The Blood of the Covenant
Exodus 24
Moses reads the book of the covenant to the people, who agree to obey, and seals the covenant by sprinkling sacrificial blood on them. He then goes up Mount Sinai with Aaron, Nadab, Abiud, and seventy elders, who see a vision of the God of Israel, and Moses continues alone into the cloud on the mountain for forty days and nights to receive the tables of stone.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonTHEN the Lord said to Moses, Come up to the Lord, thou and Aaron and Nadab and Abuid and seventy of the elders of Israel; and let them at a distance worship the Lord;
BrentonAnd to Moses he said, Go up to the Lord, thou and Aaron and Nadab and Abiud, and seventy of the elders of Israel: and they shall worship the Lord from a distance.
GreekΚαὶ Μωυσῇ εἶπεν, ἀνάβηθι πρὸς τὸν Κύριον σὺ καὶ Ἀαρὼν, καὶ Ναδὰβ, καὶ Ἀβιοὺδ, καὶ ἑβδομήκοντα τῶν πρεσβυτέρων Ἰσραήλ· καὶ προσκυνήσουσι μακρόθεν τῷ Κυρίῳ.
KJVAnd he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off.
JPSAnd unto Moses He said: ‘Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off;
2
Thomsonand let Moses alone approach near to God. As for them they shall not approach near; nor shall the people come up with them.
BrentonAnd Moses alone shall draw nigh to God; and they shall not draw nigh, and the people shall not come up with them.
GreekΚαὶ ἐγγιεῖ Μωσῆς μόνος πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, αὐτοὶ δὲ οὐκ ἐγγιοῦσιν, ὁ δὲ λαὸς οὐ συναναβήσεται μετʼ αὐτῶν.
KJVAnd Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him.
JPSand Moses alone shall come near unto the LORD; but they shall not come near; neither shall the people go up with him.’
3
ThomsonSo Moses came and told the people all the words of God and the rules of rectitude, and all the people with one voice answered and said, All the words which the Lord hath spoken we will perform and we will be obedient.
BrentonAnd Moses went in and related to the people all the words of God and the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, saying, All the words which the Lord has spoken, we will do and be obedient.
GreekΕἰσῆλθε δὲ Μωυσῆς, καὶ διηγήσατο τῷ λαῷ πάντα τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα· ἀπεκρίθη δὲ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς φωνῇ μιᾷ, λέγοντες, πάντας τοὺς λόγους, οὓς ἐλάλησε Κύριος, ποιήσομεν, καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα.
KJVAnd Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.
JPSAnd Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said: ‘All the words which the Lord hath spoken will we do.’
4
ThomsonThen Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. And rising early next morning Moses built an altar at the foot of the mount with twelve stones for the twelve tribes of Israel;
BrentonAnd Moses wrote all the words of the Lord; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and built an altar under the mountain, and set up twelve stones for the twelve tribes of Israel.
GreekΚαὶ ἔγραψε Μωυσῆς πάντα τὰ ῥήματα Κυρίου· ὀρθρίσας δὲ Μωυσῆς τὸ πρωῒ ᾠκοδόμησε θυσιαστήριον ὑπὸ τὸ ὄρος, καὶ δώδεκα λίθους εἰς τὰς δώδεκα φυλὰς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the mount, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
5
Thomsonand he sent out the young men of the children of Israel and they brought up whole burnt offerings and slew young bulls for a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord.
BrentonAnd he sent forth the young men of the children of Israel, and they offered whole burnt-offerings, and they sacrificed young calves as a peace-offering to God.
GreekΚαὶ ἐξαπέστειλε τοὺς νεανίσκους τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ, καὶ ἀνήνεγκαν ὁλοκαυτώματα· καὶ ἔθυσαν θυσίαν σωτηρίου τῷ Θεῷ μοσχάρια.
KJVAnd he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD.
JPSAnd he sent the young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt-offerings, and sacrificed peace-offerings of oxen unto the LORD.
6
ThomsonAnd Moses took half of the blood and poured it into bowls, and the other half of the blood he poured out against the altar.
