Exodus 24:6 kjv
And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
Exodus 24:6 nkjv
And Moses took half the blood and put it in basins, and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
Exodus 24:6 niv
Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed against the altar.
Exodus 24:6 esv
And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar.
Exodus 24:6 nlt
Moses drained half the blood from these animals into basins. The other half he splattered against the altar.
Exodus 24 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Blood & Covenant Confirmation | ||
| Gen 15:9-10, 17 | So He said to him, "Bring Me a three-year-old heifer..." then passed between them. | Covenant by cutting animals, foreshadowing. |
| Zech 9:11 | As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant... | Referring to blood of the covenant. |
| Matt 26:28 | For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many... | Jesus' blood as the New Covenant. |
| Mk 14:24 | And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant..." | Echoing covenant blood at Last Supper. |
| Lk 22:20 | Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood..." | New Covenant established by Christ's blood. |
| Heb 9:20 | saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you." | Direct reference to Exod 24:8. |
| Heb 10:29 | Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy... the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified...? | Blood as sanctifying for the covenant. |
| Heb 13:20 | Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead... through the blood of the everlasting covenant... | Christ's blood, an everlasting covenant. |
| Significance of Blood | ||
| Lev 17:11 | For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls... | Life is in the blood, used for atonement. |
| Deut 12:23 | Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, for the blood is the life... | Prohibition on consuming blood due to life. |
| Heb 9:22 | And almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. | Blood essential for purification and forgiveness. |
| Altar and God's Presence | ||
| Exod 25:8 | And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. | God desiring to dwell among His people. |
| Exod 29:45-46 | I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God. | God's indwelling presence with Israel. |
| Heb 13:10 | We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. | Christian altar (Christ's sacrifice). |
| Blood & Atonement/Redemption | ||
| Lev 16:15 | Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering... bring its blood inside the veil... | Blood for Day of Atonement. |
| Rom 3:25 | whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith... | Propitiation through Christ's blood. |
| Rom 5:9 | Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath... | Justification by Christ's blood. |
| Eph 1:7 | In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins... | Redemption and forgiveness through Christ. |
| Col 1:20 | and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth... having made peace through the blood of His cross. | Reconciliation by the blood of the cross. |
| 1 Pet 1:18-19 | knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things... but with the precious blood of Christ... | Redemption by precious blood of Christ. |
| 1 Jn 1:7 | But if we walk in the light... the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. | Cleansing from sin by Christ's blood. |
| Rev 1:5 | and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness... who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood... | Washed from sins by His blood. |
| Consecration & Purification | ||
| Exod 29:20-21 | You shall kill the ram, and take some of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ear... | Consecration of priests with blood. |
| Lev 8:23-24 | Then he killed it; and Moses took some of its blood and put it on the tip of Aaron's right ear... | Ordination of priests, blood for consecration. |
| Heb 9:19 | For when Moses had spoken every precept... he took the blood of calves and goats, with water... and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people. | Explaining the Exod 24 ritual in Hebrews. |
Exodus 24 verses
Exodus 24 6 Meaning
Exodus 24:6 describes a crucial moment in the covenant ratification ceremony between God and the Israelites at Mount Sinai. It details Moses dividing the sacrificial blood, placing half in basins and pouring the other half onto the altar. This division and distribution of blood symbolized the mutual commitment and sealing of the covenant. The blood poured on the altar represented the offering and dedication to God, acknowledging His holiness and the expiation for sin. The half retained in the basins would later be sprinkled on the people, signifying their consecration and participation in the covenant relationship with a holy God.
Exodus 24 6 Context
Exodus chapter 24 details the ratification of the Mosaic Covenant, following God's giving of the Ten Commandments (Exod 20) and additional statutes (Exod 21-23). The previous verses (24:1-5) describe God's call for Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders to come up the mountain to worship, but only Moses was to draw near. Moses then built an altar, set up twelve pillars representing the twelve tribes, and instructed young men (possibly the firstborn priests before the Levitical priesthood was established) to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings. Exodus 24:6 is the immediate action after these sacrifices, where Moses, having collected the sacrificial blood, initiates the pivotal ritual of dividing and distributing it. This ritual is foundational, as the shared blood signifies a binding agreement where both parties commit themselves, invoking serious consequences for breaking the covenant. It seals the people's promise "All the words which the Lord has said we will do" (Exod 24:3, 7).
