Exodus 19:11-21

11 and let them be ready for the third day, for on ¹the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

12 "You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, 'Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; ²whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.

13 'No hand shall touch him, but ³he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether beast or man, he shall not live.' When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to ⁴the mountain."

14 So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and consecrated the people, and they washed their garments.

15 He said to the people, "Be ready for the third day; do not go near a woman."

16 ⁵So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.

17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.

The LORD Visits Sinai

18 ⁶Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because * * the LORD descended upon it ⁷in fire; and its smoke ascended like ⁸the smoke of a furnace, and ⁹the whole mountain quaked violently.

19 When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and ¹⁰God answered him with thunder.

20 ¹¹The LORD came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

21 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, "Go down, warn the people, so that ¹²they do not break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.

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Exodus 19:11-21 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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 12

1. Exodus 19:16
2. Hebrews 12:20
3. Hebrews 12:20
4. Exodus 19:17
5. Heb 12:18, 19, 21
6. Deuteronomy 4:11; Psalms 104:32; Psalms 144:5
7. Exodus 3:2; Exodus 24:17; Deuteronomy 5:4; 2 Chronicles 7:1-3; Hebrews 12:18
8. Genesis 15:17; Genesis 19:28
9. Judges 5:5; Psalms 68:7, 8; Jeremiah 4:24
10. Psalms 81:7
11. Nehemiah 9:13
12. Exodus 3:5; 1 Samuel 6:19

Footnotes 8

[a]. Lit "Take heed to yourselves"
[b]. I.e. with arrows
[c]. Lit "sounds"
[d]. Lit "lower part"
[e]. Or "trembled"
[f]. Or "a voice;" lit "a sound"
[g]. Lit "testify to"
[h]. Lit "fall"