Exodus 24:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, "Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words."

NIV: Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words."

NASB: So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, 'Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.'

CSB: Moses took the blood, splattered it on the people, and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you concerning all these words."

NLT: Then Moses took the blood from the basins and splattered it over the people, declaring, 'Look, this blood confirms the covenant the Lord has made with you in giving you these instructions.'

KJV: And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words.

NKJV: And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.”

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.

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.

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).

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.