The Meaning of Exodus 24:2 Explained

Exodus 24:2

KJV: And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him.

YLT: and Moses hath drawn nigh by himself unto Jehovah; and they draw not nigh, and the people go not up with him.

Darby: And let Moses alone come near Jehovah; but they shall not come near; neither shall the people go up with him.

ASV: and Moses alone shall come near unto Jehovah; but they shall not come near; neither shall the people go up with him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Moses  alone shall come near  the LORD:  but they shall not come nigh;  neither shall the people  go up  with him. 

What does Exodus 24:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 24:1-11 - The Covenant Made And Sealed By Blood
Moses remained in communion with God while receiving the laws of the preceding chapters. When they were concluded he descended to ratify with all solemnity the Covenant between Jehovah and Israel. If the altar represented God's side of the transaction, the twelve pillars stood for Israel. The young men filled the priestly office according to Exodus 13:2, and until the Levites were appointed. It must have been a solemn spectacle as the sprinkled blood sealed the covenant. But let us turn from that first covenant, sealed with the blood of beasts, to the New Covenant, by which all the Church of the Redeemed are bound to God, and which was sealed by the shedding of the precious blood of Christ. "This is my blood of the Covenant," said Jesus, when handing round the wine. See Hebrews 9:18-20, and Exodus 13:20. The Lord's Supper is a perpetual reminder of our obligations. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 24

1  Moses is called up into the mountain
3  The people promise obedience
4  Moses builds an altar, and twelve pillars
6  He sprinkles the blood of the covenant
9  The glory of God appears
14  Aaron and Hur have the charge of the people
15  Moses goes into the mountain, where he continues forty days and forty nights

What do the individual words in Exodus 24:2 mean?

And shall come near Moses alone - Yahweh but they not shall come near and the people nor shall go up with him
וְנִגַּ֨שׁ מֹשֶׁ֤ה לְבַדּוֹ֙ אֶל־ יְהוָ֔ה וְהֵ֖ם לֹ֣א יִגָּ֑שׁוּ וְהָעָ֕ם לֹ֥א יַעֲל֖וּ עִמּֽוֹ

וְנִגַּ֨שׁ  And  shall  come  near 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָגַשׁ  
Sense: to draw near, approach.
מֹשֶׁ֤ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
לְבַדּוֹ֙  alone 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בַּד 
Sense: alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone.
אֶל־  - 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְהֵ֖ם  but  they 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
יִגָּ֑שׁוּ  shall  come  near 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָגַשׁ  
Sense: to draw near, approach.
וְהָעָ֕ם  and  the  people 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
לֹ֥א  nor 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יַעֲל֖וּ  shall  go  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
עִמּֽוֹ  with  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.