Exodus 24:6 · Bible study
Exodus 24:6 Commentary: The Divided Blood of the Covenant
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why Moses divided the sacrificial blood between the altar and the people, and what this reveals about God's covenant relationship with Israel.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The divided blood seals the covenant between God and Israel, with the altar representing God and the people as his covenant partner.
- Key words: “Half” (חֲצִי, chetsi), “blood” (דָּם, dam), “sprinkled” (זָרַק, zaraq, to toss or scatter), “basins” (אַגָּנֹת, ’agganoth), “altar” (מִזְבֵּחַ, mizbeach).
- Main debate: Whether the blood primarily expiates sin or symbolically unites the parties; most see both functions intertwined.
- Theological theme: Covenant union established through sacrificial blood, requiring both God’s grace and the people’s response.
- Best use: Understanding the Old Covenant background for Jesus’ words at the Last Supper and the theology of the blood of Christ in Hebrews.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he sprinkled on the altar.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
KJV King James Version 1769
And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And Moses taketh half of the blood, and putteth in basins, and half of the blood hath he sprinkled on the altar;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And Moses took half the blood, and put [it] in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Then Moses took half of the blood, and put it into bowls; and the rest he poured upon the altar.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y Moisés tomó la mitad de la sangre, y púsola en tazones, y esparció la otra mitad de la sangre sobre el altar.
E Moisés tomou a metade do sangue, e a pôs em bacias, e espargiu a outra metade do sangue sobre o altar.
Moïse prit la moitié du sang, qu’ il mit dans des bassins, et il répandit l’ autre moitié sur l’ autel.
Und Mose nahm die Hälfte des Blutes und tat' s in ein Becken, die andere Hälfte sprengte er auf den Altar.
En Mozes nam de helft van het bloed, en zette het in bekkens; en de helft van het bloed sprengde hij op het altaar.
E Mosè prese la metà del sangue e lo mise in bacini; e l’altra metà la sparse sull’altare.
Zatem wziął Mojżesz połowę krwi i wlał w czaszę, a połowę drugą wylał na ołtarz.
Моисей, взяв половину крови, влил в чаши, а другою половиною окропил жертвенник;
摩西 將 血 一半 盛 在盆中，一半 灑 在 壇上；
And Moses took half the blood and put it in basins; draining out half of the blood over the altar.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Exodus 24:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
The supplied commentators agree that the division of sacrificial blood in Exodus 24:6 symbolizes the two parties entering into covenant: God and Israel. Keil and Delitzsch explain that the blood was divided because the half sprinkled on the altar could not later be taken off and applied to the people; yet the two halves are regarded as one blood, first given to God on the altar and then returned to the people. Gill notes that the altar here represents the Lord himself, so the blood on the altar ratifies God’s part of the covenant. The Cambridge Bible adds that such blood rituals were common in the ancient Near East to bind covenant partners. Barnes specifies that the verb “sprinkled” (זָרַק) means “to cast” or “throw,” indicating a vigorous action of splashing the blood against the altar. All agree that this act, together with the subsequent sprinkling on the people (v.8), brings God and Israel into a living, blood-sealed unity.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Moses divided the sacrificial blood between the altar and the people to ratify the covenant between God and Israel, with the altar representing God and the people receiving the blood as a sign of their commitment.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of the blood division | The division represents the two covenant parties: God (altar) and Israel (the people), uniting them through one sacrificial blood. | Some emphasize expiation (the blood atones for sin, as Keil argues), while others focus on covenantal union (the blood seals a relationship, as Cambridge Bible suggests). |
| Representation of the altar | The altar stands for God’s presence and is the recipient of half the blood, making God a party to the covenant. | Gill clearly states the altar represents the Lord; some older traditions (e.g., Targum of Onkelos) add that the blood on the altar atones for the people, blending representation and expiation. |
| Connection to New Covenant | Christians across traditions see this ceremony as a type of Christ’s sacrifice, particularly through Hebrews 9:18-22. | Catholic and Orthodox readings often stress the sacramental continuity (Eucharist as covenant sacrifice), while Protestant traditions emphasize the once-for-all nature of Christ’s blood, with the Old Testament blood serving as a shadow. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Exodus 24 sits at the climax of Sinai’s covenant ceremony. After hearing the law and promising obedience (v.3, 7), the people prepare for the formal agreement. Moses builds an altar at the base of the mountain and erects twelve pillars, one for each tribe, representing the community (v.4). Young men offer burnt offerings and peace offerings, the first involving full consumption, the second a shared meal (v.5, 11).
