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Matthew Henry on Exodus 19:16-25
Never was there such a sermon preached, before or since, as this which was preached to the church in the wilderness. It might be supposed that the terrors would have checked presumption and curiosity in the people; but…
The Divine Presence on Mount Sinai. (b. c. 1491.)
THE DIVINE PRESENCE ON MOUNT SINAI. (B. C. 1491.) Now, at length, comes that memorable day, that terrible day of the Lord, that day of judgment, in which Israel heard the voice of the Lord God speaking to them out of th…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:16-20
God's various modes of manifesting himself. It has been well said that "when God reveals himself it is in a manner suitable to the occasion." No revelation that he has made of himself has ever been so terrible in its ma…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:16-19
Sinai and Sion. In studying these verses we cannot but be reminded of the picture drawn by the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews of the contrast in respect of Church state and privilege between believers of the Old a…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:16-20
EXPOSITION THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD UPON SINAI. All was ready. The fence had been made (Exodus 19:23); the people had purified themselves—at least so far as externals went. The third day was come—there was a breathless…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:16
There were thunders. Literally, "voices," as in Exodus 9:23; but there can be no doubt that "thunder" is meant. A thick cloud. Compare above, Exodus 9:9, and the comment ad loc. The voice of the trumpet. Literally, "a t…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:17
Prepare to meet thy God. God's revelation of himself to man is gradual, as man can bear it. [Cf. the way in which a parent reveals himself to his child, Isaiah 28:11, with stammering lips and a feigned tongue.] Israel h…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:17
Moses brought forth the people out of the camp. The camp itself must have been withdrawn to some little distance from the foot of the mount, so that a vacant space intervened between the first tents and the "fence" whic…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:18
Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke. Literally, smoked, all of it. Kalisch suggests that "the dense clouds from which the thunders broke forth had the appearance of smoke." But the reason assigned—"because the Lord de…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:19
When the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder. This is a somewhat free translation; but it gives well the real meaning of the Hebrew. We may conclude that the trumpet's blast was not continuous…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:19
Only a voice. The people were expecting a revelation—a vision of the hitherto unseen Jehovah—it came, but not as they expected; no vision, only a voice (cf. Deuteronomy 4:12). The fact was the law was not a final, only…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:20
On the top of the mount. Not, probably, on the highest point of the Sinaitic group, the Jebel Musa, which is out of sight from the plain Er-Rahah, where the Israelites must have been assembled; but on the highest part o…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:21-25
EXPOSITION The further warning to the people and the priests. It is very remarkable that, after all the directions given (Exodus 19:10-13), and all the pains taken by Moses and the Israelites themselves (Exodus 19:14, E…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:21
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 Exodus 19:12. And many of them perish. Irreverent gazing on holy thing…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:22
Let the priests also. It has been objected, that no priests had been as yet appointed, and that we have here therefore an anachronism. But every nation in ancient times had priests, appointed on one principle or another…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:22-24
The priestly office does not dispense a man from personal purity, but obliges him the more to it. Holiness of office, of profession, of function is too often regarded as if it secured, by some occult power, the personal…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:23
The people cannot come up. Moses can only have meant, that the people could not approach the mount unwittingly, since the fence commanded (Exodus 19:12) was made. But to scale the fence, or break through it, was of cour…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:24
And the Lord said … Away, Get thee down. God wholly rejected the plea of Moses, that there was no need to give an additional warning. He knew best, and would not have issued the order to "go down and charge the people "…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:25
So Moses went down. After the sharp rebuke addressed to him in Exodus 19:24, Moses made no further resistance, but returned to the camp, delivered the warning to priests and people, and having so done re-ascended the mo…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 20:1-2
God speaks many ways to the children of men; by conscience, by providences, by his voice, to all which we ought carefully to attend; but he never spake at any time so as he spake the TEN COMMANDMENTS. This law God had g…
The Ten Commandments. (b. c. 1491.)
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. (B. C. 1491.) Here is, I. The preface of the law-writer, Moses: God spoke all these words, Exodus 20:1. The law of the ten commandments is, 1. A law of God's making. They are enjoined by the infini…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 20:1-17
EXPOSITION THE DELIVERY OF THE MORAL LAW. Every necessary preparation had now been made. The priests, as well as the people, had "sanctified themselves." A wholesome dread of "breaking" through the fence, and "touching"…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 20:1
God spake all these words. It has been suggested that Moses derived the Decalogue from Egypt, by summarising the chief points of the Egyptian teaching as to the duty of man. But neither the second, nor the fourth, nor t…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 20:1-17
The ten commandments collectivety. The ten commandments form a summary of our main duties towards God, and towards man. They stand out from the rest of the Old Testament in a remarkable way. 1. They were uttered audibly…