Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 19:13
There shall not a hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether [it be] beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
13. no hand, &c.] i.e. he is not to be followed, and seized on the mount, but to be stoned or shot from a distance. Possibly the underlying idea may be (B.) that the trespasser, having touched sacred ground without proper authority, becomes thereby taboo i.e. dangerous to touch, on account of the supernatural penalties that would be thereby incurred (see DB. ii. 395 b n., iv. 826 ff.) and forfeits his life to the deity, and anyone touching him afterwards is liable to become taboo likewise (cf. on Exo 29:37). RVm. it means the mountain; but this is not probable.
13b. the ram (’s horn)] Heb. ybl, as Jos 6:5 ( , also with ‘soundeth long’); 4, 6, 8, 13 ( ( ) ). Not the word rendered ‘trumpet’ in vv. 16, 19, Exo 20:18.
they (emph.) may come up into (Heb., as v. 12) the mount, &c.] It may be doubted whether this clause is in its original position. Where it stands, it apparently refers to what may be done when the signal is given by the ‘ram’s horn’ at the end of the solemnity. Bacon would transfer vv. 11b 13 to v. 24, to follow priests (as in the note): ‘ they shall come’ would then refer to the priests, and, vv. 23, 24 (to down) being rejected as a gloss, vv. 20 22, 24a, 11b 13, 24b would read consecutively (cf. McNeile, pp. xxvi. 113).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Touch it – Rather touch him. The person who had touched the mount was not to be touched, since the contact would be pollution.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 13. There shall not a hand touch it] bo, HIM, not the mountain, but the man who had presumed to touch the mountain. He should be considered altogether as an unclean and accursed thing, not to be touched for fear of conveying defilement; but should be immediately stoned or pierced through with a dart, Heb 12:20.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
There shall not an hand touch it, i.e. the mountain. But,
1. This seems to be a gross tautology, for it was twice forbidden in the words next foregoing.
2. So the word hand would seem to be ascribed both to man and beast. Others therefore render it
touch him, i.e. they shall look upon such an impudent transgressor of my express command as an abominable person, whom they cannot touch without defilement, and therefore he shall be put to death in such a manner as may be performed without touching him.
Whether it be beast; for though the beasts are not capable of a law, yet they might be threatened for mans caution, and punished for the fault of their owners in not keeping them at a distance from the mount.
When the trumpet soundeth long, i.e. with one continued, equal, and gentle sound, as is usual in the end of the music song, which is opposed to a rough, and loud, and unequal sound. There was no real trumpet here, but an angel made a sound like that of a trumpet.
They shall come up to the mount.
Object. This was forbidden to them, Exo 19:12.
Answ. 1. They were forbidden to come up to the mount whilst God was delivering his laws, but allowed it afterwards when that action ceased, which was signified by the long sound of the trumpet.
