Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The most striking thing here is the people’s immediate, unqualified agreement: "All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient." This bold declaration, echoing their earlier response, reveals a profound, though perhaps temporary, confidence in their own ability to perfectly follow God’s commands, a confidence that the unfolding narrative will soon challenge.
Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
After receiving the Ten Commandments and the initial laws, Moses writes them down in a "Book of the Covenant" and then reads it aloud to the Israelites. This reading is part of a larger ceremony where sacrifices are offered to ratify the agreement, symbolizing mutual commitment between God and His people. The people's enthusiastic response, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient," immediately precedes their being sprinkled with blood, marking the solemn inauguration of their covenant relationship.
Imagine receiving a sacred document that lays out the terms of a life-changing agreement. That's exactly what happened here!
In Exodus 24:7, Moses takes 'the Book of the Covenant' and reads it to the people. This wasn't just a casual announcement; this book contained the specific laws and promises God had just given them. It served as the foundational document for their relationship with God, outlining what God would do and what was expected of them.
Think of it as the original contract for God's people. It solidified the agreement made at Sinai, turning spoken words into a tangible record. This act of reading it aloud ensured everyone heard the terms, making the covenant official and binding.
What happens when a community hears God's Word? They respond! But what does their response truly mean?
The people's immediate and enthusiastic response – 'All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient' – is powerful. It shows their willingness to commit to God's commands. This wasn't just a passive agreement; it was an active declaration of their intent to follow God.
However, as the commentators note, this declaration, while sincere, also reveals a lack of full understanding of their own human weakness. They promised perfect obedience without yet realizing the need for divine help and forgiveness. This echoes a pattern we see throughout Scripture: humanity's desire to obey God, often followed by failure, and God's persistent grace through covenants.
Understand the original words
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berith · Hebrew Noun
A formal, binding agreement between two parties, often involving promises, obligations, and consequences. In Scripture, it describes the relational relationship between God and His people, initiated and sustained by His grace.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, proper name of God in the Old Testament, representing His self-existence, covenant faithfulness, and holiness. It is the name by which He revealed Himself to Israel as their Savior.
shama · Hebrew Verb
The act of hearing and acting upon a divine command. It involves submission to the authority of God and performing the requirements of His revealed will.
This passage shows the people of Israel, much like in Exodus 24:7, expressing a strong desire to obey God's commands, but with a more realistic understanding of their own limitations and a plea for God to speak directly to Moses, acknowledging a mediator's role.
Joshua 24:16-18This reference highlights a similar scene where the Israelites pledge their obedience to the Lord, but Joshua reminds them of their past disobedience and God's faithfulness, echoing the profound commitment and subsequent challenges faced after the initial covenant.
Romans 10:2-3Paul reflects on the Israelites' zeal for God in this passage, noting their attempt to establish their own righteousness rather than submitting to God's righteousness, which parallels the initial commitment in Exodus 24:7 but points to the deeper issue of understanding the nature of true obedience.
Hebrews 8:6-7This New Testament passage contrasts the first covenant, initiated with the people's pledge of obedience in Exodus 24, with the new covenant. It explains that the first covenant, while marked by the people's promise, ultimately highlighted humanity's failure, necessitating a new covenant based on God's internal transformation.
1 Samuel 15:22Here, Samuel rebukes Saul, stating that obedience is better than sacrifice, which directly relates to the covenant ceremony in Exodus 24. It underscores that the true essence of the covenant wasn't just the outward acts but the inward disposition of obedience to God's word.
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…
pulpitExodus 24:7: "And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient."
Verse 7. - And he took the Book of the Covenant. In this book we have the germ of the Holy Scriptures - the first "book" actually mentioned as written in the narrative of the Bible. Genesis may contain other older documents, inserted by Moses, under the sanction of the Holy Spirit, in his compilation. But his own composition, if we…
The most striking thing here is the people’s immediate, unqualified agreement: "All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient." This bold declaration, echoing their earlier response, reveals a profound, though perhaps temporary, confidence in their own ability to perfectly follow God’s commands, a confidence that the unfolding narrative will soon challenge.
After receiving the Ten Commandments and the initial laws, Moses writes them down in a "Book of the Covenant" and then reads it aloud to the Israelites. This reading is part of a larger ceremony where sacrifices are offered to ratify the agreement, symbolizing mutual commitment between God and His people. The people's enthusiastic response, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient," immediately precedes their being sprinkled with blood, marking the solemn inauguration of their covenant relationship.
After receiving the Ten Commandments and the initial laws, Moses writes them down in a "Book of the Covenant" and then reads it aloud to the Israelites. This reading is part of a larger ceremony where sacrifices are offered to ratify the agreement, symbolizing mutual commitment between God and His people. The people's enthusiastic response, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient," immediately precedes their being sprinkled with blood, marking the solemn inauguration of their covenant relationship.
"Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.”" — The most striking thing here is the people’s immediate, unqualified agreement: "All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient." This bold declaration, echoing their earlier respons…
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Last reviewed October 2026