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Israel Accepts the Lord’s Covenant

24 Then the Lord instructed Moses: “Come up here to me, and bring along Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders. All of you must worship from a distance. Only Moses is allowed to come near to the Lord. The others must not come near, and none of the other people are allowed to climb up the mountain with him.”

Then Moses went down to the people and repeated all the instructions and regulations the Lord had given him. All the people answered with one voice, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded.”

Then Moses carefully wrote down all the Lord’s instructions. Early the next morning Moses got up and built an altar at the foot of the mountain. He also set up twelve pillars, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent some of the young Israelite men to present burnt offerings and to sacrifice bulls as peace offerings to the Lord. Moses drained half the blood from these animals into basins. The other half he splattered against the altar.

Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people. Again they all responded, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded. We will obey.”

Then Moses took the blood from the basins and splattered it over the people, declaring, “Look, this blood confirms the covenant the Lord has made with you in giving you these instructions.”

Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel climbed up the mountain. 10 There they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there seemed to be a surface of brilliant blue lapis lazuli, as clear as the sky itself. 11 And though these nobles of Israel gazed upon God, he did not destroy them. In fact, they ate a covenant meal, eating and drinking in his presence!

12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain. Stay there, and I will give you the tablets of stone on which I have inscribed the instructions and commands so you can teach the people.” 13 So Moses and his assistant Joshua set out, and Moses climbed up the mountain of God.

14 Moses told the elders, “Stay here and wait for us until we come back. Aaron and Hur are here with you. If anyone has a dispute while I am gone, consult with them.”

15 Then Moses climbed up the mountain, and the cloud covered it. 16 And the glory of the Lord settled down on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from inside the cloud. 17 To the Israelites at the foot of the mountain, the glory of the Lord appeared at the summit like a consuming fire. 18 Then Moses disappeared into the cloud as he climbed higher up the mountain. He remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Israel Affirms the Covenant

24 Now He said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, (A)Nadab and Abihu, (B)and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar. And Moses alone shall come near the Lord, but they shall not come near; nor shall the people go up with him.”

So Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the [a]judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, (C)“All the words which the Lord has said we will do.” And Moses (D)wrote all the words of the Lord. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve (E)pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered (F)burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. And Moses (G)took half the blood and put it in basins, and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar. Then he (H)took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient.” And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is (I)the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.”

On the Mountain with God

Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10 and they (J)saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of (K)sapphire stone, and it was like the (L)very[b] heavens in its clarity. 11 But on the nobles of the children of Israel He (M)did not [c]lay His hand. So (N)they saw God, and they (O)ate and drank.

12 Then the Lord said to Moses, (P)“Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you (Q)tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them.”

13 So Moses arose with (R)his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. 14 And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Indeed, Aaron and (S)Hur are with you. If any man has a difficulty, let him go to them.” 15 Then Moses went up into the mountain, and (T)a cloud covered the mountain.

16 Now (U)the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 The sight of the glory of the Lord was like (V)a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel. 18 So Moses went into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain. And (W)Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 24:3 ordinances
  2. Exodus 24:10 Lit. substance of heaven
  3. Exodus 24:11 stretch out His

The Covenant Confirmed

24 Then he said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, (A)Nadab, and Abihu, and (B)seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar. Moses (C)alone shall come near to the Lord, but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.”

Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and (D)all the rules.[a] And all the people answered with one voice and said, (E)“All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.” And (F)Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve (G)pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. And (H)Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, (I)“All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” (J)And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and (K)seventy of the elders of Israel (L)went up, 10 and they (M)saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of (N)sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. 11 And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and (O)ate and drank.

12 The Lord said to Moses, (P)“Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the (Q)tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” 13 So Moses rose with his assistant (R)Joshua, and Moses went up (S)into the mountain of God. 14 And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and (T)Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them.”

15 Then Moses went up on the mountain, and (U)the cloud covered the mountain. 16 (V)The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a (W)devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. 18 Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses (X)was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 24:3 Or all the just decrees

Covenant at Sinai

24 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders, and worship from a distance. Only Moses may come near to the Lord. The others shouldn’t come near, while the people shouldn’t come up with him at all.”

