Discovery BoxExodus 24:4 
Context24:4 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
Context28:21 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
Context39:14 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.
