Exodus 19:23 kjv
And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.
Exodus 19:23 nkjv
But Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; for You warned us, saying, 'Set bounds around the mountain and consecrate it.' "
Exodus 19:23 niv
Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, 'Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.'?"
Exodus 19:23 esv
And Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you yourself warned us, saying, 'Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.'"
Exodus 19:23 nlt
"But LORD," Moses protested, "the people cannot come up to Mount Sinai. You already warned us. You told me, 'Mark off a boundary all around the mountain to set it apart as holy.'"
Exodus 19 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 19:12 | "You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, ‘Take care not to go up on the mountain or touch its border...'" | God's initial command for boundaries. |
| Exod 19:21 | "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.'" | Reinforces the explicit danger of approaching God. |
| Lev 10:3 | "Then Moses said to Aaron, 'This is what the LORD has said: ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified...'" | God's demand for holiness from those who approach Him. |
| Num 18:3 | "They shall keep charge of you and the whole tent; only they shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar..." | Strict boundaries for access to sacred spaces. |
| Heb 12:18-21 | "For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken. For they could not endure the command, 'If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.' Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, 'I tremble with fear.'" | New Testament contrast between terrifying Sinai and approachable Zion through Christ, confirming Sinai's fear-inducing nature. |
| Isa 6:3 | "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" | God's inherent, ultimate holiness. |
| Exod 3:5 | "Then He said, 'Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.'" | The holiness of God's presence requiring separation. |
| Exod 33:20 | "But He said, 'You cannot see My face, for no man can see My face and live!'" | Human inability to endure the direct glory of God. |
| Deut 5:5 | "(while I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the LORD; for you were afraid because of the fire...)" | Moses' mediatory role between God and Israel. |
| Gal 3:19 | "Why then the Law? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator..." | The Law given through a mediator (Moses). |
| Heb 8:6 | "But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant..." | Jesus as the mediator of a new and better covenant. |
| Heb 9:15 | "For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions..." | Jesus as mediator providing access and redemption. |
| Heb 12:24 | "...and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel." | Jesus' mediation bringing cleansing and access. |
| Heb 4:16 | "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." | New Covenant access to God's presence through Christ. |
| Heb 10:19-22 | "Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil... let us draw near with a sincere heart..." | Direct access to the Holy of Holies via Christ's sacrifice. |
| Eph 2:18 | "for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father." | United access to God through Jesus. |
| Rom 5:2 | "through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God." | Faith in Christ grants access to grace. |
| Exod 19:10-11 | "The LORD also said to Moses, 'Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow... for on the third day the LORD will come down..." | The people's preparation and consecration before divine encounter. |
| Josh 3:5 | "Then Joshua said to the people, 'Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.'" | Necessity of consecration for divine action and presence. |
| 1 Pet 1:16 | "Because it is written, 'YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.'" | Divine command for people to mirror God's holiness. |
| Deut 4:6 | "So keep and do them, for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples..." | Importance of obedience to God's commands. |
| Exod 20:21 | "The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was." | People's separation from God's immediate presence. |
Exodus 19 verses
Exodus 19 23 Meaning
Exodus 19:23 details Moses's urgent reminder to the LORD regarding the stringent prohibition against the Israelites ascending Mount Sinai. Moses explains that the people cannot approach the mountain precisely because the LORD Himself had previously commanded them to establish clear boundaries and consecrate it, signifying its holy and unapproachable nature for the common people. This interaction underscores the profound gap between a holy God and unholy humanity, necessitating divine injunctions and mediation to prevent catastrophic consequences.
Exodus 19 23 Context
Exodus chapter 19 describes the Israelites' arrival at Mount Sinai, where the LORD establishes His covenant with them, promising that they would be a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation" if they obeyed His voice and kept His covenant. Before the direct revelation of the Ten Commandments, the LORD commands Moses to prepare the people, requiring them to consecrate themselves and to set strict boundaries around Mount Sinai, forbidding anyone (or even animals) from touching it on pain of death. Moses initially goes up to God, then God instructs him to go back down and re-emphasize the warnings. This verse (19:23) is Moses's reply to God, where he essentially states that the people are already well aware of the boundaries and cannot approach because God Himself previously issued this severe command. The historical and cultural context centers on the dramatic revelation of a transcendent, holy God to a nascent nation, establishing a covenant that underscored divine authority, the need for human obedience, and the concept of sacred space. This terrifying encounter sets the stage for the Levitical laws, priestly mediation, and the tabernacle structure, all designed to bridge the chasm between God's holiness and human sinfulness.
Exodus 19 23 Word analysis
- And Moses said: (וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה, vayyōʾmer Mōšeh) - Indicates a responsive dialogue. Moses, acting as an intermediary, addresses God on behalf of the people. This phrasing highlights his consistent mediatorial role, particularly as one uniquely able to converse with YHWH directly.
