Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Hebrews 12:21
And so terrible was the sight, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake: )
21. the sight ] “the splendour of the spectacle” ( , here only in N.T.). The true punctuation of the verse is And so fearful was the spectacle Moses said
I exceedingly fear and quake ] No such speech of Moses at Sinai is recorded in the Pentateuch. The writer is either drawing from the Jewish Hagadah or (by a mode of citation not uncommon) is compressing two incidents into one. For in Deu 9:19 Moses, after the apostasy of Israel in worshipping the Golden Calf, said, “I was afraid (LXX. ) of the anger and hot displeasure of the Lord,” and in Act 7:32 we find the words “becoming a-tremble” ( ) to express the fear of Moses on seeing the Burning Bush (though here also there is no mention of any trembling in Exo 3:6). The tradition of Moses’ terror is found in Jewish writings. In Shabbath f. 88. 2 he explains “Lord of the Universe I am afraid lest they (the Angels) should consume me with the breath of their mouths.” Comp. Midrash Koheleth f. 69. 4.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said … – This is not recorded in the account of the giving of the Law in Exodus, and it has been made a question on what authority the apostle made this declaration respecting Moses. In Deu 9:19, Moses indeed says, of himself, after he had come down from the mountain, and had broken the two tables of stone that were in his hand, that he was greatly afraid of the anger of the Lord on account of the sin of the people. I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure wherewith the Lord was wroth against you to destroy you; and it has been supposed by many that this is the passage to which the apostle here alludes. But it is very evident that was spoken on a different occasion from the one which is referred to in the passage before us. That was after the Law was promulgated, and Moses had descended from the mount; and it was not said in view of the terrors of the scene when the Law was given, but of the apprehension of the wrath of God against the people for their sin in making the golden calf.
I know not how to explain this, except by the supposition that the apostle here refers to some tradition that the scene produced this effect on his mind. In itself it is not improbable that Moses thus trembled with alarm (compare Exo 19:16), nor that the remembrance of it should have been handed down among the numerous traditions which the Jews transmitted from age to age. There must have been many things that occurred in their journey through the wilderness which are not recorded in the Books of Moses. Many of them would be preserved naturally in the memory of the people, and transmitted to their posterity; and though those truths might become intermingled with much that was fabulous, yet it is not irrational to suppose that an inspired writer may have adduced pertinent and true examples from these traditions of what actually occurred. It was one method of preserving the truth, thus to select such instances of what actually took place from the mass of traditions which were destined to perish, at would be useful in future times. The circumstance here mentioned was greatly suited to increase the impression of the sublimity and fearfulness of the scene. Moses was accustomed to commune with God. He had met him at the bush, and had been addressed by him face to face, and yet so awful were the scenes at Horeb that even he could not bear it with composure. What may we then suppose to have been the alarm of the body of the people, when the mind of the great leader himself was thus overpowered!
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
It must needs be a dreadful, fearful, horrid, and astonishing apparition, and exhibition of the great Lawgiver here, that such a person as Moses, so sanctified by him, so favoured with familiarity with him, so constituted mediator between the people and God in this work for their good and comfort, so called and ordered by God to manage it, yet should cry to God to succour him, while he did quake and tremble at it; and was comforted and strengthened by Gods voice to him again, Exo 19:19. Christians now have no call nor access to so terrible a dispensation of the covenant, but have immunity, exemption, and freedom from it, which was not so helpful to holiness as the gospel dispensation, to which now they have actual admission, having freed them from all the terrors and curses of the Mosaical one.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
21. the sightthe visionof God’s majesty.
quakeGreek, “Iam in trembling”; “fear” affected his mind:“trembling,” his body. Moses is not recorded in Exodus tohave used these words. But Paul, by inspiration, supplies (compareAct 20:35; 2Ti 3:8)this detail. We read in De 9:19,Septuagint, of similar words used by Moses after breaking thetwo tables, through fear of God’s anger at the people’s sin in makingthe golden calves. He doubtless similarly “feared” inhearing the ten commandments spoken by the voice of Jehovah.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And so terrible was the sight,…. Of the smoke, fire, and lightnings; or of God himself, who descended on the mount; with which agrees the Arabic version, which renders the words, “and so terrible was he who vouchsafed himself to be seen”; not in the bush burning with fire; at which time Moses was afraid to look upon God, Ex 3:6 but on Mount Sinai, when the law was given:
[that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake: perhaps he might say this, when he spake, and God answered him, Ex 19:19. These words are nowhere recorded in Scripture; wherefore the apostle had them either by divine revelation, or from tradition, confirmed by the former: for the Jews have a notion that Moses did quake and tremble, and when upon the mount; and that he expressed his fear and dread. They have such a tradition as this e;
“when Moses ascended on high, the ministering angels said before the holy blessed God, Lord of the world, what has this man, born of a woman, to do among us? he said unto them, to receive the law he is come; they replied before him, that desirable treasure, which is treasured up with thee, nine hundred, and seventy, and four generations, before the world was created, dost thou seek to give to flesh and blood? “What is man, that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man, that thou visitest him? who hast set thy glory above the heavens!” The holy blessed God said to Moses, return them an answer; he said, before him, Lord of the world, , “I am afraid”, lest they should burn, (or consume) me, with the breath of their mouth.”