BrentonAnd Moses took half the blood and poured it into bowls, and half the blood he poured out upon the altar.
GreekΛαβὼν δὲ Μωυσῆς τὸ ἥμισυ τοῦ αἵματος, ἐνέχεεν εἰς κρατῆρας, τὸ δὲ ἥμισυ τοῦ αἵματος προσέχεε πρὸς τὸ θυσιαστήριον.
KJVAnd Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
JPSAnd Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins; and half of the blood he dashed against the altar.
7
ThomsonThen he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people, and they said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do and we will be obedient.
BrentonAnd he took the book of the covenant and read it in the ears of the people, and they said, All things whatsoever the Lord has spoken we will do and hearken therein.
GreekΚαὶ λαβὼν τὸ βιβλίον τῆς διαθήκης, ἀνέγνω εἰς τὰ ὦτα τοῦ λαοῦ· καὶ εἶπαν, πάντα ὅσα ἐλάλησε Κύριος, ποιήσομεν καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα.
KJVAnd he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.
JPSAnd he took the book of the covenant, and read in the hearing of the people; and they said: ‘All that the LORD hath spoken will we do, and obey.’
8
ThomsonThereupon Moses took the blood and scattered it towards the people and said, Behold the blood of the covenant which the Lord hath made with you touching all these words.
BrentonAnd Moses took the blood and sprinkled it upon the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you concerning all these words.
GreekΛαβὼν δὲ Μωυσῆς τὸ αἷμα, κατεσκέδασε τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ εἶπεν, ἰδοὺ τὸ αἷμα τῆς διαθήκης, ἧς διέθετο Κύριος πρὸς ὑμᾶς περὶ πάντων τῶν λόγων τούτων.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd 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 in agreement with all these words.’
9
ThomsonThen Moses and Aaron and Nadab and Abuid and seventy of the senate of Israel went up;
BrentonAnd Moses went up, and Aaron, and Nadab and Abiud, and seventy of the elders of Israel.
GreekΚαὶ ἀνέβη Μωυσῆς καὶ Ἀαρὼν, καὶ Ναδὰβ, καὶ Ἀβιοῦδ, καὶ ἑβδομήκοντα τῆς γερουσίας Ἰσραήλ.
KJVThen went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:
JPSThen went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel;
10
Thomsonand they saw the place where the God of Israel stood; and what was under his feet was like a pavement of Sapphire, and in clearness like the appearance of the firmament of heaven.
BrentonAnd they saw the place where the God of Israel stood; and under his feet was as it were a work of sapphire slabs, and as it were the appearance of the firmament of heaven in its purity.
GreekΚαὶ εἶδον τὸν τόπον οὗ εἱστήκει ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ· καὶ τὰ ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ, ὡσεὶ ἔργον πλίνθου σαπφείρου, καὶ ὥσπερ εἶδος στερεώματος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῇ καθαριότητι.
KJVAnd they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.
JPSand they saw the God of Israel; and there was under His feet the like of a paved work of sapphire stone, and the like of the very heaven for clearness.
11
ThomsonAnd of these chosen men of Israel not one uttered a dissenting voice.
BrentonAnd of the chosen ones of Israel there was not even one missing, and they appeared in the place of God, and did eat and drink.
GreekΚαὶ τῶν ἐπιλέκτων τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ οὐ διεφώνησεν οὐδὲ εἷς· καὶ ὤφθησαν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἔφαγον καὶ ἔπιον.
KJVAnd upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.
JPSAnd upon the nobles of the children of Israel He laid not His hand; and they beheld God, and did eat and drink.
12
ThomsonNow when they had appeared in the presence of God and had eaten and drunk the Lord said to Moses, Come up to me on the mount and stay there and I will give thee the tables of stone, the law and the commandments which I have written to be promulgated to them.
