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Exodus Chapter 24

Old Testament Law (Torah) 18 Verses

What is Exodus 24 about?

Israel's deliverance from Egypt, the Ten Commandments given at Sinai, and the construction of the Tabernacle. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1And 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:
2and Moses alone shall come near unto Jehovah; but they shall not come near; neither shall the people go up with him.
3And 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.
4And 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.
5And he sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt-offerings, and sacrificed peace-offerings of oxen unto Jehovah.
6And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins; 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 Jehovah hath spoken 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 Jehovah hath made with you concerning all these words.
9Then 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 sapphire stone, and as it were the very heaven for clearness.
11And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: and they beheld God, and did eat and drink.
12And Jehovah said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee the tables of stone, and the law and the commandment, which I have written, that thou mayest teach them.
13And Moses rose up, and Joshua his minister: 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: whosoever hath a cause, let him come near unto them.
15And Moses went up into the mount, and the cloud covered the mount.
16And the glory of Jehovah 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 appearance of the glory of Jehovah was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.
18And Moses entered into the midst of the cloud, and went up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.
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What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“And he said unto Moses, etc.] Who said? no doubt a divine Person, and yet what this Person said is, come up unto the Lord; meaning either to himself, or one divine Person called to Moses to come up to another: according to the Targum of Jonathan, it was Michael, the prince of wisdom; not a created angel, but the eternal Word, Wisdom, and Son of God; who said this on the seventh day of the month, which was the day after the giving of the law, or ten commands; though Jarchi says this paragraph was before the ten commands, and was said on the fourth of Sivan; but the Targumist seems most correct: come up unto the…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“DELIVERY OF THE LAW AND COVENANT. (Exo. 24:1-18) Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord--The rehearsal of the foregoing laws and the ten commandments, together with the promises of special blessings in the event of their obedience, having drawn forth from the people a unanimous declaration of their consent, it was forthwith recorded as the conditions of the national covenant. The next day preparations were made for having it (the covenant) solemnly ratified, by building an altar and twelve pillars; the altar representing God, and the pillars the tribes of Israel--the two parties in this solemn…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“Are placed by some with great probability between Exodus 24:8-9. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 1
“Worship ye afar off - Before they came near, they must worship. Thus we must enter into God's gates with humble and solemn adorations. Exodus 24:2”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 1
“24:1-18 Israel agreed to the terms of the covenant (24:3), which was then ratified in several ceremonial activities. This included the formal writing and reading of the covenant (24:4, 7), the splattering of blood (24:6), a covenant meal (24:11), and the appearing of the glory of the Lord on the mountain (24:15-18). 24:1-2 Some commentators suggest that Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the elders made two trips up the mountain, here and in 24:9-11. However, this command was probably given in advance and obeyed at the proper time in 24:9.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“Come up: Exo 24:15, Exo 3:5, Exo 19:9, Exo 19:20, Exo 19:24, Exo 20:21, Exo 34:2 Nadab: Exo 6:23, Exo 28:1; Lev 10:1, Lev 10:2; Ch1 6:3 seventy: Exo 24:9, Exo 1:5; Num 11:16, Num 11:24, Num 11:25; Eze 8:11; Luk 10:1, Luk 10:17 Exodus 24:2”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · on verse 1
“These two verses form part of the address of God in Ex 20:22-23:33; for אמר משׁה ואל ("but to Moses He said") cannot be the commencement of a fresh address, which would necessarily require מ אל ויּאמר (cf. Exo 24:12; Exo 19:21; Exo 20:22). The turn given to the expression מ ואל presupposes that God had already spoken to others, or that what had been said before related not to Moses himself, but to other persons. But this cannot be affirmed of the decalogue, which applied to Moses quite as much as to the entire nation (a sufficient refutation of Knobel's assertion, that these verses are a continuation of Exo…”
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