Exodus 19:11 kjv

And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

Exodus 19:11 nkjv

And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

Exodus 19:11 niv

and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

Exodus 19:11 esv

and be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

Exodus 19:11 nlt

Be sure they are ready on the third day, for on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai as all the people watch.

Exodus 19 verses

Exodus 19 11 Meaning

Exodus 19:11 is a divine command to the Israelites, through Moses, to prepare themselves over two days for a profound encounter with God on the third day. It signifies the climax of their journey from Egypt and the foundational moment for the covenant at Mount Sinai. On this appointed third day, the Lord, in His holy and majestic presence, would descend upon Mount Sinai, making Himself visible and known to the entire congregation of Israel, emphasizing the gravity and public nature of the divine revelation.

Exodus 19 11 Context

Exodus chapter 19 describes Israel's arrival at the Sinai desert, specifically Mount Sinai, three months after their departure from Egypt. This chapter marks a pivotal point where God formally proposes a covenant with Israel, declaring them His "peculiar treasure... a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation" (Exo 19:5-6). Leading up to verse 11, God instructs Moses to communicate His intention to descend upon the mountain and calls for the people to consecrate themselves in preparation for this awesome event (Exo 19:10). The immediate context sets the stage for the giving of the Ten Commandments and the Law, establishing the terms of God's relationship with His chosen people. The "third day" commandment is thus integral to creating an environment of reverence and anticipation for a direct, palpable manifestation of the Almighty God.

Exodus 19 11 Word analysis

• And be ready (וְהָיוּ נְכֹנִים - v'hayu nekhonim): From the root כּוּן (kun), meaning to prepare, establish, be firm, to make ready. The instruction signifies not just physical preparation (washing clothes, abstinence as per Exo 19:10,15) but also mental and spiritual readiness – a disposition of heart fit to meet the holy God. It implies sanctification and setting oneself apart from defilement.
• for the third day (לַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי - la'yom hash'lishi): "Day" is יוֹם (yom), and "third" is שְׁלִישִׁי (shlishi). The number three often signifies completeness, divine timing, or a climactic point in biblical narratives, notably in creation (dry land appearing), Abraham's three-day journey to sacrifice Isaac, Jonah in the fish, and profoundly, Christ's resurrection. It indicates a divinely appointed and deliberate schedule, underscoring the solemnity and significance of the approaching event.
• for on the third day (כִּי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי - ki ba'yom hash'lishi): Repetition for emphasis, affirming the certainty of the appointed time for God's revelation.
• the Lord (יְהֹוָה - YHWH): The covenant name of God, indicating His personal, relational, and self-existent nature. This emphasizes that it is He Himself, the sovereign and faithful God of Israel, who will manifest His presence, not a mere messenger or proxy.
• will come down (יֵרֵד - yered): From the root יָרַד (yarad), meaning to descend, to go down. This anthropomorphic language describes a perceptible manifestation of God's presence from heaven to earth. It doesn't imply that God is geographically confined or moving from one place to another in His essence, but rather that He makes His presence tangibly available and locally discernible to His creation, displaying His power and glory.
• in the sight of all the people (לְעֵינֵי כָל־הָעָם - l'einei kol-ha'am): "In the eyes of all the people." This specifies a public, unmistakable, and corporate witnessing of God's descent. It ensured that no one could deny the divine origin of the revelation or claim it was merely a private experience or fabrication. It underscored the objective reality and divine authority of the ensuing covenant.
• on Mount Sinai (עַל־הַר סִינַי - al-har sinai): "Upon Mount Sinai." This designates the specific, sacred location for this epochal event. Also known as Horeb, it becomes "the mountain of God," symbolizing the place of divine encounter, covenant-making, and law-giving. This anchors the revelation to a specific geographical point, making it historically verifiable for the original audience.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And be ready for the third day; for on the third day": This phrase highlights God's specific timing and command for preparation. The reiteration of "the third day" underscores its divine appointment and signals the gravity of the approaching encounter. It creates anticipation for a pivotal, God-ordained moment.
• "the Lord will come down": This emphasizes God's initiative in revealing Himself. It's not the people ascending to God's essence but God condescending to meet His people in a perceptible way. This divine descent establishes His authority and accessibility, yet maintains His transcendence through the need for prior purification.
• "in the sight of all the people on Mount Sinai": This entire phrase stresses the public, communal, and undeniable nature of the theophany. It ensures the corporate witnessing of God's glory, establishing an indelible national memory and a foundational validation for the covenant and laws that would follow. It solidifies God's objective reality before a nascent nation.

Exodus 19 11 Bonus section

The theophany at Sinai, meticulously prepared for as commanded in this verse, sets a powerful precedent for understanding divine-human interaction throughout Scripture. Unlike the spontaneous manifestations elsewhere (e.g., to Abraham or Jacob), this was a deliberately scheduled, corporately experienced revelation intended to establish the foundation of a nation's laws and identity. The distinct contrast between God's condescension to "come down" and the necessity for the people to remain at a "boundary" highlights the theological tension between God's accessibility and His terrifying holiness. This encounter would instill a profound, enduring memory in the national consciousness of Israel, profoundly shaping their understanding of their God, His covenant, and their role as His people. It implicitly critiques ancient Near Eastern religious practices by demonstrating a personal, ethical, and publicly revealing God who demands moral purity, unlike the capricious or unapproachable deities often served through morally ambiguous rites. This emphasis on visible revelation also foreshadows the ultimate "coming down" of God in the person of Jesus Christ, where God fully manifested Himself "in the flesh" (Jn 1:14), making His holiness accessible through grace rather than a terrifying mountain.

Exodus 19 11 Commentary

Exodus 19:11 serves as a divine prelude to one of the most significant encounters between God and humanity in the Old Testament. It showcases God's active pursuit of a relationship with His chosen people while rigorously upholding His inherent holiness. The command to "be ready" and "sanctify" the people wasn't about God needing external cleanliness, but about the people being spiritually and ritually prepared to stand in the presence of an infinitely holy God. This period of purification emphasized reverence and set a boundary, acknowledging God's transcendence even as He made Himself imminent.

The selection of the "third day" for God's descent is rich with theological significance. Beyond a mere timetable, it echoes the pattern of divine activity in Scripture where the third day often marks the climax of a divine plan, signifying new life, resurrection, or ultimate revelation, foreshadowing even the resurrection of Christ. The public spectacle on Mount Sinai, "in the sight of all the people," was crucial for establishing the authority and undeniable truth of the ensuing Mosaic Covenant. It wasn't a hidden mystic vision, but a shared, terrifyingly glorious display of God's power and presence, stamping His commandments with unchallengeable divine authority. This unique and awesome demonstration instilled a proper fear of God, demonstrating His distinction from the mute and impotent idols of the surrounding nations, solidifying Israel's understanding of YHWH as the one true, living, and holy God. It taught them that approaching God requires deep reverence and a consecrated heart, principles that continue to resonate for believers in their approach to God in worship and daily living today.