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Christian Standard Bible ®

Exodus 19:22

Even the priests who come near the Lord must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out in anger against them.”

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

16On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people in the camp shuddered. 17Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord came down on it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently. 19As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder. 20The Lord came down on Mount Sinai at the top of the mountain. Then the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and he went up. 21The Lord directed Moses, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the Lord; otherwise many of them will die. 22Even the priests who come near the Lord must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out in anger against them.”23Moses responded to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, since you warned us: Put a boundary around the mountain and consecrate it.” 24And the Lord replied to him, “Go down and come back with Aaron. But the priests and the people must not break through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out in anger against them.” 25So Moses went down to the people and told 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
Lot looked out and saw that the entire plain of the Jordan as far as Zoar was well watered everywhere like the Lord’s garden and the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
Genesis 14:2
waged war against King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, and King Shemeber of Zeboiim, as well as the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).
Genesis 19:1
The two angels entered Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in Sodom’s gateway. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them. He bowed with his face to the ground
Genesis 19:10
But the angels reached out, brought Lot into the house with them, and shut the door.
Genesis 19:25
He demolished these cities, the entire plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and whatever grew on the ground.
Genesis 19:28
He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of the plain, and he saw that smoke was going up from the land like the smoke of a furnace.
Exodus 32:10
Now leave me alone, so that my anger can burn against them and I can destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”
Deuteronomy 9:14
Leave me alone, and I will destroy them and blot out their name under heaven. Then I will make you into a nation stronger and more numerous than they.’
Isaiah 15:5
My heart cries out over Moab,whose fugitives flee as far as Zoar,to Eglath-shelishiyah;they go up the Ascent of Luhith weeping;they raise a cry of destructionon the road to Horonaim.
Isaiah 65:8
The Lord says this:

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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