Exodus 24

Exodus 24:1

COme up] God had called Moses up to him before, upon his coming down, he was to propose the words of his Covenant unto the people, and to take their Answer, and then (with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu) to come up to God againe.

seventie of the Elders] Some choice men of those, whom Moses chose and made Rulers over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tennes, Exodus 18. vers. 25. who might be the same, who afterward were endowed with Moses his spirit to be assistants to him in government of the people, and they were to come to the Tabernacle, and there to be as witnesses of what passed betwixt God and Moses: the number was proportiona¦ble to the service, and as some conceive, it was the rather chosen, with reference to the 70. souls which came with Jacob into Egypt.

Exodus 24:2

Moses alone] He alone was to goe up to the top of the Mount, the rest might ascend a good way, but not so high as he, yet where were apparent signes of Gods presence, vers. 10. 17.

Exodus 24:3

And Moses came] When he had received the Law in Mount Sinai.

All the words *] Divine terrour made them promise faire, but their own frailtie could performe but little; nor is it a condition competent to corrupt nature, to be legally and exactly just accordintg to the Law of God, though they promise it never so sincerely. Vers. 7. Chap. 19. 8. Deuteronomy 5:31.

Exodus 24:4

wrote all the words] Not the words of the Decalogues or Law Morall, the ten Commandements, but the other Laws, especially the Judiciall.

according to the twelve Tribes] Genesis 31:45.

Exodus 24:5

young men] That is, some of the first-borne, (who untill the sonnes of Aaron were especially chosen for that service) were chiefe assistants to the father of the family, in such services, and who when their fathers were dead succeeded in their office; and whosoever offered the sacrifice, young men might be imployed in preparation and assistance, in the service which required the strength of bodily labours about it. See Annot. on Numbers 3:12.

Exodus 24:6

halfe of] The blood was divided betwixt the Altar, and the people, to note the mutuall stipulation of God to his people, and his people to him who were atoned and made one by the blood of Christ.

Exodus 24:7

the book of the Covenant] See the first Annot. on vers. 4.

and read it] The booke was not only read, but sprinkled with blood mingled with water, Hebrews 9:19. and it was so mingled, because otherwise by congealment it would be too thick: besides, it would go the further, being to be sprinkled upon a great number who stood next in the roome of all the people. See Hebrews 9:19.

Exodus 24:8

The blood] He sprinkled with reference to Christ, which signified that the Covenant broken could not be satisfied without blood shedding. See Hebrews 9:22. anciently Covenants were made with blood to betoken constancie in the Covenant, even to the shedding of blood and losse of life.

Exodus 24:10

And they saw the God] As perfectly as their infirmitie could behold his Majestie, though in propriety of speech God is invisible, 1 Timothy 6:16. because he is a Spirit, John 4:24. Therefore as no man hath seen God, John 1:18. & 1 John 4:12. so shall no man see him with carnall eyes. The seeing them here meant is, when somewhat is obvious to our sense, whereby we have cause to conceive, that God is present in an especiall and extraordinary manner.

Saphir stones] The Saphir stone is of a cleare skie colour. Anselm Boetius, hist. lapid. 1. 2. cap. 42. which may signifie so great glory in God, that what we admire over our heads is below the glory of his feet.

Exodus 24:11

upon the Nobles] That is, the Elders, whose senioritie, authoritie, and gracious endowments made them noble and honourable.

he laid not his hand] Or, put not forth his hand to doe them any hurt, Genesis 37:22. Psalms 138:7. Though to have any vision or apparition of Gods especiall presence hath been taken for a presage of perill, a forerunner of sudden death. See Annot. on Genesis 32:30.

and did eat and drinke] Making a sacred banquet of the sacrifices offered, vers. 5. and were neither killed nor cast down, but that they did cheerfully eate and drinke as at other times, notwithstanding the perill: whereof see the precedent Annotation.

Exodus 24:12

Tables of stone] Signifying the hardnesse of our hearts, uncapable of impression, unlesse God write his Law therein by his Spirit, Jeremiah 31:33. 2 Corinthians 3:3. Hebrews 8:10. & Hebrews 10:16. And withall they import the perpetnitie of that Law, because stone is most durable.

Exodus 24:13

and his Minister Joshua] See Note on vers. 18.

Exodus 24:17

like devouring fire] Hebrews 12:29. and it might be not only like as fire, but fire indeed, as John 1:14. The Lord appeareth like devouring fire to carnall men, but to them that he enlighteneth by his Spirit he is like pleasant Saphir, vers. 10. yet to neither did he appeare in any similitude, for idolaters to presume to represent him in pictures. See Deut. 4. 15, 16.

Exodus 24:18

fortie dayes] Deuteronomy 9:9. Of these fortie dayes, the sixe dayes forementioned, vers. 16. are by some supposed to be a part of the fortie, but it may be those sixe dayes were spent in preparation and the fortie in conference betwixt God and Moses, vers. 13. It seemeth by vers. 13, 14. that Joshua went up with Moses into the Mount, but how high, how long he said there, whether he heard what God said to Moses, or whether he fasted fortie dayes as Moses did, Exodus 34:28. Deuteronomy 9:9. there is nothing set down in the Scripture; some thinke he staid at the foot of the hill, while Moses was on the top; some that he ascended some degrees, but not to the top; some that he was on the top, but not within the cloud as Moses was, and that he was sustained all the while with Manna.