Hebrews 12:20-21 NIV

The Pulpit Commentary - Hebrews 12:19-21

And the sound of a trumpet ( Exodus 19:16 ) , and the voice of words ( Deuteronomy 4:12 ); which voice they that heard entreated that no word should be spoken to them more : for they could not endure that which was commanded (rather, enjoined), If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned ( Exodus 19:13 ; "or thrust through with a dart" is an interpolation in the text from the passage in Exodus): and so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Hebrews 12:20

For they could not endure that which was commanded - They could not sustain the awe produced by the fact that God uttered his commands himself. The meaning is not that the commands themselves were intolerable, but that the manner in which they were communicated inspired a terror which they could not bear. They feared that they should die; Exodus 20:19.And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned - Exodus 19:13. The prohibition was, that neither beast nor man should touch it... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Hebrews 12:21

And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said ... - This is not recorded in the account of the giving of the Law in Exodus, and it has been made a question on what authority the apostle made this declaration respecting Moses. In Deuteronomy 9:19, Moses indeed says, of himself, after he had come down from the mountain, and had broken the two tables of stone that were in his hand, that he was greatly afraid of the anger of the Lord on account of the sin of the people. “I was afraid of the anger... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Hebrews 12:20-21

Hebrews 12:20-21. For they could not endure that which was commanded That is, either, 1st, The law itself, so strict and holy, and promulged amidst such terrors seen and heard: or, 2d, The sense is, they could not bear to hear the following charge, or endure the terror which seized them when they heard those words proclaimed, And if even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, &c. And so terrible was the sight That manifestation of the divine presence, that even Moses ... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Hebrews 12:18-29

God’s mercy and God’s judgment (12:18-29)There is no similarity between the experience of Israelite people under the old covenant and that of Christians under the new. Events that accompanied the giving of the law at Mount Sinai show that people saw the old covenant as something terrifying (18-21; cf. Exodus 19:12-13; Exodus 20:18-19). By contrast, Christians see the new covenant as something joyful. They are not kept at a distance from God as the Israelites were at Mount Sinai, but come right... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Hebrews 12:20

if . Greek. ean . App-118 . beast . Greek. therion, not zoon. touch . See Hebrews 11:28 . or thrust through, &c . All the texts omit. No doubt this is because of the complex Ellipsis. In Exodus 19:13 we read, "There shall not a hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live". The work on "Figures of Speech" makes it clear thus: "And if so much as [a man, or] a beast touch the mountain [if a man] he shall be stoned or [if a... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Hebrews 12:21

terrible . Greek. phoberos. See Hebrews 10:27 , Hebrews 10:31 . sight = spectacle. Greek. phantazo. Only here. See Acts 25:23 . Moses . See Hebrews 3:2 . exceedingly fear and quake = am fearful (Greek. ekphobos. Compare Mark 9:6 ) and quaking (Greek. entromos. See Acts 7:32 ). read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Hebrews 12:20

For they could not endure that which was enjoined, If a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned.That which was enjoined means that which was commanded; and the thing God had commanded Israel, cited here, was that they should kill any beast that might inadvertantly touch the mountain, not kill in the ordinary way, but by stoning or casting it through with a dart (Exodus 19:12f). The significance of this is that the mountain was held so sacred that any beast touching it thereby became holy... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Hebrews 12:21

And so fearful was the appearance, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake.The fact of Moses' being afraid is mentioned in Deuteronomy 9:19; but the exact quotations given by the author here could well have come to him from some other source, or perhaps from his own independent knowledge of it by reason of his inspiration. The emphasis is that the most frightening things taking place on Sinai were so utterly terrifying that godly Moses, despite his royal education, was also exceedingly... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Hebrews 12:21

Hebrews 12:21. And so terrible was the sight, &c.— "The appearance was so dreadful that Moses himself,who was happy in such unparalleled degrees of the divine favour, and accustomed to converse with God in so intimate a manner, when urged by the people to act as their mediator in this awful transaction, said, though I consent to undertake the charge, I do nevertheless exceedingly fear and tremble." This circumstance is not recorded in the Mosaic history; but most probably it was well known... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Hebrews 12:19-21

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Hebrews 12:20

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Hebrews 12:21

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Hebrews 12:20-21

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Hebrews 12:18-29

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Hebrews 12:20

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Hebrews 12:21

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Hebrews 12:20

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Hebrews 12:21

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Hebrews 12:21

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