The Meaning of Hebrews 12:20 Explained

Hebrews 12:20

KJV: (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:

YLT: for they were not bearing that which is commanded, 'And if a beast may touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or with an arrow shot through,'

Darby: (for they were not able to bear what was enjoined: And if a beast should touch the mountain, it shall be stoned;

ASV: for they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

(For  they could  not  endure  that which was commanded,  And if so much as  a beast  touch  the mountain,  it shall be stoned,  or  thrust through  with a dart: 

What does Hebrews 12:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Hebrews 12:18-29 - Hearken To God's Latest Word
Sinai rocked with earthquake and burned with fire. None might touch it without incurring the death penalty. How much better our Christian heritage! Not a lonely mountain, but a city and commonwealth of holy souls. Not bands of worshipers gathered from the land of Canaan, but hosts of angels, the spirits of just men; and our blessed Lord Himself. For the blood of animals, the blood of Jesus; for the Old Covenant, the New; for Abel's death beside his altar, the Savior's death on the cross.
Notice the writer does not say that we shall, but that we are come, Hebrews 12:22. Already, in our holiest moments, we are part of that great throng to which so many of our beloved have gone. Around us the most stable structures are being tested and some are crumbling to the ground. As they fall they show that their service was transient. But as the scaffolding is taken down, the true building-the City of God-emerges. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hebrews 12

1  An exhortation to constant faith, patience, and godliness by Christ's example
22  A commendation of the new covenant

Greek Commentary for Hebrews 12:20

For they could not endure [ουκ επερον γαρ]
Imperfect active of περω — pherō “for they were not enduring (bearing).” That which was enjoined Present passive articular participle of διαστελλω — diastellō old verb to distinguish, to dispose, to order. The quotation is from Exodus 19:12. The people appealed to Moses (Exodus 20:19) and the leaders did so also (Deuteronomy 5:23.), both in terror. If even “Even if.” Condition of third class with second aorist active subjunctive of τιγγανω — thigganō as in Hebrews 11:28, followed by genitive ορους — orous (mountain). It shall be stoned From Exodus 19:13. Late compound verb from λιτοβολος — lithobolos (from λιτοσ βαλλω — lithos class="translit"> ballō) as in Matthew 21:35. [source]
That which was commanded [τὸ διαστελλόμενον]
See on Mark 7:36; see on Acts 15:24. [source]
Touch [θίγῃ]
Elsewhere in N.T. only Hebrews 11:28and Colossians 2:21. lxx only Exodus 19:12. It implies a touching or grasping which affects the object (comp. Hebrews 12:18on ψηλαφᾶν ). In Class. often of touching or handling some sacred object which may be desecrated by the one who lays hands on it. See Soph. Philoct. 667; Oed. Tyr. 891,899. So here, the touch of the mountain was profanation. [source]
Shall be stoned [λιθοβολήσεται]
Found in Matthew, Luke, and Acts. In lxx see Exodus 19:13. Comp. ἐλιθάσθησαν , Hebrews 11:37. The correct text omits or thrust through with a dart. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Hebrews 12:20

