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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Exodus 20:18–21. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
I.The extraordinary terror with which the law was given.
Never was any thing delivered with such awful pomp; every word was accented, and every sentence paused, with thunder and lightning, much louder and brighter, no doubt, than ordinary. And why was the law given in this dreadful manner, and with all this tremendous ceremony?
1.It was designed (once for all) to give a sensible discovery of the glorious majesty of God, for the assistance of our faith concerning it, that, knowing the terror of the Lord, we may be persuaded to live in his fear.
2.It was a specimen of the terrors of the general judgment, in which sinners will be called to an account for the breach of this law: the archangel's trumpet will then sound an alarm, to give notice of the Judge's coming, and a fire shall devour before him.
3.It was an indication of the terror of those convictions which the law brings into conscience, to prepare the soul for the comforts of the gospel. Thus was the law given by Moses in such a way as might startle, affright, and humble men, that the grace and truth which came by Jesus Christ might be the more welcome. The apostle largely describes this instance of the terror of that dispensation, as a foil to set off our privileges, as Christians, in the light, liberty, and joy, of the New Testament dispensation, Heb 12:18, etc.
II.The impression which this made, for the present, upon the people; they must have had stupid hearts indeed, if this had not affected them.
1.They removed, and stood afar off, Exo 20:18. Before God began to speak, they were thrusting forward to gaze (Exo 19:21); but now they were effectually cured of their presumption, and taught to keep their distance.
2.They entreated that the word should not be so spoken to them any more (Heb 12:19), but begged that God would speak to them by Moses, Exo 20:19. Hereby they obliged themselves to acquiesce in the mediation of Moses, they themselves nominating him as a fit person to deal between them and God, and promising to hearken to him as to God's messenger; hereby also they teach us to acquiesce in that method which Infinite Wisdom takes, of speaking to us by men like ourselves, whose terror shall not make us afraid, nor their hand be heavy upon us. Once God tried the expedient of speaking to the children of men immediately, but it was found that they could not bear it; it rather drove men from God than brought them to him, and, as it proved in the issue, though it terrified them, it did not deter them from idolatry, for soon after this they worshipped the golden calf. Let us therefore rest satisfied with the instructions given us by the scriptures and the ministry; for, if we believe not them, neither should we be persuaded though God should speak to us in thunder and lightning, as he did from Mount Sinai: here that matter was determined.
III.The encouragement Moses gave them, by explaining the design of God in his terror (Exo 20:20):
Fear not, that is, "Think not that the thunder and fire are designed to consume you," which was the thing they feared (Exo 20:19, lest we die); thunder and lightning constituted one of the plagues of Egypt, but Moses would not have them think they were sent to them on the same errand on which they were sent to the Egyptians: no, they were intended,
1.To prove them, to try how they would like dealing with God immediately, without a mediator, and so to convince them how admirably well God had chosen for them, in putting Moses into that office. Ever since Adam fled, upon hearing God's voice in the garden, sinful man could not bear either to speak to God or hear from him immediately.
2.To keep them to their duty, and prevent their sinning against God. He encourages them, saying, Fear not, and yet tells them that God thus spoke to them, that his fear might be before their face. We must not fear with amazement - with that fear which has torment, which only works upon the fancy for the present, sets us a trembling, genders to bondage, betrays us to Satan, and alienates us from God; but we must always have in our minds a reverence of God's majesty, a dread of his displeasure, and an obedient regard to his sovereign authority over us: this fear will quicken us to our duty and make us circumspect in our walking. Thus stand in awe, and sin not, Psa 4:4.
IV.The progress of their communion with God by the mediation of Moses, Exo 20:21.
