And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.
Upon the nobles of the children of Israel, х 'atsiyleey (H678)] - deep-rooted: hence, metaphorically, sprung from an ancient and noble stock.
Laid not his hand. This phrase is used to denote a violent attack with a view to slay (cf. Genesis 22:12). The Septuagint has: kai toon epilektoon tou Israeel ou diefooneesen oude heis, and not one of those picked men of Israel expired (was cut off); and the allusion is to the popular belief that a sudden and direct revelation by God of Himself was followed by death (Genesis 16:13; Genesis 32:30; Judges 6:22; Judges 13:23; Isaiah 6:5).
They were indeed to worship "afar off;" for even the greatest men who are held in high veneration by their fellowmen must bow in humble reverence before God. But the nobles who had ascended the mount were not inspired with terror in presence of the calm, benign, radiant symbol of the Divine Majesty; nor did they sustain any bodily injury from their admission to so unusual a spectacle-so different was this scene from the terrific exhibitions at the giving of the law.
Also they saw God. This repetition, though no details are given, was evidently made to show that the party enjoyed the most convincing evidence of a present Deity being on the mount. [In accordance with this view, the Septuagint translates it as: kai ooftheesan en too topoo tou Theou-they appeared in the place (sanctuary) of God]; and the report of so many competent witnesses would tend to confirm the people's faith in the divine mission of Moses.
And did sat and drink - i:e., they feasted on the peace offering-on the remnants of the late sacrifices and libations. While the fat of the victim was consumed, and its blood sprinkled upon the altar as an atonement, the rest of the carcass was, in the case of peace offerings, given to the offerer to feast upon as a sacrificial meal, symbolical of his participating in the promised blessings of the covenant; and as, according to Oriental ideas, eating and drinking in the house, and in the presence of a host, was an introduction to near communion and inviolable friendship with him, so the elders did eat and drink in the immediate vicinity of what was then the sanctuary or dwelling-place of Yahweh, representing in their persons the nation of Israel, introduced into the full enjoyment of the Sinaitic benefits. Hence, it became in after times a favourite idea of the prophets to portray the blessings of the new covenant, and of all near communion with God, under the imagery of a festival (Song of Solomon 5:1; Isaiah 25:6; Isaiah 65:13; Zephaniah 1:7-8; Proverbs 9:1); and our Lord Himself made use of the same metaphor to set forth the same truths (Luke 22:18; Luke 22:30; Revelation 19:7).
The chosen men of Israel, on the termination of their sacrificial meal, descended along with Moses from the mount. Although this is not expressly said, the subsequent narrative of transactions necessitates the hypothesis that the whole party returned to the camp below. The way by which Moses and the 70 elders went, on leaving the camp in Wady Raheh, must have been through one of the deep narrow ravines which in almost every direction intersect the mountain range-probably Wady Shuweib-the common route for an ascent of the mountain. The spot from which they obtained a sight of the resplendent symbol of Deity, and on which they afterward partook of the covenant meal, was far up the ridge of Jebel Musa-probably the spot where there is a circular valley or hollow at the base of the highest peak.