Exodus 20:21
in Exodus 20And the people stood at a distance as Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
KJV
And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
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This verse in Exodus 20
Commentary
5 notes on this verseWhile the people continued to stand afar off - 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 Rabbins suppose, sent an angel to take him by the hand, and lead him up.
This site's exposition
Moses drew near unto the thick darkness
The people stand back and Moses walks toward the darkness, and the verse puts both movements in one line. Thick darkness is where God is said to be, which Psalm 18:11 and 1 Kings 8:12 repeat, so the nearer approach at Sinai runs into less light rather than more. Hebrews 12:22 sets this mountain against the mount Sion its readers are said to have come to.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Thus it is said of the great Mediator, I will cause him to draw near ( Jer. xxx. 21 ), and by him it is that we also are introduced, Eph. iii. The Law Concerning Altars.
And the people stood afar off,....
Thus it is said of the great Mediator, I will cause him to draw near ( Jer. xxx. 21 ), and by him it is that we also are introduced, Eph. iii. The Law Concerning Altars.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּעֲמֹ֥ד | vaiyaamod | and it stood | H5975 → | 521 times |
| הָעָ֖ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| מֵרָחֹ֑ק | merachok | from a distance | H7350 → | 84 times |
| וּמֹשֶׁה֙ | umosheh | and Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| נִגַּ֣שׁ | nigash | he drew near | H5066 → | 125 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הָֽעֲרָפֶ֔ל | haarafel | the thick darkness | H6205 → | |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | where | H834 → | 5497 times |
| שָׁ֖ם | sham | [was] there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃ פ | haelohim | <the> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
וַיַּעֲמֹ֥דand it stood
vaiyaamodH5975 →521 times
הָעָ֖םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
מֵרָחֹ֑קfrom a distance
merachokH7350 →84 times
וּמֹשֶׁה֙and Moses
umoshehH4872 →765 times
נִגַּ֣שׁhe drew near
nigashH5066 →125 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הָֽעֲרָפֶ֔לthe thick darkness
haarafelH6205 →
אֲשֶׁר־where
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
שָׁ֖ם[was] there
shamH8033 →834 times
הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃ פ<the> God
haelohimH430 →2601 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
1 Timothy 6:16He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 1:17
Now to the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
- John 1:18
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.
- 1 John 1:5
And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
- Colossians 1:15
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
- Psalms 90:2
Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.
- 1 Timothy 1:17
Through
1 Kings 8:12Then Solomon declared: “The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud.
it leads to
- Leviticus 16:2
And the LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron not to enter freely into the Most Holy Place behind the veil in front of the mercy seat on the ark, or else he…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Leviticus 16:2
Through
Psalms 97:2Clouds and darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are His throne’s foundation.
it leads to
- Psalms 89:14
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; loving devotion and faithfulness go before You.
- Psalms 89:14
Through
2 Chronicles 6:1Then Solomon declared: “The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud;
it leads to
- Psalms 18:8–11
Smoke rose from His nostrils, and consuming fire came from His mouth; glowing coals blazed forth.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 18:8–11
Where this verse is studied
About Exodus
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.