Christian Standard Bible
Exodus 19:16
16On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a very loud blast from a ram’s horn, so that all the people in the camp shuddered.
Exodus 19:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.
Context of Exodus 19:16
14Then Moses came down from the mountain to the people and consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. 15He said to the people, “Be prepared by the third day. Do not have sexual relations with women.” On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a very loud blast from a ram’s horn, so that all the people in the camp shuddered. 17Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord came down on it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently.
Read all of Exodus 19Exodus 19:16 word by word
וַיְהִי֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י בִּֽהְיֹ֣ת הַבֹּ֗קֶר וַיְהִי֩ קֹלֹ֨ת וּבְרָקִ֜ים וְעָנָ֤ן כָּבֵד֙ עַל־הָהָ֔ר וְקֹ֥ל שֹׁפָ֖ר חָזָ֣ק מְאֹ֑ד וַיֶּחֱרַ֥ד כָּל־הָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it came to pass on the thirdשְׁלִישִׁיshelîyshîy · thirdH7992
- dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- in the morningבֹּ֫קֶרbôqer · morningH1242
- that there were thundersקוֹלqôl qôl · voice: thunderH6963
- and lightningsבָּרָקbârâq · lightningH1300
- and a thickכָּבֵדkâbêd · heavyH3515
- cloudעָנָן‛ânân · cloudH6051
- upon the mountהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- and the voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voice: soundH6963
- of the trumpetשֹׁפָרshôphâr shôphâr · trumpetH7782
- exceedingמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
- loudחָזָקchâzâq · strongH2389
- so that all the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- in the campמַחֲנֶהmachăneh · campH4264
- trembledחָרַדchârad · to trembleH2729
Cross-references for Exodus 19:16
- Exodus 9:23So Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail. Lightning struck the land, and the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt.
- Exodus 20:18All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the ram’s horn, and the mountain surrounded by smoke. When the people saw it they trembled and stood at a distance.
- 1 Samuel 12:17Isn’t the wheat harvest today? I will call on the Lord, and he will send thunder and rain so that you will recognize what an immense evil you committed in the Lord’s sight by requesting a king for yourselves.”
- Job 37:1My heart pounds at this and leaps from my chest.
- Job 38:25Who cuts a channel for the flooding rain or clears the way for lightning,
- Psalms 18:11He made darkness his hiding place, dark storm clouds his canopy around him.
- Psalms 29:3The voice of the Lord is above the waters. The God of glory thunders — the Lord, above the vast water,
- Psalms 50:3Our God is coming; he will not be silent! Devouring fire precedes him, and a storm rages around him.
- Psalms 77:18The sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind; lightning lit up the world. The earth shook and quaked.
- Psalms 97:4His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles.
- Hebrews 12:18For you have not come to what could be touched, to a blazing fire, to darkness, gloom, and storm,
- Revelation 4:5Flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder came from the throne. Seven fiery torches were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.
- Revelation 8:5The angel took the incense burner, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it to the earth; there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
- Revelation 11:19Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant appeared in his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder, an earthquake, and severe hail.
- Exodus 19:9The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you and will always believe you.” Moses reported the people’s words to the Lord,
- Exodus 40:34The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
Commentaries on Exodus 19:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud - and the voice of the trumpet - The thunders, lightnings, etc., announced the coming, as they proclaimed the majesty, of God. Of the thunders and lightnings, and the deep, dark, dismal, electric cloud, from which the thunders and lightnings proceeded, we can form a tolerable apprehension; but of the loud, long-sounding trumpet, we can scarcely form a conjecture. Such were the appearances and the noise that all…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-25Verses 16-25 Never was there such a sermon preached, before or since, as this which was preached to the church in the wilderness. It might be supposed that the terrors would have checked presumption and curiosity in the people; but the hard heart of an unawakened sinner can trifle with the most terrible threatenings and judgments. In drawing near to God, we must never forget his holiness and greatness, nor our own meanness and pollution. We cannot stand…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-25The final preparation phase included events that helped people accept the covenant. Some of the experiences were visual: lightning and a cloud (19:16), smoke and fire (19:18). The people also heard thunder, a ram’s horn, and the voice of God (19:16, 19). The entire mountain shook violently (19:18). In the Bible, such unusual events are often associated with a theophany, which is a visible appearance of God’s holy presence.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, &c.--The descent of God was signalized by every object imagination can conceive connected with the ideas of grandeur and of awe. But all was in keeping with the character of the law about to be proclaimed. As the mountain burned with fire, God was exhibited as a consuming fire to the transgressors of His law. The thunder and lightning, more awful amid the deep stillness of the…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 19:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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