Exodus 24:14

And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur [are] with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.

And he said {H559} unto the elders {H2205}, Tarry {H3427} ye here {H2088} for us, until we come again {H7725} unto you: and, behold, Aaron {H175} and Hur {H2354} are with you: if any {H4310} man {H1167} have any matters {H1697} to do {H1167}, let him come {H5066} unto them.

To the leaders he said, "Stay here for us, until we come back to you. See, Aharon and Hur are with you; whoever has a problem should turn to them."(S: Maftir)

And he said to the elders, β€œWait here for us until we return to you. Aaron and Hur are here with you. Whoever has a dispute can go to them.”

And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: whosoever hath a cause, let him come near unto them.

Commentary

In Exodus 24:14, Moses is preparing for a significant period of communion with God on Mount Sinai, where he will receive the stone tablets inscribed with God's law. This verse captures his crucial instructions to the elders of Israel regarding the governance of the people during his absence.

Context

This instruction comes immediately after a profound spiritual experience for the seventy elders, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, who had ascended part of Mount Sinai with Moses and beheld God (Exodus 24:9-11). Moses is now called to ascend further, into the cloud where God's glory dwells, to receive the commandments and the law (Exodus 24:12). His faithful assistant, Joshua, accompanies him (Exodus 24:13). Recognizing that he will be gone for an extended time, Moses establishes a temporary, yet authoritative, leadership structure for the Israelite camp below.

Key Themes

  • Delegation of Authority: Moses, as the supreme leader, wisely delegates administrative and judicial responsibilities to Aaron and Hur. This highlights the importance of shared leadership and the necessity of establishing clear lines of authority within any large community or organization.
  • Order and Governance: Even with Moses' departure, the verse ensures that the community's daily affairs, particularly disputes and legal matters, can be handled efficiently. This demonstrates God's desire for order and justice among His people, even in transitional periods.
  • Trust in Subordinates: Moses places significant trust in Aaron, who would later become the High Priest (Exodus 28:1), and Hur, who had previously assisted Moses alongside Aaron during a critical battle (Exodus 17:12). Their presence ensures continuity and reliability.
  • Preparation for Absence: Moses' foresight in planning for his absence underscores responsible leadership. He doesn't leave the people without guidance or a system for resolving issues, ensuring stability while he focuses on his divine commission.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "matters to do" translates the Hebrew word davar (Χ“ΦΈΦΌΧ‘ΦΈΧ¨), which is a broad term meaning "word," "thing," "affair," or "matter." In this context, it refers specifically to any legal, administrative, or judicial disputes or issues that might arise among the Israelites. It signifies the practical, day-to-day governance and problem-solving required to maintain the social fabric of the nascent nation.

Practical Application

This verse offers valuable lessons for leadership and community life today. It emphasizes that effective leadership involves not only direct command but also the strategic delegation of authority and the development of capable successors or deputies. It teaches us the importance of having clear structures for conflict resolution and decision-making, ensuring that communities remain stable and functional even when primary leaders are unavailable or focused on higher-level tasks. For believers, it highlights the divine principle of order and the need for wise oversight in all aspects of life, mirroring God's own orderly nature.

Note: Commentary was generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please remember that only the commentary section is AI-generated. The main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are sourced from trusted and verified materials.

Cross-References

  • Exodus 17:12

    But Moses' hands [were] heavy; and they took a stone, and put [it] under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

  • Exodus 17:10

    So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

  • Genesis 22:5

    And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

  • 1 Samuel 10:8

    And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, [and] to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.

  • Exodus 32:1

    ΒΆ And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for [as for] this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

  • Exodus 18:25

    And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

  • Exodus 18:26

    And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
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