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Exodus 19:14

in Exodus 19

When Moses came down from the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their garments.

KJV

And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.

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This verse in Exodus 19

Commentary

5 notes on this verse

This site's exposition

Moses came down from the mountain

on Exodus 19:14-15

Moses carries out the order in its own words, consecrating the people while they wash their clothes. Verse 15 adds a third instruction the chapter does not record God giving, to keep away from women, which stands as Moses' own word.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

And Moses went down from the mount unto the people,.... The same day that he went up, the fourth day of the month: and sanctified the people; instructed them and ordered them what they should do for their sanctification, in order to their hearing the law from the mouth of the Lord: and they washed their clothes; as the Lord had directed Moses to enjoin them, and as he had commanded them; see Gill on Exo 19:10.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

It becomes us to appear in clean clothes when we wait upon great men; so clean hearts are required in our attendance on the great God, who sees them as plainly as men see our clothes. This is absolutely necessary to our acceptably worshipping God.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

It becomes us to appear in clean clothes when we wait upon great men; so clean hearts are required in our attendance on the great God, who sees them as plainly as men see our clothes. This is absolutely necessary to our acceptably worshipping God.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

The Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come . . . in a thick cloud, &c.--The deepest impressions are made on the mind through the medium of the senses; and so He who knew what was in man signalized His descent at the inauguration of the ancient church, by all the sensible tokens of august majesty that were fitted to produce the conviction that He is the great and terrible God.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

This verse teaches that the command expressed in the [above] verse, And the Eternal said unto Moses: Go unto the people and sanctify them, 217 Above, Verse. was also given to him on the mountain which Moses ascended everytime that he was about to speak to Him.
Ramban: Spain, 1194–1270 · Ramban on Exodus 19:14:1, via Sefaria, Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
WHEN ‘HAYOVEIL’ (THE RAM’S HORN) SOUNDETH LONG, THEY SHALL COME UP TO THE MOUNT. “The Hebrew word hayoveil denotes a ram’s horn, and the horn used here was that of Isaac’s ram.” 210 Genesis:13. Thus Rashi’s language.
Ramban: Spain, 1194–1270 · Ramban on Exodus 19:13:1, via Sefaria, Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 1 further source is cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

11 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • וַיֵּ֧רֶדand he went down

    vaiyeredH3381 →381 times

  • מֹשֶׁ֛הMoses

    moshehH4872 →765 times

  • מִן־from

    min-H4480 →1188 times

  • הָהָ֖רthe mountain

    haharH2022 →546 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • הָעָ֑םthe people

    haamH5971 →1873 times

  • וַיְקַדֵּשׁ֙and he consecrated

    vaykadeshH6942 →171 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • הָעָ֔םthe people

    haamH5971 →1873 times

  • וַֽיְכַבְּס֖וּand they washed

    vaykhabesuH3526 →

  • שִׂמְלֹתָֽם׃clothes their

    simlotamH8071 →29 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

6 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Genesis 35:2So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your garments.9 worksExodus 19:10Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes3 worksActs 21:24Take these men, purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that there is no truth to these rumors about you, but that you also live in obedience to the law.3 worksLeviticus 11:25and whoever picks up one of their carcasses must wash his clothes, and he will be unclean until evening.2 worksLeviticus 14:8The one being cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe with water; then he will be ceremonially clean. Afterward, he may enter the camp, but he must remain outside his tent for seven days.2 worksLeviticus 21:8You are to regard him as holy, since he presents the food of your God. He shall be holy to you, because I the LORD am holy—I who set you apart.2 works

The walk

5 stops

Each 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 19:10

    Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes

    it leads to

    • Hebrews 10:22

      let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

    • Genesis 35:2

      So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your garments.

    • Leviticus 11:44–45

      For I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any creature that crawls along the ground.

    • Leviticus 11:25

      and whoever picks up one of their carcasses must wash his clothes, and he will be unclean until evening.

    • 1 Corinthians 6:11

      And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Where this verse is studied

About Exodus

The Israelites Leaving Egypt, David Roberts, 1829. Public domain.
The Israelites Leaving Egypt, David Roberts, 1829. Public domain.
Exodus: the study guide →Read Exodus 19 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Exodus 19 →