THE RATIFICATION OF THE COVENANT
1. And he said] The first two vv. of this chapter are a continuation
of the narrative from Exodus 20:21, which was interrupted by the
insertion of the Book of the Covenant, originally a separate document.
chapter Exodus 23:33 is continued in Exodus 24:3. NADAB, AND... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOSES CAME AND TOLD THE PEOPLE] after he had ascended the mountain
and received the 'words and the judgments 'contained in Chapter s
Exodus 20:22 to Exodus 23:33 : cp. Exodus 21:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOSES WROTE] see on Exodus 17:14. The altar symbolised the
presence of Jehovah, the twelve pillars represented the twelve tribes
of Israel. These pillars were single unhewn stones which were smeared
with the blood of the sacrificial animal or with the oil of a
vegetable offering: see on Genesis... [ Continue Reading ]
See on Exodus 18:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
The sprinkling of the altar with half the blood and of the people with
the other half (Exodus 24:8) signified that both parties, Jehovah and
Israel, entered into fellowship and bound themselves by the terms of
the covenant, the people promising obedience and Jehovah promising His
help and blessing.... [ Continue Reading ]
CONCERNING ALL THESE WORDS] RM 'upon all these conditions.'
9-11. The ratification of the covenant is concluded with a sacrificial
meal (Exodus 24:11), which usually followed the peace offering and
symbolised the harmonious relationship existing between the offerers
and God: see Leviticus 3. At this... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SAW THE GOD OF ISRAEL] A very bold anthropomorphic way of
describing the experience of these favoured persons, which the Gk.
(LXX) Version, made many centuries later, avoids by translating 'they
saw the place where God stood.' At the same time it is noticeable that
the sacred writer evinces a g... [ Continue Reading ]
Moses receives another command to come up into the mount and receive
the tables of the Law and other directions connected with the outward
service of religion.
TABLES OF STONE] From Deuteronomy 5:22 we learn that these contained
the Ten Commandments, and the same is implied in chapter Exodus 34:28,... [ Continue Reading ]
MINISTER] servant, attendant; cp. Luke 4:20 RV; Acts 13:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
SAID UNTO THE ELDERS] not merely the seventy spoken of in Exodus 24:1,
but all the representatives of the people. They are to see that the
camp is not removed from the plain during the absence of Moses.... [ Continue Reading ]
MOSES WENT UP] Joshua accompanied him part of the way, and seems to
have awaited his return somewhere on the mountain side: see Exodus
32:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS] The later account adds that during this
time he neither ate nor drank (Deuteronomy 9:9). On the number forty
see on Exodus 2:21.... [ Continue Reading ]