Moses came and told the people all the Lord’s words and all the case laws. All the people answered in unison, “Everything that the Lord has said we will do.” Moses then wrote down all the Lord’s words. He got up early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain. He set up twelve sacred stone pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. He appointed certain young Israelite men to offer entirely burned offerings and slaughter oxen as well-being sacrifices to the Lord. Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls. The other half of the blood he threw against the altar. Then he took the covenant scroll and read it out loud for the people to hear. They responded, “Everything that the Lord has said we will do, and we will obey.”

Moses then took the blood and threw it over the people. Moses said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord now makes with you on the basis of all these words.”

Covenant meal with God

Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy elders of Israel went up, 10 and they saw Israel’s God. Under God’s feet there was what looked like a floor of lapis-lazuli tiles, dazzlingly pure like the sky. 11 God didn’t harm the Israelite leaders, though they looked at God, and they ate and drank.

12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there. I’ll give you the stone tablets with the instructions and the commandments that I’ve written in order to teach them.”

13 So Moses and his assistant Joshua got up, and Moses went up God’s mountain. 14 Moses had said to the elders, “Wait for us here until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur will be here with you. Whoever has a legal dispute may go to them.”

15 Then Moses went up the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 The Lord’s glorious presence settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from the cloud. 17 To the Israelites, the Lord’s glorious presence looked like a blazing fire on top of the mountain. 18 Moses entered the cloud and went up the mountain. Moses stayed on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.

24 ¶ Y dijo a Moisés: Sube al SEÑOR, tú, y Aarón, Nadab, y Abiú, y setenta de los ancianos de Israel; y os inclinaréis desde lejos.

Mas Moisés sólo se acercará al SEÑOR; y ellos no se acerquen, ni suba el pueblo con él.

Y Moisés vino y contó al pueblo todas las palabras del SEÑOR, y todos los derechos; y todo el pueblo respondió a una voz, y dijeron: Haremos todas las palabras que el SEÑOR ha dicho.

Y Moisés escribió todas las palabras del SEÑOR, y levantándose de mañana edificó un altar al pie del monte, y doce columnas, según las doce tribus de Israel.

Y envió a los jóvenes de los hijos de Israel, los cuales ofrecieron holocaustos y sacrificaron becerros como sacrificios de paz al SEÑOR.

Y Moisés tomó la mitad de la sangre, y la puso en tazones, y esparció la otra mitad de la sangre sobre el altar.

Y tomó el libro de la alianza, y leyó a oídos del pueblo, el cual dijo: Haremos todas las cosas que el SEÑOR ha dicho, y oiremos.

Entonces Moisés tomó la sangre, y roció sobre el pueblo, y dijo: He aquí la sangre de la alianza que el SEÑOR ha hecho con vosotros sobre todas estas cosas.

¶ Y subieron Moisés y Aarón, Nadab y Abiú, y setenta de los ancianos de Israel;

10 y vieron al Dios de Israel; y había debajo de sus pies como un embaldosado de zafiro, semejante al cielo cuando está sereno.

11 Mas no extendió su mano sobre los príncipes de los hijos de Israel; y vieron a Dios, y comieron y bebieron.

12 ¶ Entonces el SEÑOR dijo a Moisés: Sube a mí al monte, y espera allá, y te daré tablas de piedra, con la ley, y los mandamientos que he escrito para enseñarles.

13 Y se levantó Moisés, y Josué su ministro; y Moisés subió al monte de Dios.

14 Y dijo a los ancianos: Esperadnos aquí hasta que volvamos a vosotros; y he aquí Aarón y Hur están con vosotros; el que tuviere negocios, acuda a ellos.

15 Entonces Moisés subió al monte, y una nube cubrió el monte.

16 Y la gloria del SEÑOR reposó sobre el monte Sinaí, y la nube lo cubrió por seis días; y al séptimo día llamó a Moisés de en medio de la nube.

17 Y el parecer de la gloria del SEÑOR era como un fuego abrasador en la cumbre del monte, a los ojos de los hijos de Israel.

18 Y entró Moisés en medio de la nube, y subió al monte; y estuvo Moisés en el monte cuarenta días y cuarenta noches.