Compare this last clause with 2Th 2:8 and elsewhere f those words being cited, he called unto Moses, Ex 25:16 it is observed:
“this Scripture comes not, but “to terrify him”; that so the law might be given with fear, fervour, and trembling; as it is said, Ps 2:11”
Once more g,
“at the time that the holy blessed God said to Moses, “go, get thee down, for thy people have corrupted themselves”,
Ex 32:7 , “Moses trembled”; and he could not speak, c.”
And again, it is said h, that when Moses was on Mount Sinai, supplicating for the people of Israel, five destroying angels appeared, and immediately , “Moses was afraid”. Now this circumstance is mentioned by the apostle, to aggravate the terror of that dispensation that Moses, a great and good man; and who had much familiarity with God; the general of the people of Israel; their leader and commander; a man of great courage and presence of mind; and was their mediator between God and them; and yet feared, and quaked: the best of men are not without sin; and the most holy man on earth cannot stand before a holy God, and his holy law, upon the foot of his own righteousness, without trembling: it is an awful thing to draw nigh to God; and there is no such thing as doing it without a Mediator; and that Mediator must be more than a creature: and it is our happiness that we have such a Mediator, who never feared, nor quaked; who failed not, nor was he discouraged.
e T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 88. 2. Yalkut, 2. par. 2. fol. 92. f T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 4. 2. g Zohar in Exod. fol. 84. 4. h Midrash Kohelet, fol. 69. 4.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Fearful (). As in Heb 10:27; Heb 10:31, only in Heb. in N.T.
The appearance ( ). Present passive articular participle of , old verb from , to make visible, here only in N.T. “The manifestation.”
I exceedingly fear and quake ( ). “I am terrified (, late compound like , to frighten, Mr 9:6) and trembling” (, late compound like , to tremble at, as in Acts 7:32; Acts 16:29). is quoted from De 9:19.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
The sight [ ] . N. T. o. LXX, Wisd. 6 16; Sir. 31 5. Rend. “the appearance” : that which was made to appear.
I exceedingly fear and quake [ ] . Lit. I am frightened away (or out) and trembling. Ekfobov only here and Mr 9:6. Comp. LXX, Deu 9:19. Entromov, only Act 7:32; Act 16:29. Rare in LXX
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And so terrible was the sight,” (kai, houto phoberon hen to phantazomenon) “And so fearful was the thing (view) appearing,” the appearance of smoke, lightening, thunder, and darkness, in which God revealed himself to Israel while initiating the Law covenant, Exo 19:16-19. The sound of thunder, the voice of God, the vision of the holiness of God, was so terrible as he gave forth the moral codes of the ten ‘commandments and the covenant conditions, that even Moses trembled too, lest he die.
2) “That Moses said,” (mouses eipen) “That Moses said,” Moses himself even spoke aloud; Deu 9:9; Exo 19:1-9. God here pledged to make Israel a “peculiar treasure,” a “kingdom of priests,” an “holy nation,” if they would obey his voice and keep his covenant of worship and service.
3) “I exceedingly fear and quake:)” (ekphobos eimi kai entromos) “I am terrified (within) and trembling (without),” as did all in the camp of Israel, as God prepared to give the Law to them, Exo 19:16; To “fear God and keep his commandments” is the whole duty of man, Ecc 12:13-14.
The people to whom the book of Hebrews is written was not confronted with the requirements of morals, ethics, and religious rites of the Mosaic Law, but with the laws of the New Covenant Church, committed to them by Jesus Christ, by and thru whom God now speaks, last of aII, Heb 1:1-3; Heb 3:1-6; To this “better house” than that of Moses, God now speaks, Mat 28:18-20; Mar 13:34-37; 1Ti 3:12; Joh 20:21; Act 1:8; Act 20:28; Eph 2:19-22; Eph 3:9-11; Eph 3:21; 2Co 11:1-2; Rev 19:5-9.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(21) And so terrible was the sight that. . . .Better, And (so fearful was the appearance) Moses said, I exceedingly fear and tremble. Deu. 9:19, as it stands in the Greek translation, contains these words in part (I exceedingly fear); there, however, they belong to a later time, when Moses was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure of the Lord against the worshippers of the golden calf (Exodus 32). Various Jewish traditions speak of the terror of Moses as upon Mount Sinai he beheld the wonders of the heavenly world (see Heb. 2:2); but no saying that has been preserved throws additional light on the words before us.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
