_MOSES WRITES THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, WHICH HE READS TO THE PEOPLE; AND RATIFIES THE COVENANT OF GOD WITH THEM, BY THE BLOOD OF VICTIMS: MOSES ASCENDS AGAIN INTO THE MOUNTAIN, AND CONTINUES THERE WITH GOD FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS._ _Before Christ 1491._... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO MOSES— Moses was now upon the Mount with the Lord: the meaning, therefore, here must be, that God enjoins Moses respecting his future coming up to the Mount with Aaron, &c. after he had delivered to the people the laws mentioned in the former Chapter s, and confirmed the covenant wi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOSES CAME AND TOLD— See ch. Exodus 19:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOSES WROTE ALL THE WORDS OF THE LORD— Some have supposed that the art of writing was derived immediately from GOD himself, and shewn to Moses particularly by the writing on the tables of stone, mentioned Exodus 24:12 but it appears from hence, that Moses understood the art of writing before tho... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SENT YOUNG MEN— The Chaldee renders it _the first-born;_ with which agrees the Arabic translation of R. Saadiah and the Persian of Tauasius. The _first-born_ were priests in every family; but, among the Israelites, they were afterwards redeemed, and the whole tribe of _Levi,_ in their stead,... [ Continue Reading ]
HALF OF THE BLOOD BE SPRINKLED ON THE ALTAR— Expressive of God's acceptance and ratification of the covenant; the other half he _sprinkled,_ Exodus 24:8 _on the people; i.e_. either on the people themselves, or, most probably, on the _twelve pillars,_ representative of the people. It is to be observ... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN WENT UP MOSES AND AARON, &C.— Moses, having ratified the covenant with the people, now, agreeably to the command in Exodus 24:1, went up, with Aaron, and the _elders,_ representative of the children of Israel, as mediator between GOD and the people, to announce their assent and ratification of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES, COME UP— We have before observed, on ch. 19: that there were different stations on the mountain: the glory of the Lord occupied the highest place, _the top of the Mount,_ as it is called, Exodus 24:17. And to this highest place Moses is now enjoined to ascend, leaving t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD ABODE— _The glory of the Lord_ was, as appears from Exodus 24:17 _like devouring fire;_ see Psalms 97:2. This was the immediate symbol of the Divine Presence. Besides this, a thick dark _cloud_ enveloped the mountain; which _cloud,_ for _six days, covered_ or _concealed_ fr... [ Continue Reading ]
FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS— See ch. Exodus 34:28. Moses, Elijah, and the Lord Jesus Christ, each _fasted forty days and forty nights._ See 1 Kings 19:8. Matthew 4:2. REFLECTIONS.—The covenant being signed and sealed, Moses returns to God with seventy elders: and they are admitted to approach his pr... [ Continue Reading ]