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Bible in Basic English

Exodus 19:22

And let the priests who come near to the Lord make themselves holy, for fear that the Lord may come on them suddenly.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - God;   Law;   Priest;   Reverence;   Sinai;   Worship;   Scofield Reference Index - Israel;   Thompson Chain Reference - Leaders;   Priests;   Religious;   Sanctification;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Law of Moses, the;   Priests;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Exodus;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Prophet, Prophetess, Prophecy;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Commandments, the Ten;   Festivals, Religious;   First-Born, Sanctification of the;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Levites;   Mediator;   Priest;   Sabbath;   Trumpets, Feast of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Exodus, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Exodus;   Mediator, Mediation;   Moses;   Sanctification, Sanctify;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Sina, Sinai ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Sinai;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Encampment at Sinai;   Events of the Encampment;   Proclamation of the Law;   Tabernacle, the;   Peculiarities of the Law of Moses;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Break;   Law in the Old Testament;   Priests and Levites;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Holiness;   Primogeniture;   Theophany;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Let the Kohanim also, who come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth on them."
King James Version
And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord , sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them.
Lexham English Bible
And even the priests who come near Yahweh must consecrate themselves, lest Yahweh break out against them."
New Century Version
Even the priests, who may come near me, must first prepare themselves. If they don't, I, the Lord , will punish them."
New English Translation
Let the priests also, who approach the Lord , sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break through against them."
Amplified Bible
"Also have the priests who approach the LORD consecrate (sanctify, set apart) themselves [for My sacred purpose], or else the LORD will break forth [in judgment] against them [and destroy them]."
New American Standard Bible
"Also have the priests who approach the LORD consecrate themselves, or else the LORD will break out against them."
Geneva Bible (1587)
And let the Priestes also which come to the Lorde be sanctified, least the Lorde destroy them.
Legacy Standard Bible
Also let the priests who come near to Yahweh set themselves apart as holy, lest Yahweh break out against them."
Contemporary English Version
Only the priests may come near me, and they must obey strict rules before I let them. If they don't, they will be punished."
Complete Jewish Bible
Even the cohanim, who are allowed to approach Adonai , must keep themselves holy; otherwise, Adonai may break out against them."
Darby Translation
And the priests also, who come near to Jehovah, shall hallow themselves, lest Jehovah break forth on them.
Easy-to-Read Version
Also tell the priests who come near the Lord that they must prepare themselves for this special meeting. If they don't, I, the Lord , will punish them."
English Standard Version
Also let the priests who come near to the Lord consecrate themselves, lest the Lord break out against them."
George Lamsa Translation
And let the priests also who come near to the LORD sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.
Good News Translation
Even the priests who come near me must purify themselves, or I will punish them."
Christian Standard Bible®
Even the priests who come near the Lord must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out in anger against them.”
Literal Translation
And also the priests, those approaching Jehovah, let them sanctify themselves that Jehovah not burst forth among them.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The rulers also that come nye vnto ye LORDE, shal sanctifie themselues, lest the LORDE smyte the.
American Standard Version
And let the priests also, that come near to Jehovah, sanctify themselves, lest Jehovah break forth upon them.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And let the priestes also whiche come to the Lorde sanctifie them selues, lest the Lorde destroy them.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And let the priests also, that come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.'
King James Version (1611)
And let the Priestes also which come neere to the Lord, sanctifie themselues, lest the Lord breake foorth vpon them.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And let the priests that draw nigh to the Lord God sanctify themselves, lest he destroy some of them.
English Revised Version
And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.
Berean Standard Bible
Even the priests who approach the LORD must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
also preestis, that neiyen to the Lord, be halewid, lest Y smyte hem.
Young's Literal Translation
and also the priests who are coming nigh unto Jehovah do sanctify themselves, lest Jehovah break forth on them.'
Update Bible Version
And let the priests also, that come near to Yahweh, sanctify themselves, or else Yahweh will break forth on them.
Webster's Bible Translation
And let the priests also who come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.
World English Bible
Let the priests also, who come near to Yahweh, sanctify themselves, lest Yahweh break forth on them."
New King James Version
Also let the priests who come near the LORD consecrate themselves, lest the LORD break out against them."
New Living Translation
Even the priests who regularly come near to the Lord must purify themselves so that the Lord does not break out and destroy them."
New Life Bible
Have the religious leaders who come near to the Lord set themselves apart to be holy. Or the Lord will go against them."
New Revised Standard
Even the priests who approach the Lord must consecrate themselves or the Lord will break out against them."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Yea, even the priests who do approach unto Yahweh, must hallow themselves, - lest Yahweh break in upon them.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The priests also that come to the Lord, let them be sanctified, lest he strike them.
Revised Standard Version
And also let the priests who come near to the LORD consecrate themselves, lest the LORD break out upon them."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Also let the priests who come near to the LORD consecrate themselves, or else the LORD will break out against them."

