The Meaning of Exodus 19:24 Explained

Exodus 19:24

KJV: And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them.

YLT: And Jehovah saith unto him, 'Go, descend, then thou hast come up, thou, and Aaron with thee; and the priests and the people do not break through, to come up unto Jehovah, lest He break forth upon them.'

Darby: And Jehovah said to him, Go, descend, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee; but the priests and the people shall not break through to go up to Jehovah, lest he break forth on them.

ASV: And Jehovah said unto him, Go, get thee down; and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto Jehovah, lest he break forth upon them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the LORD  said  unto him, Away,  get thee down,  and thou shalt come up,  thou, and Aaron  with thee: but let not the priests  and the people  break through  to come up  unto the LORD,  lest he break forth  upon them. 

What does Exodus 19:24 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 19:24 mean?

And said to him Yahweh Away Get down then come up you and Aaron with you but the priests and the people not do let break through to come up to Yahweh lest He break out against them
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֤יו יְהוָה֙ לֶךְ־ רֵ֔ד וְעָלִ֥יתָ אַתָּ֖ה וְאַהֲרֹ֣ן עִמָּ֑ךְ וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים וְהָעָ֗ם אַל־ יֶֽהֶרְס֛וּ לַעֲלֹ֥ת אֶל־ יְהוָ֖ה פֶּן־ יִפְרָץ־ בָּֽם

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלָ֤יו  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לֶךְ־  Away 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
רֵ֔ד  Get  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
וְעָלִ֥יתָ  then  come  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
וְאַהֲרֹ֣ן  and  Aaron 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַהֲרֹון  
Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.
עִמָּ֑ךְ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים  but  the  priests 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וְהָעָ֗ם  and  the  people 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
יֶֽהֶרְס֛וּ  do  let  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.
לַעֲלֹ֥ת  to  come  up 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
פֶּן־  lest 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: פֶּן  
Sense: lest, not, beware lest adv.
יִפְרָץ־  He  break  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּרַץ  
Sense: to break through or down or over, burst, breach.
בָּֽם  against  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural