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the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Contemporary English Version

Exodus 19:21

Then he said, "Moses, go and warn the people not to cross the boundary that you set at the foot of the mountain. They must not cross it to come and look at me, because if they do, many of them will die.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Curiosity;   God;   Law;   Reverence;   Sinai;   Worship;   Scofield Reference Index - Israel;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Law of Moses, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Exodus;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Prophet, Prophetess, Prophecy;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Commandments, the Ten;   Festivals, Religious;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Mediator;   Sabbath;   Trumpets, Feast of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Exodus, Book of;   Theophany;   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;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Holiness;   Theophany;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
The LORD said to Moshe, "Go down, charge the people, lest they break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
And Yahweh said to Moses, "Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to see and many from them fall.
New Century Version
The Lord said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people that they must not force their way through to see me. If they do, many of them will die.
New English Translation
The Lord said to Moses, "Go down and solemnly warn the people, lest they force their way through to the Lord to look, and many of them perish.
Amplified Bible
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, "Go down, warn the people, so that they do not break through [the barriers around the mountain] to the LORD to see [Me], and many of them perish [as a result].
New American Standard Bible
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.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then the Lord said vnto Moses, Go down, charge the people, that they breake not their boundes, to go vp to the Lord to gaze, least many of them perish.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to see, and many of them perish.
Complete Jewish Bible
Adonai said to Moshe, "Go down and warn the people not to force their way through to Adonai to see him; if they do, many of them will perish.
Darby Translation
And Jehovah said to Moses, Go down, testify to the people that they break not through to Jehovah to gaze, and many of them perish.
Easy-to-Read Version
The Lord said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people not to come near me and look at me. If they do, many will die.
English Standard Version
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.
George Lamsa Translation
And the LORD said to Moses, Go down, warn the people, test they break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
Good News Translation
and the Lord said to him, "Go down and warn the people not to cross the boundary to come and look at me; if they do, many of them will die.
Christian Standard Bible®
The Lord directed Moses, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the Lord; otherwise many of them will die.
Literal Translation
And Jehovah said to Moses, Go down, warn the people lest they break through to gaze at Jehovah, and many of them fall.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sayde the LORDE vnto him: Go downe, and charge the people, yt they preasse not vnto the LORDE to se him, and so many of them perishe.
American Standard Version
And Jehovah said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto Jehovah to gaze, and many of them perish.
Bible in Basic English
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.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the Lorde sayd vnto Moyses: Go downe, charge the people, lest they breake out from their boundes to see the Lorde, and so many of them perishe.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.
King James Version (1611)
And the Lord said vnto Moses, Goe downe, charge the people, lest they breake thorow vnto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And God spoke to Moses, saying, Go down, and solemnly charge the people, lest at any time they draw nigh to God to gaze, and a multitude of them fall.
English Revised Version
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.
Berean Standard Bible
and the LORD said to him, "Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the LORD, lest many of them perish.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
the Lord seide to hym, Go thou doun, and witnesse thou to the puple, lest perauenture it wole passe the termes to se the Lord, and ful greet multitude therof perische;
Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Go down, protest to the people, lest they break through unto Jehovah to see, and many of them have fallen;
Update Bible Version
And Yahweh said to Moses, Go down, charge the people, or else they will break through to Yahweh to gaze, and many of them will perish.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD said to Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
World English Bible
Yahweh said to Moses, "Go down, charge the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to gaze, and many of them perish.
New King James Version
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.
New Living Translation
Then 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.
New Life Bible
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go down and tell the people not to break through to look at the Lord. For then many of them would be destroyed.
New Revised Standard
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people not to break through to the Lord to look; otherwise many of them will perish.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said Yahweh unto Moses, Go dawn adjure the people, - lest they press through unto Yahweh to see, and so there fall from among them a multitude.
Douay-Rheims Bible
He said unto him: Go down, and charge the people; lest they should have a mind to pass the limits to see the Lord, and a very great multitude of them should perish.
Revised Standard Version
And the LORD said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the LORD to gaze and many of them perish.
THE MESSAGE
God said to Moses, "Go down. Warn the people not to break through the barricades to get a look at God lest many of them die. And the priests also, warn them to prepare themselves for the holy meeting, lest God break out against them."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, "Go down, warn the people, so that they do not break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.

