Exodus 19:9 kjv

And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.

Exodus 19:9 nkjv

And the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever." So Moses told the words of the people to the LORD.

Exodus 19:9 niv

The LORD said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you." Then Moses told the LORD what the people had said.

Exodus 19:9 esv

And the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever." When Moses told the words of the people to the LORD,

Exodus 19:9 nlt

Then the LORD said to Moses, "I will come to you in a thick cloud, Moses, so the people themselves can hear me when I speak with you. Then they will always trust you." Moses told the LORD what the people had said.

Exodus 19 verses

Exodus 19 9 Meaning

The LORD declared to Moses His intention to descend in a dense cloud, a manifestation intended for the people to witness and hear Him speak with Moses. The purpose was to validate Moses' prophetic authority, ensuring the Israelites would perpetually believe in him as God's appointed messenger. The verse concludes with Moses relaying the people's previously stated commitment back to the LORD, highlighting his consistent role as an intermediary.

Exodus 19 9 Context

Exodus chapter 19 describes Israel's arrival at Sinai in the third month after leaving Egypt, a pivotal moment in their journey. God had brought them to His "mountain" to establish a covenant. The preceding verses outline God's offer to make Israel His "treasured possession," a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exo 19:5-6), provided they obey Him. The people, in Exo 19:8, unanimously affirmed their commitment: "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." This verse, Exodus 19:9, therefore follows the people's willing acceptance of the covenant, setting the stage for God's personal descent and the subsequent giving of the Law. It highlights God's initiative in affirming Moses' unique position and authority before the entire nation, essential for the people's ongoing obedience to the divine law. Historically, this event profoundly shaped Israel's identity as a nation directly chosen and led by Yahweh through His designated servant, Moses.

Exodus 19 9 Word analysis

• The LORD (יְהוָה - YHWH): The covenantal God of Israel, emphasizing His personal relationship and sovereign authority. This is the distinct name of God who called Abraham and delivered Israel.
• said (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyōʾmer): A common Hebrew verb, signifying direct and authoritative communication.
• to Moses (אֶל־מֹשֶׁה - ʾel-mōšeh): Indicates the specific recipient of God's instruction, highlighting Moses' privileged and unique position as God's mediator.
• Behold (הִנֵּה - hinnēh): An interjection demanding attention, signaling an important or dramatic pronouncement or upcoming event.
• I am coming (בָּא - bāʾ): Present participle, emphasizing the imminence and certainty of God's direct divine descent or manifestation.
• to you (אֵלֶיךָ - ʾēleyḵā): Emphasizes that God's immediate interaction will be with Moses directly.
• in a thick cloud (בְּעַב עָנָן - bəʿav ʿānān):
  • עַב (ʿav): Denotes density, thickness, or gloom.
  • עָנָן (ʿānān): Refers to a cloud, often associated with divine presence (the Shekinah glory), but here, its density also serves to conceal God's full, overwhelming glory, preventing direct sight which no human could survive. It is a symbol of God's majesty, mystery, and simultaneously, His veiled accessibility to man. It also suggests judgment.
• that (בַּעֲבוּר - baʿavūr): A conjunction indicating purpose or reason.
• the people (הָעָם - hāʿām): Refers to the entire Israelite community present at Sinai.
• may hear (יִשְׁמְעוּ - yišməʿū): Emphasizes the auditory aspect of God's self-revelation. Unlike seeing, which can be overwhelming or misinterpreted, hearing implies comprehension and a response of obedience. This reinforces the primacy of God's word.
• when I speak with you (בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ - bədaḇərī ʿimmāk): Signifies that God will be speaking to Moses in the presence of the people, publicly attesting to Moses' role as the channel of divine revelation.
• and may also believe you (וְגַם־בְּךָ יַאֲמִינוּ - wəḡam-bəḵā yaʾamīnū): This is a primary purpose. "Believe" (ʾāmān) means to be firm, trustworthy, or to have faith in. The public display of God's communication with Moses aims to instill lasting trust and faith in Moses' words as being genuinely from God.
• forever (לְעוֹלָם - ləʿôlām): Conveys the intention for this belief in Moses' authority to be perpetual, foundational for future generations and enduring through time, cementing his prophetic legitimacy for all of Israel's history.
• Then Moses told (וַיַּגֵּד מֹשֶׁה - vayyaggēd Mōšeh): "Told" (nagad) implies declaring or reporting. This depicts Moses as a faithful intermediary.
• the words of the people (אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הָעָם - ʾet-diḇrê hāʿām): Refers specifically to their collective response in Exo 19:8, where they promised to do "all that the LORD has spoken."
• to the LORD (אֶל־יְהוָה - ʾel-YHWH): Completes the communication loop, showing Moses’ diligent execution of his mediating role by relaying their commitment back to God.

Exodus 19 9 Bonus section

The emphasis on "hearing" rather than "seeing" God is a recurring motif in the Old Testament, particularly concerning the Sinai event. While the people "saw" the physical manifestations (lightning, smoke), God deliberately veils His glory, forcing them to focus on His voice and word delivered through Moses. This underscores that true revelation is primarily audial and propositional, emphasizing the importance of obedience to God's spoken commands over mere visual spectacle. This also established a pattern for how God would primarily communicate with Israel throughout their history—through His prophets speaking His words, whose authority was often authenticated by miraculous signs, much like at Sinai. The 'thick cloud' also serves as a boundary and a symbol of God's holiness and His unapproachable nature, even as He condescends to dwell among His people.

Exodus 19 9 Commentary

Exodus 19:9 reveals God's pedagogical and authoritative intent. The planned descent in a dense cloud, preventing full sight yet ensuring auditory witnessing, serves as a divine public attestation for Moses. God orchestrates this display to overcome any potential disbelief or doubt among the Israelites regarding Moses' unique and direct access to divine communication. This profound experience of hearing God's voice directly, albeit through Moses as the visible point of interaction, was intended to solidify Moses' prophetic credibility permanently ("forever"). It distinguished Moses from all others, establishing him as God's indispensable and trustworthy messenger. Moses' subsequent action of relaying the people's response back to God reaffirms his consistent and faithful function as an intercessor, managing the critical dialogue between the holy God and His people, cementing the foundational relationship that defines Israel.