Exodus 24:4

24:4 and Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. Early in the morning he built 1  an altar at the foot 2  of the mountain and arranged 3  twelve standing stones 4  – according to the twelve tribes of Israel.

Exodus 28:21

28:21 The stones are to be for the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, according to the number of 5  their names. Each name according to the twelve tribes is to be like 6  the engravings of a seal.

Exodus 39:14

39:14 The stones were for the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, corresponding to the number of 7  their names. Each name corresponding to one of the twelve tribes was like the engravings of a seal.

1 tn The two preterites quite likely form a verbal hendiadys (the verb “to get up early” is frequently in such constructions). Literally it says, “and he got up early [in the morning] and he built”; this means “early [in the morning] he built.” The first verb becomes the adverb.

2 tn “under.”

3 tn The verb “arranged” is not in the Hebrew text but has been supplied to clarify exactly what Moses did with the twelve stones.

4 tn The thing numbered is found in the singular when the number is plural – “twelve standing-stone.” See GKC 433 §134.f. The “standing-stone” could be a small piece about a foot high, or a huge column higher than men. They served to commemorate treaties (Gen 32), or visions (Gen 28) or boundaries, or graves. Here it will function with the altar as a place of worship.

5 tn For clarity the words “the number of” have been supplied.

6 tn The phrase translated “the engravings of a seal” is an adverbial accusative of manner here.

7 tn The phrase “the number of” has been supplied.