Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easily missed here is the context of their enthusiastic "All the words... we will do!" This isn't just a simple agreement; it's a bold pledge made after Moses detailed the laws and judgments. They are responding not just to a general idea of obedience, but to the specific, demanding expectations God has laid out, indicating a profound, albeit perhaps naive, commitment to living by His word.
Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Fresh off the mountain after receiving God's detailed instructions, Moses relays all the Lord's words and laws to the people. In response, the entire community, united in voice, pledges their full obedience to everything God has commanded, setting the stage for a covenant ceremony. This unified commitment is immediately followed by a sacrifice and a blood-sprinkling ritual meant to ratify this agreement between God and Israel.
Imagine standing before a crowd, about to make a life-altering commitment. That's exactly where the Israelites found themselves. What drove their enthusiastic 'Yes!'?
When Moses returned from the mountain, he didn't just deliver a friendly greeting. He laid out all the words of the LORD—the detailed instructions for living, the 'judgments' that would shape their society and relationship with God. This wasn't a casual chat; it was the foundational law for a new nation.
And the people's response? A resounding, unified 'All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do.' It’s a powerful moment of collective agreement. They weren’t just hearing laws; they were responding to a divine covenant. Their eagerness shows a strong desire to be God's people, embracing His commands wholeheartedly. This was their public commitment, their 'I do' to God's plan for them.
Their promise sounds incredible – 'We will do it all!' But the experts point out a crucial misunderstanding. What did they really commit to, and what did they miss?
While the people's declaration was sincere, the commentary reveals it was also marked by a significant lack of awareness. They promised to obey all the words of the LORD, but they didn't yet grasp the law's true depth.
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This isn't to dismiss their zeal, but to recognize that true obedience isn't just about saying 'yes'; it's about understanding what that 'yes' entails and relying on God's strength to fulfill it.
Understand the original words
mishpat · Hebrew Noun
The body of divine commands, statutes, and instructions given by God to govern the moral, social, and religious life of His people within the covenant.
This passage shows the people's fear and their request for Moses to be the intermediary after hearing God's voice directly, highlighting their initial enthusiastic but later hesitant commitment compared to their 'we will do' in Exodus.
Joshua 24:24Here, Joshua reminds the people of their covenant commitment made at Shechem, echoing this moment in Exodus where they pledged obedience to God's commands.
Nehemiah 8:18This shows a later generation reaffirming their commitment to God's law after hearing it read, mirroring the people's unanimous agreement to obey God's word.
Romans 3:20This verse points out that no one can be justified by the works of the law, providing a theological contrast to the people's confident assertion in Exodus that they *will* do all the law requires.
Galatians 3:10-11This passage directly quotes Habakkuk 2:4, emphasizing that no one is justified by the law, which serves as a stark reminder of the human inability to perfectly keep the covenant promises the Israelites made in Exodus.
bensonExodus 24:3: "And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do."
Exodus 24:3 . Moses told the people all the words of the Lord — He laid before them all the precepts, in the foregoing chapters, and put it to them, whether they were willing to submit to these laws or not? And all the people answered, All the words which the Lord hath said will we do — They h…
calvinExodus 24:1-18: "And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off."
- Come up unto the Lord, thou, and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu. Before Moses erected the tabernacle and consecrated it by a solemn ceremony, it was necessary for him to fetch the Tables of the Covenant, which were a pledge of God's favor; otherwise, if the ark had nothing in it, the sanctuary would have been in a manner empty. For this rea…
What's easily missed here is the context of their enthusiastic "All the words... we will do!" This isn't just a simple agreement; it's a bold pledge made after Moses detailed the laws and judgments. They are responding not just to a general idea of obedience, but to the specific, demanding expectations God has laid out, indicating a profound, albeit perhaps naive, commitment to living by His word.
Fresh off the mountain after receiving God's detailed instructions, Moses relays all the Lord's words and laws to the people. In response, the entire community, united in voice, pledges their full obedience to everything God has commanded, setting the stage for a covenant ceremony. This unified commitment is immediately followed by a sacrifice and a blood-sprinkling ritual meant to ratify this agreement between God and Israel.
Fresh off the mountain after receiving God's detailed instructions, Moses relays all the Lord's words and laws to the people. In response, the entire community, united in voice, pledges their full obedience to everything God has commanded, setting the stage for a covenant ceremony. This unified commitment is immediately followed by a sacrifice and a blood-sprinkling ritual meant to ratify this agreement between God and Israel.
"Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do.”" — What's easily missed here is the context of their enthusiastic "All the words... we will do!" This isn't just a simple agreement; it's a bold pledge made after Moses detailed the laws and judgments…
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Last reviewed October 2026