Exodus 19:3-8

3 Forsooth Moses went up into the hill to God; and the Lord called him from the mount, and said, Thou shalt say these things to the house of Jacob, and thou shalt tell to the sons of Israel, (And Moses went up the mountain to meet with God/And Moses went up God's mountain; and the Lord called to him from the mount, and said, Thou shalt say these things to the house of Jacob, and thou shalt tell it to the Israelites,)

4 Ye yourselves have seen what things I have done to [the] Egyptians, how I bare you on the wings of eagles, and took you to me (and brought you here to me).

5 Therefore if ye shall hear my voice, and shall keep my covenant, ye shall be to me into a specialty of all peoples (ye shall be special to me out of all peoples), that is, a thing loved excellently; for all the earth is mine;

6 and ye shall be to me into a realm of priesthood, and an holy folk; these be the words which thou shalt speak to the sons of Israel. (and ye shall be my kingdom of priests, and my holy nation; these be the words which thou shalt say to the Israelites.)

7 Moses came, and when the greater men in birth of the people were called together, he expounded all the words which the Lord commanded him. (Moses came back down, and when the men of great age, that is, the elders, of the people were called together, he expounded all the words which the Lord commanded him to say.)

8 And all the people answered together, (and said,) We shall do all [the] things which the Lord hath spoken. And when Moses had told the words of the people to the Lord,

Exodus 19:3-8 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.