The Meaning of Exodus 19:21 Explained

Exodus 19:21

KJV: And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.

YLT: And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Go down, protest to the people, lest they break through unto Jehovah to see, and many of them have fallen;

Darby: And Jehovah said to Moses, Go down, testify to the people that they break not through to Jehovah to gaze, and many of them perish.

ASV: And Jehovah said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto Jehovah to gaze, and many of them perish.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the LORD  said  unto Moses,  Go down,  charge  the people,  lest they break through  unto the LORD  to gaze,  and many  of them perish. 

What does Exodus 19:21 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 19:16-25 - The People Warned Not To Approach The Mount
The holiness of God was taught in object lessons. The people must wash their garments, the mount must be fenced in, not a beast might graze upon the slopes, not a hand might touch the holy soil. Moses must twice descend to warn the people, Exodus 19:14; Exodus 19:21; Exodus 19:25. Only he and Aaron might ascend. All was done to convince the people of the vast distance that intervened between themselves and God. It was the awe engendered by such provisions, and which pervaded the ancient dispensation, that led Peter to cry, when the divine glory of Jesus smote upon him: "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord."
Dare to believe that beneath every cloud of soul-anguish, bereavement, and trial, you will find the burning love of God. Clouds and darkness may be round about Him, but faithfulness and truth, judgment and mercy are at the foundation of His throne. Listen to the voice that bids you enter the pavilion, and remember Hebrews 12:18, etc. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 19

1  The people arrive at Sinai
3  God's message by Moses unto the people out of the mount
8  The people are prepared against the third day, for the giving of the law
12  The mountain must not be touched
16  The fearful presence of God upon the mount

What do the individual words in Exodus 19:21 mean?

And said Yahweh to Moses go down and warn the people lest they break through at to gaze and perish of them many
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־ מֹשֶׁ֔ה רֵ֖ד הָעֵ֣ד בָּעָ֑ם פֶּן־ יֶהֶרְס֤וּ אֶל־ לִרְא֔וֹת וְנָפַ֥ל מִמֶּ֖נּוּ רָֽב

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מֹשֶׁ֔ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
רֵ֖ד  go  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
הָעֵ֣ד  and  warn 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: עוּד 
Sense: to return, repeat, go about, do again.
בָּעָ֑ם  the  people 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
פֶּן־  lest 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: פֶּן  
Sense: lest, not, beware lest adv.
יֶהֶרְס֤וּ  they  break  through 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: הָרַס  
Sense: to tear down, break down, overthrow, beat down, break, break through, destroy, pluck down, pull down, throw down, ruined, destroyer, utterly.
אֶל־  at 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
לִרְא֔וֹת  to  gaze 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וְנָפַ֥ל  and  perish 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
מִמֶּ֖נּוּ  of  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
רָֽב  many 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.