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.’”
23. And Moses said unto the Lord. Because Moses was persuaded that the people would be obedient, he rejoins that the decree which had already been pronounced would be sufficient, and that the repetition of it would be in some degree supererogatory; for when he says that “the people cannot come up,” he replies that he puts himself forward in the name of all as their surety.
God Himself was the preacher that day, descending in fire with ten thousand holy angels attending His majesty. The mountain shook and smoked as His throne; the trumpet grew louder and louder, calling the guilty to assemble, a sound of war to those who knew their sin.
AI summary
Commenting on Exodus 19:16-25
And Moses said unto the Lord,.... Upon his giving such strict orders both with respect to the people and the priests: the people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; suggesting as if there was no need for him to go down on that account, to give them a charge not to break through and gaze; since, as he thought, there was no probability that they...