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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

Exodus 19:21

The Lord said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people not to come near me and look at me. If they do, many will die.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Curiosity;   God;   Law;   Reverence;   Sinai;   Worship;   Scofield Reference Index - Israel;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Law of Moses, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Exodus;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Prophet, Prophetess, Prophecy;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Commandments, the Ten;   Festivals, Religious;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Mediator;   Sabbath;   Trumpets, Feast of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Exodus, Book of;   Theophany;   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;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Holiness;   Theophany;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
The LORD said to Moshe, "Go down, charge the people, lest they break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
King James Version
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish.
Lexham English Bible
And Yahweh said to Moses, "Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to see and many from them fall.
New Century Version
The Lord said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people that they must not force their way through to see me. If they do, many of them will die.
New English Translation
The Lord said to Moses, "Go down and solemnly warn the people, lest they force their way through to the Lord to look, and many of them perish.
Amplified Bible
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, "Go down, warn the people, so that they do not break through [the barriers around the mountain] to the LORD to see [Me], and many of them perish [as a result].
New American Standard Bible
Then the LORD spoke to Moses: "Go down, warn the people, so that they do not break through to the LORD to stare, and many of them perish.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then the Lord said vnto Moses, Go down, charge the people, that they breake not their boundes, to go vp to the Lord to gaze, least many of them perish.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to see, and many of them perish.
Contemporary English Version
Then he said, "Moses, go and warn the people not to cross the boundary that you set at the foot of the mountain. They must not cross it to come and look at me, because if they do, many of them will die.
Complete Jewish Bible
Adonai said to Moshe, "Go down and warn the people not to force their way through to Adonai to see him; if they do, many of them will perish.
Darby Translation
And Jehovah said to Moses, Go down, testify to the people that they break not through to Jehovah to gaze, and many of them perish.
English Standard Version
And 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.
George Lamsa Translation
And the LORD said to Moses, Go down, warn the people, test they break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
Good News Translation
and the Lord said to him, "Go down and warn the people not to cross the boundary to come and look at me; if they do, many of them will die.
Christian Standard Bible®
The Lord directed Moses, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the Lord; otherwise many of them will die.
Literal Translation
And Jehovah said to Moses, Go down, warn the people lest they break through to gaze at Jehovah, and many of them fall.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sayde the LORDE vnto him: Go downe, and charge the people, yt they preasse not vnto the LORDE to se him, and so many of them perishe.
American Standard Version
And Jehovah said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto Jehovah to gaze, and many of them perish.
Bible in Basic English
And the Lord said to Moses, Go down and give the people orders to keep back, for fear that a great number of them, forcing their way through to see the Lord, may come to destruction.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the Lorde sayd vnto Moyses: Go downe, charge the people, lest they breake out from their boundes to see the Lorde, and so many of them perishe.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
King James Version (1611)
And the Lord said vnto Moses, Goe downe, charge the people, lest they breake thorow vnto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And God spoke to Moses, saying, Go down, and solemnly charge the people, lest at any time they draw nigh to God to gaze, and a multitude of them fall.
English Revised Version
And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
Berean Standard Bible
and the LORD said to him, "Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the LORD, lest many of them perish.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
the Lord seide to hym, Go thou doun, and witnesse thou to the puple, lest perauenture it wole passe the termes to se the Lord, and ful greet multitude therof perische;
Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Go down, protest to the people, lest they break through unto Jehovah to see, and many of them have fallen;
Update Bible Version
And Yahweh said to Moses, Go down, charge the people, or else they will break through to Yahweh to gaze, and many of them will perish.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD said to Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
World English Bible
Yahweh said to Moses, "Go down, charge the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to gaze, and many of them perish.
New King James Version
And the LORD said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to gaze at the LORD, and many of them perish.
New Living Translation
Then the Lord told Moses, "Go back down and warn the people not to break through the boundaries to see the Lord , or they will die.
New Life Bible
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go down and tell the people not to break through to look at the Lord. For then many of them would be destroyed.
New Revised Standard
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people not to break through to the Lord to look; otherwise many of them will perish.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said Yahweh unto Moses, Go dawn adjure the people, - lest they press through unto Yahweh to see, and so there fall from among them a multitude.
Douay-Rheims Bible
He said unto him: Go down, and charge the people; lest they should have a mind to pass the limits to see the Lord, and a very great multitude of them should perish.
Revised Standard Version
And the LORD said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the LORD to gaze and many of them perish.
THE MESSAGE
God said to Moses, "Go down. Warn the people not to break through the barricades to get a look at God lest many of them die. And the priests also, warn them to prepare themselves for the holy meeting, lest God break out against them."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, "Go down, warn the people, so that they do not break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.

