Exodus 19:8

8 And all the people answered together, (and said,) We shall do all [the] things which the Lord hath spoken. And when Moses had told the words of the people to the Lord,

Exodus 19:8 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 19:8

And all the people answered together
By their heads and representatives, the elders, summoned before Moses, to whom he declared the whole will of God; or this being communicated by them to their respective tribes and families, they were all of one mind; there was not a contradicting voice among them, they all gave the same answer, or all united in returning for answer what follows:

all that the Lord hath spoken we will do;
obey his voice in all things he directs unto, or commands to be done, and keep the covenant he should make with them, and observe whatever was required on their parts; which was well spoken, if with the heart, and if, under a consciousness of their own weakness, they had expressed their desire of dependence upon the grace of God to enable them to perform, see ( Deuteronomy 5:28 Deuteronomy 5:29 ) . The Septuagint version adds, "and we will hear", or be obedient, as in ( Exodus 24:7 ) :

and Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord;
not for his information, who knew very well what they had said, but for the discharge of his office as a mediator and messenger between God and them: this, according to Jarchi, was on the third day of the month.

Exodus 19:8 In-Context

6 and ye shall be to me into a realm of priesthood, and an holy folk; these be the words which thou shalt speak to the sons of Israel. (and ye shall be my kingdom of priests, and my holy nation; these be the words which thou shalt say to the Israelites.)
7 Moses came, and when the greater men in birth of the people were called together, he expounded all the words which the Lord commanded him. (Moses came back down, and when the men of great age, that is, the elders, of the people were called together, he expounded all the words which the Lord commanded him to say.)
8 And all the people answered together, (and said,) We shall do all [the] things which the Lord hath spoken. And when Moses had told the words of the people to the Lord,
9 the Lord said to him, Right now I shall come to thee in the darkness of a cloud, (so) that the people hear me speaking to thee, and believe to thee [into] without end (and then they shall always believe thee). Therefore Moses told the words of the people to the Lord,
10 which said to Moses (who said to Moses), Go thou (back) to the people, and make them holy today and tomorrow, and wash they their clothes,
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.