21. And Moses said Drop out that, which is not in the Greek, and enclose so sight in a parenthesis.
I exceedingly fear quake These words are not in the Exodus narrative. In Deu 9:19, Septuagint, the Greek for I exceedingly feared occurs. They there describe Moses’s fear of the anger of Jehovah at the violation of the decalogue by the people. Lunemann says, that our author transferred these words by a slip of memory. Erasmus, Beza, Stuart, and others conjecture that he writes them from a traditional account; Calovius attributes them to his original inspiration; Rosenmuller, Stier, and Delitzsch hold that he does not mean that Moses used these very words, except mentally, but that the words, as in Deu 9:19, are used to express Moses’s emotions at the Sinaitic scene. Stuart says: “It is implied, however, [that Moses trembled,] where it is said that ‘all the people in the camp trembled,’ and Moses was with them.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And so fearful was the appearance, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake.’
But the experience was so dramatic that even Moses found it hard to bear. We tend to forget that Moses was human too, and that he was dealing with something that was beyond his understanding. Compare Deu 9:19 LXX ‘and I was greatly terrified because of the wrath and the anger’ in respect of the golden calf experience and Exo 3:6, ‘he was afraid to gaze on God’, in respect of the burning bush experience. Moses trembled there before God, and here too he trembled along with all the people (Exo 19:16). The writer puts words into Moses’ mouth, based on what is revealed about his experience so as to make it more vivid (note that he does not represent it as from Scripture), probably based on some well known Jewish tradition. Such tradition often mentions Moses’ terror.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Heb 12:21. And so terrible was the sight, &c. “The appearance was so dreadful that Moses himself,who was happy in such unparalleled degrees of the divine favour, and accustomed to converse with God in so intimate a manner, when urged by the people to act as their mediator in this awful transaction, said, though I consent to undertake the charge, I do nevertheless exceedingly fear and tremble.” This circumstance is not recorded in the Mosaic history; but most probably it was well known to the Hebrews by the means of tradition: for they had so great a veneration for the character and honour of Moses, that they would have been vehemently enraged with the apostle, if they had not themselves been conscious of the truth of the apostle’s assertion.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Heb 12:21 . ] is the ordinary conjunctive “and.” It belongs not to , in such wise that . . . “is added by way of appendix, with an accentuation of the subject which renders any connecting particle unnecessary” (Hofmann), but to , in such wise that forms an exclamation, inserted parenthetically within the greater parenthesis: and so terrible was the appearing !
MOSES said, I am sore afraid and tremble . cannot be taken, with Jac. Cappellus, Carpzov, Schulz, Knapp, Bhme, Bloomfield, and others, for the enhancing “even.” For, from its position, it can only serve for the connection of the clauses, while for the indication of the sense alleged an additional immediately before (or even an before the same) would have been required. Yet the right feeling underlies this interpretation: that, regarded as a fact, Heb 12:21 contains an ascending gradation from Heb 12:20 , inasmuch as the being seized with fear, which at Heb 12:20 was asserted of the people, is now in like manner predicated of Moses, the leader of the people.
] equivalent to , the appearing , the visible covering in which the invisible God manifested Himself to the Israelites. Theodoret: ,
The verb , in the N. T. only here.
] In the accounts of the promulgation of the law given in the Pentateuch, an expression of this kind on the part of Moses is not met with. According to Zeger, Beza, Estius, Schlichting, Chr. Fr. Schmid [M‘Lean, with hesitation], Heinrichs, Stuart, Stein, and others, the author drew the same from tradition; according to Owen and Calov, he gained the knowledge even from immediate inspiration; while Carpzov will not have an actual utterance of Moses thought of at all, but, on the contrary, takes the formula: “Moses dicit: horreo et tremo,” as of the same meaning with the bare “Moses horret et tremit;” and Calvin has recourse to the not less violent expedient: “Mosem nomine populi sic loquutum, cujus mandata quasi internuntius ad Deum referebat. Fuit igitur haec communis totius populi querimonia; sed Moses inducitur, qui fuit veluti commune et omnium.” Without doubt the words of LXX. Deu 9:19 [cf. Heb 12:15 ] were present to the mind of the author, where in another connection Moses says: . These words he then transferred, by virtue of an inexact reminiscence, to the time of the promulgation of the law.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
Ver. 21. Moses said, I exceedingly ] This Paul might have by tradition, or rather by revelation, unless he gathered it from Exo 19:19 , compared withDan 10:8Dan 10:8 ; Dan 10:16-17 ; Dan 10:19 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
21 .] and (this clause is diversely punctuated. Before Beza, there was no comma at , and the sense was read straight on, “and so terrible was the sight, (that) Moses said,” as in E. V. So the Fathers: so some MSS. of the vulg. So Mill, Bengel, Michaelis, and Lachmann. And thus, as Bl. well observes, should we have punctuated in an Epistle of St. Paul, who is full of these broken constructions. But nothing can be more different than the style of this Epistle, which is weighed and rhetorically balanced with constant care. There can be little doubt in any who take this style into account, that the punctuation which began with Beza is right, viz. the setting a comma at , and regarding . . as a parenthesis. must not, with Carpzov, Cramer, al., be taken for “ even ,” for thus we should have an asyndeton: and it is too far separated from ), so fearful was that which was revealed (which appeared to them as a vision of the glory and majesty of Jehovah: , , , Thdrt.), Moses said, I am in great terror and in trembling (no such saying of Moses at this time is to be found in the sacred narrative. In ref. Deut. he says, , which should be , and refers to the time when Moses went up to the mount after he had broken the tables. Our Writer probably transfers these words from that time to this, indicative of the terror which Moses felt at the divine presence on Sinai. Some have supposed that the saying is taken from some tradition: but none has been found to justify the idea. Others, as Calvin, suppose that “hc communis totius populi querimonia; sed Moses inducitur, qui fuit veluti commune os omnium.” But if so, where would be any climax, as there manifestly is in this verse?):
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
terrible. Greek. phoberos. See Heb 10:27, Heb 10:31.
