Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version and the LORD said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see 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. 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. 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. King James Bible 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. 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 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. NASB 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. NASB 1977 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to the LORD to gaze, and 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. 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]. 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. Holman 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. 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. 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. 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. GOD'S WORD® Translation The LORD said to him, "Go down and warn the people not to force their way through [the boundary] to see the LORD, or many of them will die. 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. International Standard Version The LORD told Moses, "Go down and warn the people so they don't break through to look at the LORD, and many of them perish. Majority 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. NET Bible 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. New Heart English Bible God said to Moses, "Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to God to look, and many of them 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, warn the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to gaze, and many of them perish. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd YHWH says to Moses, “Go down, protest to the people, lest they break through to YHWH to see, and many of them have fallen; 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; Smith's Literal Translation And Jehovah will say to Moses, Go down: protest to the people lest they shall break in to Jehovah to see, and a multitude fall from them. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleHe 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. Catholic Public Domain Version he said to him: “Descend, and call the people to witness, lest they might be willing to transgress the limits, so as to see the Lord, and a very great multitude of them might perish. New American Bible Then the LORD told Moses: Go down and warn the people not to break through to the LORD in order to see him; otherwise many of them will be struck down. New Revised Standard Version 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. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd the LORD said to Moses, Go down, warn the people, test they break through to the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And LORD JEHOVAH said to Moshe, “Go down; testify among the people that they do not go too far before LORD JEHOVAH to see, or many of them will fall. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish. Brenton Septuagint Translation 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. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The LORD Visits Sinai…20The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the summit. So Moses went up, 21and the LORD said to him, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the LORD, lest many of them perish. 22Even the priests who approach the LORD must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them.”… Cross References Hebrews 12:18-21 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm; / to a trumpet blast or to a voice that made its hearers beg that no further word be spoken. / For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” ... Deuteronomy 5:5 At that time I was standing between the LORD and you to declare to you the word of the LORD, because you were afraid of the fire and would not go up the mountain. And He said: Leviticus 10:1-2 Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command. / So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died in the presence of the LORD. Numbers 4:15 When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy objects, or they will die. These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the Tent of Meeting. 1 Samuel 6:19 But God struck down some of the people of Beth-shemesh because they looked inside the ark of the LORD. He struck down seventy men, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck them with a great slaughter. 2 Samuel 6:6-7 When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen had stumbled. / And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of God. 1 Chronicles 13:9-10 When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark, because the oxen had stumbled. / And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God. 2 Chronicles 26:16-21 But when Uzziah became powerful, his arrogance led to his own destruction. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. / Then Azariah the priest, along with eighty brave priests of the LORD, went in after him. / They took their stand against King Uzziah and said, “Uzziah, you have no right to offer incense to the LORD. Only the priests, the descendants of Aaron, are consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have acted unfaithfully; you will not receive honor from the LORD God.” ... Isaiah 6:1-5 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted; and the train of His robe filled the temple. / Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. / And they were calling out to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.” ... Ezekiel 44:19 When they go out to the outer court, to the people, they are to take off the garments in which they have ministered, leave them in the holy chambers, and dress in other clothes so that they do not transmit holiness to the people with their garments. Matthew 17:5-6 While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!” / When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown in terror. Mark 9:7 Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him!” Luke 9:34-35 While Peter was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. / And a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, whom I have chosen. Listen to Him!” Acts 5:1-11 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. / With his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds for himself, but brought a portion and laid it at the apostles’ feet. / Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land? ... Acts 7:32-33 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look. / Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. Treasury of Scripture 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. charge. Exodus 19:12,13 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: … break Exodus 3:3,5 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt… Exodus 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. 