And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.
11. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel. These words, as it seems to me, are violently distorted by those So Aben-Ezra, in Willet; and Faigius and S. Munster in Poole. Boothroyal says, “This phrase evidently means, ‘He slew them not;’ compare Genesis 22:12; and 37:22; Nehemiah 12:21; Esther 2:21; Psalm 55:20.” who expound them, that the elders were not made participators of...
The people having, besides their submission to the ceremony of the sprinkling of blood, declared their well-pleasedness in their God and his law, again and again, God here gives to their representatives some special tokens of his favour to them (for God meets him that rejoices and works righteousness), and admits them nearer to him than they could have expected.
Commenting on Exodus 24:9-11
And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand,.... Which some interpret of his hand of prophecy, and of the measure of the Spirit, such an one as Moses had, and by virtue of which he lived forty days and nights without eating and drinking; but these not having such a measure of the Spirit, were obliged to eat and...