Hebrews 12 · Verse 20

Hebrews 12:20

(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:
Hebrews 12:20, King James Version

Hebrews 12:20 in other translations

BSBFor they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”
WEBfor they could not stand that which was commanded, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned”.
ASVfor they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned;
YLTfor they were not bearing that which is commanded, ‘And if a beast may touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or with an arrow shot through,'
DARBY(for they were not able to bear what was enjoined: And if a beast should touch the mountain, it shall be stoned;
BBEFor the order which said, If the mountain is touched even by a beast, the beast is to be stoned, seemed hard to them;
Webster(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:

What does Hebrews 12:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
20. that which was commanded--"the interdict" [Tittmann]. A stern interdictory mandate is meant. And--rather, "Even if a beast (much more a man) touch," &c. or thrust through with a dart--omitted in the oldest manuscripts. The full interdict in Ex 19:12, 13 is abbreviated here; the beast alone, being put for "whether man or beast"; the stoning, which applies to the human offender, alone being specified, the beast's punishment, namely, the being thrust through with a dart, being left to be understood.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 20. For they could not endure that which was commanded. They could not sustain the awe produced by the fact that God uttered his commands himself. The meaning is not that the commands themselves were intolerable, but that the manner in which they were communicated inspired a terror which they could not bear. They feared that they should die. Ex 20:19

And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned. Ex 19:13. The prohibition was, that neither beast nor man should touch it on pain of death. The punishment was to be either by stoning, or being "shot through."

Or thrust through with a dart. Ex 19:13. "Or shot through." This phrase, however, though it is found in the common editions of the New Testament, is wanting in all the more valuable manuscripts; in all the ancient versions; and it occurs in none of the Greek ecclesiastical writers, with one exception. It is omitted now by almost all editors of the New Testament. It is beyond all doubt an addition of later times, taken from the Septuagint of Ex 19:13. Its omission does not injure the sense.

(b) "And if" Ex 19:13,16

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Hebrews 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…

Read the full comment on Hebrews 12:18-29 →

Hebrews 12:20 in the original Greek

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.

οὐκouknot [able]G3756
ἔφερονepheronthey were bearingG5342
γὰρgarforG1063
τὸtowhichG3588
διαστελλόμενον·diastellomenonis being commanded:G1291
κἂνkanIf evenG2532
θηρίονthēriona beastG2342
θίγῃthigēshall touchG2345
τοῦtoutheG3588
ὄρους,orousmountain,G3735
λιθοβοληθήσεταιlithobolēthēsetaiit will be stonedG3036
ἢēorG2228
βολίδιbolidiwith arrowG1002
κατατοξευθήσεται,katatoxeuthēsetaiwill be shot downG2700

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

Cross references for Hebrews 12:20

  • Exodus 19:12-13

    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: There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.

  • Deuteronomy 33:2

    And he said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

  • Galatians 3:10

    For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

  • Galatians 2:19

    For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

  • Exodus 19:16

    And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

  • Romans 3:19-20

    Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
For they.
De 33:2; Ro 3:19,20; Ga 2:19; 3:10
if so much.
Ex 19:13,16

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

Context

  • 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:

  • Hebrews 12:20

    (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:

  • Hebrews 12:21

    And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

Read all of Hebrews 12

Hebrews 12:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque no podían tolerar lo que se mandaba: Si bestia tocare al monte, será apedreada, ó pasada con dardo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		(car ils ne pouvaient supporter ce qui était enjoint: « Si même une bête touche la montagne, elle sera lapidée »;
German
Elberfelder 1871		denn sie konnten nicht ertragen, was geboten wurde: "Und wenn ein Tier den Berg berührt, soll es gesteinigt werden."
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Non enim portabant quod dicebatur: Et si bestia tetigerit montem, lapidabitur.