While the people continued to stand afar off, conscious of guilt and afraid of God's wrath, Moses drew near unto the thick darkness; he was made to draw near, so the word is: Moses, of himself, durst not have ventured into the thick darkness, if God had not called him, and encouraged him, and, as some of the rabbies suppose, sent an angel to take him by the hand, and lead him up. Thus it is said of the great Mediator, I will cause him to draw near (Jer 30:21), and by him it is that we also are introduced, Eph 3:12.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
But notice how it happened there and how it happened here. There, the people stood a long way off; there was an atmosphere of dread, not of love. I mean, they were so terrified that they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself, and do not let the Lord speak to us, lest we die.” So God came down, as it is written, on Sinai in fire; but he was terrifying the people who stood a long way off, and “writing with his finger on stone,” not on the heart.Here, however, when the Holy Spirit came, the faithful were gathered together as one; and he didn’t terrify them on a mountain but came in to them in a house. There came a sudden sound, indeed, from heaven, as of a fierce squall rushing upon them; it made a noise, but nobody panicked. You have heard the sound, now see the fire too, because each was there on the mountain also, both fire and sound; but there, there was smoke as well, here, though, the fire was clear. “There appeared to them,” Scripture says, you see, “divided tongues, as of fire.” Terrifying them from a long way off? Far from it. Because “it settled upon each one of them, and they began to talk in languages, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Hear a person speaking a language, and understand the Spirit writing not on stone but on the heart.
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Summary
Exodus 20:19 vividly portrays the profound and terrifying encounter of the Israelites with God's manifest presence at Mount Sinai, immediately following the thunderous delivery of the Ten Commandments. Overwhelmed by the divine glory and power, the people, gripped by an existential fear of death, pleaded with Moses to serve as their sole intermediary. They expressed their inability to endure direct communication with the Holy One, powerfully encapsulating humanity's inherent separation from a perfectly righteous God and the desperate need for a divinely appointed mediator.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is strategically placed immediately after the dramatic promulgation of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:1-17. The preceding verse, Exodus 20:18, sets the stage by describing the people's visceral reaction to God's awesome presence: "And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off." This immediate, overwhelming sensory experience of divine power and unapproachable holiness directly precipitates their desperate plea to Moses in verse 19. Their request for Moses to mediate is not merely a preference but a terrified necessity, born from the raw, unmediated encounter with the Creator, which they perceived as life-threatening. The narrative then continues with God's instructions to Moses regarding the construction of altars in Exodus 20:22-26, further solidifying Moses's unique role as the primary conduit for divine revelation and instruction to the people, reinforcing the need for a mediator.
Historical & Cultural Context
The giving of the Law at Mount Sinai was a pivotal moment in Israel's history, marking their formal covenant relationship with Yahweh. Having recently been delivered from Egyptian bondage through a series of powerful divine interventions, including the plagues and the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 14), the Israelites were now directly encountering the God who had saved them. Ancient Near Eastern cultures often viewed the presence of a deity as both awe-inspiring and perilous, especially for those who were not ritually pure or divinely appointed. The concept of a mediator between the divine and human realms was not uncommon, as seen in the roles of priests and prophets in various cultures. However, the intensity of God's manifestation at Sinai, described with vivid imagery of fire, smoke, thunder, and a trumpet blast (Exodus 19:16-19), far surpassed typical human conceptions of divine presence. The Israelites' fear, "lest we die," stemmed from a deeply ingrained understanding, perhaps intuitive, that sinful humanity could not endure the unmitigated holiness of God without perishing, a theme echoed in other biblical accounts like the death of Uzzah for touching the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 6:6-7).
