And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.

EXODUS 24:6KJV
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Exodus 24:6 (KJV)

What does Exodus 24:6 mean?

Exodus 24:6 describes Moses taking half of the blood from sacrificed animals and putting it into bowls, while the other half he sprinkled on the altar. This action is part of a ceremony to confirm the covenant between God and the Israelites at Mount Sinai.

In this scene, Moses is acting as the leader and mediator for the people of Israel. The blood comes from animals offered as sacrifices, and the altar represents God’s presence. By dividing the blood—half in bowls, half on the altar—Moses is preparing for a ritual that symbolizes the binding agreement between God and the nation.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 24:6

  • דָּם (dam, "blood"): This word refers to the blood of the sacrificed animals, which in ancient Israelite practice was seen as carrying life and was central to rituals of atonement and covenant.
  • זָרַק (zarach, "sprinkled"): This verb means to scatter or splash, often used for ritual actions with blood. Sprinkling the blood on the altar was a way to dedicate the offering to God and symbolize purification or consecration.
  • מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbeach, "altar"): This word points to the physical structure where sacrifices were made, representing the meeting point between God and the people.

Why Exodus 24:6 matters

  • Exodus 24:6 clarifies that the covenant ceremony involved both God (represented by the altar) and the people (who would later be sprinkled with blood), showing the two-sided nature of the agreement.
  • The verse highlights the seriousness and sacredness of the covenant, using blood—a powerful symbol of life and commitment in the ancient world—to seal the relationship.
  • Understanding this ritual helps make sense of later references to covenants, sacrifices, and the use of blood in both the Old and New Testaments.

Where else these words appear

“basons” Hebrew H101 · used in 3 verses

  • Song of Solomon 7:2 Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor: thy belly is like an heap of wheat set about with lilies.
  • Isaiah 22:24 And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.

“sprinkled” Hebrew H2236 · used in 33 verses

  • Exodus 9:8 And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.
  • Leviticus 7:2 In the place where they kill the burnt offering shall they kill the trespass offering: and the blood thereof shall he sprinkle round about upon the altar.
  • 2 Kings 16:15 And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering, and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brasen altar shall be for me to enquire by.

“half” Hebrew H2677 · used in 103 verses

  • Exodus 12:29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
  • Joshua 14:2 By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe.
  • 1 Chronicles 12:31 And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, which were expressed by name, to come and make David king.