1.
In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.
third month. App-50 . Fifty days from Rameses, vii 1, 2.
children = sons.
2.
For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.
3.
And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
went up unto God : Moses' first ascent. From the Structures T, U, and U (p. 85), it will be seen that we have here the first occurrence of this expression, and the first of the six ascents and descents of Moses to receive and give His laws and ordinances. The following is a summary:. Ascents. Descents. Exodus 19:3-6 . First. Exodus 19:7 , Exodus 19:8 -. Exodus 19:8-13 . Second. Exodus 19:14-19 . Exodus 19:20-24 . Third. Exodus 19:25 . Exodus 24:9 - Exodus 32:14 . Fourth. Exodus 32:15-30 . Exodus 32:31-33 . Fifth. Exodus 32:34 - Exodus 34:3 . Exodus 34:4-28 . Sixth. Exodus 34:29-35 .
Note that the two sets of three each are marked off by the two great events: the giving of the Law, and the setting up of the Tabernacle; while the fourth and sixth ascents are marked by the giving of the first and second tables (See App-10 ). The fourth and sixth ascents are the fullest, and receive special expansion. See above X4 (p. 94), Exodus 20:21 - Exodus 24:2 , and X5 (p. 94), Exodus 24:9 - Exodus 32:15 .
God . Hebrew. that. ' Elohim. See App-4 .
the LORD (Hebrew. Jehovah. called. The only occurance of this expression in Exodus. in Exodus 8:4 , it is "God (Elohim) called".
children of Israel . A reading called Sevir reads "house of Israel". See App-34 .
4.
Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
I bare you, &c. Compare Deuteronomy 32:11 , Deuteronomy 32:12 .
5.
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
peculiar treasure = a treasure acquired for a possession. Compare 1 Chronicles 29:3 . Ecc 2:8 . 1 Peter 2:9 . Hebrew. segullah. First occurance. Eight times: Exodus 19:5 , and Deuteronomy 7:6 ; Deuteronomy 14:2 ; Deuteronomy 26:18 . Psalms 135:4 , Malachi 1 Exodus 3:17 , where it is used of Israel; and in 1 Chronicles 29:3 and Ecclesiastes 7:8 , where it is used of purchased and personal property. It denotes a treasure reserved for one's self. The Latin sigillo, to seal up, is from this Hebrew word. Compare Matthew 13:44 .
people = peoples. God's People are A separated People. Exodus 33:16 . A People of inheritance. Deuteronomy 4:20 . A special People. Deuteronomy 7:6 . A purchased People. Exodus 15:16 ; Psalms 74:2 . A holy People. Deuteronomy 7:6 ; Deuteronomy 7:14 . A redeemed People. Exodus 15:13 . A sanctified People. Isaiah 63:18 .
all the earth is Mine . Compare Psalms 24:1 ; Psalms 50:12 .
6.
And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
kingdom of priests . Not the genitive of character ( App-17 ), which would be priestly kingdom. But by the Figure of speech Antiptosis ( App-6 ) = "a royal priesthood", as explained in 1 Peter 2:9 . The whole nation being a priest with respect to other nations, as the tribe of Levi for Israel. Now in abeyance, because Israel did not fulfil the condition in Exodus 19:5 . But in the future it will be realised (Isaiah 61:6 ; Isaiah 66:21 ).
7.
And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.
came . Moses' first descent. See note on Exodus 19:3 .
8.
And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.
returned. Moses' second ascent, verses: Exodus 19:8-13 . See note on Exodus 19:3 .
9.
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.
the LORD said . See note on Exodus 3:7 , and p. note on Exodus 6:10 .
Lo. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .
speak . . . believe . Compare Romans 10:17 . "Faith cometh by hearing".
10.
And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
11.
And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
12.
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:
surely put to death . Figure of speech Polyptoton. App-6 . "A dying he shall die. "See note on Genesis 2:17 .
13.
There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
it = him: i.e. not arrested or seized lest trespass on mount incurred.
surely be stoned . Figure of speech Polyptoton ( App-6 ). Compare Genesis 26:28 .
14.
And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
went down. Moses' second descent, verses: Exodus 19:14-19 . See note on Exodus 19:3 .
15.
And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.
16.
And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
17.
And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
18.
And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
19.
And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
answered him by a voice . Hebrew denotes re peated speaking, and thus tells us how the next and Yellowing chapters were given to Moses.
20.
And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.
on = to.
went up. Moses' third ascent.
21.
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.
22.
And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.
23.
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.
24.
And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them.
priests . See App-15 . The firstborn were priests.
25.
So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.
went down . Moses' third descent. See note on Exodus 19:3 . spake. Figure of speech Ellipsis ( App-6 ): i.e. "repeated [these things] to the People". Here, the three subjects, Thought, Word, and Deed, are repeated in the second table in inverse order. The law given in Arabia. The same country witnessed the giving of Mahomet's Law. The moral law given in public at Horeb. Compare Malachi 4:4 . The ceremonial law given to Moses in the Tabernacle. The judicial law given at sundry times; neither so public and solemn as the former, nor so private as the latter.