Exodus 24:12 · Bible study
Exodus 24:12 Commentary: Study, Law Written for Teaching
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
A study of Exodus 24:12, where God calls Moses up the mountain to receive the stone tablets of the law, written by God for teaching the people.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God summons Moses to receive the stone tablets inscribed with the law and commandment, written by God for teaching Israel.
- Key words: לֻחֹת (tablets), תּוֹרָה (law/instruction), מִצְוָה (commandment), לְהוֹרֹתָם (to teach/direct them, Hiphil infinitive of ירה).
- Main debate: Whether 'the law and the commandment' refers only to the Decalogue or includes additional legal material.
- Theological theme: Scripture's divine origin, permanence, and communal teaching purpose.
- Best use: Teaching on biblical authority, the role of teachers, and abiding in God's presence.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay here, so that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
Yahweh said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain, and stay here, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commands that I have written, that you may teach them.”
KJV King James Version 1769
And 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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And Jehovah 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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Come up unto Me to the mount, and be there, and I give to thee the tables of stone, and the law, and the command, which I have written to direct them.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And Jehovah said to Moses, Come up to me into the mountain, and be there; and I will give thee the tables of stone, and the law, and the commandment that I have written, for their instruction.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And the Lord said to Moses: Come up to me into the mount, and be there; and I will give thee tables of stone, and the law, and the commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Entonces Jehová dijo á Moisés: Sube á mí al monte, y espera allá, y te daré tablas de piedra, y la ley, y mandamientos que he escrito para enseñarlos.
Então o SENHOR disse a Moisés: Sobe a mim ao monte, e espera ali, e te darei tábuas de pedra, e a lei, e mandamentos que escrevi para ensiná-los.
L’ Éternel dit à Moïse: Monte vers moi sur la montagne, et reste là; je te donnerai des tables de pierre, la loi et les ordonnances que j’ ai écrites pour leur instruction.
Und der HERR sprach zu Mose: Komm herauf zu mir auf den Berg und bleib daselbst, daß ich dir gebe steinerne Tafeln und Gesetze und Gebote, die ich geschrieben habe, die du sie lehren sollst.
Toen zeide de HEERE tot Mozes: Kom tot Mij op den berg, en wees aldaar; en Ik zal u stenen tafelen geven, en de wet, en de geboden, die Ik geschreven heb, om hen te onderwijzen.
E l’Eterno disse a Mosè: “Sali da me sul monte, e fermati quivi; e io ti darò delle tavole di pietra, la legge e i comandamenti che ho scritti, perché siano insegnati ai figliuoli d’Israele”.
Rzekł tedy Pan do Mojżesza: Wstąp do mnie na górę, i bądź tam a dam ci tablice kamienne, i zakon, i przykazanie którem napisał, abyś ich nauczał.
И сказал Господь Моисею: взойди ко Мне на гору и будь там; и дам тебе скрижали каменные, и закон и заповеди, которые Я написал для научения их.
耶和華 對 摩西 說：「你上 山 到我這裡來，住在 這裡，我要將 石 版 並我所 寫的 律法 和誡命 賜 給你，使你可以教訓百姓。」
And the Lord said to Moses, Come up to me on the mountain, and take your place there: and I will give you the stones on which I have put in writing the law and the orders, so that you may give the people knowledge of them.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Exodus 24:12
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators largely agree that the 'tables of stone' refer to the Ten Commandments, written by God's own hand. Barnes notes that while some Jewish interpreters expand the reference to include the whole Pentateuch and oral tradition, the context points to the Decalogue alone. Calvin calls it the 'authentic writing' (consignatione) of the Law, not new instruction but a permanent monument of the covenant. Keil understands the construction 'tables of stone with the law and the commandment' (the waw being epexegetical) as a single entity: the tablets that contain the Torah and commandment. The Cambridge Bible raises a difficulty, noting that the phrase 'the law and the commandment' (hattorah vehamitzvah) seems broader than the Decalogue, and conjectures that it may include the civil judgments of Exodus 21 to 22. Yet all interpreters affirm that the writing is divine ('which I have written') and that the purpose is explicitly pedagogical: 'that you may teach them.' The written law is a gift given for the instruction of the whole people.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Decalogue-only view: Barnes, Calvin, and Gill argue that 'tables of stone' consistently refers to the Ten Commandments, and 'law and commandment' is in apposition.
