Exodus 19:23

23 Moses said to Yahweh, "The people can't come up to Mount Sinai, for you charged us, saying, 'Set bounds around the mountain, and sanctify it.'"

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.


FOOTNOTES:

F1 So some in Vatablus.

Exodus 19:23 In-Context

21 Yahweh said to Moses, "Go down, charge the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to gaze, and many of them perish.
22 Let the priests also, who come near to Yahweh, sanctify themselves, lest Yahweh break forth on them."
23 Moses said to Yahweh, "The people can't come up to Mount Sinai, for you charged us, saying, 'Set bounds around the mountain, and sanctify it.'"
24 Yahweh said to him, "Go down and you shall bring Aaron up with you, but don't let the priests and the people break through to come up to Yahweh, lest he break forth on them."
25 So Moses went down to the people, and told them.
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