Exodus 19:3-6

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 19:1-8

Here is, I. The date of that great charter by which Israel was incorporated. 1. The time when it bears date (Exod. 19:1)--in the third month after they came out of Egypt. It is computed that the law was given just fifty days after their coming out of Egypt, in remembrance of which the feast of Pentecost was observed the fiftieth day after the passover, and in compliance with which the Spirit was poured out upon the apostles at the feast of pentecost, fifty days after the death of Christ. In... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 19:3

And Moses went up unto God ,.... Who was in the pillar of cloud upon the top of the mount; this was on the second day, according to the Targum of Jonathan: "the Lord called unto him out of the mountain"; or had called unto him, as Aben Ezra, since without his leave he could not have gone up. He called to him out of the cloud upon the top of the mountain to come up, and being come near him, he called to him, and spoke with an articulate voice, as follows: saying, thus shalt thou say, to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 19:4

Ye have seen what I did to the Egyptians ,.... The plagues he brought upon them in Egypt, and the destruction of them at the Red sea; these things they were eyewitnesses of, and needed no other proof or evidence to convince and assure them of them, and therefore must be under obligation to attend to what he was about to recommend unto them, for which reason this is observed: and how I bare you on eagles' wings ; that is, as on eagles' wings, the note of similitude being wanting, but to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 19:5

Now therefore ,.... Since they had received such marks of his favour, and were laid under great obligations to him: if ye will obey my voice indeed ; truly, sincerely, and heartily; or "in hearkening hearken", or "in obeying obey" F7 שמוע תשמעו "obediendo obedieritis", Pagninus, Montanus; "audiendo audiveritis", Drusius; "auscultando auscultabitis", Piscator; so Ainsworth. ; that is, closely and attentively hearken to what he should say to them, and thoroughly and constantly... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 19:6

And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests ,.... Instead of being in a state of servitude and bondage, as they had been in Egypt, they should be erected into a kingdom, become a body politic, a free state, a commonwealth governed by its own laws, and those laws of God's making; yea, they should be a kingdom to him, and he be more immediately the king of them, as he was not of others, the government of Israel being a Theocracy; and this kingdom should consist of men that were priests, who... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 19:3

Moses went up unto God - It is likely that the cloud which had conducted the Israelitish camp had now removed to the top of Sinai; and as this was the symbol of the Divine presence, Moses went up to the place, there to meet the Lord. The Lord called unto him - This, according to St. Stephen, was the Angel of the Lord, Acts 7:38 . And from several scriptures we have seen that the Lord Jesus was the person intended; see Clarke's note on Genesis 16:7 ; see Clarke's note on Genesis... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 19:4

How I bare you on eagles' wings - Mr. Bruce contends that the word נשר nesher does not mean the bird we term eagle; but a bird which the Arabs, from its kind and merciful disposition, call rachama , which is noted for its care of its young, and its carrying them upon its back. See his Travels, vol. vii., pl. 33. It is not unlikely that from this part of the sacred history the heathens borrowed their fable of the eagle being a bird sacred to Jupiter, and which was employed to carry the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 19:6

And a holy nation - They should be a nation, one people; firmly united among themselves, living under their own laws; and powerful, because united, and acting under the direction and blessing of God. They should be a holy nation, saved from their sins, righteous in their conduct, holy in their hearts; every external rite being not only a significant ceremony, but also a means of conveying light and life, grace and peace, to every person who conscientiously used it. Thus they should be both a... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 19:3

Verse 3 3.And Moses went up. It is probable that Moses sought, as he was wont, retirement., in order to take counsel of God; for he speaks not as of some new or unusual circumstance, but of a custom previously observed; because he dared not stop anywhere, nor make any further advances, except as far as was prescribed him by the mouth of God. His going up to God signifies no more than that he went; out of the camp, that afar from the multitude, and from all distractions he might in secrecy and... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 19:4

Verse 4 4.Ye have seen. With the view of gently inviting the people to obedience, He first recalls to their recollection the blessing of their deliverance, and then promises that the blessings of the future would be not inferior, if they on their part honored their deliverer with the piety and gratitude which belong to Him. He recounts the two parts of His loving-kindness, first that He had exerted His tremendous power against the Egyptians, and secondly, that He had marvelously brought His... read more

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