2. They might not come into the mount or towards the top of it, but they might come to the bottom or lower parts of it, where the bounds were set, or at least towards or near it, as the Hebrew preposition beth is sometimes used. So the mount may be understood, more strictly, Exo 19:12, for an eminent part or top of it, where the thick cloud appeared, and where Moses was, and here more largely for the whole mountain.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
There shall not a hand touch it,…. The mountain or the border of it, which is repeated that it might be taken notice of; and to show that it would be resented if they were to stretch out their hand and only lightly touch it, much more should they set their feet upon it and attempt to ascend it: or rather, “shall not touch him” o; that is, the man that shall touch the mountain; he shall be so detestable and abominable, whoever touches it or breaks through the bounds of it, and attempts to ascend it, that no man shall follow him to lay hold on him, in order to bring him back to justice, but shall dispatch him at once in one or other of the ways directed to:
but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; if near at hand, all about him shall rise upon him, and take up stones and stone him; but if he is got at a distance, then they were to shoot arrows at him; and in this way Aben Ezra interprets it; the words, says he, refer to the man that toucheth the mount, who is not to be followed and apprehended, but those that see him, and are near, abiding in the place where they are, are to stone him immediately, and if afar off they are to throw darts at him: though the Targum of Jonathan seems to understand it, as if punishment would be immediately inflicted upon such a person, not by the hands of men, but by the hand of God; for it says, such an one shall be stoned with hailstones, and fiery darts shall be spread upon him; or, as the Jerusalem Targum, shall be shot at him:
whether it be beast, or man, it shall not live; that touches the mountain, and so it is explained, Heb 12:20, the word beast comprehends all kinds of beasts, wild and tame, and all sorts of cattle, of the herd or flock; as the word “man” takes in women as well as men, as Ben Gersom observes; Aben Ezra thinks fowls are not mentioned, because they cannot be taken, but fly away immediately; but then they might be shot:
when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount; this, according to Jarchi, was a trumpet of a ram’s horn; the word used in the Arabic language signifying a ram; but it is a mere fancy and fable of his, that this was of the ram of Isaac which was sacrificed in his stead; it is much more likely that there was indeed no real trumpet, only a sound was formed like the sound of one; and, it is highly probable, was formed by the ministering angels; Aben Ezra observes, that the sound of a trumpet was never heard until the day of the decalogue, until the day that was given; and that there was not a greater wonder on Mount Sinai than this: the design and use of it was to gather, this vast body of people together, to come and hear what God had to say unto them; and when its sound was protracted to a great length, or was in one continued tone, and somewhat lower, as is usual when a trumpet is about to cease blowing, then the people were to take it as a token that they should approach the mountain; not to ascend it, but come to the lower and nether part of it, where bounds were set to direct them how far they might go, and no further: so the Septuagint version is,
“when the voices (or thunders) and the trumpets and the cloud departed from the mountain, they went up to the mountain:”
a certain Jewish writer p interprets this, not of the people in general, but of Aaron and his sons, and of the seventy elders, see
Ex 19:24.
o “non tanget eum”, Vatablus, Drusius, “non feriet eum”, Tigurine version. p R. Samuel Ben Hophni, apud Aben Ezram, in loc.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
13. There shall not a hand touch it. (215) They ignorantly pervert the meaning who resolve the particle ב, be, into the adversative else; as if Moses forbade them to touch the mountain with the hand, under penalty of stoning. (216) Those also are far from the truth who think that what is ordained is, that one should not follow the other, or that none should stretch forth his hand to the transgressors for their help. Moses referred to something altogether different; for in order to render more detestable those who, by rash advances, should violate the limits placed by God, he commanded them to be killed afar off by stones or darts; as if whosoever should touch them, even with a finger, would contract pollution. It is, then, as if he commanded them to be avoided as being accursed, lest they should infect others by their contagion. Therefore there is an antithesis between different kinds of death, viz., to smite with the sword or to shoot through with darts, and to strike with the hand. But lest the people should consider themselves rejected, and thus being offended by the ignominy of their repulse, should abandon their love and desire for the Law, He permits their ascent conditionally, viz., when the sound of the trumpet shall have been protracted for a long time, or it shall have done sounding. Thus there was no ground for complaining of the limitation which God had appointed for their safety.
(215) There shall not a hand touch him, (eum.) — Lat.
Curiously enough, the French translation contradicts the Commentary, — “Nulle main ne la touchera (i.e. , la montagne) autrement il sera lapide, etc.” Our translation, too, seems to carry this meaning. Dathe’s Version is in accordance with Calvin’s view, — “Nec tamen ejusmodi transgressorem mann esse tangendum (sc. ut vi adhibita ejiceretur e cancellis) sed lapidibus obruendum, etc.” Hugo de S. Victor, in Willet, gives yet another conjecture, — “The hand of man shall not need to be upon him; sed intelligitur lapidum ictibus in eum divinitus volitantibus necandus.”
