Biblical Parallels Index – Shemot 24
Overview
This index is meant to help the reader explore Biblical parallels, be they two accounts of the same event or law, stories with similar motifs and themes, or units of text which are linguistically similar and perhaps alluding one to the other. The page includes links to tools that aid in comparison, primary sources that touch upon the parallels, and summaries of and links to articles which analyze them in depth."We Will Do and We Will Listen"
Permutations of the nation's declaration that they "will do and listen" occur in Shemot 19, 24 and in the recounting of the story of revelation in Devarim 5. The appearance of the phrase in Shemot 24, ostensibly after the giving of the Decalogue, raises questions as to the timing of the chapter (and declaration) and what the statement means.
Tools
- See Makbilot BaMikra for links to the verses in which the nation announces "we will do and listen".
- The Tanakh Lab1 demonstrates that Shemot 19 is the second most linguistically similar chapter to Shemot 24. See here to compare the two chapters and to analyze whether they appear to be describing the same or different events.
Articles
- See נעשה ונשמע, by R. Menachem Leibtag, for discussion of the commentators’ opinions about when “נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע” was said and an interpretation of its meaning. R. Leibtag notes that while Rashi suggests that the declaration is achronological and took place before revelation, the vast majority of exegetes disagree and place it afterwards. According to them, this is the nation's acceptance of the covenant and laws delineated in Parashat Mishpatim, in which Hashem had said that if "you listen to My voice and do all that I say" (Shemot 23:22) He would help the nation conquer Canaan.
- See Doing and Hearing, by R. Jonathan Sacks, for three interpretations of the meaning of this declaration. It might be an expression of enthusiasm, with the people declaring that no matter what God says they will obey, even though they have not yet heard His commands. Alternatively it is a statement that it is only via action that one can truly "hear", i.e. understand. Finally, R. Sacks notes that in Shemot 19:8 and 24:3 the people unanimously say "we will do", while in Shemot 24:7 there is no indication of unanimity, but the people add "we will hear". This might imply that where performance of law is concerned, consensus is required, but when it comes to spirituality and "hearing" God's presence, every individual might encounter Him differently.
- Listen to Na'aseh Ve'nishma & Sefer Habrit: What Did We Know & When?, by R. Moshe Shulman, for analysis of commentators’ perspectives on the significance and timing of this declaration, and the meaning of the "Book of the Covenant".
Fire
In this chapter, as Moshe ascends Mount Sinai, Hashem reveals himself to the nation amidst fire. This is a recurring motif in Tanakh, where fire often serves as a vehicle or symbol of Divine revelation.
Tools
- Concordance – Use the concordance to find where "fire" appears in Tanakh and what roles it plays. Previously fire has appeared in the context of the covenant between the pieces, the destruction of Sedom, the plagues, and the pillar of cloud and fire that led the Israelites in the desert. Subsequently in the Torah it appears many times as well, often in the context of divine wrath and destruction.
Articles
- See The Eternal Flame, by R. David Silverberg, for an analysis of consuming fire as a symbol of divine punishment and non-destructive fire as a symbol of Hashem’s presence.