sight = spectacle. Greek. phantazo. Only here. See Act 25:23.
Moses. See Heb 3:2.
exceedingly fear and quake = am fearful (Greek. ekphobos. Compare Mar 9:6) and quaking (Greek. entromos. See Act 7:32).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
21.] and (this clause is diversely punctuated. Before Beza, there was no comma at , and the sense was read straight on, and so terrible was the sight, (that) Moses said, as in E. V. So the Fathers: so some MSS. of the vulg. So Mill, Bengel, Michaelis, and Lachmann. And thus, as Bl. well observes, should we have punctuated in an Epistle of St. Paul, who is full of these broken constructions. But nothing can be more different than the style of this Epistle, which is weighed and rhetorically balanced with constant care. There can be little doubt in any who take this style into account, that the punctuation which began with Beza is right, viz. the setting a comma at , and regarding . . as a parenthesis. must not, with Carpzov, Cramer, al., be taken for even, for thus we should have an asyndeton: and it is too far separated from ),-so fearful was that which was revealed (which appeared to them as a vision of the glory and majesty of Jehovah: , , , Thdrt.),-Moses said, I am in great terror and in trembling (no such saying of Moses at this time is to be found in the sacred narrative. In ref. Deut. he says, , which should be , and refers to the time when Moses went up to the mount after he had broken the tables. Our Writer probably transfers these words from that time to this, indicative of the terror which Moses felt at the divine presence on Sinai. Some have supposed that the saying is taken from some tradition: but none has been found to justify the idea. Others, as Calvin, suppose that hc communis totius populi querimonia; sed Moses inducitur, qui fuit veluti commune os omnium. But if so, where would be any climax, as there manifestly is in this verse?):
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Heb 12:21. , the sight) A most real sight is meant. Herodian, , , …, whether it was really seen by some, or, etc.-, Moses) who however was the only one admitted very near, and therefore saw and felt more than the rest. He indeed acted as the messenger between God and the people; but while the very words of the Ten Commandments were pronounced, he stood by as one of the hearers; Exo 19:25; Exo 20:16 (19).- ) I am struck with fear of mind, and trembling of body. The words differ: 1Co 2:3, notes. In Deu 9:19, for , I was afraid, the LXX. have , in the present. The apostle adopts that version, and supplies, . Thereby Moses shows his fear and trembling for the anger of God, which had been kindled by the misconduct of the people after the giving of the law: but the sight itself presented to the eyes of Moses, who was previously also reckoned one of the people, Exo 19:23, in the word, ; ch. Exo 34:27, rendered his fear the greater on account of the misconduct of the people, while the burning of the mountain still continued; Deu 9:15.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Moses: Exo 19:16, Exo 19:19, Psa 119:120, Isa 6:3-5, Dan 10:8, Dan 10:17, Rev 1:17
Reciprocal: Exo 3:6 – hid Exo 19:12 – or touch Neh 4:14 – great Dan 10:7 – but Hab 3:2 – I have Luk 2:9 – and they Act 24:25 – Felix
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Heb 12:21. This remark of Moses is not recorded in Exodus, but Paul was inspired and was able to report this part of the circumstance for our information.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Heb 12:21. And so terrible was the sight (what was made to appear) that Moses shared their feeling of dread. Such was the access to God which ancient Israel possessedan access that belonged to a visible mountain full of terror; an access rather of repulse and enforced approach, which they prayed might cease.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
12:21 And so terrible was the {i} sight, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
(i) The shape and form which he saw, which was no counterfeit and forged shape, but a true one.