22 And let the priests also, which come near to the Lord, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them.
22 Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them."
22 Also let the priests who come near to the Lord consecrate themselves, lest the Lord break out against them."
22 And the priests also, warn them to prepare themselves for the holy meeting, lest God break out against them."
22 Also let the priests who come near the Lord consecrate themselves, lest the Lord break out against them."
22 Even the priests who regularly come near to the Lord must purify themselves so that the Lord does not break out and destroy them."
15 And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
15 The people grieved for Benjamin, because the Lord had made a gap in the tribes of Israel.
15 And the people had compassion on Benjamin because the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
15 The people felt bad for Benjamin; God had left out Benjamin - the missing piece from the Israelite tribes.
15 And the people grieved for Benjamin, because the Lord had made a void in the tribes of Israel.
15 The people felt sorry for Benjamin because the Lord had made this gap among the tribes of Israel.
The Israelites lament for the Benjamites.
Israel lamented for the Benjamites, and were perplexed by the oath they had taken, not to give their daughters to them in marriage. Men are more zealous to support their own authority than that of God. They would have acted better if they had repented of their rash oaths, brought sin-offerings, and sought forgiveness in the appointed way, rather than attempt to avoid the guilt of perjury by actions quite as wrong. That men can advise others to acts of treachery or violence, out of a sense of duty, forms a strong proof of the blindness of the human mind when left to itself, and of the fatal effects of a conscience under ignorance and error.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 19:22
Commentary on Exodus 19:16-25
(Read 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 pollution. We cannot stand in judgment before him according to his righteous law. The convinced transgressor asks, What must I do to be saved? and he hears the voice, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. The Holy Ghost, who made the law to convince of sin, now takes of the things of Christ, and shows them to us. In the gospel we read, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. We have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. Through him we are justified from all things, from which we could not be justified by the law of Moses. But the Divine law is binding as a rule of life. The Son of God came down from heaven, and suffered poverty, shame, agony, and death, not only to redeem us from its curse, but to bind us more closely to keep its commands.