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within Exodus and the broader Pentateuch. Firstly, it underscores the holiness and transcendence of God, portraying Him as utterly distinct and separate from His creation, especially sinful humanity. His presence is consuming and terrifying, highlighting the vast chasm between the divine and the human. Secondly, it emphasizes humanity's sinfulness and inability to stand before a holy God without mediation. The people's fear of death is a raw acknowledgment of their inherent impurity and vulnerability in the face of absolute purity. Thirdly, it establishes the crucial theme of mediation, particularly the role of Moses as a divinely appointed intermediary. The people's plea for Moses to speak on God's behalf sets a precedent for the need for a go-between, a theme that will be developed throughout the Old Testament with the establishment of the priesthood and prophets, ultimately foreshadowing the ultimate mediator. Finally, the scene highlights the foundational nature of the Old Covenant, demonstrating both God's desire to relate to His people and the limitations of that relationship due to human sin and God's unapproachable holiness, thereby preparing the way for a new and better covenant.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This Hebrew verb (H1696) signifies a deliberate, articulate, and purposeful utterance. When the people say, "Speak thou with us," they are requesting Moses to be the one through whom God's words are conveyed, rather than hearing God's voice directly. This highlights their desire for an intelligible, mediated word, contrasting with the overwhelming, terrifying sounds of God's unmediated presence. The root often implies an arranged or ordered communication, suggesting a desire for clarity and structure rather than raw, unbridled divine power.
While literally meaning "to hear" (H8085), shama in this context carries the deeper theological implication of "to listen intelligently, and often with implication of attention, obedience, etc." When the people promise, "and we will hear," they are not merely stating their auditory capacity but pledging their willingness to heed, understand, and submit to the words delivered through Moses. This reflects a recognition that the divine word, even if mediated, still carries absolute authority and demands a response of careful attention and obedience.
This verb (H4191) expresses the ultimate consequence of encountering divine holiness in a state of unholiness. The fear of "lest we die" is not simply a fear of physical cessation, but a terror of being utterly consumed, annihilated, or judged out of existence by the sheer purity and power of God. It underscores the profound chasm between a holy God and sinful humanity, where direct, unmediated contact is perceived as fatal, a complete and utter destruction.
Verse Breakdown
"And they said unto Moses,"
This opening clause immediately establishes the direct address and urgent plea from the frightened Israelite community to their leader, Moses. It signifies a collective, unanimous cry born out of shared terror and desperation, indicating a moment of profound crisis for the entire nation.
"Speak thou with us, and we will hear:"
This is the core of their request and their conditional promise. The people explicitly ask Moses to act as their intermediary, to receive God's words and convey them in a way they can bear. They promise their attentiveness and obedience to this mediated word, demonstrating their trust in Moses as God's appointed representative, even in their fear, and acknowledging the authority inherent in the message, regardless of its delivery method.
"but let not God speak with us,"
This is the negative imperative, a desperate plea for God to cease His direct, terrifying communication. It reveals the overwhelming and unbearable nature of their encounter with the divine voice, which they could not endure. Their experience of God's unmediated presence was too intense, too holy, and too fearsome for their sinful humanity to withstand without feeling threatened with annihilation.
"lest we die."
This concluding phrase articulates the ultimate fear and perceived consequence of continued direct divine communication. It's a stark acknowledgment of their own frailty, sinfulness, and inability to stand before the unmitigated glory and holiness of God without perishing. This fear highlights the vast, unbridgeable gap between the divine and the human, apart from divine grace and the provision of a mediator.
Literary Devices
Exodus 20:19 powerfully employs Direct Discourse and Dialogue, presenting the exact words spoken by the Israelites to Moses. This immediate and unvarnished expression of their terror lends profound authenticity and dramatic impact to the scene, allowing the reader to feel the intensity of their fear and desperation. The phrase "lest we die" functions as a form of Hyperbole, not necessarily implying immediate physical death for every individual, but rather conveying the overwhelming, consuming nature of God's holiness that threatened their very existence, identity, and spiritual being as sinful creatures. It emphasizes their profound sense of unworthiness and vulnerability before divine purity. Furthermore, the verse establishes a clear Contrast between God speaking directly and Moses acting as a mediator. This contrast highlights the people's inherent inability to endure unmediated divine presence and underscores the critical necessity of an intermediary, thereby Foreshadowing the ongoing need for mediation throughout salvation history, culminating in the ultimate mediator.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Exodus 20:19 is a foundational text for understanding the nature of God's holiness, humanity's sinfulness, and the indispensable role of mediation in the covenant relationship. The people's terror underscores the absolute purity and consuming power of God, before whom no sinful human can stand unshielded. Their plea for Moses to mediate reveals a profound theological insight: access to a holy God requires a divinely appointed bridge. This incident at Sinai vividly illustrates the "fear of the Lord" as a proper response to His majesty, while simultaneously highlighting the limitations and distance inherent in the Old Covenant's mode of revelation, setting the stage for a greater, more intimate access to God through Christ.
