Esodo 19:16

16 E al terzo giorno, come fu mattina, si fecero tuoni e folgori; e vi era una folta nuvola in sul monte, insieme con un suon di tromba molto forte; e tutto il popolo ch’era nel campo tremava.

Esodo 19:16 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 19:16

And it came to pass on the third day in the morning,
&c:] The sixth of the month, according to the Targum of Jonathan, and so Jarchi; on which day, as the Jews generally say ^F20, the law was given, and which, they also observe, was a sabbath day: yea, they are sometimes so very particular as to fix the hour of the day, and say ^F21, it was the sixth hour of the day, or twelve o'clock at noon, that Israel received the decalogue, and at the ninth hour, at three o'clock in the afternoon, returned to their stations:

there were thunders, and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount;
which were to awaken the attention of the people to what they were to hear and receive, and to strike their minds with an awe of the divine Being; and to add to the solemnity of the day, and the service of it; and to signify the obscurity and terror of the legal dispensation, and the wrath and curse that the transgressors the law might expect, even an horrible tempest of divine vengeance, see ( Hebrews 12:18 )

and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud;
or, "exceeding strong" {w}; being blown by the mighty angels, and by ten thousand them, with whom the Lord now descended:

so that all the people that was in the camp trembled,
at the sound of it, it was so loud and terrible, and it so pierced their ears and their hearts: a different effect the Gospel trumpet the jubilee trumpet, the joyful sound of love, grace, and mercy, has upon sensible sinners, and on true believers: the law with its curses terrifies, the Gospel with its blessings comforts.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 86. 2. & Yoma, fol. 4. 2. Seder Olam Rabba, c. 5. p. 18.
F21 Pirke Eliezer, c. 46.
F23 (dam qzx) "fortis valde", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; so Ainsworth.

Esodo 19:16 In-Context

14 E Mosè scese dal monte al popolo, e santificò il popolo, ed essi lavarono i lor vestimenti.

15 Ed egli disse al popolo: Siate presti per lo terzo giorno; non vi accostate a donna.

16 E al terzo giorno, come fu mattina, si fecero tuoni e folgori; e vi era una folta nuvola in sul monte, insieme con un suon di tromba molto forte; e tutto il popolo ch’era nel campo tremava.

17 E Mosè fece uscire il popolo fuor del campo, incontro a Dio; e si fermarono appiè del monte.

18 Or il monte di Sinai fumava tutto; perciocchè il Signore era sceso sopra esso in fuoco; e il fumo ne saliva a guisa di fumo di fornace; e tutto il monte tremava forte.