Exodus

Exodus 20:18–21

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.” ²¹And the people stood at a distance as Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

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

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When all	וְכָל־	wə·ḵāl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the people	הָעָם֩	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
witnessed	רֹאִ֨ים	rō·’îm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H7200 see
the thunder	הַקּוֹלֹ֜ת	haq·qō·w·lōṯ	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H6963 sound, voice
and lightning	הַלַּפִּידִ֗ם	hal·lap·pî·ḏim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H3940 torch
the sounding	ק֣וֹל	qō·wl	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6963 sound, voice
of the ram’s horn	הַשֹּׁפָ֔ר	haš·šō·p̄ār	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H7782 horn
and the mountain	הָהָ֖ר	hā·hār	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H2022 mountain, hill, hill-country
enveloped in smoke	עָשֵׁ֑ן	‘ā·šên	Adjective - masculine singular	H6226 smoking
they trembled	וַיָּנֻ֔עוּ	way·yā·nu·‘ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5128 quiver, wave, waver, tremble, totter
and stood	וַיַּֽעַמְד֖וּ	way·ya·‘am·ḏū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5975 take one's stand, stand
at a distance	מֵֽרָחֹֽק׃	mê·rā·ḥōq	Preposition-m; Adjective - masculine singular	H7350 distant, far

Exodus 20:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Speak	דַּבֵּר־	dab·bêr-	Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular	H1696 speak
to us	עִמָּ֖נוּ	‘im·mā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural	H5973 with
yourself	אַתָּ֥ה	’at·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
and we will listen	וְנִשְׁמָ֑עָה	wə·niš·mā·‘āh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural	H8085 hear
they said	וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Moses	מֹשֶׁ֔ה	mō·šeh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4872 Moses
But do not	וְאַל־	wə·’al-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
let God	אֱלֹהִ֖ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
speak	יְדַבֵּ֥ר	yə·ḏab·bêr	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1696 speak
to us	עִמָּ֛נוּ	‘im·mā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural	H5973 with
or	פֶּן־	pen-	Conjunction	H6435 lest
we will die	נָמֽוּת׃	nā·mūṯ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural	H4191 die

Exodus 20:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
be afraid	תִּירָאוּ֒	tî·rā·’ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H3372 fear
Moses	מֹשֶׁ֣ה	mō·šeh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4872 Moses
replied	וַיֹּ֨אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
For	כִּ֗י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
God	הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים	hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
has come	בָּ֖א	bā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to	לְבַֽעֲבוּר֙	lə·ḇa·‘ă·ḇūr	Preposition-l, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H5668 crossed, transit, account
test you	נַסּ֣וֹת	nas·sō·wṯ	Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H5254 test, try
so that	וּבַעֲב֗וּר	ū·ḇa·‘ă·ḇūr	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H5668 crossed, transit, account
the fear of Him	יִרְאָת֛וֹ	yir·’ā·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3374 fear
may be before	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
you	פְּנֵיכֶ֖ם	pə·nê·ḵem	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine plural	H6440 face, before
to keep	לְבִלְתִּ֥י	lə·ḇil·tî	Preposition-l	H1115 not, except
you from sinning	תֶחֱטָֽאוּ׃	ṯe·ḥĕ·ṭā·’ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H2398 miss

Exodus 20:21

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And the people	הָעָ֖ם	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
stood	וַיַּעֲמֹ֥ד	way·ya·‘ă·mōḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5975 take one's stand, stand
at a distance	מֵרָחֹ֑ק	mê·rā·ḥōq	Preposition-m; Adjective - masculine singular	H7350 distant, far
as Moses	וּמֹשֶׁה֙	ū·mō·šeh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H4872 Moses
approached	נִגַּ֣שׁ	nig·gaš	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5066 draw near, approach
the thick darkness	הָֽעֲרָפֶ֔ל	hā·‘ă·rā·p̄el	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6205 cloud, heavy cloud
where	אֲשֶׁר־	’ă·šer-	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
God was	הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃פ	hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God