Colossians 2:21 Handle not, nor taste, nor touch [μη απσηι μηδε γευσηι μηδε τιγηις]
Specimens of Gnostic rules. The Essenes took the Mosaic regulations and carried them much further and the Pharisees demanded ceremonially clean hands for all food. Later ascetics (the Latin commentators Ambrose, Hilary, Pelagius) regard these prohibitions as Paul‘s own instead of those of the Gnostics condemned by him. Even today men are finding that the noble prohibition law needs enlightened instruction to make it effective. That is true of all law. The Pharisees, Essenes, Gnostics made piety hinge on outward observances and rules instead of inward conviction and principle. These three verbs are all in the aorist subjunctive second person singular with μη — mē a prohibition against handling or touching these forbidden things. Two of them do not differ greatly in meaning. απσηι — Hapsēi is aorist middle subjunctive of απτω — haptō to fasten to, middle, to cling to, to handle. Τιγηις — Thigēis is second aorist active subjunctive of τιγγανω — thigganō old verb, to touch, to handle. In N.T. only here and Hebrews 11:28; Hebrews 12:20. Γευσηι — Geusēi is second aorist middle subjunctive of γευω — geuō to give taste of, only middle in N.T. to taste as here. [source]
Hebrews 11:37 They were stoned [ἐλιθάσθησαν]
A characteristic Jewish punishment. See 2 Chronicles 24:20; Matthew 23:37; John 10:31; Acts 5:26; Acts 7:59; Acts 14:19. The verb λιθοβολεῖν is also used in Matthew, Luke, and Acts, and once in this epistle, Hebrews 12:20. [source]
Hebrews 11:28 He kept [πεποιηκεν]
Perfect active indicative of ποιεω — poieō to make, “he has made,” emphasizing the permanent nature of the feast. The sprinkling of the blood Rather, “the pouring of the blood” An allusion to the command in Exodus 12:7, Exodus 12:22 but in the lxx προσχεω — proscheō is the usual term for the act (Exod 24:6; 29:16; Lev 1:5, 11; Deut 16:6). That the destroyer of the first-born should not touch them Negative final clause with ινα μη — hina mē and the second aorist active subjunctive of τιγγανω — thigganō old verb to touch with genitive, in the N.T. only here, Hebrews 12:20; Colossians 2:21. The articular participle ο ολοτρευων — ho olothreuōn is from Exodus 12:23. For πρωτοτοκα — prōtotoka see Luke 2:7; Exodus 12:29. [source]
Hebrews 12:18 Ye are not come [ου προσεληλυτατε]
Perfect active indicative of προσερχομαι — proserchomai There is no word here in the Greek for “a mount” like ορει — orei in Hebrews 12:20, Hebrews 12:22 (and Exodus 19:12.; Deuteronomy 4:11), but it is clearly understood since the dative participles agree with it unless they be taken as descriptive of πυρι — puri (“a palpable and kindled fire “ when πυρι — puri would be the dative case after προσεληλυτατε — proselēluthate). That might be touched Present passive participle (dative case) of πσηλαπαω — psēlaphaō old verb to handle, to touch (Luke 24:39). That burned with fire Perfect passive participle of καιω — kaiō old verb to burn, with instrumental case πυρι — puri (fire), unless the other view (above) is correct. [source]
1 John 5:18 Toucheth [ἅπτεται]
See on John 20:17, the only other passage in John's writings where the verb occurs. Both this verb and θιγγάνω (Colossians 2:21; Hebrews 11:28; Hebrews 12:20) express a touch which exerts a modifying influence upon the object, though θιγγάνω indicates rather a superficial touch. On ψηλαφάω (Acts 27:27; Hebrews 12:18; 1 John 1:1), see on Luke 24:39. Compare Colossians 2:21. The idea here is layeth not hold of him. [source]

What do the individual words in Hebrews 12:20 mean?

not they could bear for that being commanded If even a beast should touch the mountain it shall be stoned
οὐκ ἔφερον γὰρ τὸ διαστελλόμενον Κἂν θηρίον θίγῃ τοῦ ὄρους λιθοβοληθήσεται

ἔφερον  they  could  bear 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: φέρω  
Sense: to carry.
τὸ  that 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
διαστελλόμενον  being  commanded 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: διαστέλλω  
Sense: to draw asunder, divide, distinguish, dispose, order.
Κἂν  If  even 
Parse: Adverb
Root: κἄν  
Sense: and if.
θηρίον  a  beast 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: θηρίον  
Sense: an animal.
θίγῃ  should  touch 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: θιγγάνω  
Sense: to touch, handle.
ὄρους  mountain 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: ὄρος  
Sense: a mountain.
λιθοβοληθήσεται  it  shall  be  stoned 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λιθοβολέω  
Sense: to kill by stoning, to stone.