- to the LORD: (אֶל־יְהוָה, ʾel-YHWH) - Refers to God by His covenant name, YHWH (יהוה). Even in this moment of severe warning and perceived human limitation, it signifies God's personal engagement with Israel as His covenant people, albeit emphasizing His awesome power and holiness.
- The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, (לֹא יוּכַל לַעֲלֹת הָעָם אֶל־הַר סִינַי, lōʾ yūḵal laʿălōṯ hāʿām ʾel-har Sīnay) - "Cannot come up" (lo yukhal la'alot) is a strong negation, expressing a categorical impossibility, not just a suggestion. It underscores the absolute barrier between the people and God's immediate, terrifying presence without severe risk. "Mount Sinai" (הַר סִינַי, har Sīnay) is the specific, now consecrated, location of the divine encounter.
- for you yourself charged us, (כִּי־אַתָּה הַעִדֹתָה בָּנוּ, kī-ʾattāh haʿīdōṯāh bānū) - "For" (כִּי, kī) introduces the reason. "You yourself" (אַתָּה, ʾattāh) is emphatic, Moses respectfully reminding God of His own explicit, personal, and forceful command. "Charged us" (ha'idotah banu), from the verb עוּד ('ûd), means "to warn," "to testify," or "to instruct with a warning." It carries a connotation of laying a burden or solemn obligation upon them, implying consequences for disobedience.
- saying, (לֵאמֹר, lēʾmōr) - Introduces a direct quote of God's earlier command.
- "Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it." (הַגְבֵּל אֶת־הָהָר וְקִדַּשְׁתּוֹ, hagbēl ʾeṯ-hāhār wəqiddaštō) - A verbatim recall of God's prior instructions from Exod 19:12.
- Set limits (הַגְבֵּל, hagbēl) - From the root גבל (gabal), meaning "to bound" or "to set a boundary." This signifies a physical demarcation, establishing an exclusive sacred zone around God's presence.
- and consecrate it. (וְקִדַּשְׁתּוֹ, wəqiddaštō) - From the root קדשׁ (qadash), meaning "to make holy," "to set apart," or "to hallow." This implies a spiritual setting apart, declaring the mountain untouchable because of God's dwelling there.
- Words-Group Analysis:
- "The people cannot come up... for you yourself charged us": This grouping highlights the core logic of Moses's statement. The people's inability to ascend is directly linked to God's own prior, stern command. This isn't a plea from the people's side based on fear alone, but a logical consequence of God's sovereign decree regarding His holiness. It also serves as an argument against the idea of God changing His mind, underscoring the seriousness of His instructions.
- "Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it": This phrase encompasses the twin actions demanded by God for His encounter with Israel. "Setting limits" denotes the physical demarcation, creating a forbidden zone. "Consecrating it" refers to the spiritual aspect, declaring the mountain hallowed by God's presence, rendering it dangerous for unauthorized, unholy approach. Both actions serve to protect the sanctity of God's presence and to protect the people from God's consuming holiness.
Exodus 19 23 Bonus section
- The repetitive nature of God's warning in Exodus 19 (given initially in vv. 12-13, reiterated in vv. 21-22, and acknowledged by Moses in v. 23) emphasizes the severe danger and non-negotiable nature of God's holiness and the boundaries He sets. It underlines that this is not a casual instruction but a matter of life and death, deeply imprinted on Moses and the people.
- This interaction also serves to amplify Moses's unique position and essential role as the divinely appointed mediator. He is the one capable of traversing the boundary and engaging in dialogue with the holy God on behalf of the fear-stricken and physically separated people, a profound foreshadowing of the ultimate Mediator, Jesus Christ.
- The concept of "breaking through" (Exod 19:21, often implied in the command to "set limits") is not merely physical trespass but implies a presumptuous, disrespectful, or ill-prepared approach to divine majesty, leading to destructive judgment. It emphasizes a divine-human chasm that humanity cannot bridge by its own will or merit.
Exodus 19 23 Commentary
Exodus 19:23 unveils a critical moment of theological tension at Sinai. Moses, having just been instructed by the LORD again to warn the people against breaking through the boundaries, reminds God that this warning is, in fact, God's own previous explicit command. This apparent redundancy highlights not a forgetful God, but rather the sheer gravity of the situation: the people's inherent unholiness contrasted with God's overwhelming sanctity, making any unmediated approach lethal. Moses’s statement underscores God's absolute otherness and the necessity of strict adherence to divine instructions for approaching Him. It foreshadows the need for mediation, atonement, and careful ritual required in later tabernacle and temple worship, where God would dwell among His people, yet still demand proper, purified access. The stern command for separation also serves as a potent polemic against contemporary pagan deities who were often depicted as approachable or manipulable without severe consequence. Yahweh alone demanded such holy separation.
Examples: Adhering to spiritual disciplines like prayer and Bible study to approach God reverently; respecting sacred spaces or worship practices within the Church; recognizing that holiness is required to stand in God's presence.