Exodus 19:22
in Exodus 19Even the priests who approach the LORD must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And let the priests also, that come near to Jehovah, sanctify themselves, lest Jehovah break forth upon them.
KJV
And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them.
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This verse in Exodus 19
Commentary
8 notes on this verseLet the priests also - sanctify themselves - That there were priests among the Hebrews before the consecration of Aaron and his sons, cannot be doubted; though their functions might be in a considerable measure suspended while under persecution in Egypt, yet the persons existed whose right and duty it was to offer sacrifices to God. Moses requested liberty from Pharaoh to go into the wilderness to sacrifice; and had there not been among the people both sacrifices and priests, the request itself must have appeared nugatory and absurd.
This site's exposition
let the priests also, which come near
on Exodus 19:22-23
Priests are addressed at Sinai seven chapters before Aaron and his sons are consecrated in chapter 29, and readers have long divided over who they are. Adam Clarke argues from this verse that sacrifice and a priestly office already existed in Israel, since Moses had asked Pharaoh for leave to sacrifice; others read the word as reaching forward to the priesthood Moses is about to be given instructions for. Moses answers that the bounds are already set and the mount already sanctified, and the charge is repeated to him anyway.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Even the priests or princes, the heads of the houses of their fathers, who officiated for their respective families, and therefore are said to come near to the Lord at other times, must now keep their distance, and conduct themselves with a great deal of caution.
And let the priests also, which come near unto the Lord,....
Even the priests or princes, the heads of the houses of their fathers, who officiated for their respective families, and therefore are said to come near to the Lord at other times, must now keep their distance, and conduct themselves with a great deal of caution.
(2.) It is at our peril if we break the bounds that God has set us, and intrude upon that which he has not allowed us; the Bethshemites and Uzzah paid dearly for their presumption. And, even when we are called to approach God, we must remember that he is in heaven and we upon earth, and therefore it behoves us to exercise reverence and godly fear.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The priests also - Sacrifices had hitherto been offered by firstborn, or the heads of families. See Gen 14:18 note.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The priests also - Sacrifices had hitherto been offered by firstborn, or the heads of families. See Gen 14:18 note.
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְגַ֧ם | vegam | and also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| הַכֹּהֲנִ֛ים | hakohanim | the priests | H3548 → | 750 times |
| הַנִּגָּשִׁ֥ים | hanigashim | who draw near | H5066 → | 125 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| יִתְקַדָּ֑שׁוּ | yitkadashu | they will make themselves holy | H6942 → | 171 times |
| פֶּן־ | pen- | lest | H6435 → | 133 times |
| יִפְרֹ֥ץ | yifrotz | he should break out | H6555 → | 49 times |
| בָּהֶ֖ם | bahem | against <the> them | ||
| יְהוָֽה׃ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
וְגַ֧םand also
vegamH1571 →769 times
הַכֹּהֲנִ֛יםthe priests
hakohanimH3548 →750 times
הַנִּגָּשִׁ֥יםwho draw near
hanigashimH5066 →125 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
יִתְקַדָּ֑שׁוּthey will make themselves holy
yitkadashuH6942 →171 times
פֶּן־lest
pen-H6435 →133 times
יִפְרֹ֥ץhe should break out
yifrotzH6555 →49 times
בָּהֶ֖םagainst <the> them
bahem
יְהוָֽה׃Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Exodus 19:5Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 14:2
for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all the peoples on the face of the…
- Deuteronomy 7:6
For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all peoples on the face of…
- Deuteronomy 26:18
And today the LORD has proclaimed that you are His people and treasured possession as He promised, that you are to keep all His commandments,
- Malachi 3:17
“They will be Mine,” says the LORD of Hosts, “on the day when I prepare My treasured possession. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.
- Exodus 15:26
saying, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His eyes, and pay attention to His commands, and keep all His statutes, then…
- Deuteronomy 14:2
Through
Exodus 24:5Then he sent out some young men of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD.
it leads to
- Exodus 18:12
Then Moses’ father-in-law Jethro brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.
- Leviticus 1:1–17
Then the LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying,
- Leviticus 7:11–21
Now this is the law of the peace offering that one may present to the LORD:
- Exodus 18:12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies8
On this verse
On this chapter
About Exodus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.