Exodus 20:18-19

20:18 All the people were seeing ¹  the thundering and the lightning, and heard ²  the sound of the horn, and saw ³  the mountain smoking – and when ⁴  the people saw it they trembled with fear ⁵  and kept their distance. ⁶  20:19 They said to Moses, “You speak ⁷  to us and we will listen, but do not let God speak with us, lest we die.”

Hebrews 12:18-21

12:18 For you have not come to something that can be touched, ⁸  to a burning fire and darkness and gloom and a whirlwind 12:19 and the blast of a trumpet and a voice uttering words ⁹  such that those who heard begged to hear no more. ¹⁰  12:20 For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” ¹¹  12:21 In fact, the scene ¹²  was so terrifying that Moses said, “I shudder with fear.” ¹³ 

[20:18]  ¹ tn The participle is used here for durative action in the past time (GKC 359 §116.o).

[20:18]  ² tn The verb “to see” (רָאָה, ra’ah) refers to seeing with all the senses, or perceiving. W. C. Kaiser suggests that this is an example of the figure of speech called zeugma because the verb “saw” yokes together two objects, one that suits the verb and the other that does not. So, the verb “heard” is inserted here to clarify (“Exodus,” EBC 2:427).

[20:18]  ³ tn The verb “saw” is supplied here because it is expected in English (see the previous note on “heard”).

[20:18]  ⁴ tn The preterite with vav (ו) consecutive is here subordinated as a temporal clause to the following clause, which receives the prominence.

[20:18]  ⁵ tn The meaning of נוּעַ (nua’) is “to shake, sway to and fro” in fear. Compare Isa 7:2 – “and his heart shook…as the trees of the forest shake with the wind.”

[20:18]  ⁶ tn Heb “and they stood from/at a distance.”

[20:19]  ⁷ tn The verb is a Piel imperative. In this context it has more of the sense of a request than a command. The independent personal pronoun “you” emphasizes the subject and forms the contrast with God’s speaking.

[12:18]  ⁸ tn This describes the nation of Israel approaching God on Mt. Sinai (Exod 19). There is a clear contrast with the reference to Mount Zion in v. 22, so this could be translated “a mountain that can be touched.” But the word “mountain” does not occur here and the more vague description seems to be deliberate.

[12:19]  ⁹ tn Grk “a voice of words.”

[12:19]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “a voice…from which those who heard begged that a word not be added to them.”

[12:20]  ¹¹ sn A quotation from Exod 19:12-13.

[12:21]  ¹² tn Grk “that which appeared.”

[12:21]  ¹³ tn Grk “I am terrified and trembling.”