Hebrews 12:19

And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(19) See Exodus 19:19 (“the voice of the trumpet”), Deuteronomy 4:12 (“the voice of the words”).

Intreated.—“If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, then we shall die” (Deuteronomy 5:25; Exodus 20:19). Though God drew near to Israel, to reveal Himself, so terrible was His voice to them, so awful the penalties which fenced round their approach to Him, that they shrank back from hearing His words.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

12:18-29 Mount Sinai, on which the Jewish church state was formed, was a mount such as might be touched, though forbidden to be so, a place that could be felt; so the Mosaic dispensation was much in outward and earthly things. The gospel state is kind and condescending, suited to our weak frame. Under the gospel all may come with boldness to God's presence. But the most holy must despair, if judged by the holy law given from Sinai, without a Saviour. The gospel church is called Mount Zion; there believers have clearer views of heaven, and more heavenly tempers of soul. All the children of God are heirs, and every one has the privileges of the first-born. Let a soul be supposed to join that glorious assembly and church above, that is yet unacquainted with God, still carnally-minded, loving this present world and state of things, looking back to it with a lingering eye, full of pride and guile, filled with lusts; such a soul would seem to have mistaken its way, place, state, and company. It would be uneasy to itself and all about it. Christ is the Mediator of this new covenant, between God and man, to bring them together in this covenant; to keep them together; to plead with God for us, and to plead with us for God; and at length to bring God and his people together in heaven. This covenant is made firm by the blood of Christ sprinkled upon our consciences, as the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled upon the altar and the victim. This blood of Christ speaks in behalf of sinners; it pleads not for vengeance, but for mercy. See then that you refuse not his gracious call and offered salvation. See that you do not refuse Him who speaketh from heaven, with infinite tenderness and love; for how can those escape, who turn from God in unbelief or apostacy, while he so graciously beseeches them to be reconciled, and to receive his everlasting favour! God's dealing with men under the gospel, in a way of grace, assures us, that he will deal with the despisers of the gospel, in a way of judgment. We cannot worship God acceptably, unless we worship him with reverence and godly fear. Only the grace of God enables us to worship God aright. God is the same just and righteous God under the gospel as under the law. The inheritance of believers is secured to them; and all things pertaining to salvation are freely given in answer to prayer. Let us seek for grace, that we may serve God with reverence and godly fear.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And the voice of a trumpet - Exodus 19:19. The sound of the trumpet amidst the tempest was suited to increase the terror of the scene.

And the voice of words - Spoken by God; Exodus 19:19. It is easy to conceive what must have been the awe produced by a voice uttered from the midst of the tempest so distinct as to be heard by the hundreds of thousands of Israel, when the speaker was invisible.

Which voice they that heard ... - Exodus 20:18-19. It was so fearful and overpowering that the people earnestly prayed that if they must be addressed, it might he by the familiar voice of Moses and not by the awful voice of the Deity.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

19. trumpet—to rouse attention, and herald God's approach (Ex 19:16).

entreated that the word should not be spoken—literally, "that speech should not be added to them"; not that they refused to hear the word of God, but they wished that God should not Himself speak, but employ Moses as His mediating spokesman. "The voice of words" was the Decalogue, spoken by God Himself, a voice issuing forth, without any form being seen: after which "He added no more" (De 5:22).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

And the sound of a trumpet; which was most shrill and dreadful, it sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, giving a fearful alarm unto Israel to draw near to the Lord to hear his law to them, and covenant with them, and to see a type of their doom, if they transgressed it, in an obscure representation of the general judgment, Exodus 19:16,19 20:18; compare 1 Thessalonians 4:16 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9.

And the voice of words: after which alarm, the Angel of the covenant uttered his voice out of the fire most majestically, distinctly, and loudly, and spake to Israel in their own language the ten words, or commandments, that they might hear and understand them, so as they sensed them to be dreadful for their sound and matter, Exodus 20:1-20 Deu 4:10,12,13 5:1-27.

Which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: the people, being overwhelmed with the majesty and dreadfulness of that voice, deprecated any more such for matter or manner of manifestation to them, Exodus 20:19 Deu 5:23-26 18:16. And therefore desired Moses to speak to them God’s law, and that God might speak no more.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the sound of a trumpet,.... Exodus 19:16, which made it still more awful, as the sound of the trumpet will at the last day:

and the voice of words; of the ten words, or decalogue; which was as an articulate voice, formed by angels; and, therefore, the law is called the word spoken by angels, Hebrews 2:2 and is represented, as the voice of God himself, Exodus 20:1 who made use of the ministry of angels to deliver the law to Moses; "which" voice is called , "the voice of words", in Deuteronomy 4:12, and this voice,

they that heard, entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: fearing that they should die; wherefore they desired Moses to be their mediator, and draw nigh to God, and hear his words, and speak them to them, from him, Exodus 20:19.

Geneva Study Bible

And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Hebrews 12:19. Καὶ σάλπιγγος ἤχῳ] and to the sound of trumpet. Comp. Exodus 19:16 : φωνὴ τῆς σάλπιγγος ἤχει μέγα. Ibid. Exodus 12:19; Exodus 20:18.

καὶ φωνῇ ῥημάτων] and clang (piercing note) of words, which, namely, were spoken by God at the publication of the law, Exodus 20, Deuteronomy 5. Comp. Deuteronomy 4:12 : καὶ ἐλάλησε κύριος πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐκ μέσον τοῦ πυρὸς φωνὴν ῥημάτων, ἣν ὑμεῖς ἠκούσατε.

