New Living Translation
Exodus 19:23
23“But Lord,” Moses protested, “the people cannot come up to Mount Sinai. You already warned us. You told me, ‘Mark off a boundary all around the mountain to set it apart as holy.’”
Exodus 19:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Moses said unto the Lord, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.
- New International Version (NIV)Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Moses said to the Lord, "The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you yourself warned us, saying, 'Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.'"
- New King James Version (NKJV)But Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; for You warned us, saying, ‘Set bounds around the mountain and consecrate it.’ ”
Context of Exodus 19:23
21Then the Lord told Moses, “Go back down and warn the people not to break through the boundaries to see the Lord, or they will die. 22Even the priests who regularly come near to the Lord must purify themselves so that the Lord does not break out and destroy them.” “But Lord,” Moses protested, “the people cannot come up to Mount Sinai. You already warned us. You told me, ‘Mark off a boundary all around the mountain to set it apart as holy.’” 24But the Lord said, “Go down and bring Aaron back up with you. In the meantime, do not let the priests or the people break through to approach the Lord, or he will break out and destroy them.” 25So Moses went down to the people and told them what the Lord had said.
Read all of Exodus 19Exodus 19:23 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֔ה לֹא־יוּכַ֣ל הָעָ֔ם לַעֲלֹ֖ת אֶל־הַ֣ר סִינָ֑י כִּֽי־אַתָּ֞ה הַעֵדֹ֤תָה בָּ֙נוּ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַגְבֵּ֥ל אֶת־הָהָ֖ר וְקִדַּשְׁתּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- The peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- cannotיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
- come upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- to mountהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- Sinaiסִינַיsîynay · SinaiH5514
- for thou chargedstעוּד‛ûd · to testifyH5749
- Set boundsגָּבַלgâbal · to borderH1379
- and sanctifyקָדַשׁqâdash · to consecrate: consecateH6942
Cross-references for Exodus 19:23
- Exodus 19:12Mark off a boundary all around the mountain. Warn the people, ‘Be careful! Do not go up on the mountain or even touch its boundaries. Anyone who touches the mountain will certainly be put to death.
- Joshua 3:4Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about half a mile behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don’t come any closer.”
Commentaries on Exodus 19:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23The people cannot come up - Either because they had been so solemnly forbidden that they would not dare, with the penalty of instant death before their eyes, to transgress the Divine command; or the bounds which were set about the mount were such as rendered their passing them physically impossible. And sanctify it - וקדשהי vekiddashio . Here the word קדש kadash is taken in its proper literal sense, signifying the separating of a thing, person or place…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. 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. 1-251. In the third month--according to Jewish usage, the first day of that month--"same day."--It is added, to mark the time more explicitly, that is, forty-five days after Egypt--one day spent on the mount (Ex 19:3), one returning the people's answer (Ex 19:7, 8), three days of preparation, making the whole time fifty days from the first passover to the promulgation of the law. Hence the feast of pentecost, that is, the fiftieth day, was the inauguration of…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 19:23
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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