Bible Strands
Exodus 24:4
And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Early the next morning he got up and built an altar at the base of the mountain, along with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses acts immediately after the Israelites verbally covenant to obey Yahweh’s commands, standing at the base of the mountain early the next morning. He records the divine communication before initiating any ritual response.
The words — The text emphasizes וַ/יִּכְתֹּ֣ב (va/i.yikh.To, "and he wrote") and דִּבְרֵ֣י (div.Rei, "words of"). These terms specify that Moses documented every utterance of יְהוָ֔ה (Yahweh) verbatim rather than summarizing or interpreting them.
The thread — This precise recording of covenant terms recurs in Deuteronomy 31:9 where Moses writes the law for the priests, while the early morning pillar construction parallels Genesis 28:18 and the twelve pillars correspond to the twelve stones in Joshua 4:8.
Why it lands — The passage requires exact documentation of divine speech before ritual action, establishing that covenant obedience depends on accurate reception and preservation of God’s words rather than human initiative.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Genesis 28:18 Early the next morning, Jacob took the stone that he had placed under his head, and he set it up as a pillar. He poured oil on top of it,
- Deuteronomy 31:9 So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.
- Joshua 4:8 Thus the Israelites did as Joshua had commanded them. They took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, one for each tribe of Israel, just as the LORD had told Joshua; and they carried them to the camp, where they set them down.
- Luke 22:30 so that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
- Galatians 2:9 And recognizing the grace that I had been given, James, Cephas, and John—those reputed to be pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.
- Revelation 21:14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations bearing the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
- Genesis 28:22 And this stone I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give You a tenth.”
- Genesis 31:45 So Jacob picked out a stone and set it up as a pillar,
- Exodus 20:24 You are to make for Me an altar of earth, and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and goats and cattle. In every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you.
- Exodus 28:21 The twelve stones are to correspond to the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.