Exodus 19:16

“On the third day, when morning came, there were thunders and lightnings and a heavy cloud on the mountain, and the sound of a horn, very loud; and all the people who were in the camp trembled.”
Exodus 19:16 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

On the third day,וַיְהִי בַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁיwhenבִּהְיֹתmorning came,הַבֹּקֶרthere wereוַיְהִיthundersקֹלֹתand lightningsוּבְרָקִיםand a heavyוְ כָּבֵדcloudעָנָןonעַלthe mountain,הָהָרand the soundוְקֹלof a horn,שֹׁפָרveryמְאֹדloud;חָזָקand allוַ כָּלthe peopleהָעָםwhoאֲשֶׁרwere in the campבַּמַּחֲנֶהtrembled.יֶּחֱרַד

Allusion · Hebrews 12:18-19

Go to Hebrews 12:18-19

Hebrews describes the arrival at Sinai with elements from Exodus 19:16-19: fire, the sound of a trumpet, and a voice.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

אֵשׁeshH784πυρὶpyriG4442“fire”
שֹׁפָרshofarH7782σάλπιγγοςsalpingosG4536“horn (shofar)”
קֹלֹתkolotH6963φωνῇphōnēiG5456“voice, sound”

Allusion · Revelation 4:5

Go to Revelation 4:5

Both texts join lightning and thunder (in Hebrew and in Greek, “voices”): in Exodus 19:16, on Sinai; in Revelation 4:5, from the throne.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

בְרָקִיםverakimH1300ἀστραπαὶastrapaiG796“lightning, flashing”
קֹלֹתkolotH6963φωναὶphōnaiG5456“voice, sound”

Exodus 19:16, word by word

On the third dayיְהִיyehi

To be: "I will be their Elohim".

Where else “yehi” appears

On the third dayיּוֹםyom

day

The day, the hours of light, or a whole day.

Where else “yom” appears

On the third dayשְּׁלִישִׁיshelishi

third

The one that comes after the second; in time, the day or month that follows it.

Where else “shelishi” appears

morning cameבֹּקֶרboker

morning

Morning, dawn.

Where else “boker” appears

thundersקֹלֹתkolot

thunder

The roar of the sky that goes with a storm.

Where else “kolot” appears

and lightningsבְרָקִיםverakim

lightning

The sudden light that flashes across the sky in a storm.

Where else “verakim” appears

and a heavyכָּבֵדkaved

heavy

That weighs much and is hard to carry.

Where else “kaved” appears

cloudעָנָןanan

cloud of presence

The cloud of YHWH's presence.

Where else “anan” appears

the mountainהָרhar

mountain

A great rise of land, like Sinai or Zion.

Where else “har” appears

of a hornשֹׁפָרshofar

horn (shofar)

Shofar: a ram's horn blown like a trumpet.

Where else “shofar” appears

veryמְאֹדmeod

very

To a very high degree: the word that adds force to what is said.

Where else “meod” appears

loudחָזָקchazak

strong

Of great power or intensity: a hand, a wind or a famine no one can withstand.

Where else “chazak” appears

the peopleעָםam

crowd

The people gathered in a place: the crowd, or the troops that go out to war.

Where else “am” appears

were in the campמַּחֲנֶהmachane

camp

A place where a group settles to live temporarily, with order and limits.

Where else “machane” appears

trembledיֶּחֱרַדyecherad

tremble

To shudder with fear, with surprise or before God's presence.

Where else “yecherad” appears

The context

15He said to the people, “Be ready in three days; do not go near a woman.”

16 · This verse (above)

17Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet Elohim, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain.

Read all of Exodus 19

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