Exodus 19:10-23

10 And Yahweh said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes,
11 and they must be prepared for the third day, because on the third day, Yahweh will go down on Mount Sinai before the eyes of all the people.
12 And you must set limits [for] the people all around, saying, 'Guard yourselves {against} going up to the mountain and touching its edge. Anyone touching the mountain will certainly be put to death.
13 Not a hand will touch it, because he will certainly be stoned or certainly be shot; whether an animal or a man, he will not live.' At the blowing of the ram's horn they may go up to the mountain."
14 And Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and he consecrated the people, and they washed their clothes.
15 And he said to the people, "Be ready {for the third day}. Do not go near to a woman."
16 {And} on the third day, when it was morning, there was thunder and lightning, and a heavy cloud over the mountain and a very loud ram's horn sound, and all the people who [were] in the camp trembled.
17 And Moses brought the people out from the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain.
18 And Mount Sinai was all wrapped in smoke because Yahweh went down on it in the fire, and its smoke went up like the smoke of a smelting furnace, and the whole mountain trembled greatly.
19 And the sound of the ram's horn became {louder and louder}, and Moses would speak, and God would answer him with a voice.
20 And Yahweh went down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, and Yahweh called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
21 And Yahweh said to Moses, "Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to see and many from them fall.
22 And even the priests who come near Yahweh must consecrate themselves, lest Yahweh break out against them."
23 And Moses said to Yahweh, "The people are not able to go up to Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, saying, 'Set limits [around] the mountain and consecrate it.'"

Exodus 19:10-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 19

In this chapter we have an account of the coming of the children of Israel to Mount Sinai, Ex 19:1,2, of the covenant made with them there, the proposal on the part of God, and their acceptance of it, Ex 19:3-8, the previous notice God gave three days before of his appearance on the mount, the orders for their preparation to meet him, and the execution of them, Ex 19:9-15, the awful and tremendous appearance of God upon the mount, Ex 19:6-20 and the strict charge given, that neither people nor priests should come near and gaze, only Moses and Aaron with him were to come up, bounds being set to prevent the rest, Ex 19:21-24, and the chapter is closed with observing, that Moses went down from the mount, and delivered to the people what the Lord spoke to and by him, Ex 19:25.

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. Literally "watch to/for you"
  • [b]. Literally "for third [of] days"
  • [c]. Literally "and it was"
  • [d]. Literally "[was] going and strong very" (compare 2 Sam 3:1)
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.