THE SECOND BOOK OF

MOSES,
called
E X O D U S

Exodus 19

1The people come to Sinai. 3God's message unto the people out of the mount. 7Moses delivereth it, and returneth the people's answer. 10The people are ordered to be prepared against the third day; the mountain is not to be touched. 14The people are sanctified. 16The fearful presence of God upon the mount.


1IN the 1third 2month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, 3the same day came they into the wilderness of 4Sinai.

1 This was the 430th year after the covenant established with Abraham, Genesis 15 and 17.

2 (Or, new moon) called Sivan by the Hebrews, falling partly in our May and partly in June.

3 Namely, when they broke up from Rephidim, which was the first day of the month, (compare Ezek. 46:1, 6) forty seven days after the passover or coming forth out of Egypt.

4 This is a mountain in Arabia, Gal. 4:25, situated in a wilderness, Acts 7:30.

2For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before 5the mount.

5 Namely, Sinai.

3Anda Moses went up 6unto God, and the LORD called unto him out 7of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;

a Acts 7:38.

6 That is, to the pillar of cloud upon the mount.

7 Namely, from the top of it, Moses being yet in a lower part thereof.

4Yeb have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and 8how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you 9unto myself.

b Deut. 29:2; 32:11.

8 Implying, that like unto an eagle, bearing her young ones upon her back, so God had carried them both speedily and safely out of Egypt. See Deut. 32:11.

9 That is, to the place of My presence, and the convenience of serving Me.

5Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice 10indeed, and keep my covenant, thenc ye shall be a peculiard treasure unto me above all people: for 11all thee earth is mine:

10 Hebr. obeying obey.

c Deut. 7:6; 10:14, 15; 14:2; 26:18; Psalm 135:4; Isa. 41:8; Titus 2:14.

d one’s own property*

11 Namely, with all that is contained therein.

e Psalm 24:1.

6Andf ye shall be unto me 12a kingdom of priests, and 13an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

f 1 Peter 2:9.

12 Hebr. a kingdom of priests, that is, a kingdom consisting of priests and kings.

13 That is, suitable for the service of God.

7¶And Moses 14came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces 15all these words which the LORD commanded him.

14 Namely, down from the mount unto the people.

15 Or, things, matters.

8And all the people answered together, and said, Allg that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.

g Exod. 24:3.

9And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee 16in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and 17believe thee 18for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.

16 Hebr. in the thickness of the cloud.

17 See Exod. 14:31.

18 That is, all their lifetime.

10¶And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and 19sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,

19 That is, command them, and look thou to it and the elders of the people carefully that they do holily prepare themselves for the receiving of My commandments. See further Lev. 11 on verse 45.

11And be ready against the third day: for 20the third day the LORD 21will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

20 This was the fiftieth day after the passover, which therefore is called Pentecost by the Greeks, that is, the fiftieth day.

21 Appearing in the pillar of cloud, verses 9 and 16.

12And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Takeh heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch 22the border of it: 23whosoever toucheth the mount 24shall be surely put to death:

h Heb. 12:18.

22 Or, pale, end.

23 Or, whatsoever.

24 Hebr. shall be made to die.

13There shall not an hand touch it, but 25he 26shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: 27when the trumpet soundeth 28long, they shall come up 29to the mount.

25 Understand, man or beast that shall have touched the mount.

26 God wants to say: If he be near, he shall be stoned, but if farther off, he shall be shot to death.

27 Or, cornet. There was no trumpet, but there was heard a sound like unto that of a trumpet.

28 Namely, in one note, or an unified sound, as is usual in the end of a song of music.

29 Remaining nevertheless upon the foot or lower part of the mountain, verse 17; namely, that they might the better hear the promulgation or proclamation of the law.

14¶And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and 30sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.

30 That is, he commanded that they should sanctify themselves, as verse 10.

15And he said unto the people, Be ready 31against the third day: comei not at your wives.

31 Hebr. after three days.

i 1 Sam. 21:4; 1 Cor. 7:5.

16¶And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, thatj there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, 32and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

j Heb. 12:18.

32 See verse 13.

17And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; andk they stood 33at the nether part of the mount.

k Deut. 4:10, 11.

33 Yet so, that they touched not the mount itself, nor transgressed the bounds, verse 12.

18Andl mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.

l Judges 5:4; Psalm 68:8; 114:4; Hab. 3:10.

19And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him 34by a voice.

34 Or, in a voice, that is, in a softer manner than by thunder and the terrible noise of the trumpet. This God did to encourage Moses, who at first was much terrified and frightened, Heb. 12:21.

20And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, 35on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.

35 Hebr. upon the head.

21And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, 36charge the people, 37lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them 38perish.

36 That is, charge them most strictly and imprint seriously.

37 Namely, through the bounds which are set them.

38 That is, be put to death by the Lord, according to the threatening in verse 12. See the phrase, Gen. 14:10; 1 Cor. 10:8, etc.

22And let the 39priests also, 40which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.

39 Understand here the firstborn, whom God had hallowed unto Himself, and who, before the separation of the tribe of Levi, used to administer that office in their families, Exod. 13:2; 24:5, in whose stead He afterwards chose the tribe of Levi, Num. 8:14, etc.

40 See Lev. 10:3.

23And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and 41sanctify it.

41 That is, let the people know that they are to hold this mount holy, by reason of My presence, and that therefore they ought to forbear approaching the same.

24And the LORD said unto him, Away, 42get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them.

42 Namely, to acquaint the people with My commandment, after which thou and Aaron shall return up to Me.

25So Moses went down unto the people, and 43spake unto them.

43 Namely, what the LORD had commanded him.