Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 23. The people cannot come up] Either because they had been so solemnly forbidden that they would not dare, with the penalty of instant death before their eyes, to transgress the Divine command; or the bounds which were set about the mount were such as rendered their passing them physically impossible.

And sanctify it.] vekiddashio. Here the word kadash is taken in its proper literal sense, signifying the separating of a thing, person or place, from all profane or common uses, and devoting it to sacred purposes.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

The people are sufficiently admonished in that particular, because as thou didst command this same thing before, Exo 19:12, so I have informed and warned them of it; so that it may seem superfluous for me to go down again to acquaint them herewith. But God, who better knew the dulness and the hardness of their hearts than Moses did, saw it necessary to repeat the same command again and again. Some read the words interrogatively, lo for halo, as it is 2Sa 13:26; 2Ki 5:26; Job 2:10; Mal 2:15; May not the people (i.e. some of the people, the priests at least, which, as thou hast now said, may come near to the Lord) go up? Is this a universal prohibition? To this answer is given by a distinction in the next verse, that he and Aaron might come up, but no other.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

And Moses said unto the Lord,…. Upon his giving such strict orders both with respect to the people and the priests:

the people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; suggesting as if there was no need for him to go down on that account, to give them a charge not to break through and gaze; since, as he thought, there was no probability that they ever would attempt it, seeing such a solemn charge had been given, nor any possibility of it, since such a fence was made:

for thou chargedst us, saying, set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it; and accordingly bounds have been set, that the people may not go up it, and the place has been declared sacred, that so none will presume to do it, according to the solemn charge that has been given: some a read the preceding clause by way of interrogation, “may not the people come up to Mount Sinai?” may not any of them? or, if any of them, who may? and there was the greater reason for asking such a question, since the priests that drew near to God might not, and so the next words are conceived to be an answer to it.

a So some in Vatablus.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

23. And Moses said unto the Lord. Because Moses was persuaded that the people would be obedient, he rejoins that the decree which had already been pronounced would be sufficient, and that the repetition of it would be in some degree supererogatory; for when he says that “the people cannot come up,” he replies that he puts himself forward in the name of all as their surety. And this he does honestly, and in accordance with the rule of charity; yet it appears from God’s reply that he was deceived, whilst judging of others by his own feelings. Whilst, however, he unhesitatingly executes the task allotted to him, it is plain that he preferred the command of God to his own preconceived opinion; and thus taught us by his example, that whatever may be the imaginations which come into our minds, they must still be submitted to this yoke, that God’s authority alone may have the pre-eminence. A doubt may arise because He names “the priests;” since the priestly office was not yet committed to the Levites. Some, therefore, understand it to mean all the first-born, because, by ancient and common consent, it is allowed that they were always invested with the honor of the priesthood. But although I readily admit that they were chosen from the first-born, yet I do not think it probable that out of that immense multitude there were special priests for every house. In the meantime we may conjecture that since no heathen nations were then without priests, there was no less method amongst the chosen people; for what common sense dictated to the blind, assuredly a purer religion more clearly showed, viz., that God’s worship should not be separated from the priesthood.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(23) The people cannot come up.Moses probably means that they cannot do so unwittingly; he

Does not contemplate the case of an intentional trespass. But it was this which God knew to be contemplated, and was desirous of preventing.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

‘And Moses said to Yahweh, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, for you charged us saying, ‘Set bounds about the Mount and sanctify it’.” ’

Moses is still a little naive. He cannot conceive that the people would disobey Yahweh and break through the bounds and enter the sanctified area of the mountain, for Yahweh has forbidden it, and to him that is final, and besides there is the threat of instant death. But Yahweh knows His people better than he.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Exo 19:23. The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai To be consistent with the other parts of this chapter, especially Exo 19:13 these words must signify, that the people, though advanced to the mount, could not ascend up upon it; as being restrained by those bounds which God himself had strictly enjoined, and that consecration of the circumjacent limits which rendered it unlawful for them to tread thereon. The Lord, however, knowing the perverseness of the people, dismissed Moses with repeated injunctions, and with orders to bring up Aaron along with him; the rest, meanwhile, maintaining their appointed distance. This is the general, and perhaps will be thought a very just interpretation: however, I will not dissemble, that it does not perfectly satisfy me. It is strictly enjoined, Exo 19:12 that the people go not up into the mount, or even touch the border of it: the penalty of doing so was death. When Moses brought the people out of the camp, it is said that they stood only at the nether part, Exo 19:17 at the very bottom of the mountain; yet, in Exo 19:13 it is said, they shall come up to the mount, and, in this verse, they cannot come up to Mount Sinai; the same Hebrew word being used in both places for coming up. The solution of the difficulty, therefore, must lie in the prepositions used; and we shall find these, I conceive, adequate to this solution: it is said, in Exo 19:13 they shall come up, b-er: now the preposition beth signifies not only to, but near, as Noldius shews at large; and may therefore here be rendered near to the mountain: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall ascend [or advance from the camp, that is] near to the mountain: but in Exo 19:23 not the preposition beth, but al is used: the people cannot ascend, or advance, al-er, into or upon the mountain. Mr. Chais renders it, agreeably to our remark, ils monteront vers la montagne: they shall ascend towards the mountain. To what we have said, respecting Sinai and Horeb elsewhere, we will just add, from Calmet, that though these mountains are promiscuously used by the sacred historian by reason of their contiguity; yet it is certain, they are two different places. Sinai (which the Arabians at this day call. Tor, or the Mountain, by way of eminence; or otherwise gibel Mousa, the Mountain of Moses,) stands in a kind of peninsula, formed by two arms of the Red-sea, one of which stretches out towards the north, and is called the gulph of Kolsom: the other towards the east, and is called the gulph of Elan, or the Elanitish-sea. Sinai is at least one-third part higher than Horeb, and of a much more difficult access: its top terminates in an uneven and rugged space, capable of containing about sixty persons. Here is built the little chapel of St. Catherine, whose church is below at the foot of the mountain. Horeb is to the west of Sinai; so that, at sun-rising, the shadow of Sinai entirely covers Horeb.

REFLECTIONS.The third, the memorable day appears, ushered in with thunderings and lightnings, and blasts of the mighty trumpet, like those that shortly must awake the dead. The people are drawn out; and now the Lord descends, accompanied with his mighty angels; a fiery cloud his chariot, and Sinai trembles at his presence, while blasts more loud and terrible proclaim the present Deity. Even Moses quakes with fear. God speaks to himencourages him to approach. Moses draws near, and is sent back to repeat to the people the former solemn injunctions, not to break through, nor gaze with vain curiosity. God knows their wilfulness; and Moses must go down to prevent them, lest they perish through their presumption. Note; 1. Where God hath wrapped a sacred veil around his secrets, to be contentedly ignorant is our highest Wisdom 2. The boundaries God has fixed, are for our good: our folly or perverseness, if unrestrained, would destroy us. 3. Whenever we approach the Lord in his ordinances, let us remember his glory, that we may appear before him as becomes us, with reverence and godly fear.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Is there not a lesson here, of living by faith, and not by sight? Deu 29:29 .

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Exo 19:23 And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.

Ver. 23. The people cannot come up, ] i.e., Siquid ego aut capio, aut sapio, they cannot: that which I know not teach thou me.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Set bounds: Exo 19:12, Jos 3:4, Jos 3:5

Reciprocal: Psa 68:17 – as in Sinai

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge