Exodus 19:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him.

NIV: So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak.

NASB: So Moses came and called the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the Lord had commanded him.

CSB: After Moses came back, he summoned the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him.

NLT: So Moses returned from the mountain and called together the elders of the people and told them everything the Lord had commanded him.

KJV: And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.

NKJV: So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the Lord commanded him.

"Elders" are the respected leaders of the people. Moses spoke to this same group when he first came to lead Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 4:29–31). Rather than one man trying to shout for the entire nation to hear at once, these leaders can pass along Moses' instructions to their respective groups. In this case, the message is that God is going to establish a special relationship with Israel. The people must obey God's commands, and in return they will become a holy nation experiencing a special relationship with God (Exodus 19:3–6).

In the immediate context, Moses' words refer to this basic statement about the covenant. In a wider sense, they refer to all teachings Moses will bring from the Lord (Exodus 24:8; Deuteronomy 12:28). Israel is meant to obey these commands as their part of this "Mosaic covenant."

Exodus 19:1–15 records God's instructions to Israel at the base of Mount Sinai, also referred to as "the mountain of God" or Horeb. The Lord tells Israel He is going to make them a special nation; this means establishing a covenant with the people. God will meet with Moses only. No man, woman, or animal may otherwise touch the mountain where God comes down.

God instructs the Israelites to prepare for His arrival on Mount Sinai in Horeb. They are to be clean and careful not to come onto the mountain itself. When God appears, He arrives amidst smoke, fire, lightning, earthquakes, and noise. Moses travels to the mountaintop and back, relaying messages about God's will. The first and most important of these are the fundamental principles of Old Testament law: the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1–21).

Prior chapters in the book of Exodus described Israel's history after Jacob and his family settled there (Genesis 46:27; 47:10). God used Moses to deliver divine messages and as a conduit for miraculous power. Once Israel was freed (Exodus 12:40–41), the Lord continued to care for them (Exodus 15:22–25; 16:13–15; 17:6, 8–13). In this chapter, Israel prepares to receive God's Law at Mount Sinai. Almost the entire rest of the book (Exodus 20—40) are details about these commands.

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.

Accessed 6/15/2025 11:06:39 PM