- Broader instruction view: Cambridge Bible suggests that 'the law' (torah) and 'the commandment' may include civil judgments from Exodus 21 to 22 or other material beyond the Decalogue.
What is clear: God gave written tablets of stone containing divine instruction, for the purpose of teaching the people.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Content of the law and commandment | God gave written tablets of stone containing divine instruction, not human invention. | Some interpreters (Barnes, Calvin, Gill) hold only the Ten Commandments; others (Cambridge Bible, Jewish tradition) include civil judgments or oral law. |
| Divine writing | The text says 'which I have written', affirming God as author. | Calvin notes Augustine's speculation about God's finger writing the law; all agree on divine origin. |
| Significance of stone tablets | Stone represents durability and permanence. | Gill adds that stone signifies the hardness of Israel's hearts; not all adopt this moral interpretation. |
| Purpose of teaching | The law is given for transmission to the people, not private possession. | No significant debate; all affirm the teaching purpose. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse stands at a crucial moment in the Sinai narrative. The covenant has been ratified with blood and a meal (Exodus 24:3-11). Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders have seen God and eaten in His presence. Now a new summons comes: Moses alone is called higher up the mountain. Clarke notes that there were several stations on Sinai; halfway up the elders had stayed, and now Moses must proceed further. The command 'be there' (vehyeh-sham) indicates a prolonged stay: not a quick visit. Keil points out that Moses waited six days in the cloud before God spoke on the seventh day, then remained forty days and nights. The mountain itself was covered in the cloud of God's glory, appearing as devouring fire to the people below (Exodus 24:15-17).
Historically, this second ascent sets the stage for the tabernacle instructions in chapters 25 to 31. The elders are left under the care of Aaron and Hur, providing for order in the camp (Matthew Henry). The purpose of the ascent is clear: to receive the written tablets. But why writing? Stone tablets guaranteed permanence and authority. As Jamieson-Fausset-Brown observes, the Ten Commandments were already spoken but now 'inscribed on stone, for greater durability, by the hand of God Himself.' The emphasis on teaching (lehorotam) connects to Deuteronomy 4:14, where Moses is commanded to teach statutes and ordinances that the people may do them. This verse shows God's care for the whole community: the law is not for Moses alone but for the ongoing instruction of Israel.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Exodus 24:12. The Masoretic Text is stable across manuscripts. Differences in English translations (e.g., 'law and commandment' vs. 'law and commands') reflect translational decisions, not manuscript variation.
Reception History
This verse has been central to discussions about the nature of Scripture and the role of teaching. Augustine reflected on the writing by God's finger; Calvin found the speculation overly subtle but acknowledged its influence. In the Reformation, Calvin emphasized the consignation, the official authentication of the covenant. The phrase 'that you may teach them' has supported the teaching office and the responsibility of passing on the faith. In Jewish tradition, the stone tablets symbolize the unchangeable word of God, and the verse is linked to the transmission of the Torah from Moses to Joshua and beyond.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- The Call to Ascend and Abide: 'Come up to me on the mountain, and stay there.' God requires sustained presence, not a fleeting visit. Wesley notes the expectation to 'continue there for some time.' Communion with God demands patient dwelling.
- The Gift of the Written Word: The stone tablets represent permanence and divine origin. Gill comments that stone signifies 'the duration of them, and partly to represent the hardness of the hearts of the Israelites.' The law is God's own writing, not human tradition.
- The Purpose of Teaching: 'That you may teach them.' The law is given for transmission. Matthew Henry: 'Moses taught them nothing but what he had received from the Lord.' Revelation is entrusted to a teacher for the sake of the community.
Five-Point Outline
- Come up to me: God initiates the approach. The imperative is an invitation to intimacy.
- Be there: Remain. The Hebrew vehyeh-sham implies staying power.
- I will give you: The gift is unearned; Moses receives what God provides.
- The stone tablets with the law and commandment: The content is specific, permanent, and divine.
- Which I have written, that you may teach them: Divine authorship joined to communal purpose.
Illustration Hooks
- A parent writes down instructions for a child to follow, then says 'now teach your brothers and sisters.'
- A teacher receives a curriculum from the principal and knows she must pass it on accurately.
- A master craftsman gives an apprentice the blueprint and says 'build it, then show others.'
