Exodus 19:23

23 Toen zeide Mozes tot den HEERE: Het volk zal op den berg Sinai niet kunnen klimmen, want Gij hebt ons betuigd, zeggende: Bepaal den berg, en heilig hem.

Exodus 19:23 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 19:23

And Moses said unto the Lord
Upon his giving such strict orders both with respect to the people and the priests:

the people cannot come up to Mount Sinai;
suggesting as if there was no need for him to go down on that account, to give them a charge not to break through and gaze; since, as he thought, there was no probability that they ever would attempt it, seeing such a solemn charge had been given, nor any possibility of it, since such a fence was made:

for thou chargedst us, saying, set bounds about the mount, and sanctify
it;
and accordingly bounds have been set, that the people may not go up it, and the place has been declared sacred, that so none will presume to do it, according to the solemn charge that has been given: some ^F1 read the preceding clause by way of interrogation, "may not the people come up to Mount Sinai?" may not any of them? or, if any of them, who may? and there was the greater reason for asking such a question, since the priests that drew near to God might not, and so the next words are conceived to be an answer to it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 So some in Vatablus.

Exodus 19:23 In-Context

21 En de HEERE zeide tot Mozes: Ga af, betuig dit volk, dat zij niet doorbreken tot den HEERE, om te zien, en velen van hen vallen.

22 Daartoe zullen ook de priesters, die tot den HEERE naderen, zich heiligen, dat de HEERE niet tegen hen uitbreke.

23 Toen zeide Mozes tot den HEERE: Het volk zal op den berg Sinai niet kunnen klimmen, want Gij hebt ons betuigd, zeggende: Bepaal den berg, en heilig hem.

24 De HEERE dan zeide tot hem: Ga heen, klim af, daarna zult gij, en Aaron met u, opklimmen; doch dat de priesters en het volk niet doorbreken, om op te klimmen tot den HEERE, dat Hij tegen hen niet uitbreke.

25 Toen klom Mozes af tot het volk, en zeide het hun aan.