Exodus 19: Arrival at Sinai
Israel reaches the mountain of God, who offers them a covenant to be his treasured kingdom of priests, and descends in fire and thunder.
Exodus 19 (WEB)
1 In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.
2 When they had departed from Rephidim, and had come to the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mountain.
3 Moses went up to God, and Yahweh called to him out of the mountain, saying, “This is what you shall tell the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel:
4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself.
5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice, and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine;
6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
7 Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which Yahweh commanded him.
8 All the people answered together, and said, “All that Yahweh has spoken we will do.” Moses reported the words of the people to Yahweh.
9 Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, I come to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.” Moses told the words of the people to Yahweh.
10 Yahweh said to Moses, “Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments,
11 and be ready against the third day; for on the third day Yahweh will come down in the sight of all the people on Mount Sinai.
12 You shall set bounds to the people all around, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t go up onto the mountain, or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain shall be surely put to death.
13 No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether it is animal or man, he shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mountain.”
14 Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
15 He said to the people, “Be ready by the third day. Don’t have sexual relations with a woman.”
16 On the third day, when it was morning, there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain, and the sound of an exceedingly loud trumpet; and all the people who were in the camp trembled.
17 Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the lower part of the mountain.
18 Mount Sinai, all it, smoked, because Yahweh descended on it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.
19 When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice.
20 Yahweh came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. Yahweh called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.
21 Yahweh said to Moses, “Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to gaze, and many of them perish.
22 Let the priests also, who come near to Yahweh, sanctify themselves, lest Yahweh break out on them.”
23 Moses said to Yahweh, “The people can’t come up to Mount Sinai, for you warned us, saying, ‘Set bounds around the mountain, and sanctify it.’”
24 Yahweh said to him, “Go down! You shall bring Aaron up with you, but don’t let the priests and the people break through to come up to Yahweh, lest he break out against them.”
25 So Moses went down to the people, and told them.
Exodus 19 (KJV)
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.
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;
4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
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.
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.
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.
25 So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.
Exodus 19 (ASV)
1 In the third month after the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.
2 And when they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mount.
3 And Moses went up unto God, and Jehovah called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel:
4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.
5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be mine own possession from among all peoples: for all the earth is mine:
6 and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which Jehovah commanded him.
8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that Jehovah hath spoken we will do. And Moses reported the words of the people unto Jehovah.
9 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and may also believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto Jehovah.
10 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to-day and to-morrow, and let them wash their garments,
11 and be ready against the third day; for the third day Jehovah 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:
13 no hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, he shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their garments.
15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not near a woman.
16 And it came to pass on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of a trumpet exceeding loud; and all the people that were in the camp trembled.
17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
18 And mount Sinai, the whole of it, smoked, because Jehovah 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 waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
20 And Jehovah came down upon mount Sinai, to the top of the mount: and Jehovah called Moses to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.
21 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto Jehovah to gaze, and many of them perish.
22 And let the priests also, that come near to Jehovah, sanctify themselves, lest Jehovah break forth upon them.
23 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.
24 And Jehovah said unto him, Go, 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 Jehovah, lest he break forth upon them.
25 So Moses went down unto the people, and told them.
Summary
Three months after leaving Egypt, Israel arrives at the wilderness of Sinai and camps before the mountain. Moses goes up to God, and Yahweh calls to him, reminding the people how he bore them on eagles' wings and brought them to himself. He offers a covenant: if they will obey his voice and keep his covenant, they will be his own treasured possession out of all peoples, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. The people answer together that they will do all the LORD has spoken. God tells Moses he will come in a thick cloud so the people may hear him speak and forever trust Moses, and the people are to consecrate themselves, wash their garments, and be ready on the third day. Bounds are set around the mountain, for anyone who touches it must die—a vivid lesson in God's holiness. On the third day there is thunder, lightning, a thick cloud, and a loud trumpet blast; the whole camp trembles. Mount Sinai is wrapped in smoke and fire as Yahweh descends, the mountain quakes, and God calls Moses up. The LORD warns Moses to keep the people back lest they break through and perish, underscoring the awe and danger of drawing near to a holy God.
Main Characters
- Moses — The mediator who ascends and descends the mountain, carrying God's words to the people and the people's answer back to God.
- Yahweh (the LORD) — The holy God who descends on Sinai in fire, smoke, and trumpet blast, offering Israel a covenant to be his treasured kingdom of priests.
- The children of Israel — The people who pledge to do all the LORD has spoken, consecrate themselves, and tremble at the foot of the burning mountain.
Key Verse
Exodus 19:5 (WEB)
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice, and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine;
Lessons Learned
- God redeems his people first, then calls them to obedience; grace precedes the law.
- Israel's calling to be a kingdom of priests reveals God's purpose to bless the world through them.
- Approaching God requires consecration; his holiness is not to be treated lightly.
- The terror of Sinai shows the seriousness of meeting a holy God on our own.
- Israel's calling is fulfilled in the church, made a royal priesthood through Christ.
- Grace comes before obedience. Before any command, God reminds them, “I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself” (Exodus 19:4, WEB). Redemption is the ground of the covenant, not its reward.
- God's people are his treasured possession. “You shall be my own possession from among all peoples” (Exodus 19:5, WEB). Out of all the earth that is his, God sets his special love on his covenant people.
- We are called to be a kingdom of priests. “You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6, WEB). God forms a people to represent him to the world and the world to him.
- Holiness demands consecration. The people must wash, set bounds, and be ready, for whoever touches the mountain “shall be surely put to death” (Exodus 19:12, WEB). Drawing near to God is no casual thing.
- How does God describe what he has already done for Israel before he gives them any commands?
- What does it mean for Israel to be “a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation” (19:6)?
- Why does God require such careful preparation and boundaries before meeting the people?
- What is the effect of the fire, smoke, thunder, and trumpet on the people, and why?
- How does the awe of Sinai help you appreciate the access to God we have through Christ?
- God grounds the covenant in grace: he carried Israel on eagles' wings out of Egypt and brought them to himself (19:4). Only then does he say “if you will obey” (19:5). Obedience flows from redemption already given; we obey because we are saved, not to be saved.
- A kingdom of priests is a people who belong wholly to God and mediate his presence and blessing to the nations (19:6). Israel was to be holy and distinct so the world might know the true God—a calling Peter applies to the church (1 Peter 2:9).
- God commands washing, consecration, and strict bounds because his holiness is real and dangerous to sinners (19:10-13). The preparation teaches that no one approaches God carelessly; reverence and cleansing are required to draw near.
- The trembling people experience thunder, lightning, smoke, fire, and a swelling trumpet (19:16-19), and they tremble before the holy God. The terrifying display impresses on them God's majesty and the gravity of the covenant they are entering.
- This is a personal-application question. The dread of Sinai magnifies the wonder that, through Christ, we may “come boldly to the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16). Invite members to marvel that the unapproachable God has made a way for us to draw near.