What does Exodus 24:1 mean?
ESV: Then he said to Moses, "Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar.
NIV: Then the Lord said to Moses, "Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. You are to worship at a distance,
NASB: 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.
CSB: Then he said to Moses, "Go up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders, and bow in worship at a distance.
NLT: Then the Lord instructed Moses: 'Come up here to me, and bring along Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders. All of you must worship from a distance.
KJV: 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.
NKJV: Now He said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar.
Verse Commentary:
Please see our chapter commentary on Exodus 24; verse-level content coming soon!
Verse Context:
Exodus 24:1–8 records an invitation from the Lord and a solemn ceremony. God summons Moses, Aaron, two of Aaron's sons, and seventy elders from Israel for a special meeting. Moses prepares sacrifices, reads the covenant to the people, and sprinkles sacrificial blood. The Israelites agree to follow God's commands.
Chapter Summary:
God calls Moses, seventy of Israel's elders, Aaron, and Aaron's two sons to approach the Lord at Mount Sinai. The people agree to follow the covenant. Moses organizes sacrifices and reads the covenant to the people. Those called onto the mountain see a vision of God. After this, Moses is summoned to meet with the Lord personally. He will be there for forty days and nights receiving more of the Lord's covenant laws.
Chapter Context:
God has begun delivering the laws of His covenant with Israel (Exodus 20—23). Here, Moses and the elders of Israel affirm this agreement. The Lord calls Moses to receive stone tablets recording the Law. The following chapters describe how to construct the "sanctuary" used for worship and sacrifice. This includes designs for the tabernacle, ark of the covenant, and other famous items (Exodus 25—28).
Book Summary:
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.
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