Reflection and Application
Exodus 20:19 serves as a profound reminder of the awesome, unapproachable holiness of God and our inherent human frailty and sinfulness. It compels us to reflect on the vast chasm that separates a perfectly pure God from imperfect humanity. While the Israelites stood afar off in terror, their plea for a mediator speaks to a universal human need for someone to bridge the gap between the divine and the human. For us today, this verse should cultivate a deep reverence for God's majesty, preventing any casual or flippant approach to Him. It also magnifies the incredible grace extended to us in the New Covenant, where the very access the Israelites longed for—and feared—has been perfectly secured through Christ. We are invited to draw near, not in terror, but with confidence, precisely because of the mediation that the Israelites could only dimly perceive. This understanding should deepen our gratitude and inspire us to live lives that honor such a great salvation, walking in humility and awe before our holy God.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why were the Israelites so afraid of God speaking directly to them?
The Israelites were terrified because God's direct manifestation at Mount Sinai was overwhelmingly powerful and holy. Exodus 20:18 describes thunderings, lightnings, the sound of a trumpet, and the mountain smoking—a display of raw, unmediated divine presence. In their sinful state, they intuitively understood that direct contact with a perfectly holy God could lead to their destruction, as expressed in their fear, "lest we die." This fear was rooted in a recognition of God's absolute purity and their own inherent unworthiness, a profound awareness that their sin made them incompatible with His unblemished holiness.
What does this verse reveal about the nature of God?
This verse powerfully reveals God's absolute holiness, immense power, and consuming glory. He is not merely a distant deity but an active, present, and awe-inspiring being whose unmediated presence is too pure for sinful humanity to bear. While His presence brings terror to the unholy, it also underscores His perfect righteousness and justice. The fact that He chose to communicate at all, even through terrifying displays, demonstrates His desire to enter into covenant with His people, albeit in a way that preserved His holiness and their lives, thus revealing His merciful intention to relate.
How does Moses's role as mediator in this verse foreshadow Jesus Christ?
Moses's role in Exodus 20:19 profoundly foreshadows Jesus Christ as the ultimate mediator. Just as the Israelites could not directly approach God and needed Moses to speak on their behalf and convey God's words to them, so humanity, alienated by sin, cannot directly approach a holy God. Jesus, as the "one mediator between God and men" (1 Timothy 2:5), perfectly bridges this gap. He is both fully God and fully man, uniquely qualified to represent humanity before God and to reveal God to humanity, allowing us to draw near without fear of condemnation. Moses was a temporary, imperfect type; Jesus is the eternal, perfect antitype.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Exodus 20:19 powerfully sets the stage for the absolute necessity of Christ's mediatorial work. The Israelites' terrified plea, "Speak thou with us... but let not God speak with us, lest we die," encapsulates humanity's desperate predicament: a holy God cannot directly commune with sinful humanity without consuming them. Moses, as the divinely appointed intermediary, prefigures Jesus, the New Covenant's perfect and ultimate mediator. Unlike Moses, who merely conveyed God's word and stood between God and man, Jesus is the Word made flesh (John 1:14), and He is the very bridge to God (John 14:6). Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, Jesus has dealt with the sin that separated humanity from God, removing the "lest we die" barrier. Now, instead of standing afar off in terror as at Sinai, where the people "could not endure what was commanded" (Hebrews 12:18-21), believers are invited to "draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith" to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16) because Christ has opened a "new and living way" through His flesh (Hebrews 10:19-20). The fear of death in Exodus 20:19 is swallowed up by the life and access secured by the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), enabling us to approach God not with dread, but with worship and confidence.