1Moses is called up into the mountain. 3The people promise obedience. 4Moses buildeth an altar and twelve pillars; and sprinkleth the blood of the covenant. 9The glory of God appeareth to Moses, Aaron, and the elders of Israel. 12Moses being called up into the mount leaveth Aaron and Hur in charge of the people. 15Moses goeth into the mount, and continueth there forty days and forty nights.
1AND 1he said unto Moses, 2Come up 3unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, 4Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off.
1 Namely, God.
2 Namely, after that you shall have acquainted the people with the above rehearsed commandments.
3 That is, to Me.
4 Nadab and Abihu were the two eldest sons of Aaron, who were afterwards devoured by the fire of the Lord, Lev. 10:1, 2, for offering strange fire.
2And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with 5him.
5 Namely, Moses; also with the elders. The people were to remain below at the foot of the mountain, though the elders went about half way up, and saw something of the glory of God, verses 9, 10, but Moses went up to the very top of the mount into the dark cloud, verse 18.
3¶And Moses 6came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: anda all the people answered with one voice, and said, 7All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.
6 Namely, down from the mountain into the camp.
a Exod. 19:8; 24:7; Deut. 5:27.
7 This the people spoke, not knowing the impossibility of keeping the law, which is weak through the flesh, Rom. 8:3.
4And Moses 8wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and 9builded an altar 10under the hill, 11and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
8 Namely, after that he had made them known to the people by word of mouth, verse 3.
9 Namely, for a memorial or in remembrance of the covenant made there between God and the people, as Gen. 31:45.
10 Namely, at the foot of the mount.
11 To put them in mind of the covenant made with God.
5And he sent 12young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of 13oxen unto the LORD.
12 That is, the firstborn, who were the priests or offerers, until the Levites (who came to supply the place of the firstborn, Num. 3:41) were ordained for the priestly function. The Hebrew word rendered young men here does not always signify such as are young of years, but often likewise such as are qualified and able to do service, whether it be in ecclesiastical, civil, or military affairs, or for their parents or friends.
13 And likewise other beasts; Heb. 9:19.
6And Moses took half of 14the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on 15the altar.
14 Namely, of the slain beasts.
15 And upon the book also, Heb. 9:19.
7And he took the 16book 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.
16 See verse 4.
8And Moses took the 17blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Beholdb the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you 18concerning all these words.
17 Namely, the other half of the blood.
b Heb. 9:20; 1 Peter 1:2.
18 Namely, which are written in the book of the covenant.
9¶Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:
10And 19they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved 20work of a sapphire stone, and as it were 21the body of heaven in his clearness.
19 Namely, tokens of the presence of God, verses 15, 16, for, no man ever saw God in His Essence, Exod. 33:20; 1 Tim. 6:16.
20 That is, structure, building. Other, like the work of a pavement of sapphires.
21 Or, the similitude.
11And upon the nobles of 22the children of Israel 23he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and 24did eat and drink.
22 Understand the eldest of the people, of whom mention is made in verses 1 and 9. Other, princes, chieftains.
23 That is, He did not smite or vex them as He had threatened them Exod. 19:12, for, this once they did it by God’s command, verses 1, 9.
24 That is, they remained alive, and in good health and temper, testifying the same by their eating and drinking.
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.
13And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up 25into the mount of God.
25 Namely, upon Mount Sinai.
14And 26he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: 27if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.
26 Namely, when he was ready to go forth out of the camp, and to ascend the mountain.
27 Hebr. he that is master of words, or, businesses.
15And Moses went up into the mount, and a 28cloud covered the mount.
28 This was a sign of the presence of God, although it happened not without some terror and fear; 2 Chron. 6:1; Heb. 12:18. See also Exod. 19:9.
16And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered 29it six days: and the seventh day he called unto 30Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
29 Either the Lord, or Moses, or the mount.
30 Namely, Moses only. Joshua himself was not even with Moses when the Lord spoke with him.
17And thec sight of the glory of the LORD was like 31devouring fire 32on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.
c Heb. 12:29.
31 This served to terrify the transgressors of the law, Deut. 4:24.
32 Hebr. on the head.
18And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount 33forty days and forty nights.
33 Namely, without eating and drinking, Exod. 34:28; Deut. 9:9, 18.