So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. Moses returns from the mountain to the elders — the same structural pattern Jethro recommended, the same community authorization before any action. The elders are the legitimate representatives of the twelve tribes; presenting the covenant proposal to them is presenting it to the whole nation through its proper channels. The phrase all the words emphasizes completeness: nothing has been filtered or softened. What God gave Moses on the mountain is what Moses presents to the elders. The reliability of the covenant mediator is grounded in the completeness of the transmission.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

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