Êxodo 24

People Affirm Their Covenant with God

1 Then He said to Moses, "Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance. 2 Moses alone, however, shall approach the Lord, but they shall not approach, nor shall the people come up with him."

3 Then Moses came and reported to the people all the words of the Lord and all the *24:3 Or judgmentsordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, "All the words which the Lord has spoken we will do!" 4 And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. Then he got up early in the morning, and built an altar *24:4 Lit beneathat the foot of the mountain with twelve memorial stones for the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 And he sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed bulls as peace offerings to the Lord. 6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it*24:7 Lit in the ears of the people;as the people listened; and they said, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!" 8 So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, "Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has *24:8 Lit cutmade with you *24:8 Lit on allin accordance with all these words."

9 Then Moses went up *24:9 Lit andwith Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10 and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet *24:10 Lit like a pavementthere appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, *24:10 Lit and asas clear as the sky itself. 11 Yet He did not reach out with His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank.

12 Now the Lord said to Moses, "Come up to Me on the mountain and *24:12 Lit bestay there, and I will give you the stone tablets *24:12 Lit andwith the Law and the *24:12 Lit commandmentcommandments which I have written for their instruction." 13 So Moses got up *24:13 Lit andalong with Joshua his *24:13 Or ministerservant, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. 14 But to the elders he said, "Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever *24:14 Lit is a master of mattershas a legal matter, have him approach them." 15 Then Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 The glory of the Lord*24:16 Lit dweltsettled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. 17 And to the eyes of the sons of Israel, the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the mountain top. 18 Then Moses entered the midst of the cloud *24:18 Lit andas he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.