Exodus 19:12

And you are to set up a boundary for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful not to go up on the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses receives divine instructions to establish a perimeter around Mount Sinai before the Lord's descent. The people are commanded to observe strict limits and remain at a distance until the appointed time.

The words — הִגְבַּלְתָּ (hig.bal.ta) literally means "you will set a boundary," establishing a physical and legal restriction around the sacred site.

The thread — The boundary command echoes in Hebrews 12:20 regarding the fatal consequence of approaching the mountain, while Joshua 3:4 applies a similar distance principle to the ark of the covenant.

Why it lands — The text demands immediate physical separation from the holy presence, establishing that proximity to God requires obedience to explicit limits rather than presumption.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְהִגְבַּלְתָּ֤ve./hig.bal.Taand/ you will set a boundary for אֶת־'et-<obj.>הָעָם֙ha./'Amthe/ people סָבִ֣יבsa.Vivall around לֵאמֹ֔רle./Mor<to>/ saying הִשָּׁמְר֥וּhi.sha.me.Rutake heedלָכֶ֛םla./Khemto <the>/ yourselvesעֲל֥וֹתa.Lotto go up בָּהָ֖רba./Haron the/ mountain וּנְגֹ֣עַu./ne.Go.a'and/ to touch בְּקָצֵ֑הוּbe./ka.Tze./hu<in>/ edge/ its כָּל־kol-every הַנֹּגֵ֥עַha./no.Ge.a'<the>/ [one who] touches בָּהָ֖רba./Har<in> the/ mountain מ֥וֹתMotcertainly <to die>יוּמָֽת׃yu.Mathe will be put to death

King James Version

And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:

Cross-references

Hebrews 12:20 For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”
Joshua 3:4 But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between yourselves and the ark. Do not go near it, so that you can see the way to go, since you have never traveled this way before.”
Exodus 10:28 “Depart from me!” Pharaoh said to Moses. “Make sure you never see my face again, for on the day you see my face, you will die.”
Exodus 19:21 and the LORD said to him, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the LORD, lest many of them perish.
Exodus 19:23 But Moses said to the LORD, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, for You solemnly warned us, ‘Put a boundary around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’”
Exodus 34:12 Be careful not to make a treaty with the inhabitants of the land you are entering, lest they become a snare in your midst.
Deuteronomy 2:4 and command the people: ‘You will pass through the territory of your brothers, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, so you must be very careful.
Deuteronomy 4:9 Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, and so that they do not slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and grandchildren.