1 Samuel 6:19 And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter. Jump to Previous Break Charge Destruction Fallen Fear Force Forcing Gaze Great Moses Orders Perish Testify Warn WayJump to Next Break Charge Destruction Fallen Fear Force Forcing Gaze Great Moses Orders Perish Testify Warn WayExodus 19 1. The people arrive at Sinai3. God's message by Moses unto the people out of the mount 8. The people are prepared against the third day, for the giving of the law 12. The mountain must not be touched 16. The fearful presence of God upon the mount And the LORD said to Moses This phrase establishes the divine authority and direct communication between God and Moses. The Hebrew word for "LORD" here is "YHWH," the sacred and personal name of God, emphasizing His covenant relationship with Israel. Moses, as the chosen leader and prophet, acts as the intermediary between God and the people, highlighting the unique role of prophets in conveying God's will. Go down warn the people lest they break through to gaze at the LORD and many of them perish (21-25) Warning was given, as soon as God announced His intention of descending upon Sinai, that the people must not approach too near. "Bounds" were set, and the people required to keep within them. Actual contact with the mountain was forbidden under penalty of death (Exodus 19:12). It is evident from Exodus 19:23 that the command to "set bounds" had been obeyed, and a fence erected which it would have required some force to "break through;" nor can there be any doubt that Moses had promulgated the directions, which he had received from God, forbidding any approach to the mount, and threatening death to those who should "touch" it. Yet still it is evident from this concluding paragraph of the chapter (Exodus 19:21-25) that the first warning was insufficient. An intention to "break through, to gaze," must have been entertained by many. To this intention the existing priesthood, whatever it was, were parties (Exodus 19:22). It always grates upon men's feelings to be told that they are less holy than others; and we can easily understand that those who had hitherto acted as priests to the nation would resent their exclusion from "holy ground" to which the sons of Amram were about to be admitted. Even of the people there may have been many who participated in the feeling, and thought that Moses and Aaron were "taking too much upon them, seeing that the whole congregation" was holy. Hence, a further very stringent command was requisite, and Moses, having reached the summit, was sent down again from the top to the bottom in order to enjoin upon priests and people alike, in the most solemn possible way, the necessity of their observing the bounds set. (21) Lest they break through--i.e., force their way through the barrier which Moses had erected. To gaze, and many of them perish.--Some might have perished by the execution of the orders given in Exodus 19:13. But the allusion is perhaps rather to such a heaven-sent plague as destroyed the men of Beth-shemesh to the number of 50,070 (1Samuel 6:19). . . . Verses 21-25. - The further warning to the people and the priests. It is very remarkable that, after all the directions given (vers. 10-13), and all the pains taken by Moses and the Israelites themselves (vers. 14, 15, 23), God should still have thought it necessary to interpose with a fresh warning, and to send Moses back from the top of the mount to the bottom, in order to communicate the renewed warning to the people. We can only suppose that, in spite of the instructions previously given and the precautions taken, there were those among the people who were prepared to "break through" the fence, and invade the mount, and who would have done so, to their own destruction (ver. 21), but for this second warning. The special mention of the "priests" (vers. 22, 24) raises the suspicion, that this proud and rebellious spirit was particularly developed among them. Accustomed to the exercise of sacred functions, they may have been inclined to regard their own purity as equal to that of Moses and Aaron; and they may even have resented their exclusion from a sacred spot to which the two sons of Amram were admitted. Apparently, they had conceived that the injunction to go through the recognised ceremonies of purification (ver. 10) did not apply to them, and had neglected to do so, on which account a special command had to be issued, addressed to them only (ver. 22). Verse 21. - Charge the people lest they break through - i.e., "lest they force a passage through the barrier made by Moses" in accordance with the command given in ver. 12. And many of them perish. Irreverent gazing on holy things was forbidden by the law (Numbers 4:20), and on one occasion (1 Samuel 6:19) was actually punished with death. It did not, however, require a law to make it an offence, natural reason being quite sufficient to teach the duty of reverence.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew and the LORDיְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel said וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say to [him], מֹשֶׁ֔ה (mō·šeh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver “Go down רֵ֖ד (rêḏ) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 3381: To come or go down, descend and warn הָעֵ֣ד (hā·‘êḏ) Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 5749: To duplicate, repeat, to protest, testify, to encompass, restore the people בָּעָ֑ם (bā·‘ām) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock not פֶּן־ (pen-) Conjunction Strong's 6435: Removal, lest to break through יֶהֶרְס֤וּ (ye·her·sū) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 2040: To pull down, in pieces, break, & destroy to see לִרְא֔וֹת (lir·’ō·wṯ) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 7200: To see the LORD, יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel [lest] many רָֽב׃ (rāḇ) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 7227: Much, many, great of them מִמֶּ֖נּוּ (mim·men·nū) Preposition | third person masculine singular Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of perish. וְנָפַ֥ל (wə·nā·p̄al) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5307: To fall, lie Links Exodus 19:21 NIVExodus 19:21 NLT Exodus 19:21 ESV Exodus 19:21 NASB Exodus 19:21 KJV Exodus 19:21 BibleApps.com Exodus 19:21 Biblia Paralela Exodus 19:21 Chinese Bible Exodus 19:21 French Bible Exodus 19:21 Catholic Bible OT Law: Exodus 19:21 Yahweh said to Moses Go down warn (Exo. 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