Exodus 19:23

Easy-to-Read Version

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."

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Moshe said to the LORD, "The people can't come up to Mount Sinai, for you charged us, saying, 'Set bounds around the mountain, and sanctify it.'"

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
And Moses said to Yahweh, "The people are not able to go up to Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.'"

New Century Version
Moses told the Lord , "The people cannot come up on Mount Sinai, because you yourself told us, ‘Set a limit around the mountain, and set it apart as holy.'"

New English Translation
Moses said to the Lord , "The people are not able to come up to Mount Sinai, because you solemnly warned us, ‘Set boundaries for the mountain and set it apart.'"

Amplified Bible
Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, because You warned us, saying, 'Set barriers around the mountain and consecrate it.'"

New American Standard Bible
And Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for You warned us, saying, 'Set boundaries around the mountain and consecrate it.'"

Geneva Bible (1587)
And Moses sayde vnto the Lord, The people can not come vp into the mount Sinai: for thou hast charged vs, saying, Set markes on the mountaine, and sanctifie it.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Moses said to Yahweh, "The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for You warned us, saying, ‘Set bounds about the mountain, and set it apart as holy.'"

Contemporary English Version
Moses replied, "The people cannot come up the mountain. You warned us to stay away because it is holy."

Complete Jewish Bible
Moshe said to Adonai , "The people can't come up to Mount Sinai, because you ordered us to set limits around the mountain and separate it."

Darby Translation
And Moses said to Jehovah, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai; for thou hast testified to us, saying, Set bounds about the mountain, and hallow it.

English Standard Version
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.'"

George Lamsa Translation
And Moses said to the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai; for thou didst warn us, saying, Set bounds about the mountain and sanctify it.

Good News Translation
Moses said to the Lord , "The people cannot come up, because you commanded us to consider the mountain sacred and to mark a boundary around it."

Christian Standard Bible®
Moses responded to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, since you warned us: Put a boundary around the mountain and consecrate it.”

Literal Translation
And Moses said to Jehovah, The people are not able to come up to the mountain of Sinai. For You warned us, saying, Set limits to the mountain and sanctify it.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But Moses sayde vnto the LORDE: The people cannot come vp vpon mount Sinai, for thou hast charged vs, & sayde: Set markes aboute the mount, and sanctifie it.

American Standard Version
And Moses said unto Jehovah, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou didst charge us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.

Bible in Basic English
And Moses said to the Lord, The people will not be able to come up the mountain, for you gave us orders to put limits round the mountain, marking it out and making it holy.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Moyses said vnto the Lord: The people can not come vp into the mount Sinai, for thou chargest vs, saying: set boundes about the hill, and sanctifie it.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Moses said unto the LORD: 'The people cannot come up to mount Sinai; for thou didst charge us, saying: Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.'

King James Version (1611)
And Moses said vnto the Lord, The people cannot come vp to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst vs, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctifie it.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Moses said to God, The people will not be able to approach to the mount of Sina, for thou hast solemnly charged us, saying, Set bounds to the mountain and sanctify it.

English Revised Version
And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou didst charge us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.

Berean Standard Bible
But Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, for You solemnly warned us, 'Put a boundary around the mountain and set it apart as holy.'"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Moises seide to the Lord, The comyn puple may not stie in to the hil of Synai; for thou hast witnessid, and hast comaundid, seiyinge, Sette thou termes aboute the hil, and halewe it.

Young's Literal Translation
And Moses saith unto Jehovah, `The people [is] unable to come up unto mount Sinai, for Thou -- Thou hast protested to us, saying, Make a border [for] the mount, then thou hast sanctified it.'

Update Bible Version
And Moses said to Yahweh, The people can't come up to mount Sinai: for you charged us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Moses said to the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.

World English Bible
Moses said to Yahweh, "The people can't come up to Mount Sinai, for you charged us, saying, 'Set bounds around the mountain, and sanctify it.'"

New King James Version
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."'

New Living Translation
"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.'"

New Life Bible
Moses said to the Lord, "The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai. For You told us, ‘Set places around the mountain that must not be passed, and set it apart as holy.'"

New Revised Standard
Moses said to the Lord , "The people are not permitted to come up to Mount Sinai; for you yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set limits around the mountain and keep it holy.'"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Moses said unto Yahweh, The people cannot come up into Mount Sinai, - for, thou thyself, hast adjured us saying: Set bounds to the mountain and hallow it.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Moses said to the Lord: The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai: for thou didst charge, and command, saying: Set limits about the mount, and sanctify it.

Revised Standard Version
And Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; for thou thyself didst charge us, saying, 'Set bounds about the mountain, and consecrate it.'"

THE MESSAGE
Moses said to God , "But the people can't climb Mount Sinai. You've already warned us well telling us: ‘Post boundaries around the mountain. Respect the holy mountain.'"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for You warned us, saying, 'Set bounds about the mountain and consecrate it.'"

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

Set bounds: Exodus 19:12, Joshua 3:4, Joshua 3:5

Reciprocal: Psalms 68:17 - as in Sinai

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Moses said unto the Lord,.... Upon his giving such strict orders both with respect to the people and the priests:

the people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; suggesting as if there was no need for him to go down on that account, to give them a charge not to break through and gaze; since, as he thought, there was no probability that they ever would attempt it, seeing such a solemn charge had been given, nor any possibility of it, since such a fence was made:

for thou chargedst us, saying, set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it; and accordingly bounds have been set, that the people may not go up it, and the place has been declared sacred, that so none will presume to do it, according to the solemn charge that has been given: some a read the preceding clause by way of interrogation, "may not the people come up to Mount Sinai?" may not any of them? or, if any of them, who may? and there was the greater reason for asking such a question, since the priests that drew near to God might not, and so the next words are conceived to be an answer to it.

a So some in Vatablus.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 19:23. The people cannot come up — Either because they had been so solemnly forbidden that they would not dare, with the penalty of instant death before their eyes, to transgress the Divine command; or the bounds which were set about the mount were such as rendered their passing them physically impossible.

And sanctify it. — וקדשהי vekiddashio. Here the word קדש kadash is taken in its proper literal sense, signifying the separating of a thing, person or place, from all profane or common uses, and devoting it to sacred purposes.