Exodus 19:12
New International Version
Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death.

New Living Translation
Mark off a boundary all around the mountain. Warn the people, ‘Be careful! Do not go up on the mountain or even touch its boundaries. Anyone who touches the mountain will certainly be put to death.

English Standard Version
And you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death.

Berean Standard Bible
And you are to set up a boundary for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful not to go up on the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.

King James Bible
And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:

New King James Version
You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed to yourselves that you do not go up to the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.

New American Standard Bible
But you shall set boundaries for the people all around, saying, ‘Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall certainly be put to death.

NASB 1995
“You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, ‘Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.

NASB 1977
“And you shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, ‘Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.

Legacy Standard Bible
And you shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, ‘Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.

Amplified Bible
You shall set barriers for the people all around [the mountain], saying, ‘Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch its border; whoever touches the mountain must be put to death.

Christian Standard Bible
Put boundaries for the people all around the mountain and say: Be careful that you don’t go up on the mountain or touch its base. Anyone who touches the mountain must be put to death.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Put boundaries for the people all around the mountain and say: Be careful that you don’t go up on the mountain or touch its base. Anyone who touches the mountain will be put to death.

American Standard Version
And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And raise a testimony among the people and say to them, ‘Beware you will not come up to the mountain and you shall not touch its borders and everyone who touches the mountain will be killed.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And thou shalt separate the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves that ye go not up into the mountain, nor touch any part of it: every one that touches the mountain shall surely die.

Contemporary English Version
Warn the people that they are forbidden to touch any part of the mountain. Anyone who does will be put to death,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And thou shalt appoint certain limits to the people round about, and thou shalt say to them: Take heed you go not up into the mount, and that ye touch not the borders thereof: every one that toucheth the mount dying he shall die.

English Revised Version
And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Mark off a boundary around the mountain for the people, and tell them not to go up the mountain or even touch it. Those who touch the mountain must be put to death.

Good News Translation
Mark a boundary around the mountain that the people must not cross, and tell them not to go up the mountain or even get near it. If any of you set foot on it, you are to be put to death;

International Standard Version
You are to set boundaries for the people all around: 'Be very careful that you don't go up on the mountain or touch the side of it. Anyone who touches the mountain is certainly to be put to death.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying: Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it; whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death;

Literal Standard Version
And you have made a border [for] the people all around, saying, Take heed to yourselves, going up into the mountain or coming against its extremity; whoever is coming against the mountain is certainly put to death;

Majority Standard Bible
And you are to set up a boundary for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful not to go up on the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.

New American Bible
Set limits for the people all around, saying: Take care not to go up the mountain, or even to touch its edge. All who touch the mountain must be put to death.

NET Bible
You must set boundaries for the people all around, saying, 'Take heed to yourselves not to go up on the mountain nor touch its edge. Whoever touches the mountain will surely be put to death!

New Revised Standard Version
You shall set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Be careful not to go up the mountain or to touch the edge of it. Any who touch the mountain shall be put to death.

New Heart English Bible
You shall set bounds to the people all around, saying, 'Be careful that you do not go up onto the mountain, or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain shall be surely put to death.

Webster's Bible Translation
And thou shalt set bounds to the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up upon the mount, or touch the border of it: whoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:

World English Bible
You shall set bounds to the people all around, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t go up onto the mountain, or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain shall be surely put to death.

Young's Literal Translation
And thou hast made a border for the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, going up into the mount, or coming against its extremity; whoever is coming against the mount is certainly put to death;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Israel at Mount Sinai
11and be prepared by the third day, for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12And you are to set up a boundary for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful not to go up on the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. 13No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows—whether man or beast, he must not live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”…

Cross References
Hebrews 12:18
For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm;

Hebrews 12:20
For they could not bear what was commanded: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned."

Exodus 19:23
But Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, for You solemnly warned us, 'Put a boundary around the mountain and set it apart as holy.'"

Exodus 34:3
No one may go up with you; in fact, no one may be seen anywhere on the mountain--not even the flocks or herds may graze in front of the mountain."


Treasury of Scripture

And you shall set bounds to the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that you go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whoever touches the mount shall be surely put to death:

set bounds

Exodus 19:21,23
And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish…

Joshua 3:4
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.

take

Exodus 10:28
And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.

