Exodus 20:19

Exodus 20:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
• New International Version (NIV)and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)and said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”

Context of Exodus 20:19

17“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” 18All the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. Then they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die.” 20Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin.” 21So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was.

Exodus 20:19 word by word

וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה דַּבֵּר־אַתָּ֥ה עִמָּ֖נוּ וְנִשְׁמָ֑עָה וְאַל־יְדַבֵּ֥ר עִמָּ֛נוּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים פֶּן־נָמֽוּת׃Read the interlinear

• Then they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
• Speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• to us yourselfאַתָּ֫ה'attâh 'attâ 'ath 'attîy 'attem 'atten 'attênâh 'attênnâh · you(m.s.)H859
• and we will listenשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• but let not Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• to us, orפֶּן־pên · lestH6435
• we will dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191

Cross-references for Exodus 20:19

• Deuteronomy 18:16This is according to all that you asked of the Lord your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.’
• Acts 7:38This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you.
• Exodus 33:20But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!”
• Genesis 32:30So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.”

Commentaries on Exodus 20:19

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18-21Verses 18-21 Compare Deuteronomy 5:22-31. Aaron Exodus 19:24 on this occasion accompanied Moses in drawing near to the thick darkness. Exodus 20:22 to Exodus 23:33 is a series of laws which we may identify with what was written by Moses in the book called the book of the covenant, and read by him in the audience of the people Exodus 24:7. The document cannot be regarded as a strictly systematic whole. Portions of it were probably traditional rules handed…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-21Verses 18-21 This law, which is so extensive that we cannot measure it, so spiritual that we cannot evade it, and so reasonable that we cannot find fault with it, will be the rule of the future judgment of God, as it is for the present conduct of man. If tried by this rule, we shall find our lives have been passed in transgressions. And with this holy law and an awful judgment before us, who can despise the gospel of Christ? And the knowledge of the law…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-21The people were very conscious of their sinfulness before a holy God and begged Moses to stand between them and God. Moses pointed out that God’s goal was neither to overawe them nor to destroy them. Rather, he wanted their awe of him to keep them from sinning (Exodus 20:20). Jesus is the ultimate mediator between God and people (1 Timothy 2:5).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2118-21. all the people saw the thunderings and the lightnings--They were eye and ear witnesses of the awful emblems of the Deity's descent. But they perceived not the Deity Himself.Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 20:19

• Fear of God
• God

In the dictionaries

• God
• Moses
• Commit
• Covet
• Grave
• Guiltless
• Hold
• Likeness
• Remember
• Steal

Commentaries on Exodus 20

• 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