New American Standard Bible 2020
Exodus 19:12
12But you shall set boundaries for the people all around, saying, ‘1Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; 2whoever touches the mountain shall certainly be put to death.
Exodus 19:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:
- New International Version (NIV)Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, 'Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death.
- New King James Version (NKJV)You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed to yourselves that you do not go up to the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.
Context of Exodus 19:12
10The Lord also said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their garments; 11and have them ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. But you shall set boundaries for the people all around, saying, ‘Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall certainly be put to death. 13No hand shall touch him, but he shall certainly be stoned or shot through; whether animal or person, the violator shall not live.’ When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain.” 14So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and consecrated the people, and they washed their garments.
Read all of Exodus 19Exodus 19:12 word by word
וְהִגְבַּלְתָּ֤ אֶת־הָעָם֙ סָבִ֣יב לֵאמֹ֔ר הִשָּׁמְר֥וּ לָכֶ֛ם עֲל֥וֹת בָּהָ֖ר וּנְגֹ֣עַ בְּקָצֵ֑הוּ כָּל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בָּהָ֖ר מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת׃Read the interlinear
- But you shall setגָּבַלgâbal · to borderH1379
- for the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- allסָבִיבsâbîyb sebîybâh · aroundH5439
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Bewareשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: carefulH8104
- that you do not goעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- on the mountainהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- or touchנָגַעnâga‛ · to touchH5060
- the borderקָצֶהqâtseh qêtseh · endH7097
- whoeverכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- shall certainlyמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
Cross-references for Exodus 19:12
- Exodus 19:21Then the Lord spoke to Moses: “Go down, warn the people, so that they do not break through to the Lord to stare, and many of them perish.
- Joshua 3:4However, there shall be a distance between you and it of about two thousand cubits by measurement. Do not come near it, so that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.”
- Exodus 10:28Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Be careful, do not see my face again, for on the day you see my face, you shall die!”
- Exodus 34:12Be careful that you do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst.
- Deuteronomy 2:4and command the people, saying, “You are going to pass through the territory of your brothers the sons of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. So be very careful;
- Deuteronomy 4:9“Only be careful for yourself and watch over your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons.
- Hebrews 12:20For they could not cope with the command, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.”
Commentaries on Exodus 19:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Thou shalt set bounds - Whether this was a line marked out on the ground, beyond which they were not to go, or whether a fence was actually made to keep them off, we cannot tell; or whether this fence was made all round the mountain, or only at that part to which one wing of the camp extended, is not evident. This verse strictly forbids the people from coming near and touching Mount Sinai, which was burning with Fire. The words therefore in Exodus 19:15…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Set bounds unto the people - The low line of alluvial mounds at the foot of the cliff of Ras Safsafeh exactly answers to the bounds which were to keep the people off from touching the mount: but the bounds here spoken of were to be set up by Moses.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-15Verses 9-15 The solemn manner in which the law was delivered, was to impress the people with a right sense of the Divine majesty. Also to convince them of their own guilt, and to show that they could not stand in judgment before God by their own obedience. In the law, the sinner discovers what he ought to be, what he is, and what he wants. There he learns the nature, necessity, and glory of redemption, and of being made holy. Having been taught to flee to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10-15In the second stage of preparation, the people received commands that helped them get ready for God’s covenant. First, they had to wash their clothing (19:10, 14). This act showed that God is pure. Second, they had to set up a boundary around the mountain and not cross it (19:12–13). This command showed that God is holy (completely set apart). Third, they had to abstain from sexual relations (19:15). This instruction reminded them that God is not a sexual…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-159-15. The Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come ... in a thick cloud, &c.--The deepest impressions are made on the mind through the medium of the senses; and so He who knew what was in man signalized His descent at the inauguration of the ancient church, by all the sensible tokens of august majesty that were fitted to produce the conviction that He is the great and terrible God. The whole multitude must have anticipated the event with feelings of intense…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 19:12
In the dictionaries
Notes
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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