ἧς οἱ ἀκούσαντεχ κ.τ.λ.] they that heard which begged to be spared (Hebrews 12:25; Acts 25:11), that it should be further spoken to them (sc. on account of the terribleness of that already heard). Calvin: Caeterum quod dicit populum excusasse, non ita debet accipi, quasi populus renuerit audire Dei verba, sed deprecatus est, ne Deum ipsum loquentem audire cogeretur. Persona enim Mosis interposita horrorem nonnihil mitigabat. Comp. Deuteronomy 5:25 : καὶ νῦν μὴ ἀποθάνωμεν … ἐὰν προσθώμεθα ἡμεῖς ἀκοῦσαι τὴν φωνὴν κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἔτι; Deuteronomy 18:16; Exodus 20:18-19.

ἧς] goes back to φωνῇ, and is dependent not on λόγον (Storr), but upon ἀκούσαντες.

μή] after verbs of seeking to be excused, denying, warding off, etc., quite ordinarily. See Kühner, II. p. 410; Winer, Gramm., 7 Aufl. p. 561.

αὐτοῖς] looks back to the Israelites (οἱ ἀκούσαντες), not to ῥημάτων.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

19. the sound of a trumpet] Exodus 19:16; Exodus 19:19; Exodus 20:18.

the voice of words] Deuteronomy 4:12.

intreated] The verb means literally “to beg off.”

that the word should not be spoken to them any more] Lit. “that no word more should be added to them” (Deuteronomy 5:22-27; Deuteronomy 18:16; Exodus 20:19).

Bengel's Gnomen

Hebrews 12:19. Καὶ σάλπιγγος ἤχῳ, and the sound of the trumpet) Exodus 19:16, LXX., φωνὴ τῆς σάλπιγγος ἤχει μέγα. The trumpet rouses hearers to listen to what is said.—κα φωνῆ ῥημάτων, and to the voice of words) So the LXX., Deuteronomy 4:12 : moreover the ten commandments are intended. The Decalogue, ib. Deuteronomy 12:13, pronounced with a loud voice, ib. ch. Deuteronomy 5:19 (Deuteronomy 5:22).—ἧς) Construed with ἀκούσαντες.—παρῃτήσαντο) implored, that not a word more should be spoken, Exodus 20:16 (Exodus 20:19).—μὴ προστεθῆναι, that there should be no more added) Deuteronomy 5:19 (Deuteronomy 5:22), in LXX., These words the Lord spake—and He added (προσέθηκε) no more: for the rest were subsequently committed to Moses.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 19-21. - And the sound of a trumpet (Exodus 19:16), and the voice of words (Deuteronomy 4:12); which voice they that heard entreated that no word should be spoken to them more (Deuteronomy 18:16; cf. ver. 25 and Exodus 20:18): for they could not endure that which was commanded (rather, enjoined), If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned (Exodus 19:13; "or thrust through with a dart" is an interpolation in the text from the passage in Exodus): and so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake (Deuteronomy 9:19, ἔκφοβός εἰμι, to which ἔντρομος is added in the text. This saying of Moses was really uttered afterwards, when he was descending from the mount, and became aware of the sin of the golden calf. It was called forth by the people's sin, but was due to the alarming character of the preceding phenomena, of τὸ φανταζόμενον, that which was being revealed or manifested. Mention of it is added here to show that the general fear extended even to Moses, the mediator). This whole account, thus powerfully condensed from Exodus and Deuteronomy, presents a vivid picture of the terrors of the Mosaic revelation. God was, indeed, revealed to man, but still as unseen and unapproachable, terrible in his wrath against sin, and surrounded by sounds and sights of fear. But now mark the serene and glorious contrast. Hebrews 12:19

Vincent's Word Studies

Sound of a trumpet (σάλπιγγος ἤχῳ)

See Exodus 19:16, Exodus 19:19; Exodus 20:18. Ηχος a noise, almost entirely in Luke and Acts. See Luke 4:37; Acts 2:2; comp. lxx, 1 Samuel 14:19. Of the roar of the waves, Luke 21:25; comp. lxx, Psalm 64:7; Psalm 76:17. A rumor or report, see on Luke 4:37, and comp. lxx, 1 Samuel 4:16; Psalm 9:6. It does not occur in the O.T. narrative of the giving of the law, where we have φωνή voice; see lxx, Exodus 19:13, Exodus 19:16, Exodus 19:19; Exodus 20:18. For φωνή σάλπιγγος voice of a trumpet in N.T., see Revelation 1:10; Revelation 4:1; Revelation 8:13. Σάλπιγξ is a war-trumpet.

Voice of words (φωνῇ ῥημάτων)

See Exodus 19:19; Deuteronomy 4:12; Deuteronomy 5:22, Deuteronomy 5:24, Deuteronomy 5:26.

Entreated (παρῃτήσαντο)

See on 1 Timothy 4:7.

Be spoken to them any more (προστεθῆναι αὐτοῖς)

Lit. be added. See on Luke 3:19; see on Luke 20:11; see on Acts 12:3. To them refers to the hearers, not to the things heard. Rend. "that no word more should be spoken unto them." Comp. Exodus 20:19; Deuteronomy 5:25; Deuteronomy 18:16.