The use of blood to seal covenants was widespread in the ancient world. The Cambridge Bible cites Herodotus, Xenophon, and other sources describing how parties would smear themselves with blood or dip their hands together into a slain animal. But Keil and Delitzsch stress a key difference: here, it is not the mixing of each party’s own blood but the division of a single sacrificial blood. That blood derives its power from being first splashed upon the altar, where animal life is offered in place of human life, making expiation. Only then is it applied to the people, restoring the fellowship broken by sin.
The altar itself is more than a piece of furniture. It represents God’s presence among his people, the place where he meets them (Exodus 20:24). By splashing half the blood on the altar, Moses symbolically gives the people’s lives to God. By later sprinkling the other half on the people (v.8), God gives that sanctified life back to them. The covenant is thus a two-way bond, sealed in blood that atones and unites.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Exodus 24:6. The Hebrew manuscripts uniformly read wayyiqqaḥ (“and he took”), ḥaṣî haddām (“half of the blood”), and zāraq (“sprinkled”). The only lexical note is that the word for “basins” (’aggānōt) is not the technical priestly term used in later ritual contexts (e.g., Exodus 27:3 uses mizrāq), but this has no bearing on textual stability.
Reception History
Early Christian writers, especially the author of Hebrews (9:18, 22), saw Exodus 24:6, 8 as a direct foreshadowing of Christ’s blood inaugurating the New Covenant. Origen and Augustine read the division of blood as a figure of the two testaments. In medieval exegesis, the altar was interpreted as Christ himself, the place where sacrifice meets God. Reformation commentators like Matthew Henry and John Wesley focused on the covenant as a solemn transaction: the blood on the altar signified the people’s dedication, and the blood on them signified God’s favor. Wesley called this “the blood of the covenant” that makes promises “yea and amen.” Modern scholarship, drawing on ancient Near Eastern parallels, has deepened the cultural background but confirmed the central theological point: God binds himself to his people through the blood of sacrifice.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The altar represents God’s holiness and presence. Half the blood is thrown against it, signifying that the covenant begins with God’s initiative and acceptance.
- The people represent the covenant community. The other half is reserved for them (v.8), showing that they are active participants, not passive observers.
- The blood binds both parties into one relationship. The same blood touches God and the people, creating a shared life grounded in sacrifice.
Five-point outline
- Preparation: Moses builds an altar and twelve pillars, visually placing God and the tribes opposite each other (v.4).
- Sacrifice: Burnt and peace offerings are made, the latter leading to a covenant meal (v.5, 11).
- Division of blood: Half on the altar (v.6), half in basins for the people (v.8). The blood is one, the two halves a single bond.
- Affirmation of the people: They hear the Book of the Covenant and pledge obedience (v.7).
- Union through blood: The blood sprinkled on the people seals the covenant, as Moses declares, “Behold the blood of the covenant” (v.8).
Illustration hooks
- Wedding rings: A single ring is given by one partner to the other, but it symbolizes a mutual bond. Like the divided blood, the same token binds both parties.
- Contract ceremony: Two parties each sign the same document. The blood on altar and people is like both signatures on one covenant charter.
- Shared meal after a disagreement: Eating together restores relationship. The peace offering meal (v.11) follows the blood sprinkling, sealing the peace.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did Moses sprinkle the people with blood? Doesn’t blood make us unclean?
- If this covenant is sealed with animal blood, how does it connect to Jesus’ blood in the New Covenant?
