Exodus 19:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

NIV: and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

NASB: and have them ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

CSB: and be prepared by the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

NLT: Be sure they are ready on the third day, for on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai as all the people watch.

KJV: And be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

NKJV: And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

Israel has camped near Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:1–2). There, they are commanded to prepare to receive the Lord's covenant (Exodus 19:5–8, 10). In this case, their consecration included washing clothes (Exodus 19:14) and abstaining from sex (Exodus 19:15). God will also give instructions restricting access to the mountain (Exodus 19:12–13).

God will come down to Sinai, but He will be obscured by a thick cloud (Exodus 19:16–19) accompanied by fire, lightning, noise, and earthquakes. The people will see these spectacular signs and believe that Moses is God's chosen representative (Exodus 19:9). During his visits to the mountain, Moses will receive laws from God, which will make up most of the rest of the book of Exodus.

Exodus 19:1–15 records God's instructions to Israel at the base of Mount Sinai, also referred to as "the mountain of God" or Horeb. The Lord tells Israel He is going to make them a special nation; this means establishing a covenant with the people. God will meet with Moses only. No man, woman, or animal may otherwise touch the mountain where God comes down.

God instructs the Israelites to prepare for His arrival on Mount Sinai in Horeb. They are to be clean and careful not to come onto the mountain itself. When God appears, He arrives amidst smoke, fire, lightning, earthquakes, and noise. Moses travels to the mountaintop and back, relaying messages about God's will. The first and most important of these are the fundamental principles of Old Testament law: the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1–21).

Prior chapters in the book of Exodus described Israel's history after Jacob and his family settled there (Genesis 46:27; 47:10). God used Moses to deliver divine messages and as a conduit for miraculous power. Once Israel was freed (Exodus 12:40–41), the Lord continued to care for them (Exodus 15:22–25; 16:13–15; 17:6, 8–13). In this chapter, Israel prepares to receive God's Law at Mount Sinai. Almost the entire rest of the book (Exodus 20—40) are details about these commands.

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.

Accessed 7/31/2025 7:00:49 AM