Exodus 20:22-23:33). The people agree to these terms multiple times, affirming their commitment to the laws that govern their relationship with Yahweh.
Summarized by AI · The Ten Commandments · Lecture 3: What the Ten Commandments Do in the Story · watch the clip
Exod 24:12
Orthodox Jewish view of Torah's dictation
Orthodox Judaism traditionally holds the belief that God dictated the Torah verbatim to Moses. However, Reform and Conservative Judaism no longer accept this view, having changed their perspective due to historical-critical scholarship.
Summarized by AI · The Bible and the Quran: Comparing Their Historical Problems · Final Observations: Dr. Javad T. Hashmi · watch the clip
The Ten Commandments' Origin Story
The narrative setting of the Ten Commandments, where Moses receives them from God on Mount Sinai, is a crucial part of understanding their purpose within the biblical story. Analyzing this narrative helps to uncover what the commandments were intended to convey and achieve within that specific context.
Summarized by AI · The Ten Commandments · Lecture 1: What Are the Ten Commandments? · watch the clip
The tablets in Exodus contain the Covenant Code
The stone tablets Moses receives on Mount Horeb in the Exodus account contain the Covenant Code, not the Ten Commandments. These laws are the foundation of the covenant, and their inscription on tablets symbolizes the physical manifestation of this agreement.
Summarized by AI · The Ten Commandments · Lecture 3: What the Ten Commandments Do in the Story · watch the clip
Exod 24:17
God's incorporeality despite biblical language
Origen argued that God is incorporeal, even though the Bible sometimes uses language that suggests God has a body, like light or fire. He insisted that such descriptions should not be taken literally, as God is utterly invisible and without extension in space.
Summarized by AI · Ancient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years · Lecture 15: Christian Paideia | Origen of Alexandria on God and the Universe · watch the clip
