Exodus 19 · Verse 22

Exodus 19:22

And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them.
Exodus 19:22, King James Version

Exodus 19:22 in other translations

BSBEven the priests who approach the LORD must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them.”
WEBLet the priests also, who come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break out on them.”
ASVAnd let the priests also, that come near to Jehovah, sanctify themselves, lest Jehovah break forth upon them.
YLTand also the priests who are coming nigh unto Jehovah do sanctify themselves, lest Jehovah break forth on them.'
DARBYAnd the priests also, who come near to Jehovah, shall hallow themselves, lest Jehovah break forth on them.
BBEAnd let the priests who come near to the Lord make themselves holy, for fear that the Lord may come on them suddenly.
WebsterAnd let the priests also who come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.

What does Exodus 19:22 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 22 Let the priests also - sanctify themselves - That there were priests among the Hebrews before the consecration of Aaron and his sons, cannot be doubted; though their functions might be in a considerable measure suspended while under persecution in Egypt, yet the persons existed whose right and duty it was to offer sacrifices to God. Moses requested liberty from Pharaoh to go into the wilderness to sacrifice; and had there not been among the people both sacrifices and priests, the request itself must have appeared nugatory and absurd. Sacrifices from the beginning had constituted an essential part of the worship of God, and there certainly were priests whose business it was to offer them to God before the giving of the law; though this, for especial reasons, was restricted to Aaron and his sons after the law had been given. As sacrifices had not been offered for a considerable time, the priests themselves were considered in a state of impurity; and therefore God requires that they also should be purified for the purpose of approaching the mountain, and hearing their Maker promulgate his laws. See Clarke's note on Exo 28:1.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 19:16-25

Never was there such a sermon preached, before or since, as this which was preached to the church in the wilderness. It might be supposed that the terrors would have checked presumption and curiosity in the people; but the hard heart of an unawakened sinner can trifle with the most terrible threatenings and judgments. In drawing near to God, we must never forget his holiness and greatness, nor our own meanness and…

Read the full comment on Exodus 19:16-25 →

Exodus 19:22 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְגַ֧םve.Gamand alsoH1571
הַכֹּהֲנִ֛יםha.ko.ha.Nimthe priestsH3548
הַנִּגָּשִׁ֥יםha.ni.ga.Shimwho draw nearH5066
אֶל\־'el-toH413
יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahwehH3068
יִתְקַדָּ֑שׁוּyit.ka.Da.shuthey will make themselves holyH6942
פֶּן\־pen-lestH6435
יִפְרֹ֥ץyif.Rotzhe should break outH6555
בָּהֶ֖םba.Hemagainst <the> them
יְהוָֽה\׃Yah.wehYahwehH3068

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Exodus 19:22

  • Exodus 24:5

    And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the Lord.

  • 2 Samuel 6:6-8

    And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. And David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perez–uzzah to this day.

  • Exodus 19:14-15

    And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes. And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.

  • Acts 5:5

    And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

  • 1 Chronicles 13:9-11

    And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God. And David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perez–uzza to this day.

  • Acts 5:10

    Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

  • Isaiah 52:11

    Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.

  • 2 Chronicles 30:15

    Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the Lord.

  • Exodus 19:5

    Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

  • Leviticus 10:1-3

    And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

  • 2 Chronicles 30:3

    For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

  • 1 Corinthians 11:30-32

    For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the priests.
24:5; Le 10:1-3; Isa 52:11
sanctify.
5,14,15
break.
2Sa 6:6-8; 1Ch 13:9-11; 15:13; 2Ch 30:3,15,18,19; Ac 5:5,10
1Co 11:30-32

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Exodus 19:21

    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.

  • Exodus 19:22

    And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them.

  • Exodus 19:23

    And Moses said unto the Lord, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.

Read all of Exodus 19

Exodus 19:22 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y también los sacerdotes que se llegan á Jehová, se santifiquen, porque Jehová no haga en ellos estrago.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et aussi, que les sacrificateurs qui s’approchent de l’ Éternel se sanctifient, de peur que l’ Éternel ne se jette sur eux.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und auch die Priester, die zu Jehova nahen, sollen sich heiligen, daß Jehova nicht in sie einbreche.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Sacerdotes quoque qui accedunt ad Dominum, sanctificentur, ne percutiat eos.