Exodus 19:12 kjv

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:

Exodus 19:12 nkjv

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.

Exodus 19:12 niv

Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, 'Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death.

Exodus 19:12 esv

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.

Exodus 19:12 nlt

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.

Exodus 19 verses

Exodus 19 12 Meaning

Exodus 19:12 establishes strict physical boundaries around Mount Sinai, where God was to descend and meet Israel. It forbids anyone, except specific individuals authorized by God, from approaching or even touching the mountain's lower slopes. The explicit consequence for transgression—death—underscores the profound holiness, formidable power, and awesome unapproachability of God. This divine decree impresses upon the people the absolute separation required in the presence of a holy God, prior to receiving His covenant and law.

Exodus 19 12 Context

Exodus 19 marks a pivotal moment in Israel's history: their arrival at Mount Sinai (also Horeb), the place where God had first revealed Himself to Moses through the burning bush. Three months after leaving Egypt, God brought them to this desolate mountain to establish a covenant relationship with them, turning them into His treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. The immediate context of verse 12 is the preparation for God's majestic descent upon the mountain on the third day. God instructs Moses to consecrate the people, have them wash their garments, and most importantly, set boundaries around the mountain. This stringent command underscores that the encounter with God is not ordinary but a profound and perilous engagement with absolute holiness, demanding reverence, purity, and strict adherence to divine stipulations. The scene serves as a dramatic prologue to the giving of the Ten Commandments and the Mosaic Law.

Exodus 19 12 Word analysis

• And you shall set bounds: The Hebrew verb is גָּבַל (gābal), meaning "to set boundaries," "to limit," or "to mark out borders." This implies a clear, physical demarcation. It's an active command for Moses to establish visible markers, like ropes or fences, physically separating the people from the mountain.

• for the people: Refers to the entire Israelite community, emphasizing the universal application of the command for the common Israelite. It excludes all but a select few (Moses and later Aaron) from direct access.

• all around: The Hebrew סָבִיב (sāḇīḇ) highlights the completeness of the encirclement. No entry point or vulnerable area is to be left un-bounded. This reinforces the absolute inaccessibility of the holy presence.

• saying: Moses is commanded to not only physically set the bounds but also verbally communicate the explicit instructions and dire consequences to the people, ensuring their full awareness.

• Take heed to yourselves: This is a solemn warning, הִשָּׁמְרוּ לָכֶם (hishām'rū lākhem), literally "guard yourselves," implying a need for extreme caution and self-control. It places the responsibility on the individual for their compliance.

• that you do not go up into the mountain: Direct prohibition from ascending the slope. The mountain is God's dwelling place for this divine encounter, and no one is permitted to trespass its sacred space without invitation.

• or touch the border of it: This extends the prohibition beyond ascending to even the slightest physical contact with the mountain's periphery. It signifies that God's holiness extends even to the "skirts" of His manifest presence.

• Whoever touches the mountain: An unequivocal statement, allowing no exceptions for intent or status among the common people. This highlights God's zero-tolerance policy for disobedience regarding His sacred space.

• shall be put to death: The Hebrew is מוֹת יוּמָת (mot yūmat), a common legal idiom meaning "he shall surely die," emphasizing the certainty and severity of the capital punishment. It's not a suggestion but a guaranteed outcome, reflecting the seriousness of violating divine holiness. This stern warning acts as a powerful deterrent, impressing upon Israel the immense chasm between human sinfulness and divine purity.

• Word-groups Analysis:

  • "Set bounds for the people all around... or touch the border of it": This phrase creates a picture of absolute, impenetrable separation. The physical barrier is an external representation of the spiritual boundary between God's perfect holiness and humanity's inherent imperfection and sin.
  • "Take heed to yourselves... Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death": This combination highlights personal accountability and the terrifying consequence of transgression. It's not about accidental contact but about respecting God's explicit command under penalty of death, illustrating the fearful reality of confronting the Living God without proper mediation or divine allowance. It asserts God's absolute sovereignty and the preciousness of His holiness above human life, demonstrating that His presence, while offering covenant, is inherently dangerous to the unholy.

Exodus 19 12 Bonus section

The emphasis on "touching" (נָגַע - nāga') signifies the dangerous contagiousness of holiness if mishandled, which can be lethal to the unholy. Conversely, ritual purity laws would also address the defilement caused by touching the unclean. The mountain becomes God's temporary "tabernacle" where His glory rests, necessitating similar boundary precautions as those later prescribed for the physical Tabernacle and Temple. The unapproachability of Mount Sinai, even as it delivered the law, powerfully foreshadows the need for a mediator and ultimately, a new way to draw near to God, which Christ provides. The contrast drawn in Hebrews 12:18-24 between the fearful experience at Sinai and the joyous access to Mount Zion (heavenly Jerusalem through Christ) perfectly captures the theological transition. The boundary at Sinai protected both God's holiness and the people from immediate death.

Exodus 19 12 Commentary

Exodus 19:12 is foundational in understanding God's nature and the Israelite covenant. It vividly portrays God as utterly holy, transcendent, and dangerous to those who approach Him carelessly. The "bounds" serve as a visible manifestation of His ineffable majesty and the chasm between divine perfection and human impurity. This command, given even before the Ten Commandments, establishes reverence as the primary posture for relating to God. It differentiates the God of Israel from the less restrictive, often humanized deities of surrounding pagan cultures, demonstrating His unique, unapproachable glory. The severity of the penalty (death) underscores that disregard for divine boundaries is not a minor offense but an assault on God's holiness. While the New Covenant offers gracious access to God through Christ, the underlying principle of His unchangeable holiness and the seriousness of sin remains. We are to approach His "throne of grace" (Heb 4:16) with "reverence and awe" (Heb 12:28), recognizing the awesome power of the God with whom we deal.