Exodus 19:21

Exodus 19:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the Lord said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish.
• New International Version (NIV)and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the Lord said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the Lord to look and many of them perish.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to gaze at the Lord, and many of them perish.

Context of Exodus 19:21

19When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him with thunder. 20Then the Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. Then 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. 22Also have the priests who approach the Lord consecrate themselves, or else the Lord will break out against them.” 23And Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for You warned us, saying, ‘Set boundaries around the mountain and consecrate it.’”

Exodus 19:21 word by word

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה רֵ֖ד הָעֵ֣ד בָּעָ֑ם פֶּן־יֶהֶרְס֤וּ אֶל־יְהוָה֙ לִרְא֔וֹת וְנָפַ֥ל מִמֶּ֖נּוּ רָֽב׃Read the interlinear

• Then the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• spokeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
• Goיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
• warnעוּד‛ûd · to testifyH5749
• the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• soפֶּן־pên · lestH6435
• breakהָרַסhâras · to overthrowH2040
• to stareרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• and manyרַבrab · manyH7227
• perishנָפַלnâphal · to fall: killH5307

Cross-references for Exodus 19:21

• Exodus 19:12But 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.
• Exodus 3:3So Moses said, “I must turn aside and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burning up!”
• Exodus 33:20He further said, “You cannot see My face, for mankind shall not see Me and live!”
• 1 Samuel 6:19Now He fatally struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. He struck 50,070 men among the people, and the people mourned because the Lord had struck the people with a great slaughter.
• Ecclesiastes 5:1Guard your steps as you go to the house of God, and approach to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know that they are doing evil.
• Hebrews 12:28Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let’s show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;

Commentaries on Exodus 19:21

• 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. 21-25The repeated warnings that no one should break through and approach the Lord made the scene even more serious. The people had just seen powerful signs of God’s presence. God is completely holy and far above his creation (transcendent, meaning beyond human limits). People must approach him in the way he commands. They may not come to him in their own way.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. the Lord said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people--No sooner had Moses proceeded a little up the mount, than he was suddenly ordered to return, in order to keep the people from breaking through to gaze--a course adopted to heighten the impressive solemnity of the scene. The strict injunctions renewed to all, whatever their condition, at a time and in circumstances when the whole multitude of Israel were standing at the base of the mount, was…Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 19:21

• Curiosity
• God
• Law
• Reverence
• Sinai
• Worship

In the dictionaries

• Moses
• Commandments, the Ten
• Festivals, Religious
• Kingdom
• Return
• Sanctify
• Thunder
• Treasure
• Wing
• Break

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