Exodus 19:10

“And the Lord said unto Moses, etc.] On the fourth day, according to the Targum of Jonathan; go unto the people; go down from the mountain, from the top of it, where he now was, to the camp of Israel, which was pitched before it: and sanctify them today and tomorrow; the fourth and fifth days of the month; that is, he was, to instruct them how they were to sanctify themselves in an external way, by washing themselves, as after mentioned, their bodies and clothes, and by abstaining from all sensual pleasures, lawful or unlawful: and let them wash their clothes; which the Jews understood not of their garments, but of their bodies also; teaching them by these outward things the necessity of…”

“Sanctify them - The injunction involves bodily purification and undoubtedly also spiritual preparation. Compare Hebrews 10:22. The washing of the clothes was an outward symbol well understood in all nations. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Sanctify the people - As Job before sent and sanctified his sons, Job 1:5. Sanctify them, that is, call them off from their worldly business, and call them to religious exercises, meditation and prayer, that they may receive the law from God's mouth with reverence and devotion. Two things particularly were prescribed as instances of their preparation. 1st, In token of cleansing of themselves from all sinful pollutions, they must wash their clothes. Not that God regards our clothes, but while they were washing their clothes, he would have them think of washing their souls by repentance. It becomes us to appear in clean clothes when we wait upon great men; so clean hearts are required in our…”

“19:10-15 In the second phase of preparation, the people received commands that would prepare them to receive God’s covenant. They were to wash their clothing (19:10, 14) because God is pure. They were to prepare a boundary all around the mountain (19:12-13) and be careful not to cross it because God is holy. They were to abstain from having sexual intercourse (19:15) because God is not a sexual being, and his blessings are not produced through sexual activity. Things that are natural and right under ordinary circumstances were to be set aside for the extraordinary purpose of concentrating on the Lord, the King who was about to appear before the people. Only their compliance with the second…”

“sanctify: Exo 19:15; Lev 11:44, Lev 11:45; Jos 3:5, Jos 7:13; Sa1 16:5; Ch2 29:5, Ch2 29:34, Ch2 30:17-19; Job 1:5; Co1 6:11 wash: Exo 19:14; Gen 35:2; Lev 11:25, Lev 15:5; Num 8:7, Num 8:21, Num 31:24; Zac 3:3, Zac 3:4; Heb 10:22; Rev 7:14 Exodus 19:11”

“God then commanded Moses to prepare the people for His appearing or speaking to them: (1) by their sanctification, through the washing of the body and clothes (see Gen 35:2), and abstinence from conjugal intercourse ( Exo 19:15) on account of the defilement connected therewith ( Lev 15:18); and (2) by setting bounds round the people, that they might not ascend or touch the mountain. The hedging or bounding (הגבּיל) of the people is spoken of in Exo 19:23 as setting bounds about the mountain, and consisted therefore in the erection of a barrier round the mountain, which was to prevent the people form ascending or touching it. Any one who touched it (קצהוּ, "its end," i.e., the outermost or…”