Exodus 19

At Mount Sinai

1 On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai.
2 After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.
3 Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel:
4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.
5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine,
6 you[a] will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
7 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the LORD had commanded him to speak.
8 The people all responded together, “We will do everything the LORD has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the LORD.
9 The LORD said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the LORD what the people had said.
10 And the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes
11 and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
12 Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death.
13 They are to be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”
14 After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.
15 Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations.”
16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled.
17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.
18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain[b] trembled violently.
19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.[c]
20 The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up
21 and the LORD said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the LORD and many of them perish.
22 Even the priests, who approach the LORD, must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them.”
23 Moses said to the LORD, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’ ”
24 The LORD replied, “Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the LORD, or he will break out against them.”
25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.

Cross References 53

  • 1. S Exodus 6:6
  • 2. Numbers 1:1; Numbers 3:14; Numbers 33:15
  • 3. S Exodus 17:1
  • 4. S ver 17; S Exodus 3:1; Deuteronomy 5:2-4
  • 5. Exodus 20:21
  • 6. S Exodus 3:4; S Exodus 25:22; Acts 7:38
  • 7. Deuteronomy 29:2; Joshua 24:7
  • 8. Deuteronomy 32:11; Psalms 103:5; Isaiah 40:31; Jeremiah 4:13; Jeremiah 48:40; Revelation 12:14; Isaiah 63:9
  • 9. Deuteronomy 33:12; Isaiah 31:5; Ezekiel 16:6
  • 10. Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 6:3; Psalms 78:10; Jeremiah 7:23
  • 11. S Genesis 17:9; S Exodus 3:1; Deuteronomy 5:2
  • 12. S Exodus 8:22; S Exodus 34:9; S Deuteronomy 8:1; S Titus 2:14; Deuteronomy 14:2; Psalms 135:4
  • 13. S Exodus 9:29; Deuteronomy 10:14; 1 Corinthians 10:26
  • 14. Isaiah 61:6; Isaiah 66:21; S 1 Peter 2:5
  • 15. Genesis 18:19; Leviticus 11:44-45; Deuteronomy 4:37; Deuteronomy 7:6; Deuteronomy 26:19; Deuteronomy 28:9; Deuteronomy 29:13; Deuteronomy 33:3; Isaiah 4:3; Isaiah 62:12; Jeremiah 2:3; Amos 3:2
  • 16. Exodus 18:12; Leviticus 4:15; Leviticus 9:1; Numbers 16:25
  • 17. Exodus 4:30; 1 Samuel 8:10
  • 18. Exodus 24:3,7; Deuteronomy 5:27; Deuteronomy 26:17
  • 19. ver 16; Exodus 20:21; Exodus 24:15-16; Exodus 33:9; Exodus 34:5; Deuteronomy 4:11; 2 Samuel 22:10,12; 2 Chronicles 6:1; Psalms 18:11; Psalms 97:2; Psalms 99:7; Matthew 17:5
  • 20. Deuteronomy 4:12,36; John 12:29-30
  • 21. S Exodus 4:5
  • 22. ver 14,22; Leviticus 11:44; Numbers 11:18; 1 Samuel 16:5; Joel 2:16; Hebrews 10:22
  • 23. S Genesis 35:2; Revelation 22:14
  • 24. ver 16
  • 25. S Genesis 11:5
  • 26. ver 3,20; S Exodus 3:1; Exodus 24:16; Exodus 31:18; Exodus 34:2,4,29,32; Leviticus 7:38; Leviticus 26:46; Leviticus 27:34; Numbers 3:1; Deuteronomy 10:5; Nehemiah 9:13; Galatians 4:24-25
  • 27. ver 23
  • 28. Hebrews 12:20*
  • 29. Joshua 6:4; 1 Chronicles 15:28; Psalms 81:3; Psalms 98:6
  • 30. ver 21; Exodus 34:3
  • 31. S Genesis 35:2
  • 32. 1 Samuel 21:4; 1 Corinthians 7:5
  • 33. 1 Samuel 2:10; Isaiah 29:6
  • 34. S ver 9
  • 35. Hebrews 12:18-19; Revelation 4:1
  • 36. S Genesis 3:10; 1 Samuel 13:7; 1 Samuel 14:15; 1 Samuel 28:5; Psalms 99:1; Hebrews 12:21
  • 37. S ver 2; Deuteronomy 4:11
  • 38. Exodus 20:18; Psalms 104:32; Isaiah 6:4; Revelation 15:8
  • 39. S Exodus 3:2; Exodus 24:17; Leviticus 9:24; Deuteronomy 4:11,24,33,36">Deuteronomy 4:11,24,33,36; Deuteronomy 4:11; Deuteronomy 5:4; Deuteronomy 9:3; 1 Kings 18:24,38; 1 Chronicles 21:26; 2 Chronicles 7:1; Psalms 18:8; Hebrews 12:18
  • 40. S Genesis 19:28; Revelation 9:2
  • 41. Judges 5:5; 2 Samuel 22:8; Psalms 18:7; Psalms 68:8; Isaiah 2:19; Isaiah 5:25; Isaiah 41:15; Isaiah 64:1; Jeremiah 4:24; Jeremiah 10:10; Micah 1:4; Nahum 1:5; Habakkuk 3:6,10; Haggai 2:6
  • 42. S ver 9; Deuteronomy 4:33; Nehemiah 9:13
  • 43. Psalms 81:7
  • 44. S ver 11
  • 45. Exodus 24:10-11; Exodus 3:5; Numbers 4:20; 1 Samuel 6:19
  • 46. S ver 13
  • 47. Leviticus 10:3
  • 48. 1 Samuel 16:5; 2 Chronicles 29:5; Joel 2:16
  • 49. ver 24; 2 Samuel 6:7
  • 50. ver 11
  • 51. ver 12
  • 52. Exodus 24:1,9
  • 53. ver 22

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Or "possession, for the whole earth is mine. " 6"You"
  • [b]. Most Hebrew manuscripts; a few Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint "and all the people"
  • [c]. Or "and God answered him with thunder"

Exodus 19 Commentaries

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