Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 24:8
And 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.
8. the blood of the covenant ] the blood by which the covenant is ratified. Cf. Heb 9:20; Heb 12:24 (noting vv. 18 21); 1Pe 1:2, with Hort’s note (p. 23 f.); and the ‘blood of the’ new ‘covenant,’ founded by Christ, Mat 26:28 = Mar 14:24 (cf. Luk 22:20, 1Co 11:25).
concerning ] upon (the basis of). The marg. paraphrases correctly.
9 11 (J). The sequel to vv. 1 2. Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy elders, as directed in v. 1, go up into the mount, and have a vision of Jehovah’s glory.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The blood which sealed the covenant was the blood of burnt offerings and peace offerings. The sin-offering Lev. 4 had not yet been instituted. That more complicated view of human nature which gave to the sin-offering its meaning, had yet to be developed by the law, which was now only receiving its ratification. The covenant between Yahweh and His people therefore took precedence of the operation of the law, by which came the knowledge of sin. Rom 3:20.
Upon the people – Either upon the elders or those who stood foremost; or, upon the twelve pillars representing the Twelve tribes, as the first half had been cast upon the altar, which witnessed to the presence of Yahweh. The blood thus divided between the two parties to the covenant signified the sacramental union between the Lord and His people. Cf. Psa 50:5; Zec 9:11.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Moses took the blood; the other half of the blood, which was put in the basons for this end, Exo 24:6.
On the people; either upon the twelve pillars representing the people; or upon the peoples representatives, to wit, the elders mentioned Exo 24:1, as when the people are commanded to lay on their hands, the elders do it in their name and stead, Lev 4:15; Deu 21:2; or upon those of the people which are nearest him, which was imputed to all the rest, and was to be taken by them as if it had reached unto them all. Now this sprinkling of the blood upon the people did signify,
1. Their ratification of the covenant on their parts, and their secret wishing of the effusion of their own blood if they did not keep it.
2. Their sprinkling of their consciences with the blood of Christ, and their obtaining redemption, justification, and access to God through it alone. See Heb 9:20,22; 13:20.
The blood of the covenant, whereby the covenant is made and confirmed, as was usual both in Scripture, Mat 26:28; Luk 22:20, and among heathens.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. Moses took the blood, andsprinkled it on the peopleprobably on the twelve pillars, asrepresenting the people (also the book, Heb9:19), and the act was accompanied by a public proclamation ofits import. It was setting their seal to the covenant (compare 1Co11:25). It must have been a deeply impressive, as well asinstructive scene, for it taught the Israelites that the covenant wasmade with them only through the sprinkling of bloodthat the divineacceptance of themselves and services, was only by virtue of anatoning sacrifice, and that even the blessings of the nationalcovenant were promised and secured to them only through grace. Theceremonial, however, had a further and higher significance, as isshown by the apostle (see asabove).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Moses took the blood,…. The other half of the blood which was in the basins:
and sprinkled it on the people; not on the whole body of the people, who could not be brought nigh enough, and were too numerous to be all sprinkled with it; though the apostle so expresses it, a part being put for the whole, Heb 9:19 either this was sprinkled on the young men that offered the sacrifices in the name of all the people; or on the seventy elders, as the heads of them, so Aben Ezra; or upon the twelve pillars, which answered to the twelve tribes, and represented them as the altar did the Lord:
and said, behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words; being a ratification of the covenant on both sides, having been sprinkled both upon the altar, and upon the people. In allusion to which, the blood of Christ is sometimes called the blood of sprinkling, and which, sprinkled upon the mercy seat, calls for pardon for men; and sprinkled on their consciences, speaks peace and pardon to them, and cleanses from all sin; and sometimes the blood of the everlasting covenant, the covenant of grace made with him, by which it is ratified and confirmed; and our Lord may have regard to this rite and mode of expression in Mt 26:28.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(8) And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it . . . Half of the blood had been sprinkled upon the altar, which symbolised Jehovah; the other half was now sprinkled upon the people, or rather upon their representativesthe elders and others who stood nearest to Moses. Thus the two parties to the covenant, sprinkled with the blood of the same sacrifices, were brought into sacramental union. Rites somewhat similar, involving blood communion, were common throughout the East in connection with covenants (Horn. Il. iii. 298, xix. 252; Herod. I. 74, iii. 8, iv. 70; Xen. Anab. ii. 2, 9; Lucian. Toxar. 37; Pomp. Mel. ii. 1; Tac. Ann. xii. 47; &c), and were regarded as adding to their force and sacredness.
On the people.It has been suggested (Abarbarnel) that the blood was really sprinkled on the twelve pillars which represented the people; but the words used scarcely seem to admit of such an interpretation. The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews understood the passage as declaring that the people were sprinkled (Heb. 9:19).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 24:8 And 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.
Ver. 8. On the people. ] The representative people, the elders: or, as others will, the twelve pillars. See Trapp on “ Exo 24:4 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the blood = the other half of the blood. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Part), App-6. See Heb 9:20.
the People. Thus pledging them to their part of the covenant, which was thereby made conditional; unlike that with Abraham in Genesis 15, which was unconditional.
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos (App-6).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
sprinkled: Exo 24:6, Lev 8:30, Isa 52:15, Eze 36:25, Heb 9:18-21
Behold: Zec 9:11, Mat 26:28, Mar 14:24, Luk 22:20, 1Co 11:25, Eph 1:7, Heb 9:20, Heb 10:4, Heb 10:5, Heb 13:20, 1Pe 1:2
Reciprocal: Exo 34:10 – I make Deu 5:2 – General Jos 24:25 – made 1Ki 8:9 – when 2Ki 23:3 – made a covenant 2Ch 5:10 – the Lord Psa 103:18 – To such Ecc 9:7 – for Jer 34:13 – I made Rom 9:4 – covenants Heb 9:19 – the blood Heb 12:24 – to the blood
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
24:8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled [it] on the people, and said, Behold the {d} blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.
(d) Which signifies that the covenant broken cannot be satisfied without shedding of blood.