Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 3. Moses went up unto God] It is likely that the cloud which had conducted the Israelitish camp had now removed to the top of Sinai; and as this was the symbol of the Divine presence, Moses went up to the place, there to meet the Lord.
The Lord called unto him] This, according to St. Stephen, was the Angel of the Lord, Acts vii. 38. And from several scriptures we have seen that the Lord Jesus was the person intended; see note on "Gen. xvi. 7"; see note on "Gen. xviii. 13"; see note on "chap. iii. 2".
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - Moses was called up the mountain, and was employed as the messenger of this covenant. The Maker and first Mover of the covenant, is God himself. This blessed charter was granted out of God's own free grace The covenant here mentioned was the national covenant, by which the Israelites were a people under the government of Jehovah. It was a typ of the new covenant made with true believers in Christ Jesus; but, lik other types, it was only a shadow of good things to come. As a natio they broke this covenant; therefore the Lord declared that he woul make a new covenant with Israel, writing his law, not upon tables of stone, but in their hearts, Jer 31:33; Heb 8:7-10. The covenant spoke of in these places as ready to vanish away, is the national covenan with Israel, which they forfeited by their sins. Unless we carefull attend to this, we shall fall into mistakes while reading the Ol Testament. We must not suppose that the nation of the Jews were unde the covenant of works, which knows nothing of repentance, faith in Mediator, forgiveness of sins, or grace; nor yet that the whole natio of Israel bore the character, and possessed the privileges of tru believers, as being actually sharers in the covenant of grace. The were all under a dispensation of mercy; they had outward privileges an advantages for salvation; but, like professing Christians, most reste therein, and went no further. Israel consented to the conditions. The answered as one man, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. Oh tha there had been such a heart in them! Moses, as a mediator, returned the words of the people to God. Thus Christ, the Mediator, as a Prophet reveals God's will to us, his precepts and promises; and then, as Priest, offers up to God our spiritual sacrifices, not only of praye and praise, but of devout affections, and pious resolutions, the wor of his own Spirit in us.
Original Hebrew ומשׁה4872 עלה5927 אל413 האלהים430 ויקרא7121 אליו413 יהוה3068 מן4480 ההר2022 לאמר559 כה3541 תאמר559 לבית1004 יעקב3290 ותגיד5046 לבני1121 ישׂראל׃3478
