Exodus 19:22

22 and [the] priests, that nigh to the Lord, be they hallowed, lest I smite them (or I shall strike them down).

Exodus 19:22 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 19:22

And let the priests also, which come near unto the Lord
Either the firstborn, as the Jews generally interpret it, so Jarchi and Aben Ezra; who were sanctified to the Lord, and in whose stead afterwards the Levites were taken; or the sons of Aaron, who should be, and were potentially, though not actually priests, as Ben Gersom expresses it, from an ancient book of theirs called Mechilta; or rather some principal persons, as heads of families and the like, who, before the priesthood was settled in the family of Aaron, officiated as priests, and drew nigh to God, and offered up sacrifices for themselves and others, and were distinguished from others by this character, and therefore do not intend princes, as some interpret the word; for the description of them will not agree to them, but plainly points to a sort of men, to whom it was peculiar to perform that office. These Moses is bid to charge that they

sanctify themselves;
in the same manner as the people in general were before ordered, and keep themselves within the same bounds; not daring to transgress them, because they were persons that used to draw nigh to God in the performance of religious actions:

lest the Lord break forth upon them;
and smite them, that they die, in like manner as he made a breach on Uzzah afterwards for touching the ark of the Lord, ( 2 Samuel 6:6-8 ) .

Exodus 19:22 In-Context

20 and the Lord came down on the hill of Sinai, in that top of the hill, and he called Moses to the top thereof. And when he had gone up thither, (and the Lord came down on Mount Sinai, onto the top of the mountain, and he called Moses up to the top of it. And when he had gone up there,)

21 the Lord said to him, Go thou down, and witness thou to the people, lest peradventure it will pass [over] the terms to see the Lord (lest they pass over the boundary to see the Lord), and [a] full great multitude thereof perish;

22 and [the] priests, that nigh to the Lord, be they hallowed, lest I smite them (or I shall strike them down).

23 And Moses said to the Lord, The common people may not go up into the hill of Sinai; for thou hast witnessed, and hast commanded, saying, Set thou terms about the hill, and hallow it. (And Moses said to the Lord, The common people cannot come up onto Mount Sinai; for thou hast witnessed, and hast commanded, saying, Set thou a sacred boundary all around the mountain, and hallow it, and they have heard thee.)

24 To whom the Lord said, Go thou down, and (then) thou shalt go up, and (bring) Aaron with thee; forsooth the priests and the people pass not (over) the terms, neither go they up to the Lord, lest peradventure he slay them. (To whom the Lord said, Go thou down, and then come back up, and bring Aaron with thee; but the priests and the people must not pass over the boundary, nor let them come up to the Lord, lest I kill them.)