Welcome to my Hebrew reading & language series.

Exodus 19:21-25

Today we will finish the 19th chapter with Elohim (God) dwelling on the top of the mountain, Moshe (Moses) heading to the top of the mountain to speak with El (an accepted abbreviation of God's title), and the people are waiting below and have been warned not to get close to the Mountain. That is where we left off last week.

The first thing I noticed when reading this passage in Hebrew was how many times God's name is used. As a matter of fact, the whole reading was God speaking in the third person about himself. In my reading of the Hebrew, I have seen Elohim speak of himself as "He is doing x or y." and I have seen him refer to himself using "I am" or "I made something." In the new testament, Yeshua (means "salvation" -translated 'Jesus') quite often spoke in third person "...and the son of man has the power to take up his life again." It makes sense that if the Father speaks a certain way, the Son will do the same.

The end of this chapter is the last instructional narrative before YHVH starts speaking ha-mits-Vote (The Commands) in the sight and hearing of all of the people of Israel. Not really the way it is portrayed in "The Ten Commandments" movie, is it? Think about that as we go through the next few posts. In order for a covenant to be valid, both parties have to be there.

This is what the Tanak says. There is no KJV, NIV, or ESV. There is just the Hebrew that agrees with the other Hebrew and the other other Hebrew as texts are found all over the world. That is why I am reading the original language.

Essentially, this passage tells us that Moshe goes up and God talks about the boundaries, Moshe confirms that the people were warned. God clearly does not want to go through with the promised penalty for anyone that would try to ascend. Then Moshe is told to go down and return to the mountain with his brother. That is how this chapter ends.

Note: I have looked into ancient Hebrew texts and how there are differences but they are slight. Versions of the English Bible, on the other hand, MUST by law be 15% different in order to be considered to be another version. In other words, the Bible cannot be copy righted, but a version with the above percentage of differences, can.

Today's Reading

English

And YHVH said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to YHVH to look and many of them perish. Also let the priests who come near to YHVH consecrate themselves, lest YHVH break out against them." And Moses said to YHVH, "The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you yourself warned us, saying, 'Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.' " And YHVH said to him, "Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to YHVH, lest he break out against them." So Moses went down to the people and told them.

Hebrew

Next, Elohim speaks commands to the people...

Info on each letter starting at the beginning

If you are just starting, my lessons are all here starting at Alef, adding vowels (the dots and lines) as we go. I explain the meaning of each letter and its numerical value. Just go to my blog and scroll to the bottom or click here

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Thanks for reading.

Shabbat Shalom