Exodus 19:3

“And Moses went up unto God, etc.] Who was in the pillar of cloud upon the top of the mount; this was on the second day, according to the Targum of Jonathan: “the Lord called unto him out of the mountain”; or had called unto him, as Aben Ezra, since without his leave he could not have gone up. He called to him out of the cloud upon the top of the mountain to come up, and being come near him, he called to him, and spoke with an articulate voice, as follows: saying, thus shalt thou say, to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; which are the same, and are described as descending from the same person, who was called by both names; the one was his name in the former and lower state…”

“Moses went up unto God--the Shekinah--within the cloud (Exo 33:20; Joh 1:18). Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, &c.--The object for which Moses went up was to receive and convey to the people the message contained in these verses, and the purport of which was a general announcement of the terms on which God was to take the Israelites into a close and peculiar relation to Himself. In thus negotiating between God and His people, the highest post of duty which any mortal man was ever called to occupy, Moses was still but a servant. The only Mediator is Jesus Christ [Ti1 2:5; Heb 12:24].”

“Moses went up unto God - This seems to imply that the voice was heard by Moses as he was ascending the mount. House of Jacob - This expression does not occur elsewhere in the Pentateuch. It has a special fitness here, referring doubtless to the special promises made to the Patriarch. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and the children of Israel - The people are called by the names both of Jacob and Israel, to mind them that they who had lately been as low as Jacob when he went to Padan - aram, were now grown as great as God made him when he came from thence, and was called Israel. Exodus 19:4”

“19:3 the family of Jacob . . . the descendants of Israel: The link between Jacob and the present generation reflected continuity with the past. God had kept all his promises thus far, and the promises he was yet to make would be equally trustworthy.”

“went up: Exo 20:21, Exo 24:15-18, Exo 34:2; Deut. 5:5-31; Act 7:38 called: Exo 3:4 Exodus 19:4”

“Moses had known from the time of his call that Israel would serve God on this mountain ( Exo 3:12); and as soon as the people were encamped opposite to it, he went up to God, i.e., up the mountain, to the top of which the cloud had probably withdrawn. There God gave him the necessary instructions for preparing for the covenant: first of all assuring him, that He had brought the Israelites to Himself to make them His own nation, and that He would speak to them from the mountain ( Exo 19:4-9); and then ordering him to sanctify the people for this revelation of the Lord ( Exo 19:10-15). The promise precedes the demand; for the grace of God always anticipates the wants of man, and does not…”