And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD.

EXODUS 24:5KJV
Know the Bible

Exodus 24:5 (KJV)

What does Exodus 24:5 mean?

Exodus 24:5 describes how Moses sent young men from the Israelites to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice oxen as peace offerings to the LORD. This verse shows a specific moment when the people participated in worship by making sacrifices as part of confirming their covenant with God.

In this setting, Moses is leading the Israelites at Mount Sinai after receiving God's instructions. Instead of priests, young men are chosen to perform the sacrifices, likely because the formal priesthood was not yet established. The burnt offerings were completely consumed by fire, symbolizing dedication to God, while the peace offerings involved sharing a meal, representing fellowship with God and among the people.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 24:5

  • "Sent" (שָׁלַח, shalach): This word shows that Moses actively appointed or dispatched the young men, emphasizing intentional organization in the worship.
  • "Young men" (נַעַר, naʿar): This term refers to unmarried or youthful males, highlighting that the task was given to non-priests, which is notable before the priesthood of Aaron was fully in place.
  • "Burnt offerings" (עֹלָה, ʿolah): This offering was entirely burned, symbolizing complete surrender or devotion to God.
  • "Peace offerings" (שֶׁלֶם, shelem): These sacrifices were partly burned and partly eaten, signifying a communal meal and peace between God and the people.

Why Exodus 24:5 matters

  • Exodus 24:5 clarifies that, at this early stage, the sacrificial system was not yet limited to Aaron and his sons, showing a transitional period in Israel’s worship practices.
  • The verse highlights the importance of both burnt and peace offerings in Israelite worship, each carrying different symbolic meanings—total dedication and communal fellowship.
  • This act of sacrifice is part of the larger covenant ceremony in Exodus 24, helping to seal the agreement between God and Israel with visible, shared actions.

Where else these words appear

“peace” Hebrew H8002 · used in 84 verses

  • Exodus 20:24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
  • Leviticus 10:14 And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place; thou, and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee: for they be thy due, and thy sons' due, which are given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel.
  • Judges 20:26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

“oxen” Hebrew H6499 · used in 119 verses

  • Genesis 32:15 Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.
  • Numbers 7:63 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
  • Numbers 29:33 And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:

“sacrificed” Hebrew H2076 · used in 127 verses

  • Genesis 31:54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.
  • 1 Samuel 2:13 And the priests' custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;
  • 2 Chronicles 15:11 And they offered unto the LORD the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.