Exodus 19:8 kjv

And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.

Exodus 19:8 nkjv

Then all the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD.

Exodus 19:8 niv

The people all responded together, "We will do everything the LORD has said." So Moses brought their answer back to the LORD.

Exodus 19:8 esv

All the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." And Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD.

Exodus 19:8 nlt

And all the people responded together, "We will do everything the LORD has commanded." So Moses brought the people's answer back to the LORD.

Exodus 19 verses

Exodus 19 8 Meaning

Exodus 19:8 describes the collective and eager declaration of the Israelite people, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." This statement is their unified acceptance of the covenant proposed by Yahweh, positioning themselves as willing participants in His divine instructions even before the specific laws were formally delivered. It signifies a profound moment of agreement and commitment between God and His newly redeemed nation at the foot of Mount Sinai.

Exodus 19 8 Context

Exodus chapter 19 describes the arrival of the Israelites at Mount Sinai, three months after their miraculous exodus from Egypt. Yahweh, having sovereignly redeemed them through grace, now initiates a covenant relationship with them. He addresses Moses, revealing His desire for Israel to be a "treasured possession among all peoples, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Ex 19:5-6), conditioned on their obedience to His voice and covenant. Moses then relays this divine proposal to the elders, who in turn convey it to the people. Exodus 19:8 captures the nation's unanimous and enthusiastic response—a verbal pledge of full compliance to everything the LORD commands. This promise is given before the revelation of the Ten Commandments and the broader Mosaic Law, setting the stage for the formal establishment of the covenant. Historically and culturally, this mirrors ancient Near Eastern suzerainty treaties where a powerful king (suzerain) would dictate terms to a vassal nation, who would then affirm their commitment.

Exodus 19 8 Word analysis

• And all: (וְכׇל־ wə·ḵol-) - The prefix וְ (we-) meaning "and," links this verse to Moses' conveying of God's words and the people's response. כׇל (kol) means "all" or "every." This emphasizes the complete, unconditional nature of their proposed obedience. It suggests no partial acceptance or selection of commands; it implies a full commitment to every single instruction. This totality highlights their eagerness and initial overconfidence.
• the people: (הָעָם hā·‘ām) - הָעָם refers to the entire Israelite nation, including men, women, and children (Ex 19:7). This was not a segmented decision but a unified, unanimous voice of the collective. It shows corporate responsibility and solidarity in entering the covenant.
• answered: (וַיַּעֲנ֞וּ way·ya·‘ănū) - A pluperfect form, "and they answered." This indicates a direct, immediate response to Moses' relay of God's offer. The quick response suggests unhesitating enthusiasm, born from their recent experience of God's power and redemption from Egypt.
• together: (יַחְדָּו֙ yaḥ·dāw) - Literally "as one," "unitedly." This adverb reinforces the complete consensus of the people. It was a single, overwhelming shout, not a divided opinion. This united front would later be tragically contrasted by their fragmented obedience and eventual apostasy.
• and said: (וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ way·yō·mə·rū) - "And they said." This common Hebrew verb introduces the direct speech that follows, the precise declaration itself.
• All: (כֹּ֣ל kōl) - Again, "all," reinforcing the totality of what God has spoken. This reiteration highlights their perception that everything God said or would say, they were prepared to obey.
• that the LORD: (אֲשֶׁר־ יְהוָ֣ה ’ă·šer Yah·weh) - אֲשֶׁר (asher) meaning "that" or "which," points to the preceding כֹּל (kol). יְהוָ֣ה (Yahweh), the personal, covenant name of God revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Ex 3:14-15), emphasizes the specific divine source of the commands. It signifies the faithfulness and power of their redeeming God, to whom they pledged allegiance.
• has spoken: (דִּבֵּ֑ר dib·bêr) - From דָּבַר (dabar), meaning "to speak," "to command," "to declare." This past tense refers to all the preceding declarations and proposals God had made. It encompasses not just verbal communication but divine decree and instruction. It looks forward to what God is about to declare at Sinai.
• we will do: (נַעֲשֶׂ֥ה na‘aśeh) - From עָשָׂה (‘asah), meaning "to do," "to make," "to perform." This verb in the imperfect (often indicating future action) expresses their resolve and active commitment. It is a vow of execution, not just acknowledgement. This is a bold assertion of their human capability and willingness to perfectly fulfill divine commands, which would later prove unattainable by human strength alone.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "All the people answered together": This phrase emphasizes the unity and unanimity of the declaration. It suggests a deeply impactful, perhaps even overwhelming, vocal commitment from the entire nation. This communal response foreshadows the communal covenant but also hints at the collective burden of its obligations.
• "All that the LORD has spoken we will do": This is a direct covenant affirmation. It shows an immediate, unequivocal acceptance of the divine offer, prior to fully understanding the depth of commitment and the extent of the commands (the Law) that God would subsequently reveal. This response forms the foundation of the Old Covenant (Mosaic Covenant), which rested upon Israel's promise of obedience. This expression is characteristic of the conditional nature of the Old Covenant where blessing followed obedience, and curses followed disobedience.

Exodus 19 8 Bonus section

The historical setting of Exodus 19:8 finds parallels in ancient Near Eastern treaty patterns, specifically suzerainty treaties. In these covenants, a great king (the suzerain) would initiate a treaty with a lesser king or vassal, outlining obligations and stipulating blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. God, as the Great King, presents the terms of the covenant to Israel, His vassal nation, who responds with a collective affirmation. However, the unique aspect here is that God's covenant is not merely political but relational and ethical, aiming for the people's transformation and flourishing as a holy nation set apart for His purposes. This initial eager response, though soon broken by the people's actions, highlights a key dynamic: God's initiative in grace precedes the giving of the Law, and their promise, while significant, reveals the limits of their own power to fulfill their part. The "all... we will do" encapsulates humanity's recurring challenge of promising more than it can deliver without divine empowerment.

Exodus 19 8 Commentary

Exodus 19:8 marks a pivotal moment in salvation history, capturing the fervent desire of the newly liberated Israelites to wholeheartedly engage in a covenant relationship with their deliverer, Yahweh. Their unified cry, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do," represents an earnest and eager commitment. It is a moment of naive optimism, a bold declaration of human will and capacity made by a people unacquainted with the overwhelming demands of God's perfect Law and their own inherent inability to consistently meet them.

This statement serves as the human ratification of God's covenant proposal. God, having delivered them by grace, now sought their willing submission, not as slaves, but as His chosen people in a sacred bond. The people's immediate and unanimous agreement reveals a potent combination of gratitude for their freedom, awe before God's power, and an understandable, though misguided, confidence in their own moral ability to keep all that would be commanded.

In essence, they pledged a perfect walk, a standard achievable only by God's Son, Jesus Christ, centuries later. The Law was given not for Israel to earn their salvation (which was already graciously given in their exodus), but to reveal their need for salvation, highlight the depth of sin, and set apart a holy nation. The tragic history of Israel, often highlighted by prophets and encapsulated in the Old Testament, shows their consistent failure to uphold this vow. The episode of the Golden Calf (Ex 32), occurring mere weeks later, stands as a stark and immediate contradiction to their earnest pledge, revealing the limitations of human resolve and the deep-seated brokenness of the human heart.

Ultimately, this verse underscores a foundational theological truth: while humanity desires to serve God and make grand declarations of obedience, true and lasting adherence to His commands requires not only willing hearts but also divine enablement—a reality perfectly addressed in the New Covenant through the Spirit of God and the saving work of Christ. It speaks to both the divine standard and human fallibility.