BrentonAnd the Lord said to Moses, Come up to me into the mountain, and be there; and I will give thee the tables of stone, the law and the commandments, which I have written to give them laws.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν, ἀνάβηθι πρὸς με εἰς τὸ ὄρος, καὶ ἴσθι ἐκεῖ· καὶ δώσω σοι τὰ πυξία τὰ λίθινα, τὸν νόμον καὶ τὰς ἐντολας, ἃς ἔγραψα νομοθετῆσαι αὐτοῖς.
KJVAnd the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.
JPSAnd the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Come up to Me into the mount and be there; and I will give thee the tables of stone, and the law and the commandment, which I have written, that thou mayest teach them.’
13
ThomsonThereupon Moses arose with Joshua his attendant and they went up to the mount of God—
BrentonAnd Moses rose up and Joshua his attendant, and they went up into the mount of God.
GreekΚαὶ ἀναστὰς Μωυσῆς καὶ Ἰησοῦς ὁ παρεστηκὼς αὐτῷ, ἀνέβησαν εἰς τὸ ὄρος τοῦ Θεοῦ.
KJVAnd Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.
JPSAnd Moses rose up, and Joshua his minister; and Moses went up into the mount of God.
14
ThomsonHaving said to the elders, Remain quiet here till we return to you, and behold Aaron and Hur are with you, if any one hath a controversy with another let them go to them.
BrentonAnd to the elders they said, Rest there till we return to you; and behold, Aaron and Or are with you: if any man have a cause to be tried, let them go to them.
GreekΚαὶ τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις εἶπαν, ἡσυχάζετε αὐτοῦ, ἕως ἀναστρέψωμεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς· καὶ ἰδοὺ Ἀαρὼν καὶ Ὢρ μεθʼ ὑμῶν· ἐάν τινι συμβῇ κρίσις, προσπορευέσθωσαν αὐτοῖς.
KJVAnd he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.
JPSAnd unto the elders he said: ‘Tarry ye here for us, until we come back unto you; and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; whosoever hath a cause, let him come near unto them.’
15
ThomsonMoses then went up with Joshua to the mount and the cloud covered the mount.
BrentonAnd Moses and Joshua went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.
GreekΚαὶ ἀνέβη Μωυσῆς καὶ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὸ ὄρος· καὶ ἐκάλυψεν ἡ νεφέλη τὸ ὄρος.
KJVAnd Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.
JPSAnd Moses went up into the mount, and the cloud covered the mount.
16
ThomsonAnd the glory of God descended on mount Sina and the cloud covered it six days; and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
BrentonAnd the glory of God came down upon the mount Sina, and the cloud covered it six days; and the Lord called Moses on the seventh day out of the midst of the cloud.
GreekΚαὶ κατέβη ἡ δόξα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος τὸ Σινὰ, καὶ ἐκάλυψεν αὐτὸ ἡ νεφέλη ἓξ ἡμέρας· καὶ ἐκάλεσε Κύριος τὸν Μωυσῆν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ἐκ μέσου τῆς νεφέλης.
KJVAnd the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
JPSAnd the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days; and the seventh day He called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
17
ThomsonNow the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like fire blazing on the top of the mount in the view of the Israelites;
BrentonAnd the appearance of the glory of the Lord was as burning fire on the top of the mountain, before the children of Israel.
GreekΤὸ δὲ εἶδος τῆς δόξης Κυρίου, ὡσεὶ πῦρ φλέγον ἐπὶ τῆς κορυφῆς τοῦ ὄρους, ἐναντίον τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ.
KJVAnd the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.
JPSAnd the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.
18
Thomsonand Moses went into the midst of the cloud and ascended the mount and remained there forty days and forty nights.
BrentonAnd Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and went up to the mountain, and was there in the mountain forty days and forty nights.
GreekΚαὶ εἰσῆλθε Μωυσῆς εἰς τὸ μέσον τῆς νεφέλης, καὶ ἀνέβη εἰς τὸ ὄρος· καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ ἐν τῷ ὄρει τεσσεράκοντα ἡμέρας καὶ τεσσαράκοντα νύκτας.
KJVAnd Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.
JPSAnd Moses entered into the midst of the cloud, and went up into the mount; and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.