Exodus 19:12

American Standard Version

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:

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
You shall set bounds to the people round about, saying, 'Be careful that you don't go up onto the mountain, or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain shall be surely put to death.

King James Version
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:

Lexham English Bible
And you must set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Guard yourselves against going up to the mountain and touching its edge. Anyone touching the mountain will certainly be put to death.

New Century Version
But you must set a limit around the mountain that the people are not to cross. Tell them not to go up on the mountain and not to touch the foot of it. Anyone who touches the mountain must be put to death

New English Translation
You must set boundaries for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed to yourselves not to go up on the mountain nor touch its edge. Whoever touches the mountain will surely be put to death!

Amplified Bible
"You shall set barriers for the people all around [the mountain], saying, 'Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch its border; whoever touches the mountain must be put to death.

New American Standard Bible
"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.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And thou shalt set markes vnto the people rounde about, saying, Take heede to your selues that ye goe not vp the mount, nor touche the border of it: whosoeuer toucheth the mount, shall surely die.

Legacy Standard Bible
And you shall set bounds 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 surely be put to death.

Contemporary English Version
Warn the people that they are forbidden to touch any part of the mountain. Anyone who does will be put to death,

Complete Jewish Bible
You are to set limits for the people all around; and say, ‘Be careful not to go up on the mountain or even touch its base; whoever touches the mountain will surely be put to death.

Darby Translation
And set bounds round about the people, saying, Take heed to yourselves, [not] to go up unto the mountain nor touch the border of it: whatever toucheth the mountain shall certainly be put to death:

Easy-to-Read Version
But you must tell the people to stay away from the mountain. Make a line and don't let them cross it. Any person or animal that touches the mountain must be killed with stones or shot with arrows. But don't let anyone touch them. The people must wait until the trumpet blows. Only then can they go up the mountain."

English Standard Version
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.

George Lamsa Translation
And you shall publish a warning among the people, saying, Take heed to yourselves, neither go up into the mountain, nor draw near to the border of it; whoever draws near to the mountain shall be put to death:

Good News Translation
Mark a boundary around the mountain that the people must not cross, and tell them not to go up the mountain or even get near it. If any of you set foot on it, you are to be put to death;

Christian Standard Bible®
Put boundaries for the people all around the mountain and say: Be careful that you don’t go up on the mountain or touch its base. Anyone who touches the mountain must be put to death.

Literal Translation
And you shall set limits to the people all around, saying, Be careful for yourselves, not going up into the mountain and touching its border; everyone touching the mountain dying shall die.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And set markes rounde aboute the people, and saye vnto them: Bewarre, that ye go not vp in to ye mount, ner touch ye border of it. For whosoeuer toucheth ye mout, shal dye ye death.

Bible in Basic English
And let limits be marked out for the people round the mountain, and say to them, Take care not to go up the mountain or near the sides of it: whoever puts his foot on the mountain will certainly come to his death:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And thou shalt set boundes vnto the people rounde about, & say: take heede to your selues that ye go not vp into the mount, or touche the border of it: whosoeuer toucheth the mounte, shall surelye dye.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
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;

King James Version (1611)
And thou shalt set bounds vnto the people round about, saying, Take heed to your selues, that ye goe not vp into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoeuer toucheth the mount, shall be surely put to death.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And thou shalt separate the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves that ye go not up into the mountain, nor touch any part of it: every one that touches the mountain shall surely die.

English Revised Version
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:

Berean Standard Bible
And you are to set up a boundary for the people around the mountain and tell them, 'Be careful not to go up on the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thou schalt sette termes to the puple, bi cumpas; and thou schalt seie to hem, Be ye war, that ye `stie not in to the hil, nether touche ye the endis therof; ech man that schal touche the hil, schal die bi deeth.

