The People Accept the Covenant
Study note
God called Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders to come up the mountain and worship from a distance. Moses went down and told the people all of God's laws. The people answered with one voice, 'We will do everything the Lord has said.' Moses wrote down all the Lord's words, built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and set up twelve stone pillars for the twelve tribes. Young men offered sacrifices. Moses took half the blood and put it in basins and sprinkled the other half on the altar. He read the Book of the Covenant to the people. Then he sprinkled blood on them, saying, 'This is the blood of the covenant the Lord has made with you.'
1 God said to Moses, "Come up the mountain to the Lord — you, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders of Israel. All of you must worship from a distance." 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.
2 "Moses alone may approach the Lord directly. The rest must stay back, and the general public must not come up the mountain at all." And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him.
3 Moses went down and shared all of the Lord's words and laws with the people. With one voice, everyone responded, "We agree to do everything the Lord has said!" 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.
4 Moses wrote down every word the Lord had spoken. Early the next morning, he built an altar at the base of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars — one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. 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.
5 He then sent young Israelite men to offer burnt offerings. They also gave young bulls as peace offerings to the Lord. And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD.
6 Moses collected half the blood from the sacrifices and poured it into bowls. He splashed the other half against the sides of the altar. And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
7 Then he picked up the Book of the Covenant and read every word of it out loud to the people. They declared, "We will do everything the Lord has said. We will obey completely." 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.
8 Moses took the blood from the bowls and sprinkled it on the people. "This blood seals the covenant that the Lord has made with you," he announced, "based on all the words you have heard." 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 Elders See God
Study note
Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders went up the mountain. They saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement of sapphire, as clear and blue as the sky itself. God did not strike these leaders down. They saw God and then ate and drank a covenant meal together. This was an extraordinary moment — human beings seeing a glimpse of God's glory and surviving.
9 Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders then climbed up the mountain. Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:
10 There they had a vision of the God of Israel. Beneath his feet was what looked like a brilliant sapphire pavement, as dazzlingly clear as the sky on a perfect day. 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 God did not harm any of these leaders of Israel. They gazed upon God, and then they ate and drank together in his presence. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.
Moses Goes Up the Mountain for Forty Days
Study note
God called Moses higher up the mountain to receive the stone tablets on which God had written the law and commandments. Moses took Joshua with him partway and told the elders to wait, leaving Aaron and Hur in charge. A cloud covered the mountain for six days. On the seventh day, God called to Moses from within the cloud. To the Israelites watching from below, the glory of the Lord on top of the mountain looked like a consuming fire. Moses entered the cloud and stayed on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.
12 The Lord told Moses, "Climb higher up the mountain to me and wait there. I am going to give you stone tablets with the law and instructions I have written to teach the people." 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.
13 Moses got up, along with his helper Joshua. They began to climb the mountain of God. And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.
14 Before leaving, he told the elders, "Wait right here for us until we return. Aaron and Hur will stay with you. If anyone has a dispute, take it to them." 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 Moses climbed up the mountain, and a cloud settled over it. And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.
16 The Lord's glory rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered everything for six days. On the seventh day, God spoke to Moses from inside the cloud. 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.
17 From where the Israelites stood looking up, the Lord's glory on the mountaintop looked like a raging fire. 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 Moses stepped into the cloud and continued up the mountain. He remained there for forty days and forty nights. 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.