God’s Word Translation
Exodus 24:4
4So Moses wrote down all the Lord’s words. Early the next morning he built an altar at the foot of the mountain and ⌞set up⌟ 12 sacred stones for the 12 tribes of Israel.
Exodus 24:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
- New International Version (NIV)Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
Context of Exodus 24:4
2Moses may come near the Lord, but the others may not. The people must not come along with Moses.” 3Moses went and told the people all the Lord’s words and legal decisions. Then all the people answered with one voice, “We will do everything the Lord has told us to do.” So Moses wrote down all the Lord’s words. Early the next morning he built an altar at the foot of the mountain and ⌞set up⌟ 12 sacred stones for the 12 tribes of Israel. 5Then he sent young Israelite men, and they sacrificed bulls as burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the Lord. 6Moses took half of the blood and put it into bowls, and he threw the other half against the altar.
Read all of Exodus 24Exodus 24:4 word by word
וַיִּכְתֹּ֣ב מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֵ֚ת כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֣ם בַּבֹּ֔קֶר וַיִּ֥בֶן מִזְבֵּ֖חַ תַּ֣חַת הָהָ֑ר וּשְׁתֵּ֤ים עֶשְׂרֵה֙ מַצֵּבָ֔ה לִשְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- wroteכָּתַבkâthab · to writeH3789
- all the wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- and rose up earlyשָׁכַםshâkam · to riseH7925
- in the morningבֹּ֫קֶרbôqer · morningH1242
- and buildedבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- an altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
- under the hillהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- and twelve pillarsמַצֵּבָהmatstsêbâh · pillarH4676
- according to the twelveעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
- according to the twelveשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- tribesשֵׁ֫בֶטshêbeţ · tribeH7626
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
Cross-references for Exodus 24:4
- Deuteronomy 31:9Moses wrote down these teachings and gave them to the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the Lord’s promise and to all the leaders of Israel.
- Joshua 24:26Joshua wrote these things in the Book of God’s Teachings. Then he took a large stone and set it up under the oak tree at the Lord’s holy place.
- Exodus 20:24“You must build an altar for me made out of dirt. Sacrifice your burnt offerings and your fellowship offerings, your sheep, goats, and cattle on it. Wherever I choose to have my name remembered, I will come to you and bless you.
- Genesis 28:18Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had put under his head. He set it up as a marker and poured olive oil on top of it.
- Genesis 31:45Jacob took a stone and set it up as a marker.
- Joshua 24:27Joshua told all the people, “This stone will stand as a witness for us. It has heard all the words which the Lord spoke to us. It will stand as a witness for you. You cannot deceive your God.”
- Galatians 2:9James, Cephas, and John (who were recognized as the most important people) acknowledged that God had given me this special gift. So they shook hands with Barnabas and me, agreeing to be our partners. It was understood that we would work among the people who are not Jewish and they would work among Jewish people.
- Exodus 28:21The stones correspond to the 12 sons of Israel, by name, each stone engraved (like a signet ring) with the name of one of the 12 tribes.
- Leviticus 24:5“Also take flour and bake twelve rings of bread. Each ring will contain four quarts of flour.
- Numbers 17:2“Speak to the Israelites, and get 12 staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their tribes. Write each man’s name on his staff.
- Joshua 4:2“Choose one man from each of the 12 tribes.
- 1 Kings 11:30Ahijah took his new garment and tore it into 12 pieces.
- Ezra 6:17At the dedication of God’s temple, they sacrificed 100 bulls, 200 rams, and 400 lambs. They sacrificed 12 male goats as an offering for sin, one goat for each of the tribes of Israel.
- Luke 22:30You will eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. You will also sit on thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel.”
- Revelation 21:14The wall of the city had 12 foundations. The 12 names of the 12 apostles of the lamb were written on them.
Commentaries on Exodus 24:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Moses wrote all the words of the Lord - After the people had promised obedience, ( Exodus 24:3;), and so entered into the bonds of the covenant, "it was necessary," says Calmet, "to draw up an act by which the memory of these transactions might be preserved, and confirm the covenant by authentic and solemn ceremonies." And this Moses does. As legislator, he reduces to writing all the articles and conditions of the agreement, with the people's act of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Twelve pillars - As the altar was a symbol of the presence of Yahweh, so these twelve pillars represented the presence of the Twelve tribes with whom He was making the covenant.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Pillars were set up as memorial stones. They showed that something important had happened at that place and time. In Hittite treaties, people called on their pagan gods to witness the agreement. The gods were believed to see and confirm the treaty. However, the Hebrews were not allowed to recognize other gods. Instead of calling on false gods as witnesses, they used stone pillars to mark the agreement.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-183-4. Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord--The rehearsal of the foregoing laws and the ten commandments, together with the promises of special blessings in the event of their obedience, having drawn forth from the people a unanimous declaration of their consent, it was forthwith recorded as the conditions of the national covenant. The next day preparations were made for having it (the covenant) solemnly ratified, by building an altar…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 24:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 24
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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