Young's Literal Translation
`And thou hast made a border [for] the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, going up into the mount, or coming against its extremity; whoever is coming against the mount is certainly put to death;

Update Bible Version
And you shall set bounds to the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that you don't go up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whoever touches the mount shall be surely put to death:

Webster's Bible Translation
And thou shalt set bounds to the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, [that ye] go [not] up upon the mount, or touch the border of it: whoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:

World English Bible
You shall set bounds to the people round about, saying, 'Be careful that you don't go up onto the mountain, or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain shall be surely put to death.

New King James Version
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.

New Living Translation
Mark 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.

New Life Bible
Let the people know the places all around that they must not pass. Tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not go up on the mountain or touch any place around it. Whoever touches the mountain will be put to death.

New Revised Standard
You shall set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Be careful not to go up the mountain or to touch the edge of it. Any who touch the mountain shall be put to death.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So then thou shalt set bounds for the people round about saying, Take heed to yourselves - that ye go not up into the mountain, nor touch the boundary thereof, whosoever toucheth the mountain, shall, surely die.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And thou shalt appoint certain limits to the people round about, and thou shalt say to them: Take heed ye go not up into the mount, and that ye touch not the borders thereof: every one that toucheth the mount, dying he shall die.

Revised Standard Version
And you shall set bounds for the people round about, saying, 'Take heed that you do not go up into the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death;

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"You shall set bounds 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 surely be put to death.

Contextual Overview

⁹ And Jehovah said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and may also believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto Jehovah. ¹⁰ And Jehovah said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to-day and to-morrow, and let them wash their garments, ¹¹ and be ready against the third day; for the third day Jehovah will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. ¹² 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: ¹³ no hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, he shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount. ¹⁴ And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their garments. ¹⁵ And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not near a woman.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

set bounds: Exodus 19:21, Exodus 19:23, Joshua 3:4

Take: Exodus 10:28, Exodus 34:12, Deuteronomy 2:4, Deuteronomy 4:9

or touch: Hebrews 12:20, Hebrews 12:21

Reciprocal: Genesis 3:3 - touch Exodus 3:5 - Draw not Exodus 19:24 - but let Exodus 34:3 - General Numbers 4:15 - they shall 2 Chronicles 23:7 - whosoever 2 Corinthians 3:9 - the ministration of condemnation Hebrews 12:18 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 7:1
And Jehovah said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

Genesis 19:14
And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons-in-law, who married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for Jehovah will destroy the city. But he seemed unto his sons-in-law as one that mocked.

Genesis 19:17
And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the Plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

Genesis 19:22
Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

Genesis 19:23
The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot came unto Zoar.

Numbers 16:26
And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.

Jeremiah 32:39
and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:

2 Peter 2:7
and delivered righteous Lot, sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked

2 Peter 2:9
the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment;

Revelation 18:4
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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 yourselves that ye go not up into the mount; so far were they from being allowed to go up to the top of it, that they were not allowed to ascend it at all, or to go any further than where the ascent or rise began; it was at their peril to ascend, and this was what they were to take heed unto, lest they incurred danger:

or touch the border of it; it being the mountain of God, and relatively holy through his presence on it:

whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death; which severe law was made to deter them from any attempt to go up the mountain, since it was death even to touch it, see Hebrews 12:18.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Set 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 19:12. Thou 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, אל תגשו אל אשה al tiggeshu el ishshah, come not at your wives, seem rather to mean, come not near unto the FIRE; especially as the other phrase is not at all probable: but the fire is, on this occasion, spoken of so emphatically (see Deuteronomy 5:4-5; Deuteronomy 5:22-25) that we are naturally led to consider אשה ishshah here as האש ha-esh transposed, or to say, with Simon in his Lexicon, אשה faem, idem quod masc. אש ignis. So among other instances, we have אבר and אברה a wing; אור and אורה light; אמץ and אמצה strength; and אמר and אמרה a speech. - Burt. See KENNICOTT'S Remarks.

Whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death — The place was awfully sacred, because the dreadful majesty of God was displayed on it. And this taught them that God is a consuming fire, and that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.