Exodus 34:12
Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:

Deuteronomy 2:4
And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore:

or touch

Hebrews 12:20,21
(For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: …

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Exodus 19
1. The people arrive at Sinai
3. God's message by Moses unto the people out of the mount
8. The people are prepared against the third day, for the giving of the law
12. The mountain must not be touched
16. The fearful presence of God upon the mount














(12) Thou shalt set bounds.--Here was another formal and mechanical direction, having for its object to deepen and intensify the lesson of God's unapproachable majesty and holiness. Moses was required to "set bounds to the people," i.e., to make a substantial fence between the camp and the base of Sinai, which should prevent both animals and men from coming in contact with the mountain. Modern travellers generally observe how abruptly the rocky precipice of Ras Sufsafeh rises from the plain in front of it, so that in many places it is quite possible to stand on the plain and yet touch the mountain. The idea that a line of natural mounds now to be seen near the base of Sinai represents the "bounds" of Moses (Stanley, Sinai and Palestine, p. 43) is unsatisfactory, since the "bounds" of Moses were most certainly artificial ones. It is, however, possible that his "bounds" may have followed the line of the natural barrier.

That ye go not up into the mount.--Unless it had been forbidden, there might have seemed to be no reason why pious Israelites might not have ascended the height, to draw near to God in prayer. It is a praiseworthy feeling which breathes in the words, "Nearer, my God, to thee;" but the nation was not fit for close approach.

Verse 12. - Thou shalt set bounds. The erection of a fence or barrier, between the camp and the mountain - not necessarily all round the mountain - seems to be meant. This barrier may have run along the line of low alluvial mounds at the foot of the cliff of Ras Sufsafeh, mentioned by Dean Stanley (Sinai and Palestine, p. 43), but cannot have been identical with them, since it was an artificial fence. That ye go not up into the mount. Curiosity might have tempted some to ascend the mount, if it had not been positively forbidden under the penalty of death; carelessness might have brought many into contact with it, since the cliff rises abruptly from the plain. Unless the fence had been made, cattle would, naturally, have grazed along its base. To impress the Israelites with a due sense of the awful majesty of God, and the sacredness of everything material that it brought into close relations with him, the mount itself was declared holy - none but Moses and Aaron might go up into it; none might touch it; even the stray beast that approached it must suffer death for its unwitting offence (ver. 13). Whosoever toucheth the mount. The mountain may be "touched" from the plain - it rises so abruptly. Shall be surely put to death. A terrible punishment, and one which, to modern ideas, seems excessive. But it was only by terrible threats, and in some cases by terrible punishments (2 Samuel 6:7), that the Israelites could be taught reverence. A profound reverence lies at the root of all true religious feeling; and for the education of the world, it was requisite, in the early ages, to inculcate the necessity of this frame of mind in some very marked and striking way.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And you are to set up a boundary
וְהִגְבַּלְתָּ֤ (wə·hiḡ·bal·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 1379: To twist as a, rope, to bound

for the people
הָעָם֙ (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

around [the mountain]
סָבִ֣יב (sā·ḇîḇ)
Adverb
Strong's 5439: A circle, neighbour, environs, around

and tell them,
לֵאמֹ֔ר (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘Be careful
הִשָּׁמְר֥וּ (hiš·šā·mə·rū)
Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

not to go up
עֲל֥וֹת (‘ă·lō·wṯ)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

on the mountain
בָּהָ֖ר (bā·hār)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2022: Mountain, hill, hill country

or touch
וּנְגֹ֣עַ (ū·nə·ḡō·a‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5060: To touch, lay the hand upon, to reach, violently, to strike

its base.
בְּקָצֵ֑הוּ (bə·qā·ṣê·hū)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7097: End, extremity

Whoever
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

touches
הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ (han·nō·ḡê·a‘)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5060: To touch, lay the hand upon, to reach, violently, to strike

the mountain
בָּהָ֖ר (bā·hār)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2022: Mountain, hill, hill country

shall surely
מ֥וֹת (mō·wṯ)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

be put to death.
יוּמָֽת׃ (yū·māṯ)
Verb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill


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OT Law: Exodus 19:12 You shall set bounds to the people (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 19:11
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