Exodus 19:10-17

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 19:9-15

Here, I. God intimates to Moses his purpose of coming down upon mount Sinai, in some visible appearance of his glory, in a thick cloud (Exod. 19:9); for he said that he would dwell in the thick darkness (2 Chron. 6:1), and make this his pavilion (Ps. 18:11), holding back the face of his throne when he set it upon mount Sinai, and spreading a cloud upon it, Job 26:9. This thick cloud was to prohibit curious enquiries into things secret, and to command an awful adoration of that which was... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 19:16-25

Now, at length, comes that memorable day, that terrible day of the Lord, that day of judgment, in which Israel heard the voice of the Lord God speaking to them out of the midst of the fire, and lived, Deut. 4:33. Never was there such a sermon preached, before nor since, as this which was here preached to the church in the wilderness. For, I. The preacher was God himself (Exod. 19:18): The Lord descended in fire, and (Exod. 19:20), The Lord came down upon mount Sinai. The shechinah, or glory of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 19:10

And the Lord said unto Moses ,.... On the fourth day, according to the Targum of Jonathan: go unto the people ; go down from the mountain, from the top of it, where he now was, to the camp of Israel, which was pitched before it: and sanctify them today and tomorrow ; the fourth and fifth days of the month; that is, he was, to instruct them how they were to sanctify themselves in an external way, by washing themselves, as after mentioned, their bodies and clothes, and by abstaining... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 19:11

And be ready against the third day ,.... Not the third day of the month, but the third day from hence, this being the fourth, and the morrow the fifth, and the third day, the day following that, the sixth, on which day it is generally agreed by the Jews that the law was given; see Gill on Exodus 19:16 . for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai ; which must be understood, consistent with his omnipresence, and is only expressive of some... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 19:12

And thou shall set bounds to the people round about ,.... That is, round about the mountain, by drawing a line, throwing up a foss or ditch, or else by laying up heaps of stones or sand, which might be come at easily, or bushes and branches of trees, which grew thick on the mount, from whence it had its name; but be it what will that were used, these were to signify, that so far the people might go, but no further, which their curiosity might prompt them to: saying, take heed unto... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 19:13

There shall not a hand touch it ,.... The mountain or the border of it, which is repeated that it might be taken notice of; and to show that it would be resented if they were to stretch out their hand and only lightly touch it, much more should they set their feet upon it and attempt to ascend it: or rather, "shall not touch him" F15 לא תגע בש "non tanget eum", Vatablus, Drusius, "non feriet eum", Tigurine version. ; that is, the man that shall touch the mountain; he shall be so... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 19:14

And Moses went down from the mount unto the people ,.... The same day that he went up, the fourth day of the month: and sanctified the people ; instructed them and ordered them what they should do for their sanctification, in order to their hearing the law from the mouth of the Lord: and they washed their clothes ; as the Lord had directed Moses to enjoin them, and as he had commanded them; see Gill on Exodus 19:10 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 19:15

And he said unto the people, be ready against the third day ,.... The third day from thence, the sixth of the month Sivan, against which day they were to prepare themselves, by washing their garments, and all other outward acts of sanctification and purity they were directed to, that they might be ready for the service of that day, to hear and receive the law from God himself: Aben Ezra has this note on the passage,"perhaps not a man slept that night, that he might hear the voice of the Lord... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 19:16

And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, The sixth of the month, according to the Targum of Jonathan, and so Jarchi; on which day, as the Jews generally say F20 T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 86. 2. & Yoma, fol. 4. 2. Seder Olam Rabba, c. 5. p. 18. , the law was given, and which, they also observe, was a sabbath day: yea, they are sometimes so very particular as to fix the hour of the day, and say F21 Pirke Eliezer, c. 46. , it was the sixth hour of the day, or twelve... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 19:17

And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp ,.... Which was before the mountain and near it, when the above tokens were given of the divine Presence on it; as they were thrown into a panic upon the sound of the trumpet, it was, perhaps, with some difficulty that they were brought out of the camp, or persuaded to quit it; and nothing short of the presence of Moses at the head of them, to go before them, and lead them to the foot of the mountain, could have prevailed upon them to have... read more

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