And the LORD said to him, “Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD, lest he break out against them.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Lord's sharp command, "Away, get thee down," isn't just for Moses's descent, but a forceful reminder that God's divine order cannot be swayed by human pleas or assumptions, even Moses's. He insists that Aaron, not just Moses, must ascend, underscoring the priestly role in mediating God's presence, even before the Levitical priesthood was formally established.
And the LORD said to him, “Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD, lest he break out against them.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
God is about to speak directly to the people from Mount Sinai, but first, He sends Moses down with a stern warning: the priests and the people must not try to approach Him on the mountain. Moses had previously argued that the people were already aware of the boundaries, but God insists on repeating the caution, emphasizing the extreme danger of unauthorized approach. This exchange highlights the profound holiness of God and the absolute necessity of approaching Him according to His divine order.
Moses thought a single warning was enough, but God insisted on a second. Why the repetition?
The Need for Reinforcement
God's command to Moses, "Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through... lest he break out against them," reveals God's deep pastoral care. Moses, perhaps confident in the people's obedience after the first warning, suggested it wasn't necessary to repeat the prohibition. However, God, who knows the human heart far better than any prophet, overruled him.
What did it mean for the people to 'break through,' and why was it so dangerous?
Trespassing Sacred Space
Ask a follow-up
The phrase 'break through' (or 'make a breach') signifies a forceful, unauthorized entry. This wasn't a casual step over a line, but a deliberate transgression of divine boundaries.
This passage highlights the immense holiness of God and the deep reverence required when approaching Him. It underscores that God, in His mercy, provides repeated warnings and boundaries, not to hide Himself, but to protect His people from the immediate consequence of their own curiosity and disobedience.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites leave Egypt
The people of Israel depart from Egypt, marking the beginning of their journey toward Mount Sinai. This event is the foundational premise for the covenant that will soon be established.
c. 1446 BC
Arrival at Mount Sinai
Israel arrives at the wilderness of Sinai, a significant location where God intends to establish a covenant relationship with them. This sets the stage for the momentous events to follow.
c. 1446 BC
God calls Moses up the mountain
God calls Moses to ascend Mount Sinai to receive the Law and establish the covenant. Moses makes preliminary ascents and descents, preparing the people for God's presence.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
God warns against approaching the mountain
God establishes a boundary around Mount Sinai, warning Moses to keep the people and even the priests from attempting to approach, lest they perish. This reiterates the holiness of God and the gravity of the covenant.
c. 1446 BC
Moses relays covenant terms
Moses descends and communicates God's covenantal offer to the people, who agree to obey God's voice and keep His covenant. This is a crucial moment of national commitment.
c. 1446 BC
The Ten Commandments given
Following further purification and preparation, God speaks the Ten Commandments directly to the assembled people from Mount Sinai, marking a pivotal moment in their national and spiritual identity.
This passage contrasts the terrifying experience of the Israelites at Mount Sinai with the believer's access to Mount Zion, highlighting the immense danger of approaching God's holiness unprepared, just as Exodus 19:24 warns against unauthorized approach.
1 Corinthians 10:1-4This passage uses the wilderness wanderings, including the event at Sinai, as an example for believers, emphasizing that spiritual sustenance and God's presence were with them, but many still fell due to disobedience and presumption, paralleling the need for reverence and obedience warned about in Exodus 19:24.
Leviticus 10:1-2This passage describes the tragic death of Nadab and Abihu, priests who offered 'unauthorized fire' before the Lord, directly illustrating the severe consequences of approaching God improperly, just as Exodus 19:24 forewarns against breaking through to Him.
John 1:14This verse states that the Word became flesh and 'dwelt among us,' referring to Jesus' incarnation. It offers a beautiful contrast to the terrifying presence of God on Sinai, showing how God, in His mercy, now draws near in a way that allows access, rather than immediate destruction for the presumptuous.
pulpitExodus 19:24: "And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them."
Verse 24. - And the Lord said... Away, Get thee down. God wholly rejected the plea of Moses, that there was no need to give an additional warning. He knew best, and would not have issued the order to "go down and charge the people "(ver. 21), unless there had been a need…
cambridgeExodus 19:24: "And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them."
- thou, and Aaron with thee , &c.] This command is nowhere stated to have been carried out: in Exodus 20:21 (E) Moses goes in before God alone; in Exodus 24:1 ; Exodus 24:9 Moses and Aaron are accompanied by Nadab and Abihu and seventy elders. with thee: but , &c.] Or, w…
The Lord's sharp command, "Away, get thee down," isn't just for Moses's descent, but a forceful reminder that God's divine order cannot be swayed by human pleas or assumptions, even Moses's. He insists that Aaron, not just Moses, must ascend, underscoring the priestly role in mediating God's presence, even before the Levitical priesthood was formally established.
God is about to speak directly to the people from Mount Sinai, but first, He sends Moses down with a stern warning: the priests and the people must not try to approach Him on the mountain. Moses had previously argued that the people were already aware of the boundaries, but God insists on repeating the caution, emphasizing the extreme danger of unauthorized approach. This exchange highlights the profound holiness of God and the absolute necessity of approaching Him according to His divine order.
God is about to speak directly to the people from Mount Sinai, but first, He sends Moses down with a stern warning: the priests and the people must not try to approach Him on the mountain. Moses had previously argued that the people were already aware of the boundaries, but God insists on repeating the caution, emphasizing the extreme danger of unauthorized approach. This exchange highlights the profound holiness of God and the absolute necessity of approaching Him according to His divine order.
"And the LORD said to him, “Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD, lest he break out against them.”" — The Lord's sharp command, "Away, get thee down," isn't just for Moses's descent, but a forceful reminder that God's divine order cannot be swayed by human pleas or assumptions, even Moses's. He insis…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026