Exodus 24:14

24:12-18 A cloud covered the mount six days; a token of God's special presence there. Moses was sure that he who called him up would protect him. Even those glorious attributes of God which are most terrible to the wicked, the saints with humble reverence rejoice in. And through faith in the atoning Sacrifice, we hope for greater honour than Moses ever enjoyed on earth. Now we see through a glass darkly, but when he shall appear, then face to face. This vision of God will continue with equal, if not increasing brightness of joy; not for a few days only, but through eternity.

And he said unto the elders,.... The seventy elders which were selected out of the several tribes of Israel, and now about to return to the camp: tarry ye here for us; meaning himself and Joshua, who was going with him: until we come again unto you; perhaps Moses might not know how long his stay would be at the top of the mount, but supposed it would be some time by the provision he makes for hearing and adjusting cases in his absence: and behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; Hur is not mentioned before, as being with Moses and the rest; but doubtless he was, at least it is highly probable he was one of the seventy elders of him; see Gill on Exodus 17:10. if any man have any matters to do: any cases to be considered, any cause to be tried in difference between him and another man, and which cannot be determined by the inferior judges, is too difficult for them to take in hand: let him come unto them; bring his case before them, and have their advice and opinion, and be determined by them.

(14) He said unto the elders. —Moses understood that his stay in the mount was about to be a prolonged one (see Exodus 24:12 ). He therefore prudently determined to make arrangements for the government and direction of the people during his absence. Aaron his brother, and Hur, the father of Bezaleel, perhaps his brother- in-law, seemed to him the fittest persons to exercise authority over the people during his absence; and accordingly he named them as the persons to whom application was to be made under any circumstances of difficulty. Here.—In the plain below the mountain. The injunction was that the camp should not be moved until Moses came down, however long he might be detained by the Divine colloquy.

For us, i.e. for me and Joshua, and here , i.e. in the camp, where he was when he spake these words; for it was where not only Aaron and Hur, but the people might come, as it here follows, and therefore not upon the mount. Moses had made Aaron and Hur joint-commissioners, to determine hard causes which were brought to them from the elders, according to the order, Exodus 18:22 . Some make Aaron the ecclesiastical head, and Hur the civil head; but Aaron was not authorized for ecclesiastical matters till Exo 28 .

Many Jews understand the "tables of stone" to denote the Ten Commandments; "a law," the law written in the Pentateuch; and the "commandments" (or "the commandment"), the oral or traditional law which was in after ages put into writing in the Mishna and the Gemara. But it is more probable that the Ten Commandments alone are spoken of, and that the meaning is, "the tables of stone with the law, even the commandment."

Verse 14. - And he said unto the elders. Before taking his departure for the long sojourn implied in God's address to him, "Come up to me into the mount, and be there" (ver. 12), Moses thought it necessary to give certain directions to the elders as to what they should do in his absence - 1. They were to remain where they were - i.e. , in the plain at the foot of Sinai, until his return, however long it should be delayed. 2. They were to regard Aaron and Hur as their leaders, and his (Moses') representatives. In case of any difficulty arising, they were to refer the matter to them. On Hur see the comment upon Exodus 17:12 . Exodus 24:14

14 . And unto the elders he said ] viz. before going up into the mount ( v. 13). The elders are not the seventy mentioned by J in vv. 1, 9 (among whom Hur is not named, and who are not likely to have had forensic differences while waiting for Moses’ return), but the elders in the camp, who would naturally take the lead during Moses’ absence, and who are bidden here not to move (with the camp) from where they are, till he and Joshua return. Perhaps (Nöld., We., Bä.) elders is even a harmonistic correction for people , suggested by vv. 1, 9. whosoever hath a cause , &c.] if during Moses’ absence any differences arise among the people, requiring for their settlement the intervention of a judge, they must be referred to Aaron and Hur ( Exodus 17:10 ; Exodus 17:12 ), as his representatives. The judicial organization established in ch. 18 does not seem to be presupposed; the verse thus supports the conclusion (p. 162) that ch. 18 once stood after ch. 24. a cause ] lit. words : see on Exodus 23:8 ; cf. (for the Heb.) Isaiah 50:8 .

9 . In the Heb. the order is, ‘And the Egyptians pursued after them, and overtook them encamping by the sea, [all the horses (and) chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army,] by Pi-haḥiroth, before Baal-zephon’; and the awkward position of the bracketed words makes it almost certain that they are a misplace gloss upon ‘the Egyptians,’ suggested by the similar words in Exodus 14:17 b, Exodus 14:18 b, 23b, Exodus 14:26 b, Exodus 14:28 . horsemen ] so Exodus 14:17-18 ; Exodus 14:23 ; Exodus 14:26 ; Exodus 14:28 ; Exodus 15:19 , Joshua 24:6 . The term seems to be an anachronism: the Egyptians used chariots in warfare; and though barbarians are represented on the monuments as fleeing on horseback, ‘we have no representations of Egyptians on horseback’ (Erman, p. 492). ‘For a much later time Egyptian cavalry is indeed attested by Isaiah 31:1 ; Isaiah 36:9 ; and so it is the more intelligible, when later Biblical writers presuppose it also for the Mosaic age’ (Di.). There is a similar anachronism in Genesis 50:9 .

14. he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us—There is a circular valley or hollow a good way up on the brow of Jebel Musa, which was their halting place, while he alone was privileged to ascend the highest peak. The people stood below, as in the "outer court," the elders in the "holy place," Moses, as a type of Christ, in "the holy of holies."

CHAPTER 24 Ex 24:1-18. Delivery of the Law and Covenant.Moses, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu are commanded to appear before the Lord, Exodus 24:1. Who was to come near the Lord, Exodus 24:2. Moses buildeth an altar and twelve pillars, Exodus 24:4. He sends young men to sacrifice unto the Lord, Exodus 24:5. He sprinkles the altar with the blood, Exodus 24:6. The covenant being read, the people promise obedience, Exodus 24:7. The people are sprinkled with blood, Exodus 24:8. Moses and the elders of Israel see the Lord, Exodus 24:9,10. God promises to give to Moses tables of stone, Exodus 24:12. Moses and Joshua go up into the mount, Exodus 24:13. Aaron and Hur took care for the people in the mean time, Exodus 24:14. God’s glory on the mount, Exodus 24:15,16; appeareth like devouring fire, Exodus 24:17. Moses remains there forty days and forty nights, Exodus 24:18. After thou hast gone down and acquainted the people with my will, and received their answer, then come up again. This sense is gathered from the repetition of this command after that was done, Exodus 24:12. Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu; Aaron and his two eldest sons, whom by this special honour and favour he prepared for that office to which they were to be called, Exo 28.

When Moses was preparing to ascend the mountain with his servant Joshua (vid., Joshua 17:9 ), he ordered the elders to remain in the camp (בּזה i.e., where they were) till their return, and appointed Aaron and Hur (vid., Exodus 17:10 ) as administrators of justice in case of any disputes occurring among the people. דּברים מי־בעל whoever has matters, matters of dispute (on this meaning of בּעל see Genesis 37:19 ).