Contextual Overview

16 And when morning came on the third day, there were thunders and flames and a thick cloud on the mountain, and a horn sounding very loud; and all the people in the tents were shaking with fear. 17 And Moses made the people come out of their tents and take their places before God; and they came to the foot of the mountain, 18 And all the mountain of Sinai was smoking, for the Lord had come down on it in fire: and the smoke of it went up like the smoke of a great burning; and all the mountain was shaking. 19 And when the sound of the horn became louder and louder, Moses' words were answered by the voice of God. 20 Then the Lord came down on to Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, and the Lord sent for Moses to come up to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. 21 And the Lord said to Moses, Go down and give the people orders to keep back, for fear that a great number of them, forcing their way through to see the Lord, may come to destruction. 22 And let the priests who come near to the Lord make themselves holy, for fear that the Lord may come on them suddenly. 23 And Moses said to the Lord, The people will not be able to come up the mountain, for you gave us orders to put limits round the mountain, marking it out and making it holy. 24 And the Lord said to him, Go down, and you and Aaron may come up; but let not the priests and the people make their way through to the Lord, or he will come on them suddenly. 25 So Moses went down to the people and said this to them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the priests: Exodus 24:5, Leviticus 10:1-3, Isaiah 52:11

sanctify: Exodus 19:5, Exodus 19:14, Exodus 19:15

break: 2 Samuel 6:6-8, 1 Chronicles 13:9-11, 1 Chronicles 15:13, 2 Chronicles 30:3, 2 Chronicles 30:15, 2 Chronicles 30:18, 2 Chronicles 30:19, Acts 5:5, Acts 5:10, 1 Corinthians 11:30-32

Reciprocal: Exodus 19:24 - lest Leviticus 10:3 - I will be Psalms 68:17 - as in Sinai Joel 2:16 - sanctify

Cross-References

Genesis 13:10
And Lot, lifting up his eyes and looking an the valley of Jordan, saw that it was well watered everywhere, before the Lord had sent destruction on Sodom and Gomorrah; it was like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, on the way to Zoar.
Genesis 14:2
They made war with Bera, king of Sodom, and with Birsha, king of Gomorrah, Shinab, king of Admah, and Shemeber, king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (which is Zoar).
Genesis 19:1
And at nightfall the two angels came to Sodom; and Lot was seated at the way into the town: and when he saw them he got up and came before them, falling down on his face to the earth.
Genesis 19:10
But the men put out their hands and took Lot into the house to them, shutting the door again.
Genesis 19:25
And he sent destruction on those towns, with all the lowland and all the people of those towns and every green thing in the land.
Genesis 19:28
And looking in the direction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the lowland, he saw the smoke of the land going up like the smoke of an oven.
Exodus 32:10
Now do not get in my way, for my wrath is burning against them; I will send destruction on them, but of you I will make a great nation.
Deuteronomy 9:14
Let me send destruction on them till their very name is cut off; and I will make of you a nation greater and stronger than they.
Isaiah 15:5
My heart is crying out for Moab; her people go in flight to Zoar, and to Eglath-shelishiyah: for they go up with weeping by the slope of Luhith; on the way to Horonaim they send up a cry of destruction.
Isaiah 65:8
This is the word of the Lord: As the new wine is seen in the grapes, and they say, Do not send destruction on it, for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants, in order that I may not put an end to them all.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And let the priests also, which come near unto the Lord,.... Either the firstborn, as the Jews generally interpret it, so Jarchi and Aben Ezra; who were sanctified to the Lord, and in whose stead afterwards the Levites were taken; or the sons of Aaron, who should be, and were potentially, though not actually priests, as Ben Gersom expresses it, from an ancient book of theirs called Mechilta; or rather some principal persons, as heads of families and the like, who, before the priesthood was settled in the family of Aaron, officiated as priests, and drew nigh to God, and offered up sacrifices for themselves and others, and were distinguished from others by this character, and therefore do not intend princes, as some interpret the word; for the description of them will not agree to them, but plainly points to a sort of men, to whom it was peculiar to perform that office. These Moses is bid to charge that they

sanctify themselves; in the same manner as the people in general were before ordered, and keep themselves within the same bounds; not daring to transgress them, because they were persons that used to draw nigh to God in the performance of religious actions:

lest the Lord break forth upon them; and smite them, that they die, in like manner as he made a breach on Uzzah afterwards for touching the ark of the Lord, 2 Samuel 6:6.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The priests also - Sacrifices had hitherto been offered by firstborn, or the heads of families. See Genesis 14:18 note.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 19:22. Let the priests also - sanctify themselves — That there were priests among the Hebrews before the consecration of Aaron and his sons, cannot be doubted; though their functions might be in a considerable measure suspended while under persecution in Egypt, yet the persons existed whose right and duty it was to offer sacrifices to God. Moses requested liberty from Pharaoh to go into the wilderness to sacrifice; and had there not been among the people both sacrifices and priests, the request itself must have appeared nugatory and absurd. Sacrifices from the beginning had constituted an essential part of the worship of God, and there certainly were priests whose business it was to offer them to God before the giving of the law; though this, for especial reasons, was restricted to Aaron and his sons after the law had been given. As sacrifices had not been offered for a considerable time, the priests themselves were considered in a state of impurity; and therefore God requires that they also should be purified for the purpose of approaching the mountain, and hearing their Maker promulgate his laws. Exodus 28:1.


 
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