1.
And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off.
He (Elohim of Exodus 20:1 ) said. See note on Exodus 4:3 .
the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 .
Nadab, and Abihu . Aaron's eldest two sons.
seventy . See App-10 .
afar off. See note on Exodus 20:21 ,
2.
And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him.
near = near unto.
3.
And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.
came . Moses' fourth descent. See note on Exodus 19:3 . all the words. (1) The Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:1-17 . (2) all the judgments, chaps. 21-23.
4.
And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
wrote . See note on Exodus 17:14 , and App-47 .
the hill = the mountain.
5.
And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD.
young men . The whole nation as yet were priests, represented in the fathers and elder sons. Probably the redeemed firstborn from all the tribes.
children = sons.
offered . Hebrew. 'alah. See App-43 .
burnt offerings . Hebrew. 'olah. See App-43 .
sacrificed. Hebrew. zabach. App-43 .
Peace offerings . Hebrew. shelem. App-43 .
(5-8) This is the subject of Hebrews 9:15-23 , where "testament "should be rendered covenant, and the word "men", which is not in the text, should be "over the dead sacrifices" referred to here. (Greek. epi nekrois.)
6.
And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
on the altar . This was pledging Jehovah to this conditional covenant. See Hebrews 9:19 , where the book also is said to be sprinkled.
7.
And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.
be obedient . Connect this with the sprinkling-of the blood in next verse; and connect both with 1 Peter 1:2 .
8.
And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.
the blood = the other half of the blood. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Part), App-6 . See Hebrews 9:20 .
the People . Thus pledging them to their part of the covenant, which was thereby made conditional; unlike that with Abraham in Genesis 15 , which was unconditional.
Behold . Figure of speech Asterismos ( App-6 ).
9.
Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:
went up . Moses' fourth ascent. See note on Exodus 19:3 .Exodus 19:10; Exodus 19:10 they saw. Hebrew. hazah, to see with the mental eye, or in vision (Isaiah 1:1 ; Isaiah 2:1 ; Isaiah 13:1 .Ezekiel 13:7 . Amos 1:1 .Micah 1:1 .Habakkuk 1:1 .Numbers 24:4 , Numbers 24:16 ). Hence, to discern, observe, contemplate, understand. Job 34:32 .Psalms 46:8 . Proverbs 22:29 ; Proverbs 24:32 ; Proverbs 29:20 . Psalms 62:2 .
God. Hebrew. Elohim . App-4 .
under . Was this seen from beneath?
10.
And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.
11.
And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.
He laid not His hand = put not forth His hand [in vengeance]. Compare Exodus 3:20 ; Exodus 33:22 .
eat and drink . Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , put for living, i.e. though they were favoured with this vision, they yet lived.
12.
And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.
the LORD [Hebrew. Jehovah. said. See note on Exodus 3:7 , and compare note on Exodus 6:10 .
a = the.
commandments = the commandment.
written . See note on Exodus 17:14 , and App-47 .
13.
And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.
14.
And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.
15.
And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.
a cloud = the cloud.
16.
And the glory of the LORD 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.
six days . See App-50 .
17.
And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.
18.
And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.
went into . On 20-25th and 26th of Sever: The fourth Sabbath.