_IN THE THIRD MONTH, WHEN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE GONE FORTH OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, THE SAME DAY CAME THEY INTO THE WILDERNESS OF SINAI._ In the third month - according to Jewish usage, the first of that month - "same day," it is added, to mark the time more explicitly - i:e., 45 days after... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR THEY WERE DEPARTED FROM REPHIDIM, AND WERE COME TO THE DESERT OF SINAI, AND HAD PITCHED IN THE WILDERNESS; AND THERE ISRAEL CAMPED BEFORE THE MOUNT._ Were come to the desert of Sinai. The desert has its provinces, or divisions, distinguished by a variety of names; and the 'desert of Sinai' is... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND MOSES WENT UP UNTO GOD, AND THE LORD CALLED UNTO HIM OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN, SAYING, THUS SHALT THOU SAY TO THE HOUSE OF JACOB, AND TELL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL;_ Moses went up unto God - the Shechinah, within the cloud (Exodus 33:20; John 1:18). From the encampment in Er Rehab, the point of his d... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND MOSES CAME AND CALLED FOR THE ELDERS OF THE PEOPLE, AND LAID BEFORE THEIR FACES ALL THESE WORDS WHICH THE LORD COMMANDED HIM._ Moses came and called for the elders. The message was conveyed to the mighty multitude through their elders, who doubtless instructed them in the conditions required.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES, LO, I COME UNTO THEE IN A THICK CLOUD, THAT THE PEOPLE MAY HEAR WHEN I SPEAK WITH THEE, AND BELIEVE THEE FOR EVER. AND MOSES TOLD THE WORDS OF THE PEOPLE UNTO THE LORD._ Lo, I come ... in a thick cloud ... The deepest impressions are made on the mind through the mediu... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE THIRD DAY IN THE MORNING, THAT THERE WERE THUNDERS AND LIGHTNINGS, AND A THICK CLOUD UPON THE MOUNT, AND THE VOICE OF THE TRUMPET EXCEEDING LOUD; SO THAT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WAS IN THE CAMP TREMBLED._ On the third day ... The descent of God was signalized by every object... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND MOSES BROUGHT FORTH THE PEOPLE OUT OF THE CAMP TO MEET WITH GOD; AND THEY STOOD AT THE NETHER PART OF THE MOUNT._ Moses brought forth the people. All classes, except, of course, the aged, the sick, and infant children, including even the achsuph, or mixed multitude, required to be present at t... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND MOUNT SINAI WAS ALTOGETHER ON A SMOKE, BECAUSE THE LORD DESCENDED UPON IT IN FIRE: AND THE SMOKE THEREOF ASCENDED AS THE SMOKE OF A FURNACE, AND THE WHOLE MOUNT QUAKED GREATLY._ The Lord descended upon it in fire. This was an extraordinary, unprecedented display of the Shechinah, that fiery ef... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND WHEN THE VOICE OF THE TRUMPET SOUNDED LONG, AND WAXED LOUDER AND LOUDER, MOSES SPAKE, AND GOD ANSWERED HIM BY A VOICE._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE LORD CAME DOWN UPON MOUNT SINAI, ON THE TOP OF THE MOUNT: AND THE LORD CALLED MOSES UP TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNT; AND MOSES WENT UP._ The Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. Assuming that Moses was in the plain of Sebayeh, whither he had brought forth the people... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Lord said unto Moses, Go down. No sooner had Moses proceeded a little up the mount than he was suddenly ordered to return, in order to keep the people from breaking th... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND LET THE PRIESTS ALSO, WHICH COME NEAR TO THE LORD, SANCTIFY THEMSELVES, LEST THE LORD BREAK FORTH UPON THEM._ Let the priests also, which come hear to the Lord, sanctify themselves. Who these priests were-whether the first-born of families (cf. Exodus 24:5), or the sacerdotal office was at thi... [ Continue Reading ]