Exodus 19:9-19

9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, I come unto thee in a thick cloud that the people may hear when I speak with thee and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.
10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes
11 and be ready for the third day; for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai.
12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves that ye go not up into the mount or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mount shall surely die:
13 Not a hand shall touch it, but that he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live. When the jubilee sounds long, they shall come up to the mount.
14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes.
15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day; come not at your women.
16 And it came to pass on the third day when the morning came, that there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud upon the mount and the voice of the shofar {ram’s horn} exceeding loud, so that all the people that were in the camp trembled.
17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the lower part of the mount.
18 And all Mount Sinai smoked because the LORD had descended upon it in fire, and its smoke ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
19 And the voice of the shofar sounded long and waxed louder and louder; Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice.

Exodus 19:9-19 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 19

In this chapter we have an account of the coming of the children of Israel to Mount Sinai, Ex 19:1,2, of the covenant made with them there, the proposal on the part of God, and their acceptance of it, Ex 19:3-8, the previous notice God gave three days before of his appearance on the mount, the orders for their preparation to meet him, and the execution of them, Ex 19:9-15, the awful and tremendous appearance of God upon the mount, Ex 19:6-20 and the strict charge given, that neither people nor priests should come near and gaze, only Moses and Aaron with him were to come up, bounds being set to prevent the rest, Ex 19:21-24, and the chapter is closed with observing, that Moses went down from the mount, and delivered to the people what the Lord spoke to and by him, Ex 19:25.

The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010