Exodus 19:12-13

19:12 You must set boundaries ¹  for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed ²  to yourselves not to go up on the mountain nor touch its edge. Whoever touches the mountain will surely be put to death! 19:13 No hand will touch him ³  – but he will surely be stoned or shot through, whether a beast or a human being; ⁴  he must not live.’ When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast they may ⁵  go up on the mountain.”

Exodus 19:21

19:21 The Lord said to Moses, “Go down and solemnly warn ⁶  the people, lest they force their way through to the Lord to look, and many of them perish. ⁷ 

¹ tn The verb is a Hiphil perfect (“make borders”) with vav (ו) consecutive, following the sequence of instructions.

² tn The Niphal imperative (“guard yourselves, take heed to yourselves”) is followed by two infinitives construct that provide the description of what is to be avoided – going up or touching the mountain.

³ sn There is some ambiguity here. The clause either means that no man will touch the mountain, so that if there is someone who is to be put to death he must be stoned or shot since they could not go into the mountain region to get him, or, it may mean no one is to touch the culprit who went in to the region of the mountain.

⁴ tn Heb “a man.”

⁵ tn The nuance here is permissive imperfect, “they may go up.” The ram’s horn would sound the blast to announce that the revelation period was over and it was permitted then to ascend the mountain.

⁶ tn The imperative הָעֵד (ha’ed) means “charge” them – put them under oath, or solemnly warn them. God wished to ensure that the people would not force their way past the barriers that had been set out.

⁷ tn Heb “and fall”; NAB “be struck down.”