Exodus 19:8

8 And all the people answered together: All that the Lord hath spoken, we will do. And when Moses had related the people’s words 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 you shall be to me a priestly kingdom, and a holy nation. These are the words thou shalt speak to the children of Israel.
7 Moses came; and calling together the elders of the people, he declared all the words which the Lord had commanded.
8 And all the people answered together: All that the Lord hath spoken, we will do. And when Moses had related the people’s words to the Lord,
9 The Lord said to him: Lo, now will I come to thee in the darkness of a cloud, that the people may hear me speaking to thee, and may believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people to the Lord.
10 And he said to him: Go to the people, and sanctify them to day, and to morrow, and let them wash their garments.
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