1In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. 2When they had departed from Rephidim, and had come to the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mountain. 3Moses went up to God, and Yahweh called to him out of the mountain, saying, “This is what you shall tell the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself. 5Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine; 6and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
7Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which Yahweh commanded him. 8All the people answered together, and said, “All that Yahweh has spoken we will do.”
Moses reported the words of the people to Yahweh. 9Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, I come to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.” Moses told the words of the people to Yahweh. 10Yahweh said to Moses, “Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments, 11and be ready for the third day; for on the third day Yahweh will come down in the sight of all the people on Mount Sinai. 12You shall set bounds to the people all around, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t go up onto the mountain, or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain shall be surely put to death. 13No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether it is animal or man, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mountain.”
14Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes. 15He said to the people, “Be ready by the third day. Don’t have sexual relations with a woman.”
16On the third day, when it was morning, there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain, and the sound of an exceedingly loud trumpet; and all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the lower part of the mountain. 18All of Mount Sinai smoked, because Yahweh descended on it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. 19When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice. 20Yahweh came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. Yahweh called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
21Yahweh said to Moses, “Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to gaze, and many of them perish. 22Let the priests also, who come near to Yahweh, sanctify themselves, lest Yahweh break out on them.”
23Moses said to Yahweh, “The people can’t come up to Mount Sinai, for you warned us, saying, ‘Set bounds around the mountain, and sanctify it.’”
24Yahweh said to him, “Go down! You shall bring Aaron up with you, but don’t let the priests and the people break through to come up to Yahweh, lest he break out against them.”
25So Moses went down to the people, and told them.
The Mosaic Covenant followed the form of the fourteenth/thirteenth century B.C. Hittite International Treaties. This is not unexpected since Moses was educated as a prince of Egypt, so he would have been taught the matters of the military, law, and international diplomacy, among other subjects. With information on the Hittite treat form and reading Exodus 19—25, we may understand better several elements within these chapters, as well as the remainder of the books of Moses.
In the words of Professor Kenneth Kitchen, an ancient Near Eastern historian and Egyptologist:
"Sometimes some elements are omitted, but the order of them is almost invariable, whenever the original texts are sufficiently well preserved to be analyzed. This is, therefore, a stable form in the period concerned." Ancient Orient and Old Testament, p. 93.
Let us examine the breakdown of the international treaty along with the Mosaic account:
1. The Date: "third month after the children of Israel had gone out of Egypt, on that same day when they came into the wilderness of Sinai." (Exod 19:1-2)
2. Geographical Setting and Activity of the King (the Suzerain): "the wilderness of Sinai . . . before the mountain." (Exod 19:1 -2)
3. Mediator of the Covenant (title, activity, and message of the Suzerain) (Exod 19:4-25)
a. The Mediator: Moses and his activity (Exod 19:3)
b. The message of the Suzerain: Israel will be His people if they pay attention to His words, and keep His covenant (Exod 19:4-25)
(1) God's intent to make the covenant (Exod 19:4-6)
(2) Israel's response to God's words: "All that Yahweh has spoken we will do." (Exod 19:7-8)
(3) Moses repeats to the people of Israel the response of Yahweh and His instructions on how to prepare for the reception of the covenant (Exod 19:9-15)
(4) The reception of the covenant (Exod 19:16-25)
The covenant is first given in Exodus 20-31, and then broken in Exodus 32-33, but immediately renewed in Exodus 34 (compare Deuteronomy and Joshua 24).
1. The Preamble: The purpose of the Preamble is to identify the Suzerain (the great King), who is the creator of the covenant that gives it to the vassals. The focus is on the majesty and power of the king (Exod 20:1; Deut 1:1-5; Josh. 24:1-2a).
2. The Historical Prologue: The purpose of the Preamble is to identify the Suzerain (the great King), who is the creator of the covenant that gives it to the vassals. The focus is on the majesty and power of the king (Exod 20:1; Deut 1:1-5; Josh. 24:1-2a).
I have relied on the class notes of Professor Ralph Alexander, Western Seminary, 1973-1974; Kenneth A. Kitchen, Ancient Orient and Old Testament, pp. 90-102; Meredith G. Kline, Treaty of the Great King; George E. Mendenhall, "Law and Covenant in Israel and the Ancient Near East," Biblical Archaeologist, 17:2-3 (1951); and Cleon L. Rogers, "The Covenant with Moses and Its Historical Setting," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 14:3 (Summer, 1971), pp. 141-155.