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Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

Exodus 20:18-21

Exodus 20:18 E. Alarm of the People. This resumes Exodus 19:17 or Exodus 19:19), and describes how the frightened people (read in Exodus 20:18 b and the people were afraid and trembled) asked that Moses and not God should speak to them. Then Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was (Exodus 20:21). This idea, afterwards much developed by the mystics, is reflected in the windowless Holy of Holies in the Temple (cf. 1 Kings 6:16; 1 Kings 8:13, and RV references).

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See also Exodus 20:18-21 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Exodus 20:18. _AND ALL THE PEOPLE SAW THE THUNDERINGS, C._] They had witnessed all these awful things before, (see Exodus 19:16), but _here_ they seem to have been repeated probably at the end...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    Compare Deuteronomy 5:22. Aaron Exodus 19:24 on this occasion accompanied Moses in drawing near to the thick darkness. Exodus 20:22 to...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 20 THE COVENANT REVEALED _ 1. The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1)_ 2. Jehovah's gracious provision (Exodus 20:18) This law covenant is now stated. It was given three times. First orally here,...

  • B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary

    III. AN AWE STRUCK PEOPLE. 18. THUNDERINGS AND LIGHTNINGS. The portentous sound of the trumpet and the thunder which had ushered in the day, and which continued to be heard while the people were asse...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    SAW. Figure of speech _Zeugma._ App-6 (here, _Protozeugma),_ the one verb "saw" used for two things, but appropriate only for one. Emphasis on "saw". and. Note Figure of speech _Polysyndeton_ (App-6)....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The people, alarmed by the terrible accompaniments of the theophany, express a desire that in future Moses may speak to them instead of God. Their wish is implicitly granted. Cf. Deuteronomy 5:22-31....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _saw_ Heb., more graphically, _were seeing_. _the thunderings_(Heb. _voices_), &c. see Exodus 19:16; Exodus 19:19. _and when_, &c. Heb. _and the people saw and trembled_, where -saw," after clause a,...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 92 THE GIVING OF THE LAW Exodus 20:18. _And all the people saw the thunderings and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND ALL THE PEOPLE SAW THE THUNDERINGS, &C.— That is, _perceived;_ were sensibly affected with the noise, and with the light; insomuch, that they shrunk back with terror, and removed to a distance fro...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    THE TEXT OF EXODUS TRANSLATION 20 AND GOD SPAKE ALL THESE WORDS, SAYING, (2) I am Je-ho-vah thy God, who brought thee out of the land of E-gypt, out of the house of bondage. (3) Thou shalt have no ot...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND ALL THE PEOPLE SAW THE THUNDERINGS, AND THE LIGHTNINGS, AND THE NOISE OF THE TRUMPET, AND THE MOUNTAIN SMOKING: AND WHEN THE PEOPLE SAW IT, THEY REMOVED, AND STOOD AFAR OFF._ And all the people...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (VV. 1-21) Exodus 20-23, containing (1) the Decalogue (Gk. = 'Ten Words' or 'Commandments') and (2) a code of laws regulating the religious and social life of the people, and call...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    EXODUS: *ISRAEL BECOMES A NATION GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS TO MOSES EXODUS CHAPTER S 19 TO 40 _HILDA BRIGHT AND KITTY PRIDE_ CHAPTER 20 GOD’S TEN *COMMANDMENTS – VERSES 1-17 V1 God spoke all these wor...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    AND ALL THE PEOPLE SAW THE THUNDERINGS — _i.e.,_ Perceived them. On the true character of the Sinaitic manifestation, see Note on Exodus 19:16. THEY REMOVED. — Moses had brought the representatives o...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    AT THE PEOPLE’S REQUEST, MOSES BECOMES THEIR INTERMEDIARY. (18-21) The delivery of the Ten Commandments by A voice manifestly superhuman impressed the people with an awful fear. They felt the near con...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וְ כָל ־הָ עָם֩ רֹאִ֨ים אֶת ־הַ...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE LESSER LAW. Exodus 20:18 - Exodus 23:33. With the close of the Decalogue and its universal obligations, we approach a brief code of laws, purely Hebrew, but of the deepest moral interest, confess...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE PEOPLE FEAR; IDOLS AND ALTARS Exodus 20:18 When our Lord was on earth He was so attractive and winsome that the publicans and sinners drew near to hear Him, penitents wept at His feet, children n...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here we have the Ten Words of the moral Law. They are introduced by a proclamation of God concerning Himself: first as to His name, "I am Jehovah"; second, as to His relation to them, "thy God"; and,...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Saw. The Hebrews often substitute one organ of sense for another. (St. Augustine 9. 72; Jeremias ii. 30.) --- The Samaritan reads, "the people heard the thunders, and the sound of the trumpet, and be...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Reader! observe here once again, the awful signs with which the Lord proclaimed his law. And doth not the Holy Ghost even now, in bringing home to the sinner a deep sense of transgression, accompany h...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    "In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai." Up to this point all the dealings of God have been the...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 19 THROUGH 23. But having thus terminated the course of grace, the scene changes entirely. They do not keep the feast on the mountain, whither God, as He had...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND ALL THE PEOPLE SAW THE THUNDERINGS, AND THE LIGHTNINGS,.... That is, they heard the one, and saw the other; they heard the dreadful volleys of thunder, and saw the amazing flashes of lightning, wh...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw [it], they removed, and stood afar off. Ver. 18. _They remo...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _They removed, and stood afar off_ Before God began to speak, they were thrusting forward _to gaze_, but now they were effectually cured of their presumption, and taught to _keep their distance. Speak...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The ten Commandements. 18 The people are afraid. 20 Moses comforteth them. 22 Idolatrie is forbidden. 24 Of what sort the Altar should be. 1 AND God spake all these words, saying, 2 [NOTE: Deut...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE TERROR OF THE PEOPLE...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking. The impression was made on all the senses, but that of sight was chiefly involved. T...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    SECOND SECTION The Threefold Law of the Covenant for the Covenant People on the Basis of the Prophetic, Ethico-religious Divine Law of the Ten Commandments. Historical Prophecy Exodus 20-31 A. THE T...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (vs.1-17) Before God gives the ten commandments, He makes is abundantly clear that Israel's obedience to law had nothing to do with God's previous grace toward them in delivering...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    18-21 This law, which is so extensive that we cannot measure it, so spiritual that we cannot evade it, and so reasonable that we cannot find fault with it, will be the rule of the future judgment of...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    SAW THE THUNDERINGS, i.e. heard them. One sense is oft put for another, as _seeing_, GENESIS 42:1, for _hearing_, ACTS 7:12. THEY REMOVED from the bottom of the mountain, where it seems they stood....

