Exodus

Exodus 20:18–20

18When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sounding of the ram’s horn, and the mountain enveloped in smoke, they trembled and stood at a distance. 19“Speak to us yourself and we will listen,” they said to Moses. “But do not let God speak to us, or we will die.”

20“Do not be afraid,” Moses replied. “For God has come to test you, so that the fear of Him may be before you, to keep you from sinning.”

Read all of Exodus 20

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Exodus 20:18

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
When allוְכָל־wə·ḵālConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the peopleהָעָם֩hā·‘āmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
witnessedרֹאִ֨יםrō·’îmVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH7200 see
the thunderהַקּוֹלֹ֜תhaq·qō·w·lōṯArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH6963 sound, voice
and lightningהַלַּפִּידִ֗םhal·lap·pî·ḏimArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH3940 torch
the soundingק֣וֹלqō·wlNoun - masculine singular constructH6963 sound, voice
of the ram’s hornהַשֹּׁפָ֔רhaš·šō·p̄ārArticle; Noun - masculine singularH7782 horn
and the mountainהָהָ֖רhā·hārArticle; Noun - masculine singularH2022 mountain, hill, hill-country
enveloped in smokeעָשֵׁ֑ן‘ā·šênAdjective - masculine singularH6226 smoking
they trembledוַיָּנֻ֔עוּway·yā·nu·‘ūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH5128 quiver, wave, waver, tremble, totter
and stoodוַיַּֽעַמְד֖וּway·ya·‘am·ḏūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH5975 take one's stand, stand
at a distanceמֵֽרָחֹֽק׃mê·rā·ḥōqPreposition-m; Adjective - masculine singularH7350 distant, far

Exodus 20:19

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Speakדַּבֵּר־dab·bêr-Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singularH1696 speak
to usעִמָּ֖נוּ‘im·mā·nūPreposition; first person common pluralH5973 with
yourselfאַתָּ֥ה’at·tāhPronoun - second person masculine singularH859 thou
and we will listenוְנִשְׁמָ֑עָהwə·niš·mā·‘āhConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common pluralH8085 hear
they saidוַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙way·yō·mə·rūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Mosesמֹשֶׁ֔הmō·šehNoun - proper - masculine singularH4872 Moses
But do notוְאַל־wə·’al-Conjunctive waw; AdverbH408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
let Godאֱלֹהִ֖ים’ĕ·lō·hîmNoun - masculine pluralH430 God
speakיְדַבֵּ֥רyə·ḏab·bêrVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH1696 speak
to usעִמָּ֛נוּ‘im·mā·nūPreposition; first person common pluralH5973 with
orפֶּן־pen-ConjunctionH6435 lest
we will dieנָמֽוּת׃nā·mūṯVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common pluralH4191 die

Exodus 20:20

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Do notאַל־’al-AdverbH408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
be afraidתִּירָאוּ֒tî·rā·’ūVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralH3372 fear
Mosesמֹשֶׁ֣הmō·šehNoun - proper - masculine singularH4872 Moses
repliedוַיֹּ֨אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Forכִּ֗יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
Godהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםhā·’ĕ·lō·hîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH430 God
has comeבָּ֖אbāVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
toלְבַֽעֲבוּר֙lə·ḇa·‘ă·ḇūrPreposition-l, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singularH5668 crossed, transit, account
test youנַסּ֣וֹתnas·sō·wṯVerb - Piel - Infinitive constructH5254 test, try
so thatוּבַעֲב֗וּרū·ḇa·‘ă·ḇūrConjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singularH5668 crossed, transit, account
the fear of Himיִרְאָת֛וֹyir·’ā·ṯōwNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH3374 fear
may be beforeעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
youפְּנֵיכֶ֖םpə·nê·ḵemNoun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine pluralH6440 face, before
to keepלְבִלְתִּ֥יlə·ḇil·tîPreposition-lH1115 not, except
you from sinningתֶחֱטָֽאוּ׃ṯe·ḥĕ·ṭā·’ūVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralH2398 miss

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Exodus 20:18 Exodus 19:16–18 · Jeremiah 23:23 · Hebrews 12:18–19 · Psalm 139:7–8

Exodus 20:19 Deuteronomy 18:16 · Acts 7:38 · Exodus 33:20 · Deuteronomy 5:23–27

Exodus 20:20 Deuteronomy 13:3 · Proverbs 3:7 · 1 Samuel 12:20 · Isaiah 8:13 · Deuteronomy 8:2 · Genesis 22:1 · Proverbs 16:6 · Job 28:28 · Exodus 15:25–26 · Proverbs 1:7 · Isaiah 41:10 · Nehemiah 5:15

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.