Exodus 24 6 Word analysis
- And Moses took: Moses acts as the mediator between God and Israel, central to the covenant ceremony. His direct involvement underscores the divine institution of these rites.
- half: Hebrew: חֲצִי (ḥatzı̂). The specific division into two halves is highly significant. It visually represents two distinct parties entering into a solemn agreement—God and the people. This bipartition symbolizes reciprocity and a shared life or consequence.
- of the blood: Hebrew: דָּם (dam). The life-giving substance (Lev 17:11) here represents the essence of the covenant itself. Blood speaks of life, expiation, purification, and the seriousness of the agreement, often implying the penalty of death for violation.
- and put it in basins: Hebrew: אַגָּנֹת (aganot). These are vessels used to hold liquids, likely bowls. Placing the blood here indicates it is being preserved for a subsequent action, specifically for sprinkling the people, establishing a connection between the people and the divine life represented by the blood.
- and half of the blood: Reinforces the careful and intentional division of the life-essence dedicated to the covenant.
- he poured on the altar: Hebrew: מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbeakh). The altar is the place of sacrifice and represents God's presence and sacred space. Pouring blood upon it symbolizes dedicating it wholly to God, consecrating the covenant's divine side, and acknowledging God's acceptance of the offering as well as expiation for the people's sin that allowed them to draw near.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins: This part highlights Moses' mediating role and the reservation of a portion of the sacrificial life (blood) for the human party (Israel). It sets aside the means by which the people will be formally bound and purified. This half represents the human side of the covenant.
- and half of the blood he poured on the altar: This action demonstrates the offering of the other portion of the sacrificial life directly to God, representing the divine side of the covenant. It symbolizes propitiation, dedication, and God's acceptance. This act consecrates the covenant to God, making it a sacred oath established in His presence. The blood upon the altar suggests that the life given in sacrifice makes the way for fellowship between a holy God and an otherwise unholy people.
Exodus 24 6 Bonus section
The Hebrew word for "altar," mizbeakh, comes from the root zabakh, meaning "to slaughter" or "to sacrifice." Thus, an altar is fundamentally "a place of sacrifice." The act of pouring blood on the mizbeakh in Exodus 24:6 establishes the altar as the consecrated nexus for the divine-human encounter, a truth that culminates in Christ, who is both the ultimate sacrifice and the ultimate "altar" upon which that sacrifice was offered (Heb 13:10-12). The distinct use of the blood in basins for the people versus on the altar for God highlights a significant theological point: while humanity receives cleansing and inclusion through the blood, the offering itself is primarily to God as an act of atonement and dedication. This structure reinforces the understanding that peace with God is initiated by His gracious provision and accepted through an obedient response, culminating in a blood-sealed covenant.
Exodus 24 6 Commentary
Exodus 24:6 marks a pivotal step in the Sinai covenant ceremony, showcasing the sanctity and solemnity of God's covenant with Israel. The division of the blood into two halves signifies the two parties of the covenant – God and Israel – each receiving a share of the life (blood) to seal their respective commitments. The blood poured on the altar primarily represents the life given to God in sacrifice, fulfilling the atoning requirement that allows a holy God to enter into covenant with sinful humanity. It purifies and dedicates the covenant to the Lord. This act foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, whose blood inaugurated a superior New Covenant, purifying humanity and bringing them into full fellowship with God. The practice reflects ancient Near Eastern covenant-making rituals involving sacrifices and sharing of animal parts, but here, it is infused with distinct divine purpose: the establishment of a relationship with the Holy One based on obedience and mediated atonement. The two distinct applications of the blood – on the altar (God's side) and later on the people (humanity's side, 24:8) – reveal the two-sided nature of the covenant: God's condescending grace and Israel's necessary commitment to obey. The entire ritual emphasized that access to God and establishment of relationship was not by human merit but through divinely appointed sacrificial means.