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Exodus 24

The Covenant Ratified

Scribe

Moses wrote down all the words of Yahweh (Exodus 24:4)

This Egyptian graywacke statue of a scribe portrays him writing on a partly unrolled papyrus scroll. The obvious choice for Moses would have been to write on a papyrus roll that had been brought out from Egypt. This image comes from the Detroit Institute of Arts and is in the public domain.

Altar

He built an altar at the foot of the mountain (Exodus 24:4).

Moses would have built this altar in accordance with the instructions given in Exodus 20:24-26. The requirements were that the altar must not be constructed with hewn stones and it must not have stairs leading up to it. The large sacrificial altar shown here is from Arad, in the Negev region of Israel. It is significantly older than the time of Moses but is also built of unworked fieldstones.

Standing Stones

And twelve standing stones for the twelve tribes of Israel (Exodus 24:4).

In an early excavation of Tel Gezer, a series of ten standing stones were uncovered. Originally discovered laying down, archaeologists re-erected the stones, some of which are more than 10 feet (3 m) tall. Although poor excavation techniques make these masseboth difficult to date, they are generally dated to about 1500 BC, during the heyday of Canaanite civilization. The stones may have represented a treaty alliance (cf. Exod 24) or served as a cult center (cf. Lev 26).

Up the Mountain

Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up (Exodus 24:9).

The natural amphitheater shown here is the traditional place where Moses brought the seventy elders of Israel. It is partially shaded by cypress trees and an olive tree, and a small spring is located here near the heritage of St. Stephen. This American Colony photograph was taken between 1900 and 1920.

Dining

And they saw God, and they ate and drank (Exodus 12:11).

This limestone relief shows men reclining around a square, likely in a religious setting. The rectangular cutting may have once held an altar or offering table. The banqueters recline on cushions. The central male figure is alone, while on either side the artist has depicted a couple, a reclining male and a woman seated at his knees. This image comes from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is in the public domain.

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