Contextual Overview

16 On the morning of the third day, a thick cloud came down onto the mountain. There was thunder and lightning and a very loud sound from a trumpet. All the people in the camp were frightened. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to a place near the mountain to meet God. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke. Smoke rose off the mountain like smoke from a furnace. This happened because the Lord came down to the mountain in fire. Also the whole mountain began to shake. 19 The noise from the trumpet became louder and louder. Every time Moses spoke to God, God answered him with a voice like thunder. 20 So the Lord came down to Mount Sinai. He came from heaven to the top of the mountain. Then he called Moses to come up to the top of the mountain with him. So Moses went up the mountain. 21 The Lord said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people not to come near me and look at me. If they do, many will die. 22 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." 23 Moses said to the Lord , "But the people cannot come up the mountain. You yourself told us to make a line and not allow the people to cross the line to holy ground." 24 The Lord said to him, "Go down to the people. Get Aaron and bring him back with you. But don't let the priests or the people come near me. I will punish them if they come too close." 25 So Moses went down to the people and told them these things.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

charge: Heb. contest, Exodus 19:12, Exodus 19:13

break: Exodus 3:3, Exodus 3:5, Exodus 33:20, 1 Samuel 6:19, Ecclesiastes 5:1, Hebrews 12:28, Hebrews 12:29

Reciprocal: Exodus 19:24 - but let Exodus 24:11 - laid not Exodus 34:3 - General Numbers 4:18 - General Numbers 4:20 - they shall

Cross-References

Genesis 4:7
You know that if you do what is right, I will accept you. But if you don't, sin is ready to attack you. That sin will want to control you, but you must control it."
Genesis 12:2
I will build a great nation from you. I will bless you and make your name famous. People will use your name to bless other people.
Genesis 18:24
What if there are fifty good people in that city? Will you still destroy it? Surely you will save the city for the fifty good people living there.
Genesis 19:8
Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man before. I will give my daughters to you. You can do anything you want with them. But please don't do anything to these men. They have come to my house, and I must protect them."
Genesis 19:9
The men surrounding the house answered, "Get out of our way!" They said to themselves, "This man Lot came to our city as a visitor. Now he wants to tell us how we should live!" Then the men said to Lot, "We will do worse things to you than to them." So the men started moving closer and closer to Lot. They were about to break down the door.
Genesis 19:15
The next morning at dawn, the angels were trying to make Lot hurry. They said, "This city will be punished, so take your wife and your two daughters who are still with you and leave this place. Then you will not be destroyed with the city."
Genesis 19:16
When Lot did not move fast enough, the two men grabbed his hand. They also took the hands of his wife and his two daughters. The two men led Lot and his family safely out of the city. The Lord was kind to Lot and his family.
Psalms 34:15
The Lord watches over those who do what is right, and he hears their prayers.
Psalms 102:17
He will listen to the prayers of those in poverty. He will not ignore them.
Psalms 145:19
He listens to his followers and does what they want. He answers their prayers and saves them.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the Lord said unto Moses, go down,.... As soon as he was got to the top of the mount he was bid to go down again to the bottom, with a message to the people:

charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze; to see if they could observe any similitude or likeness of God, that they might have an idea of it in their minds, or make an image like unto it; to prevent which, the Lord, knowing the vanity and curiosity of their minds, ordered Moses to give them a strict charge not to transgress the bounds set them, or to break down or break through the fence of stones and sand, or hedge of bushes, brambles, and branches of trees, or whatever was placed for bounds:

and many of them perish; or "fall" z; by the hand of God; either fall by death, or into some grievous calamity, as the men of Bethshemesh perished through looking into the ark, 1 Samuel 6:19.

z נפל πεσωσιν Sept. "et corruant", Pagninus, Tigurine version; "et cadat", Montanus; "cadant", Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius so Ainsworth.


 
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