- What does this ceremony tell us about the kind of relationship God wants with his people?
Leading a Discussion
Exodus 24:6 captures a dramatic moment: the blood of sacrificed animals is divided and applied to both the altar (representing God) and the people. This ceremony seals the covenant made at Sinai. As you read the passage together, notice the careful sequence and the weight of each action.
Discussion questions
- What does Moses do with the blood in verse 6? Why do you think he divides it into two portions?
- Why is the blood thrown on the altar? What does the altar represent in this context (see Exodus 20:24)?
- The other half of the blood is later sprinkled on the people (v.8). What does that double action communicate about the covenant?
- How does this ceremony compare to other covenants in the Bible (e.g., with Abraham in Genesis 15, or the New Covenant in Hebrews 9)?
- What does the word “sprinkled” (Hebrew zāraq, to toss or scatter) suggest about the way the blood was applied? Does it feel different from a gentle sprinkle?
- If the altar stands for God and the people stand for Israel, what does it mean that both receive the same blood? How does that shape your understanding of relationship with God?
- In what way does this Old Testament ritual point forward to Jesus’ sacrifice? How do you experience the “blood of the covenant” in your own faith?
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 12:7 | They shall take some of the blood, and put it on the two door posts and on the lintel, on the houses in which they shall eat it. |
| Exodus 12:22 | You shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two door posts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. |
| Exodus 24:8 | Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Look, this is the blood of the covenant, which Yahweh has made with you concerning all these words.” |
| Exodus 29:16 | You shall kill the ram, and you shall take its blood, and sprinkle it around on the altar. |
| Exodus 29:20 | Then you shall kill the ram, and take some of its blood, and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and on the tip of the right ear of his sons, and on the thumb of their right hand, and on the big toe of their right foot; and sprinkle the blood around on the altar. |
| Leviticus 1:5 | He shall kill the bull before Yahweh. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall present the blood and sprinkle the blood around on the altar that is at the door of the Tent of Meeting. |
| Leviticus 1:11 | He shall kill it on the north side of the altar before Yahweh. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. |
| Leviticus 3:2 | He shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle the blood around on the altar. |
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
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What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
He sprinkled - Rather, he cast. See Lev 1:5 .
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The blood covenant described here joins Jehovah and the people symbolically: half the blood is thrown against the altar representing God, the other half over the people. This parallels widespread ancient practices where covenant partners shared blood to bind themselves together. The ritual thus ratifies the agreement between God and Israel in a vivid, tangible way.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note observes that Moses divided the blood to show the covenant bound both parties equally. Half went on the altar for God's acceptance, and half was reserved for
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill argues that the altar in this scene represents God as one of the two parties making the covenant. Sprinkling blood on it ratifies God's side of the agreement and confirms His promises, rather than simply atoning for the people as the Targum suggests.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB sees the blood sprinkling as a solemn ratification of the covenant between God and Israel. Half the blood went on the altar representing God, and half on the people. This act followed the public reading of the law and the people's renewed acceptance of its terms.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch stress that the blood was divided into two halves, not because the parties were separate, but because one blood must first be sprinkled on the altar and then on the people. This single sacrificial blood, made expiatory and grace-filled through the altar, united God and Israel as a living bond, not by mixing human blood as pagans did.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that the elders' vision of God was an inward, spiritual experience, not an external sight of God's form. The sapphire pavement served as an outward sign of heavenly brightness. He also sees the covenant meal as a sacramental communion, where seeing God and eating happened together, prefiguring the Lord's Supper.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry observes that God called witnesses from Israel to observe His glory and testify to the covenant, strengthening the people's faith through their testimony. He also notes the deliberate order of approach: even those allowed near must first worship from a distance, teaching reverence in every step of communion with God.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley highlights two sides of the covenant blood: it was sprinkled on the altar, signifying the people's dedication to God, and sprinkled on the people, signifying God's favor and covenant promises. He then sees Christ as the Mediator who fulfills both by offering Himself, sprinkling His blood in intercession and upon the church through Word and Spirit.