translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: EXO

label: NET translator note

text: Heb “And he;” the referent (the Lord ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: The verb is a perfect tense with a vav ( ו ) consecutive; it and the preceding perfect tense follow the imperative, and so have either a force of instruction, or, as taken here, are the equivalent of an imperfect tense (of permission).


text: Heb “they.”


text: Now the imperfect tense negated is used; here the prohibition would fit (“they will not come near”), or the obligatory (“they must not”) in which the subjects are obliged to act – or not act in this case.


text: The text simply has “one voice” ( קוֹל אֶחָד , qol ’ ekhad ); this is an adverbial accusative of manner, telling how the people answered – “ in one voice,” or unanimously (see GKC 375 §118. q ).


text: The verb is the imperfect tense ( נַעֲשֶׂה , na ’ aseh ), although the form could be classified as a cohortative. If the latter, they would be saying that they are resolved to do what God said. If it is an imperfect, then the desiderative would make the most sense: “we are willing to do.” They are not presumptuously saying they are going to do all these things.


text: The two preterites quite likely form a verbal hendiadys (the verb “to get up early” is frequently in such constructions). Literally it says, “and he got up early [in the morning] and he built”; this means “early [in the morning] he built.” The first verb becomes the adverb.


text: “under.”


text: The verb “arranged” is not in the Hebrew text but has been supplied to clarify exactly what Moses did with the twelve stones.


text: The thing numbered is found in the singular when the number is plural – “twelve standing-stone.” See GKC 433 §134. f . The “standing-stone” could be a small piece about a foot high, or a huge column higher than men. They served to commemorate treaties (), or visions () or boundaries, or graves. Here it will function with the altar as a place of worship.


text: The construct has “young men of the Israelites,” and so “Israelite” is a genitive that describes them.


text: The verbs and their respective accusatives are cognates. First, they offered up burnt offerings (see ), which is וַיַּעֲלוּ עֹלֹת ( vayya ’ alu ’ olot ); then they sacrificed young bulls as peace sacrifices (), which is in Hebrew וַיִּזְבְּחוּ זְבָחִים ( vayyizbÿkhu zÿvakhim ). In the first case the cognate accusative is the direct object; in the second it is an adverbial accusative of product. See on this covenant ritual H. M. Kamsler, “The Blood Covenant in the Bible,” Dor le Dor 6 (1977): 94-98; E. W. Nicholson, “The Covenant Ritual in Exodus 24:3-8 ,” VT 32 (1982): 74-86.


text: The noun “book” would be the scroll just written containing the laws of chaps. 20-23 . On the basis of this scroll the covenant would be concluded here. The reading of this book would assure the people that it was the same that they had agreed to earlier. But now their statement of willingness to obey would be more binding, because their promise would be confirmed by a covenant of blood.


text: Heb “read it in the ears of.”


text: A second verb is now added to the people’s response, and it is clearly an imperfect and not a cohortative, lending support for the choice of desiderative imperfect in these commitments – “we want to obey.” This was their compliance with the covenant.


text: Given the size of the congregation, the preposition might be rendered here “toward the people” rather than on them (all).


text: The verse begins with “and Moses went up, and Aaron….” This verse may supply the sequel to vv. 1-2 . At any rate, God was now accepting them into his presence. sn This next section is extremely interesting, but difficult to interpret. For some of the literature, see: E. W. Nicholson, “The Interpretation of Exodus 24:9-11 ,” VT 24 (1974): 77-97; “The Antiquity of the Tradition in Exodus 24:9-11 ,” VT 26 (1976): 148-60; and T. C. Vriezen, “The Exegesis of Exodus 24:9-11 ,” OTS 17 (1967): 24-53.


text: Or “tiles.”


text: Heb “and like the body of heaven for clearness.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם ( shamayim ) may be translated “heaven” or “sky” depending on the context; here, where sapphire is mentioned (a blue stone) “sky” seems more appropriate, since the transparent blueness of the sapphire would appear like the blueness of the cloudless sky.


text: Heb “he did not stretch out his hand,” i.e., to destroy them.


text: The verb is חָזָה ( khazah ); it can mean “to see, perceive” or “see a vision” as the prophets did. The LXX safeguarded this by saying, “appeared in the place of God.” B. Jacob says they beheld – prophetically, religiously ( Exodus , 746) – but the meaning of that is unclear. The fact that God did not lay a hand on them – to kill them – shows that they saw something that they never expected to see and live. Some Christian interpreters have taken this to refer to a glorious appearance of the preincarnate Christ, the second person of the Trinity. They saw the brilliance of this manifestation – but not the detail. Later, Moses will still ask to see God’s glory – the real presence behind the phenomena.


text: Or “namely”; or “that is to say.” The vav ( ו ) on the noun does not mean that this is in addition to the tablets of stone; the vav is explanatory. Gesenius has “to wit”; see GKC 484-85 §154. a , n. 1(b).


text: The last word of the verse is לְהוֹרֹתָם ( lÿhorotam ), the Hiphil infinitive construct of יָרָה ( yarah ). It serves as a purpose clause, “to teach them,” meaning “I am giving you this Law and these commands in order that you may teach them.” This duty to teach the Law will be passed especially to parents ( Deut 6:6-9, 20-25 ) and to the tribe of Levi as a whole ( Deut 33:9-10 ; Mal 2:1-9 ).


text: Heb “and he arose” meaning “started to go.”


text: Heb “and.”


text: The word הִנֵּה ( hinneh ) calls attention to the presence of Aaron and Hur to answer the difficult cases that might come up.


text: Or “issues to resolve.” The term is simply דְּבָרִים ( dÿvarim , “words, things, matters”).


text: The imperfect tense here has the nuance of potential imperfect. In the absence of Moses and Joshua, Aaron and Hur will be available. sn Attention to the preparation for Moses’ departure contributes to the weight of the guilt of the faithless Israelites (chap. ) and of Aaron, to whom Moses had delegated an important duty.


text: This is an adverbial accusative of time.


text: Heb “to the eyes of” which could mean in their opinion.


text: The verb is a preterite with vav ( ו ) consecutive; here, the second clause, is subordinated to the first preterite, because it seems that the entering into the cloud is the dominant point in this section of the chapter.