Contextual Overview

16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning. A thick cloud covered the mountain, a loud trumpet blast was heard, and everyone in camp trembled with fear. 17 Moses led them out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had come down in a flaming fire. Smoke poured out of the mountain just like a furnace, and the whole mountain shook. 19 The trumpet blew louder and louder. Moses spoke, and God answered him with thunder. 20 The Lord came down to the top of Mount Sinai and told Moses to meet him there. 21 Then he said, "Moses, go and warn the people not to cross the boundary that you set at the foot of the mountain. They must not cross it to come and look at me, because if they do, many of them will die. 22 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." 23 Moses replied, "The people cannot come up the mountain. You warned us to stay away because it is holy." 24 Then the Lord told Moses, "Go down and bring Aaron back here with you. But the priests and people must not try to push their way through, or I will rush at them like a flood!" 25 After Moses had gone back down, he told the people what the Lord had said.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

charge: Heb. contest, Exodus 19:12, Exodus 19:13

break: Exodus 3:3, Exodus 3:5, Exodus 33:20, 1 Samuel 6:19, Ecclesiastes 5:1, Hebrews 12:28, Hebrews 12:29

Reciprocal: Exodus 19:24 - but let Exodus 24:11 - laid not Exodus 34:3 - General Numbers 4:18 - General Numbers 4:20 - they shall

Cross-References

Genesis 4:7
If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling. But you did the wrong thing, and now sin is waiting to attack you like a lion. Sin wants to destroy you, but don't let it!
Genesis 12:2
I will bless you and make your descendants into a great nation. You will become famous and be a blessing to others.
Genesis 18:24
Wouldn't you spare the city if there are only fifty good people in it?
Genesis 19:8
I have two daughters who have never been married. I'll bring them out, and you can do what you want with them. But don't harm these men. They are guests in my home."
Genesis 19:9
"Don't get in our way," the crowd answered. "You're an outsider. What right do you have to order us around? We'll do worse things to you than we're going to do to them." The crowd kept arguing with Lot. Finally, they rushed toward the door to break it down.
Genesis 19:15
Early the next morning the two angels tried to make Lot hurry and leave. They said, "Take your wife and your two daughters and get out of here as fast as you can! If you don't, every one of you will be killed when the Lord destroys the city."
Genesis 19:16
At first, Lot just stood there. But the Lord wanted to save him. So the angels took Lot, his wife, and his two daughters by the hand and led them out of the city.
Psalms 34:15
If you obey the Lord , he will watch over you and answer your prayers.
Psalms 102:17
and the prayers of the homeless will be answered.
Psalms 145:19
You satisfy the desires of all your worshipers, and you come to save them when they ask for help.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the Lord said unto Moses, go down,.... As soon as he was got to the top of the mount he was bid to go down again to the bottom, with a message to the people:

charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze; to see if they could observe any similitude or likeness of God, that they might have an idea of it in their minds, or make an image like unto it; to prevent which, the Lord, knowing the vanity and curiosity of their minds, ordered Moses to give them a strict charge not to transgress the bounds set them, or to break down or break through the fence of stones and sand, or hedge of bushes, brambles, and branches of trees, or whatever was placed for bounds:

and many of them perish; or "fall" z; by the hand of God; either fall by death, or into some grievous calamity, as the men of Bethshemesh perished through looking into the ark, 1 Samuel 6:19.

z נפל πεσωσιν Sept. "et corruant", Pagninus, Tigurine version; "et cadat", Montanus; "cadant", Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius so Ainsworth.


 
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