And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.
Moses came and called for the elders. The message was conveyed to the mighty multitude through their elders, who doubtless instructed them in the conditions required. Their unanimous acceptance was conveyed through the same channel to Moses, and by him reported to the Lord. Ah, how much self-confidence did their language betray!-how little did they know what spirit they were of! But without reference to the moral weaknesses of humanity, which, alas, were but too conspicuously displayed in their sad failures to act up to their promise, the response, "all that the Lord hath spoken we will do," was a declaration of the national acceptance of the constitution. Here is what has been aptly called by Lowman ('Civ. Gov. of the Heb.,' 100: 1), 'the original contract of the Hebrew government,' which is comprised in two fundamental principles:
(1) Adherence to the worship of one God, in opposition to the polytheistic tendencies of ancient times; and, (2) As subservient to this end, the separation of the Israelites from other nations, to prevent the formation of unsuitable and corrupting alliances.
This was a transaction of the most important character, and having deep significance. It was the inauguration of the national compact, to which the communications of which Moses was the bearer between Yahweh and the people were the necessary preparations. Divinely commissioned to propose Yahweh as the Sovereign and Head of the Israelite nation, Moses, on his descent from the mount, assembled the public representatives of the people, and, in a duly constituted convention, formally submitted the proposition from the Lord. The assent of that council having been given in name and on behalf of the people, Moses ascends to report the unanimous resolution of the meeting, which, in consideration of its representative character, is described as equivalent to the popular response. On receiving this official answer, this public and formal declaration of the willing acceptance by the people of the terms of the proposed compact, Yahweh concluded the transaction by declaring to Moses, as the ambassador of the people, that on the third day thereafter He would initiate the theocratic government by a public and impressive display of His sovereign majesty before the eyes of the Israelite people as his subjects (Michaelis, 'Commentary on Laws of Moses,' vol 1: part 34; Warburton's 'Divine Legation,' b. 5:, sec. 2; Jahn, 'Hebrew Commonwealth,' ch. 2:; Graves 'On the Pentateuch,' part 2:, secs. 1 and 3).