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Why does the law need to be written? What does that show about our nature?
- What does it mean to 'be there' with God today? Can we abide when life is full of noise?
- If the law is for teaching, who are we called to teach? Is that just for pastors?
Leading a Discussion
This passage captures a hinge moment: the covenant is made, and God provides a permanent record. The emphasis on teaching invites the group to reflect on the responsibility of receiving and passing on God's word.
Discussion Questions
- Read Exodus 24:12. Why do you think God repeats the command to 'stay there'? What does that reveal about receiving revelation?
- The verse says God 'has written' the law. How does divine authorship affect the way you read Scripture?
- The purpose clause 'that you may teach them' is explicit. How does this purpose shape the role of the law in the community?
- Moses is the mediator here. In what ways does Jesus serve as a greater mediator? (See 1 Timothy 2:5)
- What are the 'stone tablets' in your own life: non-negotiable truths God has given you to steward?
- How can your small group fulfill the teaching purpose of God's word both within and beyond the group?
- The elders remained in the camp while Moses ascended. How do we support leaders called to 'go up' to seek God?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 24:2 | Moses alone shall come near to Yahweh, but they shall not come near. The people shall not go up with him.” |
| Exodus 24:15 | Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. |
| Exodus 24:18 | Moses entered into the middle of the cloud, and went up on the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights. |
| Exodus 31:18 | When he finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, he gave Moses the two tablets of the covenant, stone tablets, written with God’s finger. |
| Exodus 32:15 | Moses turned, and went down from the mountain, with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand; tablets that were written on both their sides. They were written on one side and on the other. |
| Exodus 32:16 | The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. |
| Deuteronomy 4:14 | Yahweh commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances, that you might do them in the land where you go over to possess it. |
| Deuteronomy 5:22 | Yahweh spoke these words to all your assembly on the mountain out of the middle of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice. He added no more. He wrote them on two stone tablets, and gave them to me. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke observes that Moses and the elders stopped about halfway up the mountain, not at the summit. He notes that God's command to ascend implies multiple stations along the slope, so the journey upward unfolded in stages.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes rejects the common Jewish interpretation that distinguishes the tables of stone, the written law, and oral tradition as three separate things. He argues that all three phrases refer solely to the Ten Commandments, reading the expression as the stone tablets containing the law, which is the commandment itself.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that the law given on Sinai was not fresh instruction but the authoritative, divine inscription of the covenant. The two tablets were a celestial and infallible document, written by God’s own power, not by human hand or ink, to stand as a permanent witness among the people.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator argues that "the direction and the commandment, which I have written" likely refers to a later set of laws, not the Decalogue or the Book of the Covenant. The phrase probably points to the "judgements" of Exodus 21-22, which were originally recorded at Horeb but later placed here during the combination of sources.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And the Lord said vnto Moses, Come vp to me into the mountaine, and be there, and I will giue thee tables of stone, and the law and the commandement, which I haue written, for to teach them.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that the stone tablets were chosen not only for durability but also to symbolize the hardness and stubbornness of Israel's hearts toward God's law. Moses was called higher up the mount to receive them, so that having the written commandments in hand and sight, he could explain and press obedience upon the people.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB emphasizes that the ten commandments were given on stone for durability and inscribed directly by God's own hand. This method of delivery set the Decalogue apart from the rest of the law, giving it a higher authority and honor than the judicial or ceremonial regulations.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch highlight that the forty days and nights are not incidental; the number appears repeatedly in Scripture as a period of both testing and divine strengthening. Moses, like Elijah and Jesus later, endured faith’s trial while being miraculously sustained by God throughout.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the two halves of sacrificial blood as more than a practical division; they represent a theological order. The blood poured at the altar signifies the people's total surrender to God in grace, while the sprinkling on them afterward seals their obedient response to the law. This sequence, he argues, stamps the covenant with an evangelical character consistent with the redemption preface to the Decalogue.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that God called Moses not only to come to the mount but to be there and remain, teaching that true communion with God requires staying, not merely visiting. He also highlights Moses' faithfulness: he taught only what he received from the Lord, neither adding nor diminishing from the instructions.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley stresses that being on the mount means more than a short ascent. He takes the command to "be there" as a call to stay, expecting to remain in that place of encounter with God for a sustained, unhurried time.