Exodus 24:10

Authorized King James Version

And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.

Word-by-Word Analysis

וַיִּרְא֕וּ

H7200

And they saw

to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)

אֵ֖ת

H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

אֱלֹהֵ֣י

H430

the God

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל

H3478

of Israel

he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

וְתַ֣חַת

H8478

the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc

רַגְלָ֗יו

H7272

and there was under his feet

a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda

כְּמַֽעֲשֵׂה֙

H4639

work

an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction; abstractly, activity; by implication, a product (specifically, a poem) or (generally) property

לִבְנַ֣ת

H3840

as it were a paved

properly, whiteness, i.e., (by implication) transparency

הַסַּפִּ֔יר

H5601

of a sapphire stone

a gem (perhaps used for scratching other substances), probably the sapphire

#10

וּכְעֶ֥צֶם

H6106

and as it were the body

a bone (as strong); by extension, the body; figuratively, the substance, i.e., (as pron.) selfsame

#11

הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם

H8064

of heaven

the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies r

#12

לָטֹֽהַר׃

H2892

in his clearness

literally brightness; ceremonially purification

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine sovereignty contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

How does this verse's literary context within Exodus chapter 24 illuminate its theological significance, and what does this teach us about biblical interpretation?
In what ways does understanding divine sovereignty in its original context challenge or deepen contemporary Christian thinking about salvation?
How does this passage contribute to our understanding of from physical deliverance in the Old Testament to spiritual redemption in the New, and what implications does this have for Christian discipleship?

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