Exodus 24:1-2 - Exposition

It has been supposed that these verses are out of place, and suggested to remove them to the end of Exodus 24:8 . But no change is necessary. It is quite natural that God should have given the directions before Moses descended from the mount, and that he should have deferred executing them until the people had accepted the covenant. Nadab and Abihu were the two eldest of Aaron's sons, and so his natural successors in the priesthood, had they not sinned by offering "strange fire" (Le Exodus 10:1 , Exodus 10:2 ). They had been mentioned previously, in Exodus 6:23 . Seventy of the elders . On the elders of Israel, see Exodus 3:16 , and Exodus 18:21 . The "seventy" eiders may, together with Nadab and Abihu, have represented the twelve tribes, six from each. Worship ye afar off . Though all were to ascend the mount to a certain height, only Moses was to go to the top. The others, being less holy than Moses, had to worship at a distance.