Exodus 15:27

15:27 Then they came to Elim, ¹  where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there by the water.

Exodus 24:1

The Lord Ratifies the Covenant

24:1 ² But to Moses the Lord ³  said, “Come up ⁴  to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from a distance. ⁵ 

Exodus 38:25

38:25 The silver of those who were numbered of the community was one hundred talents and 1,775 shekels, ⁶  according to the sanctuary shekel,

Exodus 38:28

38:28 From the remaining 1,775 shekels ⁷  he made hooks for the posts, overlaid their tops, and made bands for them.

[15:27]  ¹ sn Judging from the way the story is told they were not far from the oasis. But God had other plans for them, to see if they would trust him wholeheartedly and obey. They did not do very well this first time, and they will have to learn how to obey. The lesson is clear: God uses adversity to test his people’s loyalty. The response to adversity must be prayer to God, for he can turn the bitter into the sweet, the bad into the good, and the prospect of death into life.

[24:1]  ² sn Exod 24 is the high point of the book in many ways, but most importantly, here Yahweh makes a covenant with the people – the Sinaitic Covenant. The unit not only serves to record the event in Israel’s becoming a nation, but it provides a paradigm of the worship of God’s covenant people – entering into the presence of the glory of Yahweh. See additionally W. A. Maier, “The Analysis of Exodus 24 According to Modern Literary, Form, and Redaction Critical Methodology,” Springfielder 37 (1973): 35-52. The passage may be divided into four parts for exposition: vv. 1-2, the call for worship; vv. 3-8, the consecration of the worshipers; vv. 9-11, the confirmation of the covenant; and vv. 12-18, the communication with Yahweh.

[24:1]  ³ tn Heb “And he;” the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:1]  ⁴ sn They were to come up to the Lord after they had made the preparations that are found in vv. 3-8.

[24:1]  ⁵ sn These seventy-four people were to go up the mountain to a certain point. Then they were to prostrate themselves and worship Yahweh as Moses went further up into the presence of Yahweh. Moses occupies the lofty position of mediator (as Christ in the NT), for he alone ascends “to Yahweh” while everyone waits for his return. The emphasis of “bowing down” and that from “far off” stresses again the ominous presence that was on the mountain. This was the holy God – only the designated mediator could draw near to him.

[38:25]  ³ sn This would be a total of 301,775 shekels (about 140,828 oz), being a half shekel exacted per person from 605,550 male Israelites 20 years old or more (Num 1:46). The amount is estimated to be around 3.75 tons.

[38:28]  ⁴ tn Here the word “shekels” is understood; about 45 pounds.