(216) Aben-Ezra sic exponit: Qui praescriptum terminum transierit in hunc nemo injiciat manus, nemo illum sequatur intra constitutos limites, sed projiciant ad eum lapides, aut feriant eum jaculis. S. M. — W.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(13) There shall not an hand touch it.This translation gives an entirely wrong sense. The meaning is, beyond all doubt, There shall not a hand touch him, i.e., the transgressor. To stop him and seize him, another person must have transgressed the bounds, and so have repeated the act which was forbidden. This course was to be avoided, and punishment was to be inflicted on the transgressor by stoning him, or transfixing him with arrows, from within the barrier.
Whether it be beast or man.Though beasts are innocent of wrong-doing, and are thus no proper objects of punishment, yet the law of God requires their slaughter in certain easese.g. (1) when they are dangerous (Exo. 21:28); (2) when they have become polluted (Lev. 20:15); (3) When their owners sin is appropriately punished through their loss (Exo. 13:13). In the present case, it could only be through the culpable carelessness of an owner that a beast could get inside the barrier.
When the trumpet soundeth long.Comp. Exo. 19:19.
They shall come up to the mount.Rather, into the mount. The expression used is identical with that of the preceding verse, and there rendered go up into the mount. Thus the act forbidden in Exo. 19:12 is allowed in Exo. 19:13; it is not, however, allowed to the same persons. The word they (hmah) in this present place is emphatic, and refers to certain privileged persons, as Moses and Aaron (Exo. 19:24), not to the people generally.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. Not a hand touch it So sacred and so awful was that mount to be esteemed that no one unsanctified and unbidden might touch it, on the peril of life . Not even a beast would be permitted to touch it, and live . This rigorous requirement was adapted to inculcate reverence for the law .
When the trumpet soundeth long Hebrews, in the drawing out of the yobel. The word , here translated trumpet, appears to have been some kind of a wind instrument . In Jos 6:4-5; Jos 6:8, we find the word employed to qualify , horn, or cornet, and in Lev 25:10, it denotes the fiftieth year year of liberty and joy commonly known as “the year of jubilee . ” The Targum and the rabbins understand a wind instrument made of a ram’s horn . The exact meaning is doubtful . Gesenius regards it as an onomatopoetic word, signifying a joyful shout, and, perhaps, is best understood here as the sound of some instrument, rather than the instrument itself . The drawing out of the yobel would thus mean the prolonged tones of a signal call, without specifying the particular instrument employed . See further on Exo 19:16, where the trumpet is mentioned .
They shall come up to the mount Who? Certainly not the people generally, who were forbidden to touch it, (comp . Exo 19:23-24,) but chosen representatives and elders of the people, (see Exo 24:1-2,) whom the writer does not here stop to specify. We see from Exo 19:20 that only Moses went up at first; subsequently Aaron was permitted to accompany him, (Exo 19:24,) but the priests and the people were forbidden.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Deu 33:2-3 . The trumpet perhaps was by the ministry of angels. Rev 8:6 . Hence the law is spoken of as given by the disposition of angels. Act 7:53 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 19:13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether [it be] beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
Ver. 13. They shall come up to the mount, ] i.e., To the bottom of the mount, to the foot thereof. Exo 19:17 See Trapp on “ Heb 12:20 “ “The way of life is above to the wise,” saith Solomon. Pro 15:24 As Moses was with God in the mount, when the people were below in the valley.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
it = him: i.e. not arrested or seized lest trespass on mount incurred.
surely be stoned. Figure of speech Polyptoton (App-6). Compare Gen 26:28.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
whether: Exo 21:28, Exo 21:29, Lev 20:15, Lev 20:16
when the trumpet: or, cornet, Exo 19:16, Exo 19:19, 1Co 15:52, 1Th 4:16
Reciprocal: Gen 3:3 – touch Exo 19:18 – General Exo 19:21 – charge Exo 34:3 – General Jdg 20:37 – drew themselves along 2Ch 23:7 – whosoever Heb 12:20 – if so much
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 19:13. When the trumpet soundeth long Then let them take their places at the foot of the mount. Never was so great a congregation called together and preached to at once as this was here. No one mans voice could have reached so many, but the voice of God did.