Exodus 24:4
New English Translation
4 and Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. Early in the morning he built[a] an altar at the foot[b] of the mountain and arranged[c] twelve standing stones[d]—according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
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- Exodus 24:4 tn The two preterites quite likely form a verbal hendiadys (the verb “to get up early” is frequently in such constructions). Literally it says, “and he got up early [in the morning] and he built”; this means “early [in the morning] he built.” The first verb becomes the adverb.
- Exodus 24:4 tn “under.”
- Exodus 24:4 tn The verb “arranged” is not in the Hebrew text but has been supplied to clarify exactly what Moses did with the twelve stones.
- Exodus 24:4 tn The thing numbered is found in the singular when the number is plural—“twelve standing-stone.” See GKC 433 §134.f. The “standing-stone” could be a small piece about a foot high, or a huge column higher than men. They served to commemorate treaties (Gen 32), or visions (Gen 28) or boundaries, or graves. Here it will function with the altar as a place of worship.
Exodus 24:4
New International Version
4 Moses then wrote(A) down everything the Lord had said.
He got up early the next morning and built an altar(B) at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars(C) representing the twelve tribes of Israel.
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