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    It is of the utmost importance to understand the true character and object of the moral law, as set forth in this chapter. There is a tendency in the mind to confound the principles of law and grace,...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Exodus 20:18 people H5971 witnessed H7200 (H8802) thunderings H6963 flashes H3940 sound H6963 trumpet H7782 mountain H20

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE AFTERMATH (EXODUS 20:18). This passage immediately follows the glorious and awesome experience that has been theirs in the proclamation of Yahweh's covenant. The people are trembling in fear, and...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    AFAR OFF For contrast between law and grace, Compare (Ephesians 2:13); (Luke 1:10) with (Hebrews 10:19)....

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Ten commandments delivered to Moses at Sinai. CHARACTERS: God, Moses. CONCLUSION: A holy and righteous God has holy and righteous standards. Those who love God will constantly endeavor to...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Exodus 20:1. _God spake all these words._ In compassion to man, and the increasing weakness of human traditions, it has pleased the infinitely wise and Holy One to renew the evidences of revelation at...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _They removed, and stood afar off._ ISRAEL AND SINAI I. That all men as sinners must be brought into conscious contact with moral law. The guarantees of this conscious contact are found-- 1. In the...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    EXODUS 20:1 Covenant Words and Rules. This section records what will later be referred to as the “Book of the Covenant” (Exodus 24:7) and includes: the Ten Commandments ...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Exodus 20:19. We will hear.] Kalisch happily remarks that “in the word _v‘nishma_‘AH, with the _he_ paragogicum, lies the readiness and willingness: ‘we will eagerly and gladly hear....

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION WITHDRAWAL OF THE PEOPLE, AND NEARER APPROACH OF MOSES TO GOD. The effect produced upon the people by the accumulated terrors of Sinai—"the thunderings and the lightnings, the noise of the...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And God spake these words, saying (Exodus 20:1), Now the people said, "All that the Lord commands, we will do." All right this is what the Lord has spoken. Now these are the commandments of God. I am...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    and all Exodus 19:16 they removed Psalms 139:7 Psalms 139:8 Jeremiah 23:23...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE TEN COMMANDMENTS Exodus 20:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS As introductory to this study we wish to answer some statements relative to the Christian and the Law. 1. SAINTS ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW FOR SALVA...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    They removed and stood afar off — Before God began to speak, they were thrusting forward to gaze, but now they were effectually cured of their presumption, and taught to keep their distance....

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